# An Example Of Bad Decisions



## Bill Mattocks (Nov 26, 2015)

Saw this in the news yesterday:

SAPD: Homeowner shot fending off car burglar

_SAPD: Homeowner shot fending off car burglar_

_A man was shot fending off a car burglar in east San Antonio early Wednesday morning._

So if you read the story, I see several things wrong, bad decisions that the victim choose that led to his being shot.

1) His car alarm went off at 3 AM and he went outside armed with a pistol to investigate.
2) He began firing shots at the guy breaking into his car.
3) He missed with every shot.
4) The burglar was armed and shot back, hitting the victim in the stomach.

I can understand the victim's frustration.  His truck had been stolen the week before, he had just gotten it back.  Now someone is breaking into it.

However, when someone breaks into your vehicle and you're not in it, typically your life is not in danger.  By going out to confront the burglar, he put his life in jeopardy, because you don't know what you're going to have to face once you get out there.  So I will call that '*Bad Decision #1*.'

When he saw someone actually breaking into his truck, he opened fire on them.  I don't know if the laws where he lives permits him to use deadly force on a person who is not putting his own life in danger or not, but in general, property theft is not grounds for use of deadly force (I am not a lawyer, this is not legal advice).  I will label this '*Bad Decision #2*'.

And although apparently he fired multiple shots, he missed the bad guy.  That's bad for a number of reasons.  First, because, well, bad guys who get shot at and missed might just be armed, as apparently this one was, and may not cringe in horror but instead fire back, as this one did.  Worse, in my opinion, is the danger he put his neighbors in.  Bullets that miss their target have to land somewhere.  Sometimes where they go hurts or kills innocent people.  I can't imagine how horrible I would feel if I shot at a car burglar and killed my neighbor's child instead.  The man was a menace to his neighborhood.  I will call that '*Bad Decision #3*' although really, it's more a consequence of '*Bad Decision #2*', because apparently he is a lousy shot.

The burglar then shot the victim in the stomach and ran away.

The man's truck did not get broken into. However, he suffered life-threatening injuries and is in the hospital now.

Was this wise, in retrospect?  He keeps his 8-track tape player, but loses a couple yards of large intestine and has to poop into a bag on his hip from now on?  Doesn't seem like a good trade to me.

People who choose to arm themselves need to do several things, none of which this victim apparently did.

1) Learn how to use their weapons, including extensive and continuing target practice.
2) Learn the laws of deadly force where they live and understand what they mean and when they apply.
3) Have a lick of common sense, enough to realize that a car break-in is not worth your life to stop.

Comments?


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## Brian R. VanCise (Nov 26, 2015)

*Most responsible firearm owners* Bill, train, know the laws in their area and have common sense.  If you are a firearm owner you should train with professionals, understand the law in your area, be responsible with your firearms ie. locking them up when not on your body, etc.  You should know Jeff Coopers 4 Rules of Firearm Safety.  You can find it here at my blog: The Instinctive Edge

Unfortunately, in our society there are a lot of firearm owners that are idiots.  Frankly, there are lots of idiots period!


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## geezer (Nov 26, 2015)

Bill Mattocks said:


> 3) Have a lick of common sense



This is what it boils down to. And how do you teach that?


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## Tony Dismukes (Nov 26, 2015)

geezer said:


> This is what it boils down to. And how do you teach that?


If I had a method for reliably teaching common sense to people who lack it, I would open my own dojo tomorrow.

Of course, I'd also need a way to make potential students realize they needed it. Those who lack common sense are probably more convinced than most people that they already have it.


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## elder999 (Nov 26, 2015)

geezer said:


> This is what it boils down to. And how do you teach that?


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## Bill Mattocks (Nov 26, 2015)

I guess I am hoping, somewhat foolishly, that someone will read this and rethink their planned response when they hear someone breaking into their car at zero dark thirty.  Maybe they might think that rushing out into the night, blasting away with their pistol, isn't the best possible response.  Maybe.

Or maybe they'll argue _"Well, I guess that car burglar learned his lesson,"_ or _"What do you expect me to do, cower in my home and wait for someone else to protect me?"_ or _"The guy should have been a better shot,"_ or _"Nobody steals my stuff, I don't care if I die defending it or not!"
_
I always love the 'cowering' responses.  As if there are only two choices.  Either one is a big brave macho guy with a gun, or one is cowering in the darkness pleading for forgiveness from the bad guy.  

There's nothing cowardly about calling 911, trying to get a description of the bad guy, and waiting for the cops to arrive.  But apparently, many John Wayne wannabes think there is.  I don't understand it.  Is it something in the water?


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## drop bear (Nov 26, 2015)

Bill Mattocks said:


> I guess I am hoping, somewhat foolishly, that someone will read this and rethink their planned response when they hear someone breaking into their car at zero dark thirty.  Maybe they might think that rushing out into the night, blasting away with their pistol, isn't the best possible response.  Maybe.
> 
> Or maybe they'll argue _"Well, I guess that car burglar learned his lesson,"_ or _"What do you expect me to do, cower in my home and wait for someone else to protect me?"_ or _"The guy should have been a better shot,"_ or _"Nobody steals my stuff, I don't care if I die defending it or not!"
> _
> ...


Every decision you make can potentually have a successful or unsuccessful outcome. 

Calling the cops and giving a description depends on the reaction you get from the cops.  I admit i am guilty of jumping a dude who broke my windscreen wiper.  Now i held him for the cops.  But they threw it in the too hard basket.  So i probably  should have just slapped him around and sent him on his way.


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## RTKDCMB (Nov 27, 2015)

He probably would have saved his vehicle from being stolen by just yelling at the burglar out the window of his house. Most burglars would probably run once they know they have been discovered.


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## drop bear (Nov 27, 2015)

RTKDCMB said:


> He probably would have saved his vehicle from being stolen by just yelling at the burglar out the window of his house. Most burglars would probably run once they know they have been discovered.



With a gun at night would go a decent torch.


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## Rmada (Nov 27, 2015)

Brian R. VanCise said:


> *Most responsible firearm owners* Bill, train, know the laws in their area and have common sense.!



I agree with this, but the problem is that most people "think" they are responsible, yet aren't. One of my favorite internet quotes is "owning a firearm and thinking your armed (safe) is like owning a garage and thinking your a mechanic...". It kills me to go to my local range and witness the careless handling and total lack of respect shown by people that think they are "training" to defend themselves. I seriously doubt any of them think what they are doing should be the absolute last option in nearly every situation.

I appreciate posts like this that make people think, but unfortunately the ones who need to read them never will.


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## Sapphire (Nov 29, 2015)

yeah, this guy is an idiot, and thankfully he didn't kill some kid with his stray bullets, because it'd be the next weapon used by gun control advocates.


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