So the homeowner went from a castle doctrine/stand your ground situation into attempted if not in fact premeditated murder.
Ego. It's the only thing I can think of that would cause one to do that.
Updates to the story suggest that as the homeowner chased the criminal, the criminal turned and fired the shot that killed the homeowner. The homeowner then returned fire, striking and killing the criminal.
No doubt, big mistake to leave the safety of the home to pursue a criminal. But what causes it?
Maybe ego. Maybe a combination of anger and fear, with the fear feeding into more anger. Maybe a sincere, but misguided, belief that there was a compelling need to stop the criminal before police could arrive.
2:00 am, attempted home invasion waking a man from a dead sleep. Who knows what might have been said at the door. What is the natural reaction if the criminal sees your gun in hand, turns to leave, but first says something like, "Don't close your eyes. I'll be back." Or perhaps, "You can't guard the door forever. I'll be back for the wife and daughter." Or even, "Granny Smith next door won't put up much of a fight." I have no idea. Absolute speculation on my part as to whether anything was said.
My only point is to consider on what I can learn. I think that is far more valuable than condemning the homeowner, or thinking I'm immune to ever making a similar mistake.
I had an interesting day yesterday after reading this story in the media first thing in the morning. During my workday, two co-workers independently came to talk to me about this shooting.
One is distantly acquainted with the homeowner via some church service.
The other is close friends with the family of the criminal. While freely acknowledging that the criminal was a bad guy with a host of past and current bad decisions, he is mourning with his friends who are very good and decent people. Seems the criminal was estranged from his family for a time and only recently was persuaded to move back in.
I have no doubt that his parents were hoping, praying, and working for that day their son would get his act together, overcome his past problems, and live a life they could be proud of. However predictable and even justified his death may have been as a result of such a violent criminal action, for these parents and the rest of that family, that hoped for day, the miracle change, is now never coming. The prodigal son will not be returning.
Just a few houses a way, a good and decent man, a husband and father leaves behind a wife and children.
It is events like this that cause me to once again remind myself to avoid escalation, not to let pride or anger or even a sense of justice drive me to dangerous actions needlessly, not to give chase once the danger has passed. As I noted above, any number of events might have seemed to justify giving chase in the heat of the moment.
But in the clarity of day, it is clear that I--and many others--am not equipped to safely give chase over any of these reasons. It is in the clarity of day I remind myself so that I might avoid a bad decision in the heat of the moment.
I'm also reminded that even a fatal wound from a shotgun, at close range, is no guarantee that an assailant won't be able to continue to fight long enough to inflict grave injury.
I sincerely hope the tragedy is not further compounded by the financial stresses likely imposed if the homeowner does not have appropriate life insurance.
Charles