GOOD: Man Stops Violent Attack - Mesa, AZ

[CT-Mike]

Man shot to death in Mesa driveway | Mesa Arizona News - Mesa News - Mesa AZ news | eastvalleytribune.com

Peggy Abel knew something "really bad" was happening Sunday night in her usually quiet Mesa neighborhood.

The mother of seven heard screams and someone saying "stop hitting me," so she sent her teenage son out to their backyard to investigate.

"He came back in and said, 'We gotta call 911!' " Abel said.

Then, she heard the gunshots.

"Pop, pop, pop," Abel said. "There was a man standing in the middle of the street and a lady screaming 'You blanking killed him.' "

Police arrived in the 3900 block of East Hampton Circle, near Val Vista Drive and U.S. 60, about 11 p.m., just as the shooting occurred. Officers found that the 29-year-old boyfriend of a neighborhood woman had been shot and killed by a 49-year-old homeowner who lives nearby.

The homeowner had come outside after hearing the man and his girlfriend yelling at each other in the front yard.

Although police have stopped short of using the term self-defense, they said the homeowner shot and killed the man because he was "going crazy" with a billiards stick and charged at the homeowner.

The man was found dead on the homeowner's driveway.

"As far as coming out with a gun, he was well within his rights," said Detective Chris Arvayo, Mesa police spokesman. "He was in his yard. He never left his property. He came out with a gun, which is his constitutional right."

Mesa police haven't released the name of the man who was killed, pending notification of his family. Police also wouldn't release the name of the shooter. No charges have been recommended against the shooter, Arvayo said, but the case will be forwarded to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office for review.

"He's not in custody right now," Arvayo said.

Police also said that they learned after the shooting that the man had been hitting things inside his girlfriend's house before he went outside and caused a disturbance.

Abel said she used the incident as an opportunity to talk with her children about anger management.

"That's very tragic," Abel said. "It's senseless."

Talking to her kids about anger management? How about talking to them about the realities of life these days, and the need to be able to protect ones' self.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[treksouth]

Looks like Arizona has their head screwed on right.

[goldshellback]

Bravo Zulu!

Me thinks anger management is only one tool those kids need in thier tool boxes.

[Paco]

The Police Spokesman summed it up right, he was well within his Con-rights and the man was in his driveway when he succumb to his own stupidity.

[whyipackmy45]

It sounds like the argument was none of the neighbor's business. I say prosecute him.

[Rustynuts]

Turn in your gun card NOW! That's an idiotic statement to me. No one should stand back while someone is potentially being killed. The guy had a weapon, doesn't say if he was beating the girl or not, but he still charged at the Good Guy. Easily self-defense in my book. he didn't go off charging at the BG or anything. Most states put you in the victims shoes. Even without the charge, if the BG was beating or attempting to beat the girl, he would most likely to be right in firing, depending on AZ laws. Florida you'd be good to go protecting an innocent.

[CT-Mike]

I took WhyI's statement to be sarcasm, but I could be wrong?

[Rustynuts]

Hard to hear that in text!

[whyipackmy45]

Turn in your gun card NOW! That's an idiotic statement to me. No one should stand back while someone is potentially being killed. The guy had a weapon, doesn't say if he was beating the girl or not, but he still charged at the Good Guy. Easily self-defense in my book. he didn't go off charging at the BG or anything. Most states put you in the victims shoes. Even without the charge, if the BG was beating or attempting to beat the girl, he would most likely to be right in firing, depending on AZ laws. Florida you'd be good to go protecting an innocent.

Come on. Do you really believe her life was in danger? They didn't even mention any injuries.

What they do say is that the boyfriend was shot because he was '"going crazy" with a billiards stick and charged at the homeowner.'

Why was the homeowner there in the first place?

Legally justified? Maybe. The right thing to do? It doesn't look that way to me.

[whyipackmy45]

I took WhyI's statement to be sarcasm, but I could be wrong?

No, I was serious.

I think the neighbor turned a stupid domestic dispute into a homicide. (justifiable probably, but it's still a homicide)

[bandit383]

I think a gun should be used as a last resort...I don't think the last resort was reached. Would be curious how a GJ would look at it...

Rick

[deadeye72]

Why was the homeowner there in the first place?

Because it was his property. If the idiot will the pool stick would have stayed off his property, he might still be alive. I say good for the home owner.

[Tally XD]

Lets take a look at what we have here:

- In this case, the man may have simply went outside to check out the disturbance (no fault there and I would have done the same thing)

- He probably just took his weapon "just in case" (no problem there either. I take mine with me when I check my mailbox). Good thing he had his gun.

- Who knows what happened next. He may have been challenged or attacked without provocation by the idiot with the pool stick. If so, good thing he had his gun.

- The idiot with the stick MIGHT have been severely beating the girl. If so, good thing the neighbor went to check and see if he could help.

- The idiot with the stick ended up in the neighbors driveway. Why? What business did he have being there unless he was up to no good?
Good thing the neighbor had his gun.


Hmm...seems to me that the neighbor, at least with what we have so far, did everything correctly and within the law.


I simply dont understand those who have the mentality of "Oh well, it aint me so why should I get involved?" I pity those with that mentality that ever have to experience a situation where they realize they are WRONG.

[SleepingZ]

It sounds like the argument was none of the neighbor's business. I say prosecute him.

It would seem to me if the noise is loud enough for me to hear it, well it just becomes my business. You don't want to get involved, fine, just don't use my tax $$ to prosecute someone defending themselves on THEIR own property.

Z

[ccw9mm]

I think the neighbor turned a stupid domestic dispute into a homicide.

Or, responded to a violent criminal assault via cue stick with justifiable refusal to be beaten with said cue stick. Hard to know, at this stage.