Ugly - Ahwatukee man beaten with his own gun by possible thief

[AZUSMC22]

Ahwatukee man beaten with his own gun by possible thief

Ahwatukee man beaten with his own gun by possible thief
by Lisa Halverstadt - Dec. 1, 2008 12:40 PM
The Arizona Republic
An Ahwatukee man was attacked with his own gun early Saturday after he attempted to scare away a man who appeared to be preparing to take something from his car, Phoenix police said.
At about 6:30 a.m., the 62-year-old resident saw a man leaning into his car parked at his East Magic Stone Drive home near South 51st Street, he told police.
The resident walked outside and threatened the man with his 45-calibar Colt handgun, Phoenix police Sgt. Frank Matsko said. But the other man wrestled his gun away and used it to strike the Ahwatukee resident several times in the head, he said. The assailant, accompanied by another man, drove away in a white Chevrolet pickup truck with the gun still in his possession, Matsko said.
Police said the man, who wore a red flannel shirt and a baseball cap, appeared to be in his 20s.
After police and firefighters were called to the home, the Ahwatukee resident was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Matsko said Ahwatukee residents should avoid approaching a suspicious person on their property.
"If a citizen sees (a) criminal on their property, they need to call the police and not confront them because this could've turned out very badly," Matsko said.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[sass20485]

Lucky he was only beaten, not beaten and SHOT with his own gun.

[Janq]

...residents should avoid approaching a suspicious person on their property.
"If a citizen sees (a) criminal on their property, they need to call the police and not confront them...

Yet another bit of very good advice that should be a mandatory read for all license/permit to carry holders and firearm purchasers everywhere.

- Janq

[bonehead]

A good reminder that having a gun does not make you invincible. If someone is not an immediate threat to you or others around you, call the cops and let them take care of it.

[bandit383]

...and if you get too close and/or if not "really" prepared to use it (which if my best guess since he "attempted to scare"...guess what, you become the victim.

Rick

[Gadfly]

This old-timer sounds pretty inept. Probably clings to the myth that the mere presence of a gun will stop the bad guys in their tracks.

This story is full of holes, too, leaving many questions unanswered. Was he just not prepared to shoot?

Anyway, I'll just jump to the conclusion that the guy was an armed doofus who lived to screw up another day.

Call the cops? Might as well go back inside, finish your coffee and then . . . call your insurance agent.

[dukalmighty]

I would say the gun was probably hammer down and the thief knew the homeowner would have to cock it before he could fire it.If your not prepared to use a gun then leave it in the drawer ,vault,gun store etc.,I have read way to many stories about gun owners getting their weapons taken

[mi2az]

I would at least yell from my door with gun at my side after I call the cops. Here in AZ, we still can't shoot to save property like they can in TX.

[retsupt99]

Did he have any lengthy training classes about using/retaining his weapon?

Call 911, send in the Rhodesian, then call 911 again and change the request for cops to a request for an ambulance...

Hold body parts at gunpoint until ambulance arrives.

[rforgy]

The real question is WHY did he get that close to the BG?

[pcon]

that guy sure was lucky. this is a nice area of the PHX metro too...not some ghetto. it's scary that the BG still has his weapon too...

[PaulG]

The sad thing is that there are MANY people out there who think that they are armed and ready simply because they carry a gun.

They have no concept of defensive training.

"One is no more armed because he has possession of a firearm than he is a musician because he owns a piano. There is no point in having a gun if you are not capable of using it skillfully."
(Col. Jeff Cooper)

[AZUSMC22]

Follow up There are comments at the end of the article in the original link..

Man pistol-whipped and stabbed with a screwdriver | LOCAL NEWS | Local Breaking News from AZFAMILY.COM & KTVK 3TV - Arizona's Family

Man pistol-whipped and stabbed with a screwdriver
AHWATUKEE - Galen Kreiger keeps his eyes on his 1965 Corvair at all times through video surveillance.
After all, his wife restored it herself.
Now, she is recovering from a sprained ankle, and Galen wears bandages on his legs, hand, and face.
Around 6:30 a.m. on Saturday, some one tried to steal the stereo from the Corvair in the front driveway.
Galen saw the men on video surveillance, grabbed his .45 caliber, and tried to stop them.
“He threw his hands up and said, ‘Don’t shoot! Don’t shoot! I’m an illegal and just trying to get some money to go home,’” says Galen.
Galen ended up leaving home to go to the hospital.
Graphic pictures document what happened next.
“He threw a screwdriver that stuck in my hand and I dropped the gun,” says Galen.
“I bent over to grab it, and he rushed me.”
Galen now has no hearing after the suspect busted his ear drum.
“He got me down on the concrete and smashed my head down to the concrete, pistol-whipped me on the side of the head and kicked me,” Galen says.
When his wife ran to get another gun, she sprained her ankle.
The suspect took off with Galen’s gun into an awaiting truck.
Now, the couple is just waiting to recover and waiting for police to find their attacker.
“It was a lucky day- lucky for two of us,” says Galen.
“He got away and I’m still alive. It could have been worse.”

[TN_Mike]

An illegal alien. What a surprise.

Calling the police would have been a good idea but I can see why he wanted to confront the scum himself to prevent further damage to his property.

Hard call but I'm glad the home owner is going to be OK.

[AZUSMC22]

His wife should have already had the extra gun, instead of having to run and get it. she could have been justified when the illegal threw screw driver, or charged the husband.