Good: Suspect killed with own gun (home invasion)

[Morty]

I realize there were things people could have done differently, but overall, things came out better then they could have.

ksl.com - Suspect fatally shot during Midvale home invasion

MIDVALE -- A violent home invasion at an apartment in Midvale Tuesday morning left one suspect dead and about eight others on the run. Police say one of the apartment residents pulled the trigger.

Four people were inside the apartment at The Springs of Country Woods at 6995 S. 1030 East playing video games around 1:30 a.m. when they heard a knock at their door. One person went to the door, and eight to 10 people tried to force their way in.


Sgt. John Salazar of the Midvale Police Department said, "He tried to push the door back closed when somebody stabbed him in the hand. Then they gained entry."

The intruders forced the four residents into a back bedroom. One of the suspects struck a female. Her boyfriend came to her defense and fought one of the suspects. He got a hold of the suspect's gun and fatally shot him.

After the suspect was shot, more shots rang out. Police say they were fired by other suspects in the apartment. None of the residents was injured except for the man who was stabbed on the hand.

Neighbors who live next door say they heard everything. Nicole Hulet said, "All I heard was screaming and then I heard three shots. I ran outside and everyone was running towards the office."


The other suspects fled the scene to the north and east. A witness believed one of them went into a nearby garage and barricaded himself inside. SWAT teams arrived and entered the garage but found no one there. Police set up a containment area but have not found the suspects.

Investigators followed a blood trail from the apartment to another building in the same apartment complex. "It appeared the blood stopped at a door, but upon more inspection the blood went past that door and on to the north," Salazar said.

Investigators don't know why the invasion occurred. The residents have lived in the apartment for two to three months, and police say it's possible this was a case of mistaken identity.

The man who was killed has not been identified. Metro Gang Unit officers were on the scene trying to identify him through tattoos and other markings on his body. Police now say he was carrying two knives and a gun and was wearing latex gloves.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[lance22]

Good for the man who fought back. If I was standing there and some dirtbag punched my wife ... what I would be inclined to do to the perp THAT INSTANT cannot be uttered in decent society or on a public forum such as this one. Instant rage.

+1 for the man who fought back. May all the perps be rounded up and may they all face punishments fitting their character.

[zackattack78]

Good for the man who fought back. If I was standing there and some dirtbag punched my wife ... what I would be inclined to do to the perp THAT INSTANT cannot be uttered in decent society or on a public forum such as this one. Instant rage.

+1 for the man who fought back. May all the perps be rounded up and may they all face punishments fitting their character.

How about murder 1?

[lance22]

How about murder 1?

In context ... home invasion where the perps have produced deadly force. You cooperate for a few moments in your vain hope that they are just a bunch of pistol-wavers, but when the main perp plants his fist squarely in your wife's face and you see her go down ... you are all done being passive. You are not man, if you are not in a hysterical rage that instant.

All the more reason to carry in your home. You don't want to get into a wresting match with 8 people. The good guy got VERY lucky. Hopefully there won't be a next time but if there is I hope they are better prepared.

[Janq]

Yet another real world example of what happens when you open your door to unexpected strange knocks at unexpected strange hours.

At 1:30AM _all callers_ should be _challenged_ at the door _through the door_ and peephole.
Do not open your door, not even part way!, thinking ehh I'll just close it or if necessary force it closed.

We have had in the last month alone four or five variations of this exact same scenario. Guns and knives used as well as several where multiple persons forcing open doors...you name the scenario and it has happened with consistent and always predictable results.

The homeowner upon _choosing_ to expose himself to danger and in _every_ case thus far for no good nor pressing reason quickly finds himself behind the curve and overrun.

Do not do this. Stop doing this.
You are not obliged under any social contract to open a door to greet a person(s) at any given hour no matter who they are. Address them verbally through the door. You don't have to stand ear pressed to door either to speak with nor hear them. Step back a pace or two.
Confirm their response as to intent and identification using a _peephole_. If you do not have one mounted in your door then go to Home Depot and buy one or have your landlord install it for you. They cost a lot less than being assaulted at your threshold or even murdered in your home.

Seriously people are just making it easy for criminals to prey upon them.

- Janq

[grady]

Sounds like a party was going on, but the intruders had something else in mind.

Why else would someone open their door at 1:30 a.m.?

[zackattack78]

In context ... home invasion where the perps have produced deadly force. You cooperate for a few moments in your vain hope that they are just a bunch of pistol-wavers, but when the main perp plants his fist squarely in your wife's face and you see her go down ... you are all done being passive. You are not man, if you are not in a hysterical rage that instant.

All the more reason to carry in your home. You don't want to get into a wresting match with 8 people. The good guy got VERY lucky. Hopefully there won't be a next time but if there is I hope they are better prepared.

I realize you weren't really addressing my post, but you mentioned the suspects should face punishments fitting their character. Correct me if I'm wrong, but shouldn't these suspects be charged with murder?

[JoJoGunn]

What Janq said.

It's amazing the situation turned out like it did, however it could have gone quite the opposite. The lesson here is 1 AM knock on door, you are inviting trouble inside for sure.

[Ivan4x4]

good,I'm glad the bad guy died, too bad for the dude that got stabed in the head.

[lance22]

I realize you weren't really addressing my post, but you mentioned the suspects should face punishments fitting their character. Correct me if I'm wrong, but shouldn't these suspects be charged with murder?

My mistake ... I thought you were saying I'd face murder 1. As for what the perps would face it will always be less than they deserve. The modern school of thought is punishment that fits the crime though I usually think in terms of a punishment that fits the criminal. The two are very different.

[kazzaerexys]

I realize you weren't really addressing my post, but you mentioned the suspects should face punishments fitting their character. Correct me if I'm wrong, but shouldn't these suspects be charged with murder?

Felony Murder in the death of the accomplice, which generally means 2nd Degree. In at least some places (California, oddly enough), the home invasion aspect would allow the perps to be charged with First Degree Murder.

[zackattack78]

My mistake ... I thought you were saying I'd face murder 1. As for what the perps would face it will always be less than they deserve. The modern school of thought is punishment that fits the crime though I usually think in terms of a punishment that fits the criminal. The two are very different.

Haha, no no. Why would you face murder one? Seems like a totally justifiable self defense shooting to me. Thanks kazzaerexys, thats exactly what I was getting at.

[JOHNSMITH]

Sounds like a party was going on, but the intruders had something else in mind.

Why else would someone open their door at 1:30 a.m.?

Sounds like a bunch of kids playing games. They probably go over to each others' houses all the time at those horus.

What is really odd to me is 8-10 people breaking into a home/apartment?! wow!

[Morty]

good,I'm glad the bad guy died, too bad for the dude that got stabed in the head.

Luckily it was only in the HAND

What is really odd to me is 8-10 people breaking into a home/apartment?! wow!

That's what struck me as crazy. Can you imagine opening the door thinking it's a friend coming over and have 8 dirtbags rush in with guns.

[retsupt99]

At 1:30 in the morning, my Kimber is on my side and my coach gun would be pointing at the door. This is why 12ga 00buck is great for 'penetration'...goes through the first one or two and possibly more...

Hard to imagine 8-10 people doing a home invasion...the dirtbags must have known something not mentioned in the article.I'm just sayin'...

Glad one dirtbag is dead, but will some of the others be back for retaliation? I'd be moving.