Neighbors 'outraged' after man, 80, charged with shooting burglar

[40oz]

Neighbors 'outraged' after man, 80, charged with shooting burglar

By Rosemary Sobol and Liam Ford Tribune reporters 10:19 a.m. CDT, March 27, 2012
Neighbors say they're "outraged" that an 80-year-old owner of a local tavern has been charged with shooting a burglar who broke into his home in the Englewood neighborhood on the South Side.

“What does it say to me and other senior citizens that we will be arrested if we defend ourselves?" asked Anita Dominique, head of the block club in the neighborhood. "This is an outrage.”

Police say Homer Wright was inside his home in the 6400 block of South Morgan Street about 6:30 a.m. Monday when someone broke through several boards and entered through a rear bathroom window and tried to steal some liquor. Wright grabbed a handgun and shot the burglar in the lower right leg, police said.

Anthony Robinson, 19, of the 6000 block of South Wood Street, was charged with felony burglary after he was treated at St. Bernard Hospital and Health Care Center and released.

Wright was charged with one felony count of unlawful use of a weapon after police discovered he had two prior weapons convictions from 1968 and 1994, officials said. Records show Wright also was convicted of theft in 1990. Wright turned his gun over to detectives.

Dominique said Wright runs a tavern next door to his home called "Tank's," after his nickname. “I have known Tank for over 30 years and he is a pillar of our community,” she said.

Darryl Smith, 42 said he's a lifelong resident of Englewood and lives a block from Wright. “He’s been on that corner my whole life,” Smith said. “He has a responsible business and he’s a responsible man.”

Smith said everyone he’s spoken to about Wright’s arrest is “outraged.”

In Englewood, an area beset by crime, police shouldn’t be arresting someone for defending himself, Smith said.

“Here’s an 80-year-old man who’s defending himself against a teenager that’s breaking the door in … What if he didn’t have a gun? We’d be having a press conference about something very different,” Smith said.

Police and prosecutors should have found a way to avoid charging Wright, Smith said. "Just take the gun."

 

[WilliamC]

Neighbors 'outraged' after man, 80, charged with shooting burglar

Me too.

Wright grabbed a handgun and shot the burglar in the lower right leg, police said.

Anthony Robinson, 19, of the 6000 block of South Wood Street, was charged with felony burglary after he was treated at St. Bernard Hospital and Health Care Center and released.

I wish Mr. Wright had been a bit more accurate myself.

"Police and prosecutors should have found a way to avoid charging Wright, Smith said. "Just take the gun."'

Sounds like neighbor Smith is a dumbass too.

 

[coastie]

Just goes to show the cops are never on your side.

 

[tod evans]

Yet another reason to repeal legislation passed in the heat of the moment.

Sounds like the ol' guy used his head and shot to wound.

Gun rights should only be rescinded on a case by case basis and then only for a finite time. Just because somebody has been convicted of a felony doesn't mean they're irresponsible when it comes to firearms. Nor should a felony conviction negate the right to protect ones self or property.

 

[jmdrake]

And this is what the "Stand Your Ground" law is supposed to avoid.

 

[VanBummel]

I guess they would rather he ended up like this: http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?369197-Brutal-Home-Invasion-ends-65-Year-Romance

 

[juvanya]

Its Illinois, a fascist shithole. What can you expect really?

Wright was charged with one felony count of unlawful use of a weapon after police discovered he had two prior weapons convictions from 1968 and 1994, officials said.

Wouldnt McDonald v Chicago expunge/overturn these convictions?

 

[AFPVet]

This was in Chicago... I'm not surprised. This is the same city where, not long ago, even the cops could get arrested for having a firearm on them when they were off duty and filling up at a gas station. Once more, I'm not surprised that this happened in that hell hole.

 

[bolil]

Im moving back to Chicago from montana... ewwwwwwww. Hey don't you guys know you should be talking about Trayvnor?

 

[Sam I am]

just because someone steals from you doesn't mean you have the authority to administer your own death penalty.

 

[Cowlesy]

just because someone steals from you doesn't mean you have the authority to administer your own death penalty.

You break into my house at 6:30am? You are damn right I do. It's not on my back to take any chances when you invade my living space.

(it shouldn't be, of course, in Chicago that's not true).

 

[Kluge]

just because someone steals from you doesn't mean you have the authority to administer your own death penalty.

So when some low-life breaks in during the night, I should first interview them to determine their intentions?

"Oh, okay, you're only going to steal from me. Carry on then!"

 

[Danke]

So when some low-life breaks in during the night, I should first interview them to determine their intentions?

"Oh, okay, you're only going to steal from me. Carry on then!"

No, you should send the real Kludge out to investigate.

 

[Kluge]

No, you should send the real Kludge out to investigate.

And scare the poor bastard to death? Even robbers don't deserve such a fate.

 

[Keith and stuff]

And this is what the "Stand Your Ground" law is supposed to avoid.

I don't understand what you mean. It looks like the shooter was banned from owning a firearm because of his past history.

From the article

Cook said his grandfather's convictions shouldn't prevent him from protecting himself. "Everybody makes mistakes, but everybody is not supposed to be pushed around and let everybody do what they want to do to them."

 

[angelatc]

just because someone steals from you doesn't mean you have the authority to administer your own death penalty.

Whats your address?

 

[coastie]

just because someone steals from you doesn't mean you have the authority to administer your own death penalty.

Whoever breaks into my home won't have the chance to use that as an excuse.

 

[jmdrake]

I don't understand what you mean. It looks like the shooter was banned from owning a firearm because of his past history.

From the article

My point is that what happened in this case was the classic reason for the castle doctrine. The gun control angle does put an extra kink in it though. Still an argument can be made that gun rights should be inviolate just like speech rights. You lose your voting rights in most states when you become a convicted felon but not your free speech rights. Why should that one right out of the 10 bill of rights be treated differently?

 

[Simple]

Just wait, they'll be even more pissed when the burglar sues in civil court for his injuries.

 

[Pericles]

My point is that what happened in this case was the classic reason for the castle doctrine. The gun control angle does put an extra kink in it though. Still an argument can be made that gun rights should be inviolate just like speech rights. You lose your voting rights in most states when you become a convicted felon but not your free speech rights. Why should that one right out of the 10 bill of rights be treated differently?

One of the unconstitutional things about the Gun Control Act of 1968.