Texas Lawmaker Shoots Suspected Thief

[Ghost in the Machine]

Texas Lawmaker Shoots Suspected Thief
Published: 7/9/07, 4:25 PM EDT

HOUSTON (AP) - A state lawmaker who opposed a law giving Texans a stronger right to defend themselves with deadly force shot a man he said was trying to steal copper wiring from a construction site, police said Monday.

Rep. Borris Miles told police he was fixing a leak on the second floor of the Houston house he is building on Sunday night when he heard a noise downstairs and saw two men trying to steal the copper. After Miles confronted the pair, one of the men threw a pocketknife at him, police spokesman Victor Senties.

Miles, a former law enforcement officer, shot the man in the left leg, police said. The wounded suspect was being treated at a Houston hospital. Charges of aggravated robbery are pending against the wounded suspect, Senties said.

Police said Miles, a freshman lawmaker, is licensed to carry a concealed weapon. No charges have been filed against him, Senties said.

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[virginia mountainman]

1. I guess he should not have...

Brought a knife to a gun fight.

[peacebird]

2. Are we in the freaking wild west? good grief - I'm all for shooting to protect your family

if you are forced to but to shoot someone over construction supplies..? Come on - get a grip. See someone stealing something? Then call the cops.

It's not like this man was likely to have construction supplies and NOT be insured against their loss.
:eyes:

[slackmaster]

4. Once the perp threw a knife he was no longer just a burglar

Read the article.

[ORDagnabbit]

5. by the time the cops get to you it could be bye bye to your life if you cant protect yourself

[OlderButWiser]

6. I think I've heard that...

...in Texas you can use deadly force to protect property.

[NaturalHigh]

10. Here in Oklahoma, too.

I am a big supporter of this law.

[OlderButWiser]

11. Well, sure why not...

I mean if a kid is in my yard and it looks like he might be taking something fling a few bullets at him. He'll never do that again. Sheesh

[NaturalHigh]

18. "Looks like he is taking something"...

I'd like to think that I wouldn't shoot that kid. Now, If he is taking something and if he pulls a knife on me, then I'm going to open fire. No questions asked, no remorse. I'm going to protect myself.

[michreject]

7. Are you saying that he should have let him steal it

And then filed a claim against his insurance company for reemburshment? Then next year his premiums go up. No thanks.

The lawmaker did the right thing. The bad guy should be glad he wasn't killed.

[NeedleCast]

8. If someone threw a knife at me...

...regardless of their ineptitude with the weapon, I'd consider all bets being off.

[OlderButWiser]

12. After throwing the knife...

...does he still present a threat to you?

[slackmaster]

13. I believe one could make a reasonable argument that he is still a threat

If he's willing to throw a knife at you, who can say what else he'd be willing to do?

Unless the very next thing he does is turn tail and run like hell away from you (with optional screaming for mercy), he's still a threat.

Please note this response is based only on the information presented. Your mileage may vary depending on the exact circumstances. It's conceivable that once the guy has thrown his knife away, I wouldn't consider him a threat.

[Mike Daniels]

15. Screw that....

The man was directly attacked at which point he fired the gun.

Good for him.

[originalpckelly]

17. Yeah, if you don't want to get shot, don't go throwing knives at people.

It's kind of a simple thing, isn't it? I mean how is a person supposed to react to a threat on their life?

[slackmaster]

3. I don't see how this qualifies as an exercise of Texas' so-called new law

You've always been allowed to use deadly force in response to a deadly threat on your own property in Texas. The incident, as described, would have been a slam-dunk lawful act of self-defense even in California. Texas law has always (at least for 150 years) allowed use of deadly force in defense of property. However, the knife-throwing incident put this one beyond the realm of protection of property.

Police said Miles, a freshman lawmaker, is licensed to carry a concealed weapon.

That license is a non-issue since the incident occurred on the man's own private property. Again, the same would be true even in California.

[guitar man]

9. I don't own anything

..worth killing someone over, but as soon as he threw the knife at me I would have popped a cap in his ass as sure as I'm sitting here. All bets are off once someone wields a deadly weapon against me or any member of my family.

[Javaman]

14. Never bring a knife to a gun fight. LOLOLOLOLOL nt

[AlCzervik]

16. seriously! LOL!