How Not To Deal With a Purse Snatcher

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There really are some people that really shouldn't carry. I'd like to suggest training, but that was a major league (fill in the blank).
I hope that wherever the bullet landed was not flesh based or a domicile.
 
Scary. During the struggle, she was pointing her pistol at the group of folks struggling with the purse-snatcher. Most of them were innocent and even the purse-snatcher probably wasn't guilty of a crime that warranted the threat of deadly force.

It looks like she aimed over the guy's head when she fired, but the angle was low enough that the bullet will be lethal when it comes down.

So who committed the more serious crime? The purse-snatcher who tried to take someone's property and get away or the person who aimed a gun at innocent persons and then fired it upward at a relatively low angle in a populated area, thereby creating a lethal threat to those in the area?
 
What's scary is the comments section, everyone that had a reasonable gripe with the "shooter" had like 6000 thuimbs downs.....
 
Was it ever determined if this "lady" was a licensed carrier of concealed weapons? If she IS, then one got past the examination process. If she's NOT, I think I understand why.
 
Kosh75287 said:
Was it ever determined if this "lady" was a licensed carrier of concealed weapons? If she IS, then one got past the examination process. If she's NOT, I think I understand why.
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From the article:

Waco tribune said:
Martin said the woman, who does not have a concealed handgun license, met with police later Friday after she learned through media reports that officers wanted to speak to her about the incident.
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Sadly, too many people -- including a few on this board, whose comments I have happily deleted and who will be ignominiously tossed out the door should the behavior repeat itself -- have not gotten the memo about what a concealed carry pistol is for.

What concealed carry of weapon is not: a means to enforce laws, "get even" with criminals, kill bad guys, establish justice, or stop crime-in-general.

What it is: a way to protect innocent human life when all other means have either failed or are plainly impossible given the circumstances.

That's it and that's all.

pax
 
Holy shhhh... You guys read the comments?

It's like I lost 30 IQ... It's either about how he's black or how she should have killed him.

And they're the ones probably wondering why other people support gun control laws....

Never going to Texas.
 
Didn't I read somewhere that TX is one of the few states that authorizes deadly force to stop a property crime (as opposed to using deadly force only to stop bodily harm)? If so, that could certainly muddy the legal waters.
 
Doyle said:
Didn't I read somewhere that TX is one of the few states that authorizes deadly force to stop a property crime....
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You might have read that, but there's a lot of garbage out there. That is not entirely accurate. Lethal force may be used to protect property only under narrow and defined circumstances when specific conditions have been satisfied (Texas Penal Code Section 9.42):
DEADLY FORCE TO PROTECT PROPERTY. A person is justified in using deadly force against another to protect land or tangible, movable property:

(1) if he would be justified in using force against the other under Section 9.41; and

(2) when and to the degree he reasonably believes the deadly force is immediately necessary:

(A) to prevent the other's imminent commission of arson, burglary, robbery, aggravated robbery, theft during the nighttime, or criminal mischief during the nighttime; or

(B) to prevent the other who is fleeing immediately after committing burglary, robbery, aggravated robbery, or theft during the nighttime from escaping with the property; and​

(3) he reasonably believes that:

(A) the land or property cannot be protected or recovered by any other means; or

(B) the use of force other than deadly force to protect or recover the land or property would expose the actor or another to a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury.​
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In this case, the use of lethal force doesn't appear to be justified, even under Texas law:

  1. The force was not being used to prevent the theft. It had already occurred.

  2. The theft was not at night.

  3. The lethal force was not necessary to recover the property stolen. It had already been abandoned by the thief.
 
Don't tell any "Texan" that! They'll call you unpatriotic!

But in all seriousness, to add to that, the only crime that he was committing in that VERY moment, is fleeing from scene of a crime.
 
Frank is, as usual, precise in his citation of law regard the 'warning shot woman' in question.

But I don't believe most Texas juries would come to the same conclusion, as many Texas juries have an independent streak that follows more what they believe is right. Some call that jury nullification, and unlike in some parts of the country, it's a widely know "right" in the Lone Star State.

Further, I wouldn't expect the McLennan County attorney wants an opponent at next year's election bringing up that he prosecuted the woman who helped take down the assailant of an 84 year old great grandmother. He may have the literal law behind him but he won't get the votes.

As such, I seriously doubt if the woman who unfortunately fired the warning shot into the air has any chance of being convicted by the city or McLennan County jury, much less be brought to trial. The suspect was caught red handed, attempting to flee, by citizens, on video, after he robbed and 84 year old great grandmother, and no one was hurt by her action.

(By the way, it's a felony in Texas to assault people over 60, so add that one in.)


Highesthand, I'd be happy for you to come visit us in Plano Texas, about 100 miles north of Bellmead. We can drive down if you like. We have the lowest murder rate in the country, very low number of red-light-runners, a high CHL rate, very affordable housing, excellent schools, highly educated workforce (you'll get 30+ IQ points back) lower taxes than most of the country and one of the best indoor ranges nearby. It's very likely you're safer here than at home.
 
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TXAZ said:
....I seriously doubt if the woman who fire the warning shot into the air has any chance of being convicted by a city or McLennan County jury...,
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We'll just have to see how it plays out. And there has been some mention that she might have been carrying her gun illegally.

An exercise of prosecutorial discretion can't be ruled out. But we do need to understand that depending on the "kindness of strangers" is no more a winning strategy for us than it was for Blanche DuBois.
 
Regardless, just because you have a license to carry does not make you a Leo.

As someone stated, some people just should not carry without professional training. My father always stated before you aim and shoot, make sure you know what is behind the target.
 
@TXAZ, Twas a joke :) I don't really expect not to go to Texas, and all of it to be a bad place. However, Texas isn't high on my to visit places. Nowhere is besides a certain vacation spot.

God I hope I didn't sound like a profiling idiot... Oh wait I did...
 
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