Discussion: Virginia Man Shoots Daughter After Mistaking Her For Intruder

jtx · August 13, 2014, 5:39pm

I would say it was tragic, but it is too common place.

backlit · August 13, 2014, 5:39pm

I thought it was the wife who got shot because the man of the house heard something and started blasting at shadows.

Oh, that was yesterday. Sorry for the confusion.

mcbain · August 13, 2014, 5:40pm

You have an alarm system, presumably to scare away intruders. The alarm goes off unexpectedly. Wouldn’t your assumption be that the intruder fled? So now you hear someone in the house. How do you not assume it is a family member?

snarkus_aurelius · August 13, 2014, 5:41pm

That will teach these disobedient wimminz for defying their father’s authoritah!

bradbennett · August 13, 2014, 5:42pm

Ummm…a good guy with a gun?

mcbain · August 13, 2014, 5:45pm

I’m too lazy to look it up, but I wonder how often the scenarios they fear actually happen - someone breaking into your house and you need to protect yourself. Is that more likely or less likely than getting struck by lightning?

iambart · August 13, 2014, 5:47pm

Welcome to the world of paranoia.

backlit · August 13, 2014, 5:48pm

I’ll go out on a limb and say that it’s much more likely that your teenage kid might sneak home late and accidentally set off the alarm. But, I’m not a paranoid fanatic.

meri · August 13, 2014, 5:50pm

I’m going to guess this guy has a good shot of being a hunter. How does he go hunting?

There’s something moving in those bushes…BLAMBLAMBLAM!!!

I hope it was something I wanted to shoot. Oh well, too late now.

ronbyers · August 13, 2014, 5:51pm

This is why parents of teenage children should never have access to a gun. Sneaking home is a universal teenage activity. It is late at night. The parent is groggy. Stupid mistakes are bound to happen.

grandpoobah · August 13, 2014, 5:52pm

Nothing stops a truant daughter like a good man with a gun! I’m sure the NRA can find a positive in all of this, but I’m darned if I can see one. Well, maybe. At least it confirmed what the daughter suspected…her father is an idiot. I’m wondering if she’s really going to want him to walk her down the aisle when the time comes. Probably not.

just2stressed · August 13, 2014, 5:53pm

I disagree on the warning part if you the person is already in your home. That would mean giving away your location and setting you up to be shot if it’s actually an intruder with a gun.

I would say get to a safe location where you can see the intruder then make your move. Don’t just fire blindly.

just2stressed · August 13, 2014, 5:55pm

IF the person is inside your home, you DON’T give a warning. A warning only alerts the intruder (especially an armed one) to your location and thereby causing risk to your life.

If you can get to a safe location do so and call for help. But DO NOT fire blindly!!! Make sure you see your target clearlyTHEN you fire.

meri · August 13, 2014, 5:56pm

Ah, but see every day it DOESN’T happen is a victory for the gun. Because without a gun in the house it PROBABLY would have happened.

Similar to my penis. It protects me from lightning strikes. Been rock solid for almost 40 years now.

marcus8182 · August 13, 2014, 5:56pm

Maybe what he needs isn’t a weapon, but a fuckin’ flashlight.

just2stressed · August 13, 2014, 5:59pm

I bet the daughter will never sneak out again.

backlit · August 13, 2014, 6:01pm

Or some ordinary occurrences, like a kid coming home late.

suicide_arsonist · August 13, 2014, 6:02pm

I believe you should have contacted your doctor by now.

Gratz on the lightning though!

fgs · August 13, 2014, 6:02pm

How about the judgment neutral, “Man Shoots Daughter, Says he Mistook her for an Intruder.”

Negligently, recklessly, carelessly or foolishly would be more appropriate adverbs, if one must be added.

arc_of_the_universe · August 13, 2014, 6:04pm

Tough night.