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A California grandpa shot to defend his two grandsons when a burglar broke into his business during Thanksgiving week, and local deputies applauded his act of self-defense.
Seventy-year-old Robert, who did not share his last name with KCRA, said his 14-year-old grandson woke him up around 1 a.m.
The teenager heard a noise and told his grandpa someone was breaking in. “I didn’t hear the glass break,” Robert said.
Defending Family
The grandpa crossed the room and grabbed his gun.
According to Fox News, police determined that the burglar broke in through a front window. He made his way straight past the expensive merchandise, ignoring it as he bee-lined for the back of the store.
“All of a sudden, the guy kicked the door. Boom, it was that quick,” Robert said. The business owner said the loud noise sounded like a gun firing, and he thought the burglar had shot him.
The suspect had a butane lighter in his hand and Robert mistook it for a gun.
Grandpa Saves The Day
“He charged at me. He didn’t run away,” Robert said. “He had an intent to come in the building and kill me.”
Robert shot the suspect, stopping the burglar from harming him or his grandkids. The grandpa called 911 and when police arrived, they found the suspect dead.
Police identified the burglar as an unarmed man in his 30s. Robert’s gun, a gift from his father in 1958, is registered in his name.
The deputies told KCRA they are treating the case like a homicide.
“This isn’t something that we’re encouraging – vigilantism, by any stretch,” Sgt. Amar Gandhi with the Sacramento County sheriff’s office said according to The New York Post. “But at the same time, you have to applaud him. He demonstrated restraint. He did what he had to do to protect the people inside, including himself.”
Outside Opinions
Robert’s actions protecting his grandkids met with approval from other people too. A man named Sunny passed by the crime scene the next morning and had something to say.
“You have to protect yourself. You have to do it,” Sunny told KCRA.
Robert and his grandsons escaped the ordeal without injury. He claims he would repeat his actions if it meant keeping his boys safe.
READ MORE: Homeowner Protected By Stand Your Ground After Neighborhood Shootout
“Am I upset about him? Yes. I didn’t want him to break in, but I’m very happy that my babies are alive,” Robert said.
Grandpa Will Come Out On Top
The investigation is ongoing but police do not believe that Robert will be charged.
“Business owners don’t want to be victims anymore, and they’re taking their matters into their own hands,” Gandhi said.
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” – vigilantism, by any stretch,” I strongly disagree with the wording and obvious attitude, that shooting an intruder in a building that you occupy is vigilantism.
As Dave Grossman says, there are sheep, wolves, and sheepdogs. This guy is a sheepdog. Too bad there aren’t more sheepdogs to save all the sheep. You don’t shoot to kill; you do shoot so as not to be killed. That good guys kill the bad guys is the way it works for sanity. If the “wolves” don’t come around the “sheepfold,” in the first place, lucky sheep. They hopefully get the picture.
I think the last statement by Officer Gandhi, maybe a poor choice of words in this case. Being a business owner has very little to do the decision to shoot the intruder. I don’t think anyone wants to be a victim and when it about protecting your grandkids from harm I think most people would make the same decision regardless of whether they own a business or not.
I understand what you mean, but you missed the underlying point of the statement, as follows: “Business owners don’t want to be victims anymore, and they’re taking their matters into their own hands,” Gandhi said.
Businesses in CA have been harassed by thieves during the last 20 years. Their businesses were NOT viewed the same as their homes. Where it was “mostly” legal for a person to use reasonable means to defend their home, it was not legal for a person to do the same within their business. As a result, business owners and operators not only lost merchandise and cash, many were seriously injured, or killed.
Deputy Gandhi is raising the point that, recently, CA has silently allowed business owners more latitude to treat their business as they would their home. There is no new law, but the “new to CA” reality is that running a business you depend upon for your livelihood needs the same status as your home.
Since this happened in the Republic of Kalifornastan, I’m really surprised they didn’t charge the old gentleman with murder. Police budgets have been slashed across the country by the BLM loving demoncrats since their savior George Floyd was removed from the gene pool. It’s time to get this once great country back on tract.
Nice job! Perp won’t be doing that again
moral of the story………..don’t fuck with old people we are no longer prey!!!