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There’s more than one way to stop a getaway car.
In upstate New York, one homeowner allegedly decided four flat tires weren’t necessary. One would do.
According to News 8 WROC, an Ontario County homeowner held two suspected burglars at gunpoint after firing a shot into one of their vehicle’s tires, preventing them from driving away before deputies arrived.
So far, the homeowner isn’t facing charges.
Authorities say the incident happened Sunday at a home in the Town of Richmond. The homeowner wasn’t there when the burglary allegedly began.
Instead, he watched it unfold on his property cameras. After calling 911, he drove to the house himself.
According to Ontario County Undersheriff Michael Rago, the homeowner stayed on the phone with dispatch while ordering anyone inside the house to come out.
“The homeowner called out… and ordered them to show themselves and exit the residence,” Rago said.
Then came the shot. Deputies say the homeowner fired at one of the suspects’ vehicle tires. That changed the suspects’ plans in a hurry.
Rago said one of the suspects actually called 911. The caller reportedly told dispatchers they were coming out of the house unarmed after hearing the gunshot.
Deputies arrested 19-year-old Alexandria Mosher and 22-year-old Dominick Wood, who now face second-degree burglary charges.
The homeowner remained on scene and held the pair at gunpoint until law enforcement arrived.
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According to News 8, authorities currently do not plan to charge the homeowner, though officials say that could change if new evidence surfaces.
The incident also sparked questions about New York’s self-defense laws.
Unlike many states, New York has a Duty to Retreat law. That generally means people must avoid using deadly force if they can safely retreat.
But legal expert Greg Rinckey, founding partner of Tully Rinckey PLLC, said that rule doesn’t apply the same way on your own property.
“This was a perfect case,” Rinckey told the station. “Someone broke in… he had a firearm… and used it appropriately.”
Rinckey said the biggest legal question isn’t simply whether a gun was used. It’s whether the homeowner acted reasonably.
“He reasonably feared they were going to get away, so he disabled their vehicle,” Rinckey explained. “Do I think that’s reasonable? Yeah.”
Still, investigators will likely examine whether firing the shot was safe. Questions like nearby homes and neighbors always matter.
Rinckey also pointed to another key legal standard: excessive force. The law generally asks whether someone used only the amount of force reasonably necessary to stop the threat.
In this case, Rinckey doesn’t believe that will be a problem.
“The key to all of this is reasonableness,” he said. “What would a reasonable person do in that situation?”
For now, the suspects are headed to court.
The homeowner, meanwhile, appears to have avoided becoming a defendant himself. Sometimes a flat tire is a much bigger headache than a burglary charge.
Self-defense doesn’t end when the threat goes down. That’s when the real battle begins. Lawyers. Prosecutors. Headlines. USCCA Members never fight that battle alone. Find out how.
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is a seasoned outdoorsman, lifelong hunter, and the kind of guy who’d rather track whitetails than scroll social media. As an editor for GunsAmerica, he’s got a sharp eye for spotting both solid gear and bad gun laws. Whether he’s deep in the woods or deep in editorial deadlines, Larry brings a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is approach to firearms, hunting, and the great American tradition of self-reliance. If there’s a hot debate on gun rights or the latest in hunting tech, you can bet Larry’s got an opinion—and it’s probably backed up with both facts and field experience.
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