As reported, a 59 year old man used his gun to stop a violent attack by multiple home invaders:
Police say that just before 10:00am, a homeowner was sitting on his back porch in West Knoxville, TN when he noticed someone peering in the windows of his front door. The homeowner is said to have gone inside, retrieved his handgun, and confronted the men. In response, the men rushed toward the homeowner, at which point he fired his gun in self defense, according to news reports. News reports state that an 18 year old man suffering from a gunshot wound was dropped off at a hospital a few minutes later, and police are reportedly seeking two additional suspects. The homeowner was treated for minor injuries sustained in the attack.
Those who are unarmed, or who are armed with an inferior weapon, will often end up overpowered by the criminal, with dire consequences. Nor can a citizen rely upon the police for protection, as they are minutes away while it takes a criminal who is breaking in just seconds to get to their victim. It is also important to note that the police will sometimes fail to help even when asked repeatedly, and they are not legally liable for that failure. Adding to the problem, police are 5.5 times more likely than an armed citizen to shoot the wrong person, meaning that there is a certain degree of danger anytime there are armed police coming to the aid of a citizen. In sum, self defense is often a crime victim’s best – if not only – option.