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I started to get into what he said, frankie_the_yankee, but didn't feel like typing it. You are absolutely correct about what he (apparently) said. I know lots of people (some with guns, some without) who have very little understanding of the laws relating to force and lethal force. I do think that more than a few people have gotten themselves into trouble by not knowing them, and also their words that demonstrate that lack of knowledge.

I don't understand why someone would have a gun but not bother to know the laws. But it certainly happens.

We clearly don't have the whole story, but here is a thought. The vandal was busting in a windshield, which means he either had a destructive tool (weapon) or was doing it with his fists (on drugs?). Breaking a windshield from the outside requires the kind of force that if delivered to a 71 year old would be devastating, probably lethal. If the attacker then moved toward the homeowner, it wouldn't be much of a stretch to say that the homeowner now feared for his life.

The missing parts of the story would appear to be quite significant.