El Paso's Mountain Park: Home invader killed by homeowner.

[surprise_i'm_armed]

El Paso, Texas

From the El Paso Times of May 6, 2010


Homeowner shoots, kills intruder in Northeast

A homeowner shot and killed a burglar who broke into his house early Wednesday morning, police said.

About 4:40, an unidentified man in his early 20s broke into a house in the 8000 block of Tonto Place, police said.

Homeowners Paul Daw and Monica Daw were asleep during the initial break-in and awoke to find the man in the master bedroom.

They fought with him, police said.

During the struggle, Paul Daw shot the man multiple times with a handgun. He was taken to Beaumont Army Medical Center, where he later died, said police spokesman Darrel Petry.

Investigators were working Wednesday afternoon to identify the man through his fingerprints, said Dr. Paul Shrode, the county medical examiner.

Police spokesman Detective Mike Baranyay said the couple’s children were home during the break-in.

“I know there was a man and a woman and kids, but I don’t know how many kids,” Baranyay said.

David Hennis said the shooting was the first in the upscale Mountain Park neighborhood since he and his family moved there in the 1960s.

“I’m sure it’s handy for people who want to break into houses that there’s no streetlights,” said Hennis, 80.

The last time an El Paso homeowner shot and killed an intruder was in 2000, when Dr. Joseph Segapeli, a pediatrician, shot a man who forced his way into his Lower Valley home.

The man, Steven Medrano, held three children, their nanny and another man in the kitchen before the shooting.
Segapeli was not prosecuted.

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[Beiruty]

The most scary thing is to be awaken from your sleep with an intruder over your head. And, since I have kids are at home, my firearms are secured in safe. Thus, the access would take 5 sec more to get ready to

[Teamless]

the access would take 5 sec more to get ready to

A friend of mine has bought 2 biometric safes that fit in the bed side dresser. 1 for his wife's side and 1 for his.
A quick slide of a finger and it unlocks, grab and go.
it still may take 5 seconds, due to get getting your bearings in the middle of the night, but its much closer than trying to open a safe in a closet or something with a combination or key.
This type of safe is also good for in your car, as it can be secured under the front seat of a car for safe storage of your weapon at those rare times you have to leave it behind.
this one is similar to the one he got, but he said he bought his on Ebay for about $130
http://www.gunsafes.com/BioBox.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[MoJo]

No streetlights? Holy cow that's just asking for trouble.

[Excaliber]

the access would take 5 sec more to get ready to

A friend of mine has bought 2 biometric safes that fit in the bed side dresser. 1 for his wife's side and 1 for his.
A quick slide of a finger and it unlocks, grab and go.
it still may take 5 seconds, due to get getting your bearings in the middle of the night, but its much closer than trying to open a safe in a closet or something with a combination or key.
This type of safe is also good for in your car, as it can be secured under the front seat of a car for safe storage of your weapon at those rare times you have to leave it behind.
this one is similar to the one he got, but he said he bought his on Ebay for about $130
http://www.gunsafes.com/BioBox.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If you use a biometric safe, I'd suggest testing it often. The reliability of the biometric components on many of them has been reported as ranging from poor to dismal. I researched them for my own use, and decided to use a different time proven authentication mechanism (finger buttons programmed to read a pattern of presses).

[mctowalot]

If they had a dog, the intruder might not have been able to get so close undetected.

[chabouk]

The most scary thing is to be awaken from your sleep with an intruder over your head. And, since I have kids are at home, my firearms are secured in safe. Thus, the access would take 5 sec more to get ready to

I dunno... My guns are unlocked and readily available. I used to be pretty certain of my ability to react during the night, because I've always been a pretty light sleeper. But recently, a combination of age and biology has left me not only slow to wake, but also very slow to be able to visually focus for several minutes after I awake.

In short. I'm probably going to be reduced to grappling if I'm suddenly awakened by an intruder. This does not give me any comfort, and I've yet to come up with a solution for it. I can only take comfort in the fact that our houseful of dogs are our primary alarm system, and that my wife (I robbed the cradle!) is younger and awakens much more easily than I do. That, and she's a heckuva shot.

[KD5NRH]

No streetlights? Holy cow that's just asking for trouble.

Yeah, because crime never happens where there's light. That's why no houses get broken into in daytime, after all.

[karder]

The guy in this article, Paul Daw, actually really tried not to shoot the intruder. He found the guy in his closet and had a physical fight with him. The intruder was a 20 year old. Mr. Daw managed to take the intruder down and subdue him. He forced to the BG to sit down in a chair while he called the police. At some point when the intruder got his breath back, he jumped up and hit Mr. Daw with the chair he had been sitting in. At that point, the home owner drew his weapon and shot the intruder 3 times. They guy died at the hospital. Turns out he lived only a few houses away from his victim.
I am glad things worked out for the victim, because he put himself in danger trying to not shoot the intruder. At least it had a happy ending.

[Excaliber]

No streetlights? Holy cow that's just asking for trouble.

I'd have to differ. It's more accurately described as "living in the country."

[LarryH]

If you use a biometric safe, I'd suggest testing it often. The reliability of the biometric components on many of them has been reported as ranging from poor to dismal. I researched them for my own use, and decided to use a different time proven authentication mechanism (finger buttons programmed to read a pattern of presses).

We have one of these. It typically opens on the second try, but sometimes not until the third, even with fresh batteries.

Suppose I should take/send it in for service.