San Antonio: Homeowner shoots vandal in chest. His stepson.

[surprise_i'm_armed]

http://radio.woai.com/articles/woai-loc ... -11284506/

Wow, what a set of circumstances. This took place at 130 AM.

I wonder if he knew it was his stepson. Would it have made a difference?

SIA

[Ericstac]

Interesting.. I know the law allows it but I've never seen it so black and white. Protecting replaceable property with deadly force.

[seamusTX]

Here are some more detailed reports:

http://www.kens5.com/news/SAPD-Man-shoo ... 63561.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;\
http://www.foxsanantonio.com/newsroom/t ... 5481.shtml" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"Stepson" is 46 years old and lives separately. According to police report, stepson had been drinking and attempted to enter the home, along with breaking windows.

"Police said the 46-year-old stepson will be charged with felony criminal mischief.
The stepfather will not be charged for protecting his home."

I'm always vaguely annoyed by family relationships being described this way. Technically the child of your wife by another marriage is your stepson, regardless of age. However, there is a huge difference between a minor child that lives with you versus an adult with whom you have never had a parent-child relationship.

- Jim

[jimlongley]

. . .

I'm always vaguely annoyed by family relationships being described this way. Technically the child of your wife by another marriage is your stepson, regardless of age. However, there is a huge difference between a minor child that lives with you versus an adult with whom you have never had a parent-child relationship.

- Jim

Me too, I adopted my first wife's daughters when they were young, and when I married my second wife she came equipped with a 7 year old, so I have had three step children over the years, but I have trouble describing my relationship with my second wife's daughter, who was 24 the first time I met her, and although she lived with us later, for a while, did not live with us when we married, nor does she now. I never took part in raising her, I feel no paternal affection for her, and yet she's still my step-daughter.

[seamusTX]

Well, in any case, an adult man, allegedly under the influence, allegedly breaking down the door of another person's home in the middle of the night, is not a minor child or dependent.

- Jim

[baldeagle]

What a mess. The first story says:

Police say the homeowner, who is in his fifties, looked out the window of his house in the 1400 block of Thorain, which is near Basse and Blanco after he heard the sound of glass breaking. It happened about 1:30 this morning.

He saw a man smashing the windshield, grabbed a gun, and opened fire, striking the vandal in the chest.

The KENS5 story says:

The homeowner, believing there was an intruder, got scared and reached for his gun. The man fired one shot through the window, striking his stepson in the chest.

The Fox story calls the stepson the victim and says this:

The homeowner in his 60s heard the noise, grabbed his gun and shot out the window hitting the victim in the chest.

So is the homeowner in his 50's or his 60's? Did he shoot the stepson through a window of the house? Or while he was smashing the windshield of his car?

This is the state of journalism in this country. Even simple, verifiable details are incorrect.

[JALLEN]

I'm always vaguely annoyed by family relationships being described this way. Technically the child of your wife by another marriage is your stepson, regardless of age. However, there is a huge difference between a minor child that lives with you versus an adult with whom you have never had a parent-child relationship.

- Jim

I suppose legally it is true but that does not always accurately convey the relationship. My current wife, who by happy coincidence happens to be my favorite wife, is stepmother to my two sons, late 30's, and they are friendly, get along, work together, etc (for which I am exceedingly grateful) but there is nothing "motherly" about it.

[surprise_i'm_armed]

So now that we know a little bit about the interpersonal relationship between shooter
and vandal, ponder this:

Even though the stepson was doing wrong, how do you think the mother of the vandal will
treat her husband? Mothers don't like their sons to be shot, even if they earned that lead.

"No sugar tonight in my coffee. No sugar tonight in my tea."
The Guess Who, 1970.

SIA

[seamusTX]

Even though the stepson was doing wrong, how do you think the mother of the vandal will treat her husband? Mothers don't like their sons to be shot, ...

I don't know. It's not my problem. I have enough serious and urgent problems to deal with.

- Jim