Alabama senior shoots home invader

[Hum]

A Huntsville man fended off an overnight burglary attempt this weekend by shooting the intruder.

According to a police report, the 83-year-old man said someone in a hooded sweatshirt came to his home in the 2400 block of Dairy Lane close to 12:30 a.m. Saturday. He told police the person said he needed help but then kicked out the door's glass and force his way in when the resident went to call 911.

The resident said he got his handgun and fired a single shot, which struck the intruder in the chest. The man claims the offender dove out the window and ran away. Police could not immediately find him.

The resident was uninjured and is not facing charges.

According to the police report, a man matching this description allegedly robbed another home just a few blocks away on Chapman Avenue right before this. That victim, a 60-year-old man, said he was asleep in the front room when the intruder burst in and threatened him with a framing hammer. The victim fled uninjured.

Police could not immediately confirm if they believe the incidents are related.

source

[+Warwagon MVC]

"Broke into the wrong goldarn wreck room didn't you, you big jerk!"

[Hum]

The resident said he got his handgun and fired a single shot, which struck the intruder in the chest. The man claims the offender dove out the window and ran away.

Clark Kent -- is that you ...?

[DocM]

No. A great many people shot in the chest with a handgun keep moving and are still capable of attack.

Smaller caliber or low energy cartridges in particular result in this; .22, .32, .38 or even 9mm standard or low recoil loads. With them you actually have to hit the spinal cord, a major blood vessel or hit the hearts pacemaker to drop them within a short timeframe. Some will keep going even with the bullet embedded in the heart muscle.

Even with more powerful cartridges it can be a crapshoot. I've seen a hood come in the ER that took six .357 magnum rounds to the upper body to bring down. He was still fighting.

This is why so many of us choose to carry even higher energy rounds that are capable of inducing damage to remote tissues like the brain far from the impact point; .357 SIG (not the same as the magnum), .40 S&W, .45 ACP, 10mm, .44 Magnum etc.

Those along with the right projectile can cause a shockwave strong enough to burst blood vessels in the brain, even from a peripheral wound. Down they go. Most of the time.