65 y/o man kills teen mugger, wounds another

[DocM]

No charges: Pennsylvia has a Castle Doctrine law.

http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=361731

A 65-year-old Reading man who was riding his bicycle was justified in shooting two teens - one fatally - who tried to rob him on a Schuylkill River trail as part of a crime spree, the Berks County district attorney said Thursday.

The teens, age 16 and 15, and another 15-year-old boy skipped school Wednesday and robbed two pedestrians in West Reading before they attacked the man as he rode on the Thun Trail in Cumru Township at 11 a.m., police said.

The man, whose name authorities withheld, will not be charged for shooting the teens because he acted in self-defense, which is legal under Pennsylvania's Castle Doctrine, District Attorney John T. Adams said.

"While I don't condone violence, the bike rider had no choice," Adams said. "It was justifiable homicide."

Julius Johnson, 16, of Reading was pronounced dead at the scene Wednesday morning after he was shot in his chest with a handgun, officials said.

An autopsy Thursday by Dr. Supriya Kuruvila, a forensic pathologist at Reading Hospital, determined Johnson died of a gunshot wound to the chest, according to the county coroner's office. The death was ruled a homicide, officials said.

The 15-year-old shot in the neck remained in Reading Hospital on Thursday, officials said. Information about his medical condition could not be obtained. Police did not release his name because he has not been charged.

The third teen, Michael Gonzalez, 15, address unavailable, was charged with robbery, aggravated assault and related offenses and committed to the county youth center in Bern Township.

Officials said an investigation continues.

Johnson was a Reading High School student, and the 15-year-olds are Gov. Mifflin High School students, Adams said.

Adams gave this account:

Johnson was on probation for previous offenses. Juvenile probation officers had gone to his Oakbrook residence earlier Wednesday and found the three teens playing video games.

They told the two 15-year-olds to leave. The officers put an electronic monitoring device on Johnson's ankle, ordered him to stay home and report to their office with his parents at 4 p.m.

Instead, the three met up and decided to jump and rob random victims.

They first robbed an elderly man in West Reading shortly after 10 a.m., taking money from his pockets, then tried to rob another man in West Reading, kneeing him in the stomach and pushing him to the ground. Neither man was hurt.

The bike rider was on the trail between Reading and West Reading.

As he rode past the teens, the 15-year-old whose name was not released punched the man in the face, knocking him from his bike. Johnson ran and kicked the man, who was sitting against a chain-link fence along the trail.

As one of the teens ran toward the man, he shot Johnson and the 15-year-old.

People who found the man called 9-1-1 and waited for police to arrive. It was unclear if the people heard the shots or were on the trail.

The teens weren't armed, but the shootings were legal because the man was unable to escape, thought his life was in danger and had a permit to carry his gun, Adams said.

The man told investigators: "I was scared for my life. I was in big trouble. If I could have kept my bike on the trail, I would have gotten out of there."

The man was unhurt but shaken by the shootings, Adams said.

Adams did not know if Johnson's monitoring device had GPS tracking capabilities or if it simply triggered an alarm when he left his home. Adams said juvenile probation officers acted appropriately.

Cumru Police Chief Jed Habecker credited his department for its quick investigation.

He said the crime was only the second robbery to occur along the Cumru section of the Thun Trail in about a decade.

Adams said he has heard from many people in the community that the bicyclist was a hero for successfully defending himself.

"When your life is in danger, you have no choice but to use deadly force," he said.

[mindelt]

I am sorry to hear that the other two still breath my air.

[DocM]

I should have noted in the OP that Pennsylvania has a Shall Issue concealed weapons permit system - a good citizen without the disqualifiers listed in the law can get a 5 year permit in about 45 days. Recertification is likewise streamlined.

[fusi0n]

Thats crazy. Glad he is still alive.

[Dane]

Yeah this was recent. Also DocM, in some places they have that time up to. Although most places does it instantly cause they do the background check while you are there. Which is nice.

[Original Poster]

little prick got whats coming to him, they obviously only targeted the elderly.... ***** scum

[Slammers]

Good riddance

[DocM]

A lot of these all too numerous punks are straight out of A Clockwork Orange - preying on those weaker than them; the elderly, disabled, females, younger/smaller kids etc. This is why the fastest growing handgun demographica are females, the disabled and the elderly.

[Yusuf M. Veteran]

It's a shame that the teenager's life had to be taken. If I was in the old man's position, I would've fired a warning shot first. I'll never understand this "kill the criminal" mentality that some people have.

I am sorry to hear that the other two still breath my air.

You don't own the air. And if you condone the killing of teenagers, then I truly feel sorry for you.

[DocM]

We don't condone the unreasoned killing of teens, just dangerous criminals in the act of harming others. In this case the two classifications intersected.

In the trainng classes for a concealed carry license you are taught NEVER to shoot a warning shot. These classs are taught either by certified cops or certified trainers that also train cops. My trainer was the Police Commissioner, who had 30+ years of service and an ex-Marine.

1) if the situation has deteriorated to where you have to pull the gun then it's too late for warnings.

2) a warning shot is very likely to either ricochet or fly wild for up to a mile, quite possibly hitting an innocent or damaging property.

Bottom line: a flying bullet needs to find a home: the perp.

[Shadrack]

I dunno. I don't own a firearm and don't want to own a firearm, but when punks like this stir up the trouble that they do I want them to be worried about being shot by someone. They should have that kind of fear because God knows they don't give a **** about the police. Obviously the one that was shot and killed already had a rap-sheet and was already in trouble... the system didn't do anything to keep him from hurting people. Maybe if that kid was serving time at a juvenile detention center like he should have been instead of out on parole he would still be alive. Law makers should take notes.

[Nashy]

The fact that this is alright, is a problem. They were young people who, with the right help, could have gone on to lead good lives.

[Rohdekill]

.... And if you condone the killing of teenagers, then I truly feel sorry for you.

No one condones the killing of teenagers. But, what we do condone is the killing of such low-life scum that feel it is OK to attack a 65 year old senior citizen.

[Rippleman]

nice when these kind of things have a happy ending :) could have been very bad ending. Good Job sir!

[Rippleman]

The fact that this is alright, is a problem. They were young people who, with the right help, could have gone on to lead good lives.

are you willing to bet "your" life on that?

[Kondrath]

Whoah. It's weird reading about this kind of thing when it happens in your own neighborhood. Oakbrook is an apartment complex full of poverty stricken foreigners and gangsters. It's a terrible place. I lived right across from it back in the 90s. You'd hear gunshots at least once every night. It's unfortunate... 'cause my own neighborhood was so cozy until they came along and ruined it.

[DocM]

The fact that this is alright, is a problem. They were young people who, with the right help, could have gone on to lead good lives.

News Flash: teens this violent seldom reform - they remane a danger to others well into their 50's. Before 18 they call it conduct disorder, and after it's antisocial personality disorder. They are malignant sociopaths, and you can't fix that.

[Arthax]

Always good to see America enforcing the natural ideals of survival of the fittest.

Although technology seems to skew things up..

[Joseph B]

It's a shame that the teenager's life had to be taken. If I was in the old man's position, I would've fired a warning shot first. I'll never understand this "kill the criminal" mentality that some people have.

You don't own the air. And if you condone the killing of teenagers, then I truly feel sorry for you.

Once a scumbag, usually always a scumbag. Some of these teens these days just need to be snuffed out before they waste anymore peoples time.

[+Raze Subscriber²]

Sad that someone had to die, but criminals could care less about their victims and people have to be allowed to defend themselves. I fear that the gentleman that was defending himself from a violent crime may also be further victimized by being sued by the criminals parents. Not knowing the laws in PA, hopefully he may be protected from lawsuits.

[inactive]

It's a shame that the teenager's life had to be taken. If I was in the old man's position, I would've fired a warning shot first. I'll never understand this "kill the criminal" mentality that some people have.

You don't own the air. And if you condone the killing of teenagers, then I truly feel sorry for you.

sure, it's probably best if you CAN avoid it but when your in the heat of the moment and that's going down within seconds you ain't got to much time to think and you just react especially if you feel your life in in danger especially since it appears there is THREE of them and at 15-16 years old they ain't little kids anymore and if they wanted (like had the intension to really hurt him) they could have really messed up the 65year old so i can't blame him for not taking any chances although a warning shot might have been a good idea if possible just to give them 'a chance' to step off. but then again at the same time... if you start robbing people you have to realize there is some chance they could have a gun on them and might be ready to shoot you.

but from the looks of things it appears they where not just a couple of average teens that did something stupid (in which case i might feel a little more sorry for them) but had a bad rep for doing stuff of this sort. because if they are the type who would have ended up in a life of crime and hurt people etc etc then this guy probably did that neighborhood a favor in the long run.

but at the end of the day... THEY (the three teens) are the bad guy. not the guy who killed them.

Sad that someone had to die, but criminals could care less about their victims and people have to be allowed to defend themselves. I fear that the gentleman that was defending himself from a violent crime may also be further victimized by being sued by the criminals parents. Not knowing the laws in PA, hopefully he may be protected from lawsuits.

lets hope he CANT be sued... no one should be able to be sued if they seriously thought their lives where in danger and like i was saying when you got three people coming to attack you, you ain't got time to mess around as it's not like they where little 11-12 year old kids as by 15-16 your not a little kid anymore and could cause serious harm to someone if that where their intent.

the way i see it... if those kids where into trouble quite a bit with robbing and hitting people etc, they had it coming eventually.

Whoah. It's weird reading about this kind of thing when it happens in your own neighborhood. Oakbrook is an apartment complex full of poverty stricken foreigners and gangsters. It's a terrible place. I lived right across from it back in the 90s. You'd hear gunshots at least once every night. It's unfortunate... 'cause my own neighborhood was so cozy until they came along and ruined it.

after reading that comment i am very confident those teens had it coming ;) (he should have been awarded a medal for getting rid of the scum of the area)

i don't feel sorry for them at all now if they are of the type they appear to be from that general quote.

[jerzdawg]

**** is really going to hell when 16 year olds are already on probation and need to wear gps monitoring devices. I'm only 32 but when I was 16 I was all about high school sports, girls, video games, and just hanging out with my friends. These kids are skipping school and jumping old people just for the hell of it (can't imagine they are getting much money out of it).

[Fred Derf Veteran]

The fact that this is alright, is a problem. They were young people who, with the right help, could have gone on to lead good lives.

The system, with policies like mandatory minimum sentences, are geared to punish not to rehabilitate. That's what voters want and that's what voters get. It doesn't matter what the experts say. Damn the facts and let's go for blood.

[inactive]

**** is really going to hell when 16 year olds are already on probation and need to wear gps monitoring devices. I'm only 32 but when I was 16 I was all about high school sports, girls, video games, and just hanging out with my friends. These kids are skipping school and jumping old people just for the hell of it (can't imagine they are getting much money out of it).

Exactly. i am same age as you. (i am 32, ill be 33 later this year)

it's like some people are just so dead inside that they don't even think twice before harming another person just for some petty stuff like a little bit of cash etc. hell, i am sure some of those people who are violence happy probably do it for fun in some cases which is even worse. those types are dead people walking basically and taking any of those out is nothing but a good thing.

[ncoday]

I would say good riddance. These criminals played stupid games for too long and now they paid for it. I am sure they would not have had a problem with hurting, or even crippiling the seniro citizen just for kicks or money.