Mother defends kids, shoots intruder

[DocM]

Atlanta Journal Constitution....

Cops: Mother of two surprises intruder with five gunshots

The Loganville mother of two assumed the knocks on her front door Friday afternoon were from a solicitor.

?Don?t answer,? she yelled to her 9-year-old twins playing downstairs.

When the visitor began repeatedly ringing the doorbell, she called her husband at work.

?Get the kids and hide,? he told his wife.

As he dialed 911, his 37-year-old spouse, who works from home, collected the children and hid with them in a crawlspace adjoining her office. By that time, the intruder had forced his way into the three-story residence on Henderson Ridge Drive with a crowbar, authorities said. He allegedly rummaged through the home, eventually working his way up to the attic office.

?He opens the closet door and finds himself staring down the barrel of a .38 revolver,? said Walton County Sheriff Joe Chapman, who relayed the woman?s narrative to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He asked that her name be withheld.

The woman fired six bullets, five of which hit Paul Ali Slater in the face and neck area, Chapman said. But Slater was still conscious.

?The guy?s face down, crying,? the sheriff said. The woman told him to stay down or she?d shoot again.

Slater, unaware that she had emptied her chamber, obliged as the mother and her children ran to a neighbor?s house.

The injured burglar eventually made it out of the home and into his car, driving away before deputies arrived on the scene. He didn?t get far.

?When you got five bullets in you, it makes you kind of disoriented,? Chapman told the AJC.

Deputies found Slater bleeding profusely in a neighbor?s driveway.

?I?m dying. Help me,? he told them, according to Chapman.

Slater was transported to Gwinnett Medical Center and is expected to survive, the sheriff said.

The Long Island native, who now lives in Gwinnett County, was released from the Gwinnett jail in late August after serving six months for simple battery and three counts of probation violation. Slater has six other arrests in Gwinnett dating back to 2008, according to jail records.

?My wife?s a hero,? the woman?s husband, Donnie Herman, told Channel 2 Action News in a brief statement. He did not respond to a request for comment from the AJC. ?She protected her kids. She did what she was supposed to do.?

Chapman remarked that one of his deputies, impressed with the woman?s resolve, told the sheriff she had handled her first shooting better than he had.

?That mother?s instinct kicked in,? Chapman said. ?You go after a mother?s kids and she?ll find herself capable of doing things she never thought she was capable of.?

1) 5 hits in 6 shots? NICE shootin' lady!! Too bad it wasn't something heavier than a .38.

2) don't ever mess with momma bear

[McKay]

Brace yourself, there's a poopstorm coming.

[The Evil Overlord]

I tip my hat to her, I'd probably do something very similar under those circumstances

[necroxd]

Gotta love these stories.

[Original Poster]

well done to the thief i mean come on ... he took 5 38s point blank to the face

[Beyond Godlike]

Cant wait for the NRA to make this the most important news of the decade, followed by Videogames are the fall of 'Murrica.

[TheLegendOfMart]

5 shots in the face is self defence?

Doesn't even say that she warned him or told him to get out, he broke in and was instantly faced with a weapon and she fired all the rounds off.

Can't wait to see how this is spinned into something positive.

[TheLegendOfMart]

Wasn't referencing you, just the OP.

How did she have every right to blow his head off in the article it doesn't even say that she gave him a warning, he broke into the house not knowing there was anyone there, that doesn't give someone an automatic right to empty whatever weapon they have into someones head, that's why there are police and judges.

[Cheatyface]

Wasn't referencing you, just the OP.

How did she have every right to blow his head off in the article it doesn't even say that she gave him a warning, he broke into the house not knowing there was anyone there, that doesn't give someone an automatic right to empty whatever weapon they have into someones head, that's why there are police and judges.

By your logic, he should have given warning before breaking in too, right? You break into my home, it's open season. More places here in the US are adopting "Stand Your Ground" and "castle" laws because no one should have to play nice when the sanctity of their home is violated. Break into someone's home, expect to get shot. No one has to 'give a warning'. Ever.

[Dot Matrix]

BAN GUNS! This lady is crazy! She should have never had anything more than a knife!

/s

[Dane]

Wasn't referencing you, just the OP.

How did she have every right to blow his head off in the article it doesn't even say that she gave him a warning, he broke into the house not knowing there was anyone there, that doesn't give someone an automatic right to empty whatever weapon they have into someones head, that's why there are police and judges.

Wow are you ****ing for real? Should warn them?! Right.

I don't know anyone who would wait to find out if they have a weapon first. If they break in using that kind of force, chances are you are going to be severely hurt, or killed because they already don't care.

[-Himanshu-]

Wasn't referencing you, just the OP.

How did she have every right to blow his head off in the article it doesn't even say that she gave him a warning, he broke into the house not knowing there was anyone there, that doesn't give someone an automatic right to empty whatever weapon they have into someones head, that's why there are police and judges.

Yeah, and offer tea and discuss what the next move should be, while she is at it?

[spenser.d]

Well here's our solution to the gun issue then. Ban everything but .38 revolvers. Effective against break-ins, but less lethal in the case a crazed gunman shoots up a school...

[Richteralan]

I can already see how this piece of news is going to be used.

[medhunter]

oh, man!!! Any one intrudes my home should get whatever I have to defend myself. I am not going to set back and get harmed in my own property

She may have used a gun, because she doesn't know how much armed he could be, how many back ups.

Yet, If she had any experience with shooting, she shoud fire one shot as alarm @ his leg,then proceed if he doesn't freeze.

peculiar thing is that he had 5 shots in face and neck and still conscious,....pretty weird, unless tangential wounds.

[Silpheed2K]

Well here's our solution to the gun issue then. Ban everything but .38 revolvers. Effective against break-ins, but less lethal in the case a crazed gunman shoots up a school...

Incorrect, all guns are equally lethal when fired correctly. Death is the correct end result. Plus, mass shootings have happened with handguns, but that's no reason to ban them or any other gun. It is gun control laws that caused these shootings in the first place. Gun control only leads to more violence, as the people without guns get enslaved by the people with guns. (government, stronger class of people, rival tribe, etc.)

It is history that proves time and time again that gun control doesnt work and only leads to more violence and harsher conditions.

[spenser.d]

Incorrect, all guns are equally lethal when fired correctly. Death is the correct end result. Plus, mass shootings have happened with handguns, but that's no reason to ban them or any other gun. It is gun control laws that caused these shootings in the first place. Gun control only leads to more violence, as the people without guns get enslaved by the people with guns. (government, stronger class of people, rival tribe, etc.)

It is history that proves time and time again that gun control doesnt work and only leads to more violence and harsher conditions.

First of all, no ****. Second, got anything to back up your other claims, because a great deal of research says otherwise on the whole "leads to more violence and enslavement" front (aka there's nothing to support your claim). Third, my post was largely a play on the very amusing thought that the relatively miniscule amount of times people are actually able to defend themselves with guns somehow even remotely compares to the homicide rate and other damage caused by guns. I'm not all gung ho about gun control, but to think everything is all sunshine and roses because we don't control them more is ridiculous.

[TheLegendOfMart]

By your logic, he should have given warning before breaking in too, right? You break into my home, it's open season. More places here in the US are adopting "Stand Your Ground" and "castle" laws because no one should have to play nice when the sanctity of their home is violated. Break into someone's home, expect to get shot. No one has to 'give a warning'. Ever.

Wow are you ****ing for real? Should warn them?! Right.

I don't know anyone who would wait to find out if they have a weapon first. If they break in using that kind of force, chances are you are going to be severely hurt, or killed because they already don't care.

Yeah, and offer tea and discuss what the next move should be, while she is at it?

Seriously?

Cops give multiple warnings before they open fire on someone, you cant just empty your magazine just because someone has broken into your house with a crowbar.

I would pull a gun, give him a warning, if he moved anywhere apart from backwards I would try and shoot them somewhere non-vital. I know its easy to say not being in that situation but you can't just shoot someone in the face 5 times then claim self defence.

Shocking how gung-ho pro-gunners are, looking for any excuse to pull the trigger.

[Dot Matrix]

you cant just empty your magazine just because someone has broken into your house with a crowbar.

Castle Doctrine. Someone's in your house, obviously this guy meant them harm. You have the right to defend yourself without legal repercussions.

Without the pistol, this woman would not have had anything to defend herself. Maybe she knows hand to hand, but in this case that crowbar could still cause her great harm or even death.

[Dane]

Seriously?

Cops give multiple warnings before they open fire on someone, you cant just empty your magazine just because someone has broken into your house with a crowbar.

I would pull a gun, give him a warning, if he moved anywhere apart from backwards I would try and shoot them somewhere non-vital. I know its easy to say not being in that situation but you can't just shoot someone in the face 5 times then claim self defence.

Shocking how gung-ho pro-gunners are, looking for any excuse to pull the trigger.

Most police give warning when it's possible. When fight or flight kicks in they don't give a warning. Just recently a state trooper here was attacked he was stabbed. He instantly shot and killed the guy with no verbal warning.

And it's hard to hit a moving target the size of a leg or arm.

Also here a crow bar would qualify as a deadly weapon. Lethal force could be used.

[Silpheed2K]

First of all, no ****. Second, got anything to back up your other claims, because a great deal of research says otherwise on the whole "leads to more violence and enslavement" front (aka there's nothing to support your claim). Third, my post was largely a play on the very amusing thought that the relatively miniscule amount of times people are actually able to defend themselves with guns somehow even remotely compares to the homicide rate and other damage caused by guns. I'm not all gung ho about gun control, but to think everything is all sunshine and roses because we don't control them more is ridiculous.

There's plenty of evidence to support my argument. Nazi Germany is one of them. Hitler disarmed all citizens before rounding up the Jews. Then they were being put in concentration camps along with being executed. "Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it."

In 1929, the Soviet Union established gun control under one of the bloodiest despots in modern history, Joseph Stalin. From 1929 to 1953, approximately 20 million dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

In 1911, Turkey established gun control. From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

In 1928, Germany established gun control. From 1939 to 1945, 13 million Jews, Christians, gypsies, the mentally ill, and others, who were unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

In 1935, China established gun control. From 1948 to 1952, 20 million political dissidents were unable to defend themselves and were rounded up and exterminated.

In 1964, Guatemala established gun control. From 1964 to 1981, 100,000 Mayan Indians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

In 1970, Uganda, under brutal dictator Idi Amin, established gun control. From 1971 to 1979, 300,000 Christians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

In 1956, Cambodia established gun control. From 1975 to 1977, one million "educated" people, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

Yeah, gun control works... if you're a tyrant and a dictator. Gun control is a tactic used by tyrants to disarm people before committing their crimes against humanity.

[TheLegendOfMart]

I just don't understand the mentality, I'm not saying she didn't have the right to defend herself, her kids or her home, but there is such thing as excessive force.

I can just picture pro-gunners whooping and cheering that she shot someone, he could have easily died. I don't think burglary should be punishable by death, this isn't Judge Dredd where someone is judge, jury and executioner.

There's plenty of evidence to support my argument. Nazi Germany is one of them. Hitler disarmed all citizens before rounding up the Jews. Then they were being put in concentration camps along with being executed. "Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it."

Yeah, gun control works... if you're a tyrant and a dictator. Gun control is a tactic used by tyrants to disarm people before committing their crimes against humanity.

It's nice how you cherry pick facts, for every one of those you picked there is an opposite one where gun control has brought down gun homicides to single or double figures in the respective country, not five figures like the US.

[Dot Matrix]

I just don't understand the mentality, I'm not saying she didn't have the right to defend herself, her kids or her home, but there is such thing as excessive force.

I can just picture pro-gunners whooping and cheering that she shot someone, he could have easily died. I don't think burglary should be punishable by death, this isn't Judge Dredd where an ordinary civilian is judge, jury and executioner.

As far as I'm concerned she acted bravely. She stood her ground and didn't freak out like most women would. No excessive force here, just a mother defending her kids.

Get between a mother bear and her cubs, and tell me she uses "excessive force" when she mauls you to death without warning.

[TheLegendOfMart]

Didn't freak out, 6 shots with 5 hitting someone in the head isn't freaking out? It looks more like she was trying to murder him than incapacitate him.

You are seriously comparing human beings with morals and ethics against animals?

[Guest xiphi]

Who cares if he could've easily died? If he wants to live and keep his body unharmed, then he shouldn't break into someone's house. You break into my place, I'll make sure you don't come back one way or another.