14-year-old Phoenix boy shoots armed intruder

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/06/23/14-year-old-phoenix-boy-shoots-armed-intruder/

Published June 23, 2012 Associated Press

PHOENIX – A 14-year-old boy shot and nearly killed an intruder who broke into his Phoenix home and pulled a gun on him while he was watching his three younger siblings, police said Saturday.

The teen and his siblings, ages 8, 10 and 12, were at home alone when a woman rang the doorbell Friday afternoon, Phoenix police Officer James Holmes said.

The teen didn't open the door because he didn't recognize the woman.

Soon after, the teen heard a loud bang on the door, rushed his siblings upstairs and got a handgun from his parent's bedroom.

When he got to the top of the stairs, he saw a man break through the front door and point a gun at him.

The boy shot the 37-year-old man, who was taken to a hospital in extremely critical condition and underwent surgery. The man was upgraded to critical condition and is expected to survive and be booked into jail within the week on counts of aggravated assault and burglary, Holmes said.

He said the suspect did not get a shot off. He declined to release his name until he is booked into jail.

The woman who rang the home's doorbell got away.

Holmes hailed the teen's actions and his parents for teaching the kids to never open the door to strangers.

"The police and indeed our community does not ever want to see a situation where a teenager of that age has to take a weapon to protect his family ... but this young man did exactly what he should have done," he said. "I'm not sure he gave full thought about what he had to do. He just acted."

Holmes said that the gun the teen grabbed was his father's, but did not know whether the boy had been trained to use it.

He said the family, whose names were not released, is declining to speak to reporters about the ordeal, saying that they "are all pretty traumatized."

"The dad was pretty much out of his mind with distress, officers couldn't even talk to him," Holmes said. "It's going to take them a while to recover mentally."

He said police don't yet know what the suspect's intentions were and that will be one of the first questions they ask him when he is well enough to talk.

"This was mid-block in a neighborhood, at 4:30 in the afternoon in summertime and children are there," he said. "They just took a heck of a gamble for this particular house, and we've got to try to figure out why."

Holmes added that the family is lucky that the teen acted so swiftly and effectively.

"As ugly as this is, and as much as this family is going through, we don't have injured children on our hands," he said.

[Darnell 8,478]

See what happens when ICE officers arrive unannounced? YAR!

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

See what happens when ICE officers arrive unannounced? YAR!

[Karee 4,189]

[ready4ONE 5,400]

While the OP clearly had a positive outcome, one wonders how a 14 yo babysitting three younger siblings had such easy access to a loaded firearm. Curious that.

[Leatherneck 693]

Better there was access than no access. Where was the easy access? It only mentions retrieving the firearm from the parent's bedroom.

Edited June 24, 2012 by Leatherneck

[ready4ONE 5,400]

Better there was access than no access. Where was the easy access? It only mentions retrieving the firearm from the parent's bedroom.

Alex I'll take "Soon after he rushed his siblings upstairs and retrieved a gun from his parents bedroom for $5000, please."

[aaydrian 479]

While the OP clearly had a positive outcome, one wonders how a 14 yo babysitting three younger siblings had such easy access to a loaded firearm. Curious that.

[Ban Hammer 12,901]

While the OP clearly had a positive outcome, one wonders how a 14 yo babysitting three younger siblings had such easy access to a loaded firearm. Curious that.

perhaps his parents taught him responsibility?

[Karee 4,189]

perhaps his parents taught him responsibility?

Laugh. Yeah. If some nut breaks in to your house, shoot his a$$. I don't think you have to teach that.

[ready4ONE 5,400]

perhaps his parents taught him responsibility?

Given the OP it is difficult to believe the 8 yo didn't also have easy access to the handgun as well. Is that responsible Charles?

[Leatherneck 693]

Alex I'll take "Soon after he rushed his siblings upstairs and retrieved a gun from his parents bedroom for $5000, please."

The firearm could've been in a very secure place within the room -- yet the 14 yr old could've been shown the location of the weapon and what to do in case of a break-in.

Rare is the individual that can pick up a firearm, fire it and get on target of an actual human the very first time.

Alex, I'll take logic for $10,000, pleeeaaassseee!

Edited June 24, 2012 by Leatherneck

[ready4ONE 5,400]

The firearm could've been in a very secure place within the room -- yet the 14 yr old could've been taught where to locate the weapon and what to do in case of an emergency.

Rare is the individual that can pick up a firearm, fire it and get on target of an actual human the first time. Alex, I'll take logic for $10,000!

Doubtful but perhaps not completely impossible. Unless you're suggesting this kid was the child product of Spetznatz Youth training?

Hard to say from the OP either way, but if the 14 yo knew where to locate the locked and secured loaded pistol then which of the other three might have known the same?

Edited June 24, 2012 by ready4ONE

[Leatherneck 693]

Some parents teach their children gun safety, safe handling and marksmanship, nothing hard to believe about that. The 14 yr old having knowledge of where the firearm was located does not mean the other 3 had the same awareness or ability to get the weapon.

This now 12 yr old certainly knows how to get on target.

Edited June 24, 2012 by Leatherneck

[HannahP 119]

As a nurse on a trauma unit, I feel like every time someone posts a "kid defends family with gun" article -- I should post the 3-4 "kids shot because some dumbass cannot secure their gun" articles. Articles!