Homeowner fatally shoots teen who was part of group shooting paintball guns at home

[GreenJesus]

Paintball guns aren't supposed To be used outside of specific facilities. They can actually really hurt you and if you aren't wearing eye covering that is bad news. I did paintball and I got bruised all over. Not to mention the property damage and them being "guns". Some paintball guns can actually be kind of loud.

What these kids were doing was beyond stupid. And it looks like they were bullies anyway that targeted a kids home.

[crakerjack]

Both sides are insanely retarded and the dude who shot the 19 year old should get punished. The moment he justified walking outside the safety of his home with a loaded gun was the moment he opened the door to get slammed by the law. It would be one thing if the 19 year old broke into his house, but to walk off of your property and kill someone else, regardless of your reasoning, that's pretty idiotic.

[vincink]

No, not all human beings. American citizens. Shit like that does not happen or go unpunished in the rest of the civilized world.

The article did not say whether the father will or will not be charged. He could be charged second-degree murder. So, again, hastily generalizing that America is lawless is demonstrably false.

[Elba]

The article did not say whether the father will or will not be charged. He could be charged second-degree murder. So, again, hastily generalizing that America is lawless is demonstrably false.

Other article said he won't.

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I would have been sniping people through my living room window.

People like you are the reason Americans should not be allowed to own guns. The Swiss or Canadians own even more per capita, but shit like this does not happen in their countries. They have far, far lower gun violence and death rates.

Americans actively want to kill people. American gun owners itch at the finger for any reason to kill someone. It is a cultural thing. And because of that mentality can't be trusted with guns.

[MikeBogina]

They brought paintball guns to a gun owners house, serves em right.

First thing I was told when I went to stay with a friend in Houston, was not to mess with anyone on their property.

[vincink]

Other article said he won't.

The original article from the local news station says this: "So far no charges have been announced as the investigation continues."

This means that the investigation so far has produced no evidence of wrongdoing. But the investigation is on going, meaning no conclusion can be made until all evidence is gathered and analyzed.

[Shadowferal]

oh...so someone shooting up your home...that's okay with a few here. But then I've come to the conclusion that some people have no problems receiving a beating either.

[MikeBogina]

People like you are the reason Americans should not be allowed to own guns. The Swiss or Canadians own even more per capita, but shit like this does not happen in their countries. They have far, far lower gun violence and death rates.

Americans actively want to kill people. American gun owners itch at the finger for any reason to kill someone. It is a cultural thing. And because of that mentality can't be trusted with guns.

I bet you home robberies/vandalism is a lot lower in canada and Swizzyland

[Carnedge]

People like you are the reason Americans should not be allowed to own guns. The Swiss or Canadians own even more per capita, but shit like this does not happen in their countries. They have far, far lower gun violence and death rates.

Americans actively want to kill people. American gun owners itch at the finger for any reason to kill someone. It is a cultural thing. And because of that mentality can't be trusted with guns.

If I actively wanted to kill people I would. If I felt my family/loved ones were at risk of harm I would do what I had to do. Just like the man that killed the person shooting at his house did. I would just do it smarter.

[kail]

All guns can sound extremely different from one another. Also, as I've pointed out in a past post, I have paintball guns much louder than some of my small caliber weapons. And not all paintball guns use CO2.

They don't sound nearly as loud as any (legal) firearms. Never have I ever seen someone wear ear protection in a paintball arena that has guns using CO2 and N2, indoors and outdoors. I've never tested how fast either can fire but most arena regulates below 300fps shots. Will it sound loud when hitting a surface? Sure. Will the shot itself sound loud? No, I can clap louder than a paintball gun.

[Carnedge]

They don't sound nearly as loud as any (legal) firearms. Never have I ever seen someone wear ear protection in a paintball arena that has guns using CO2 and N2. I've never tested how fast either can fire but most arena regulates below 300fps shots. Will it sound loud when hitting a surface? Sure. Will the shot itself sound loud? No, I can clap louder than a paintball gun.

So you're comparing the loudest (legal) gun to a paintball gun? Yeah and 50 cal is def louder than a paintball gun. But if you read my post you quoted, I said my paintball guns are louder than my "smaller caliber" guns. Smaller caliber rounds can still penetrate a house and kill people on the inside of the house.

And the loudness of a paintball gun depends on the barrel and the gas it uses. If you clapped as loud as some of my guns your hands would break.

[Evil Midnight Bomber]

Paintballs don't make a splat sound. Especially when hitting certain surfaces that enhance/alter the impact sound... such as plywood and vinyl siding. This isn't Looney Toons

They also don't make the same sound a bullet would. Or the same impact.

[Doctor Amadeus]

There's ppl targeting your son at your own home... im guessing you would of asked them what they were shooting your house with first huh? and then called the police probably.

It depends. What I would do might not be legal either. Sometimes the law is not right. However in this situation so far you can’t give advance.

[Firatha]

So you're comparing the loudest (legal) gun to a paintball gun? Yeah and 50 cal is def louder than a paintball gun. But if you read my post you quoted, I said my paintball guns are louder than my "smaller caliber" guns. Smaller caliber rounds can still penetrate a house and kill people on the inside of the house.

And the loudness of a paintball gun depends on the barrel and the gas it uses. If you clapped as loud as some of my guns your hands would break.

Did I just read you try for more then one page try to say a paintball gun sounds like a gun that likely fires a supersonic projectile as almost all do, this is a fucking joke just stop even most .22lr as it still has a sharp crack is louder then any paintball gun honest question have you ever heard a gun fire in real life ever and now your breaking down to the impact sound which still would not be as loud as is irrelevant as the shot would be louder unless you are very far away in a house you would not hear the impact of a bullet you would only hear the shot which makes it again irrelevant.

[Krastyn]

They also don't make the same sound a bullet would. Or the same impact.

How many people have heard the sound in person of a paintball hitting a house?
How many people have heard the sound in person of a bullet hitting a house?

In person, not a tv show or movie. Likely in the single digits of percentage. The average person will not have heard these sounds and thus you can't argue "he should have known".

Things released so far in the news:
- 12-15 people were ON his property, firing at his house. Not on the street, not randomly hitting houses. Specifically his house, and from his front lawn.
- Occurred around 11:30 pm, so it was dark
- Some of the people were there specifically to fight his son.
- There were multiple casings found at the scene, and the police haven't identified who they came from yet.

Aside from that the important questions are still unknown:
- What did the paintball guns look / sound like?
- Was the son aware that the people outside wanted to fight him, and did he tell his father as such?
- What, if anything, was spoken between the father and the people outside when he came outside?
- What actions, if any, were taken by the people outside once the father came outside?

This could go either way as more details come out.

Maybe the father just went out and shot a guy holding a clear paintball gun.

Maybe the group on the lawn texted the son and told him they were here to kick is ass, and when the father came out one of them took a shot at him. You then have threat of violence against your family, violence by a mob directed at him and they're on his property. Pretty sure that will clear grounds for self defense.

You are indeed likely not to get killed by a paintball. However, there are also reasons why everyone in a paintball match wear masks, specifically eye protection. There are also reasons why they tell you not to pick up any paintballs off the ground and put them in your gun.

The group were idiots. No one deserved to die from it, but sometimes when you do stupid things people die.

[xGLxAnubis]

The article did not say whether the father will or will not be charged. He could be charged second-degree murder. So, again, hastily generalizing that America is lawless is demonstrably false.

Based on current law, he *shouldn't* be charged. You might argue moral ramifications, but legally he didn't do anything wrong.

In most states, if you reasonably feel that life or limb is in danger then you are allowed to use lethal force. Texas is one of the most lenient states in terms of what 'reasonable' means. Usually, as long as someone is on your property and intends you or your property harm that's considered 'reasonable' in Texas. Other states have a higher bar for reasonable, but the same justification is used regardless.

[RetiredVet]

I never really get the entire "shoot to kill" mentality, that seems to be in the US. Unless you have a reason for somebody to shoot at you or your house, i would more use my weapen to scare them away. Going out with the intent to actually kill somebody dead in a family neighborhood, is insane in my mind.

But if things goes as always, the father will proberly not found guilty of anything because he thought they had real weapons and that he was in danger of being killed.

That's because you've never had a gun pointed at you...

You have a right to an opinion but its as light as a feather.

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This was minor vandalism, by the kid. At best. Maybe not even that, if the paint's water-soluble and they didn't break anything.

Responding to that with lethal fucking force is just . . . fuck.

Guy needs to be in prison for 2nd degree murder.

So what your saying is that you would walk out into an unknown situation and be like "hey stop firing that gun at my house!"? Not knowing exactly what is hitting your house but you see weapons pointed at you. Those critical seconds if you have them determine if you live or die. Being an internet person weighing in...you don't have that on ground feeling to give a 100% answer. Hence why your opinion is just that...an opinion. If those kids were there to target the son and possibly "Kick his ass" or whatever then that's still grounds for self-defense. The father was protecting his son from possible life threatening injuries that could incur from a fist fight. Yes that can happen. So, what to take away from this? Don't screw with people when you don't know what their capable of.

[OopsReality]

I am betting he will get charged based on the limited info.

FFS lmao.

11 pages of raging debate over a situation we know basically nothing about.

GG mmoc, never change.

[smityx]

Darwin award. Don't point or threaten someone with a weapon or something that resembles a weapon unless you are prepared to accept the possible consequences. Especially in areas of the U.S. where people are allowed their freedom.

[stross01]

On a humid day, I bet a high psi paintball gun and a low caliber gun sound pretty close.

Edit: there are also more details in other articles on the same thing.

10-15 people in his front yard, happened at night.

It's probably been said here before, but: play stupid games, win stupid prizes.