An 89 year old Des Moines woman was confronted by the burglar at 5:30am as he bashed in the front door of her home.Armed with a .22 calibre pistol, Mrs. Turner fired off a shot that missed, but stopped Nelson McAlpine from doing proceeding any further. Mrs. Turner had pulled the trigger a second time, but the pistol failed to discharge. Oh well.
Mrs. Turner said the burglar "was pulling at his shorts and talking crazy...By then he was pounding on the coffee table."
Turner said the man kept repeating, "It's not daylight, it's not daylight."
"I told him Jesus and I would go outside with him and make the daylight come," Turner said.
Obviously the guy was nuts, but Mrs. Turner has a sense of humor too. I guess living for 89 years will do that.
Des Moines Police Sgt. Lori Lavorato issued a caution about the use of deadly force.
Turner "took the course of action she felt she had to," Lavorato said. "By no means do we condone shooting at a burglar. But she could have become a victim in a situation like that."
Obviously Lavorato is at best misinformed. You don't condone shooting at a burglar in your own home? What planet do you live on Lavorato? Planet Obama I suppose. I expect such talk from the people's republic of New York, from whence I have come. Of course such authoritarian philosophy doesn't necessarily resonate with all in law enforcement.
Polk County Attorney John Sarcone, who has been in office for 19 years, said he could probably count on one hand the number of times a home-owner has fired a gun at an intruder.
"You have no duty to retreat inside your own home," Sarcone said. "Force has to be commensurate with the threat. What would a reasonable person in her position do?"
Mr. Sarcone, at least you have some common sense. The intruder broke down her door at 5:30am. May be Ms Lavorato can find better work doing PR for the Humane Society or PETA. Or better yet, teach people on how to be victims. May be a the victim should give a bouquet a flowers next time?
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