WA: Homeowner stops intruder crawling through doggie door

[seamusTX]

In Spokane, Washington, last week, an intruder armed with a knife allegedly crawled through a doggie door into an occupied home.

The homeowner reportedly shot the intruder, with a fatal result. No charges were filed, or are expected to be.

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/ ... 2ndld.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A doggie door. The mind boggles. That was either one big dog or one very skinny, agile guy.

- Jim

[jimlongley]

In Spokane, Washington, last week, an intruder armed with a knife allegedly crawled through a doggie door into an occupied home.

The homeowner reportedly shot the intruder, with a fatal result. No charges were filed, or are expected to be.

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/ ... 2ndld.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A doggie door. The mind boggles. That was either one big dog or one very skinny, agile guy.

- Jim

Last year I was hospitalized from the emergency room. My wife did not bother to take her own set of keys, and when she got home after I was admitted, she discovered that my set of keys didn't open the outside doors, front, side, or back. Actually they did work on the back, but she didn't realize that because it took two different keys to open the dead bolt and the latch, and the dead bolt turned very hard, so it appeared to not work. Not that that would have done much good, because the back door opens into our dog room, and then there is another deadbolted door inside of that one, and my keys did not work on it. Notice that this is all in the past tense, as one of the first things I did when I got out of the hospital was correct the situation, besides replacing the double paned window that she broke from the dog room into the house.

And how did she get into the dog room?

She crawled through the doggie door. And my lovely bride is not what you would characterize as a petite woman.

A year and a half later we still find shards of glass in the carpet from time to time.

[baldeagle]

The man had crawled through the doggie door about 7 p.m. Wednesday and was coming at the homeowner when he fired a handgun. Officers attempted CPR but the intruder died at the scene. An autopsy on the Spokane man is being conducted Thursday.

Six people in the home at the time cooperated with investigators. Police searched the single-family residence, and no one was arrested.

Cotton says it's unlikely anyone will be charged, although the decision is up to prosecutors. She said the homeowner was protecting his property.

I suppose that could be construed as true if she's referring to the family jewels. Otherwise, it's nonsensical.

[seamusTX]

She said the homeowner was protecting his property.

This is a set phrase that cops use, like "He was in fear of his life."

Basically it's the castle doctrine (another phrase that is often misused). A guy allegedly entered the house, without permission, armed and apparently intent on doing harm to someone. The homeowner was legally legally justified in using force or deadly force to stop the intrusion and prevent any possible assault.

Here is a different account from one of the local TV stations. Please note the attribution:

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE FROM THE SPOKANE POLICE DEPT: At approximately 7:00 Wednesday night, Spokane police officers responded to a report of a shooting .... A witness on scene stated that a man known to the homeowners had entered the home through a doggie door.

The homeowner fired a shot and killed the intruder. The homeowners stated that they had been receiving threats from the individual who was shot and believed that he was armed with a large knife at the time of the shooting....

Major Crimes Detectives served a search warrant and conducted a search of the scene. All involved parties were cooperative with the police investigation.

http://www.khq.com/story/21539768/updat ... a-fatality" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Also note that the residence was searched with a warrant. I don't want to speculate why, but no reason was found to prosecute anyone.

- Jim

[seamusTX]

P.S.: Spokane must be one rockin' town. Another goofball was arrested yesterday after an alleged machete attack and standoff:

http://www.dailyastorian.com/news/north ... d62da.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

- Jim

[Ericstac]

Is it normal to have a search warrant and search done on a home in this situation?

[seamusTX]

... she discovered that my set of keys didn't open the outside doors, front, side, or back. Actually they did work on the back, but she didn't realize that because it took two different keys to open the dead bolt and the latch,

One of the few things I did right when we bought this place was to get all the locks rekeyed so that one key opens all the frequently used doors.

It wasn't even expensive. I took the cylinders out of the locks and brought them to a locksmith.

They must make doggie doors bigger than I've seen. The ones I've seen were maybe one square foot.

- Jim Casey

[seamusTX]

Is it normal to have a search warrant and search done on a home in this situation?

I don't know. It might depend upon state legal precedents or the policy of the local police or prosecutors.

Normally if someone calls 911 to report shooting an intruder or something like that, the police can enter and secure the premises. They can't (legitimately) open all the dresser drawers or pull the stuffing out of the furniture.

They must have had a judge on a short rope to get a warrant at 7 p.m.

- Jim

[Beiruty]

Maybe the intruder was too large to pass the dog's door. Investigators got spooked and decided to get a search warrant looking for narcotics.

[TxSheepdog]

...

They must make doggie doors bigger than I've seen. The ones I've seen were maybe one square foot.

- Jim Casey

We used to have a door for our dog. The opening is 24"H x 13.5" W. She's a 100+lb Rotty/Shepherd mix and fit fine.

Burglars should realize that if they can fit through the door, and equally large dog could be waiting for them on the other side... I'm 6'3 and she can put her paws on my shoulders...

[jmra]

...

They must make doggie doors bigger than I've seen. The ones I've seen were maybe one square foot.

- Jim Casey

We used to have a door for our dog. The opening is 24"H x 13.5" W. She's a 100+lb Rotty/Shepherd mix and fit fine.

Burglars should realize that if they can fit through the door, and equally large dog could be waiting for them on the other side... I'm 6'3 and she can put her paws on my shoulders...

Stick your face through that door and you might lose it.

[seamusTX]

Burglars should realize that if they can fit through the door, and equally large dog could be waiting for them on the other side...

The IQ test for burglars is an upper limit, not a lower limit.

Smart crooks are in the legislature or running a bank.

- Jim

[VMI77]

In Spokane, Washington, last week, an intruder armed with a knife allegedly crawled through a doggie door into an occupied home.

The homeowner reportedly shot the intruder, with a fatal result. No charges were filed, or are expected to be.

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/ ... 2ndld.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A doggie door. The mind boggles. That was either one big dog or one very skinny, agile guy.

- Jim

My Great Dane weighs 150 lbs. Standing on all fours he can stick his head into the sink or lay it on the countertop. I'm sure that any doggie door that could accommodate him would let a lot of people in too.

[texanjoker]

She said the homeowner was protecting his property.

This is a set phrase that cops use, like "He was in fear of his life."

Basically it's the castle doctrine (another phrase that is often misused). A guy allegedly entered the house, without permission, armed and apparently intent on doing harm to someone. The homeowner was legally legally justified in using force or deadly force to stop the intrusion and prevent any possible assault.

Here is a different account from one of the local TV stations. Please note the attribution:

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE FROM THE SPOKANE POLICE DEPT: At approximately 7:00 Wednesday night, Spokane police officers responded to a report of a shooting .... A witness on scene stated that a man known to the homeowners had entered the home through a doggie door.

The homeowner fired a shot and killed the intruder. The homeowners stated that they had been receiving threats from the individual who was shot and believed that he was armed with a large knife at the time of the shooting....

Major Crimes Detectives served a search warrant and conducted a search of the scene. All involved parties were cooperative with the police investigation.

http://www.khq.com/story/21539768/updat ... a-fatality" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Also note that the residence was searched with a warrant. I don't want to speculate why, but no reason was found to prosecute anyone.

- Jim

Pretty normal to get a search warrant as it is an active crime scene. People forget that if you shoot somebody, that is a criminal offense. There are exceptions that will clear you, but it is a criminal investigation. Even a police OIS is a criminal investigation.

[seamusTX]

Pretty normal to get a search warrant as it is an active crime scene. People forget that if you shoot somebody, that is a criminal offense.

It can be kinda dicey when you have to call the cops and tell them your current girlfriend's estranged former boyfriend is bleeding all over the kitchen linoleum.

From what I know, not being a LEO or lawyer, they usually get a search warrant when they want to look for something beyond the immediate crime scene.

- Jim