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"Mother Fights Back Against Intruder
LAST UPDATE: 6/29/2005 6:38:01 PM
Posted By: Walker Robinson


A Seguin mother home alone with her two young children was terrorized by a burglar for several hours until she fought back.

Jennifer Cooper told News 4 WOAI the break-in happened shortly after she had finished watching a Spurs game and turned off the lights to go to bed. She heard her house alarm.

“It wasn't my husband because there's no way he'd leave the Spurs game early,� Cooper said. She thought she heard an intruder.

“I got up as quickly as I could, locked my door and then someone was pounding, trying to get in,� Cooper said.

Cooper had her two young sons with her.

“I just told the boys, ‘I'm going to get the gun. Hopefully, he's going to leave or I'll have to shoot him,’� Cooper said.

Cooper and her children hid in a bedroom while the intruder roamed through her house for more than two hours. That was when she had enough.

“I was not able to talk him away, so I just shot the gun,� Cooper said. “I warned him.�

Cooper had never fired a gun before and was not ready for the recoil. The bullet went through the door and landed in the ceiling. The intruder finally left.

So far, no one has been arrested. Cooper said the intruder did not steal anything.

Guadalupe County investigators said the burglar may have been someone who was drunk or wandered into the wrong house. "


http://www.woai.com/news/local/story.as ... 230B57BBE1

2 hours? No phone in the room I guess? No return call from the alarm company?

Who knows if the lady could get to a phone, had the alarm system monitored, or if there's just a really slow response time in this case?

But we do know that my advise didn't land her in jail.

Burgler was there two hours and didn't steal anything???

If they had stole something, I would not have been worried...But since they didn't...That means they were there for something else...What that was (for me personally) is not a driving condition in how I would have reacted...

But not calling the law (hello, where's the cell phone or the phone in your bedroom "landline"???), and nothing from the alarm company (if it was being monitored at all in the first place...)

Some things are not adding up...

But why am I not surprised...

I bet the mom starts getting good with that pistol now...

See, now there's a positive side to the story...

Paladin wrote:Who knows if the lady could get to a phone, had the alarm system monitored, or if there's just a really slow response time in this case?

But we do know that my advise didn't land her in jail.

So you advised this lady? [Edited]

And if you want to get technical, she did not use deadly force against him. She did NOT shoot the intruder.

Even though the 'intruder' didn't steal anything or make any threats the Guadalupe County investigators called the intruder a 'burglar'

Burglar's are on the list for the deadly force statute.

Never said I advised the lady. She was smart enough to figure out there was a threat and what would work against the threat.

Kinda like my dogs would attack/kill any intruder that enters our house.

And if the dogs attack an intruder who broke into my house, who gets arrested?

Paladin wrote:Even though the 'intruder' didn't steal anything or make any threats the Guadalupe County investigators called the intruder a 'burglar'

Burglar's are on the list for the deadly force statute.

Never said I advised the lady. She was smart enough to figure out there was a threat and what would work against the threat.

Kinda like my dogs would attack/kill any intruder that enters our house.

And if the dogs attack an intruder who broke into my house, who gets arrested?

The dog?

I realize the Investigator called him a burglar; however, a burglary requires the intent to commit a theft, felony or assault.

In her situation, I DO think it was reasonable for her to believe the intruder was committing a burglary.

I wonder if she had no phone service at her home.

txinvestigator wrote:

Paladin wrote:Who knows if the lady could get to a phone, had the alarm system monitored, or if there's just a really slow response time in this case?

But we do know that my advise didn't land her in jail.

So you advised this lady? [Edited]

And if you want to get technical, she did not use deadly force against him. She did NOT shoot the intruder.

But she DID shoot though a door (closed/locked), which I had always heard was a no-no, regardless if deadly force was justified or not...

Whether she shot somebody at that point is moot...

"txinvestigator"...

If you were put in a similar position, with no apparent means to communicate with the outside world, and barricaded in your bedroom, with only a seldom used pistol as a defensive weapon, what would you do???

Based upon what we have been told in this report...And removing your experience and knowledge...Would you think that you or I or the others here would have done differently???

Hindsight is 20/20 I always say...Thats why I think most who comment here already know where our threasholds are, based upon our skills and knowledge of the law...

In my opinion self defence is a split-second decision, based upon years of training and talking shop, about "what would you do if"...Not based upon "I wouldn't hesitate shooting someone in this case" type mentality...

I certainly don't wake up in the morning thinking, "I wonder if I am going to shoot someone today."

If I did, I would immediately sell my wares, and trust in someone else for my protection out in the world...And knit quilts, till I am older and grayer...

stevie_d_64 wrote:I bet the mom starts getting good with that pistol now...

Sounds like it would be a motivational experience.

We can only hope she gets some practice and a cell phone at her bedside. :D

stevie_d_64 wrote:[
"txinvestigator"...

If you were put in a similar position, with no apparent means to communicate with the outside world, and barricaded in your bedroom, with only a seldom used pistol as a defensive weapon, what would you do???

Based upon what we have been told in this report...And removing your experience and knowledge...Would you think that you or I or the others here would have done differently???

Interesting question. I think I would barricade myself, as she did, and announce loudly that I was armed and that the police were on the way. (the BG would not know that the police were not on the way). If he came in thru the door I would then decide what to do. It is very likely I would be forced to use DF in that situation. (taking away my experience and knowledge.)

Hindsight is 20/20 I always say...Thats why I think most who comment here already know where our threasholds are, based upon our skills and knowledge of the law...

In my opinion self defence is a split-second decision, based upon years of training and talking shop, about "what would you do if"...Not based upon "I wouldn't hesitate shooting someone in this case" type mentality...

I certainly don't wake up in the morning thinking, "I wonder if I am going to shoot someone today."

If I did, I would immediately sell my wares, and trust in someone else for my protection out in the world...And knit quilts, till I am older and grayer...

Great points.