Opinions. Am I blood thirsty?

[puppydog]

And to top off his intent, as he opened the door the alarm went off. He continued into the kitchen to rifle through drawers with the alarm going off. He only rand because Paul came downstairs and screamed at him to get out. He stopped scratching in the drawer and grabbed my bag and the camera. That is brazen!

I don't know WHY the police had to shoot him, just that they did. I won't have been for breaking and entering.

Also, I'm not worried about what people think. I was curious as to whether others thought I was a big meanie for not really being bothered that he was dead.

 

[Oko]

I don't know. He had broke into a couple houses down the road and didn't kill anyone. Most cases of burglary are not the same person that would murder someone. I would feel relieved if they caught him, but I don't think the guy should have died for what he did.

 

[yoko]

Thing is, crooks that break into a house when the homeowners are home, intending to get in and out as quickly as possible without being noticed with maximum loot, don't bother with the knife.

If he didn't want to be noticed I don't think he'd keep going after the alarm sounded.

 

[Romy]

I don't know. He had broke into a couple houses down the road and didn't kill anyone. Most cases of burglary are not the same person that would murder someone. I would feel relieved if they caught him, but I don't think the guy should have died for what he did.

But the thing is, he didn't die in the act of burgling. He had stolen a bunch of stuff, the police confronted him, and they felt the need to shoot him. We have no idea why he's dead. Maybe it was a totally unjustified police shooting. Maybe he nicked a knife from puppydog and tried to kill one of them. We don't know what happened, except that the police didn't shoot him for stealing. They shot him for whatever he did after he fled her home.

 

[Greenmagick]

Are you wrong for not feeling sorry for him...no, he violated and scared you, I understand not having sympathy for him.

HOwever, I am very concerned about why he ended up being shot. THere have just been so many shoot first ask questions later it seems...that I am not ok with (NOT saying this was the case here btw). I am also not ok with the idea of a person shooting someone for breaking into their own house if the burglar is not actually trying to attack (or for example runs as soon as caught).

 

[Romy]

If he didn't want to be noticed I don't think he'd keep going after the alarm sounded.

That's the other part that disturbs me. Either he didn't think they were home, or didn't care because he planned on doing something to them. My brothers are cops, and they see most cases of petty theft type break ins happening when nobody is home because they don't want to get caught, shot at, beat up, cops called, etc.

Who knows? Maybe the guy was on drugs or something so his judgement was just completely impaired.

 

[Kat09Tails]

I consider death in the course of ones activities to be the hazard of thieves. So no, I don't feel bad for the guy. I don't feel bad for most who lose their lives while stealing from others either by incident or homicide.

If anything I feel good for you puppydog that at least you got some closure out of this. You don't have to wonder what happened to your stuff, your bag, or if the guy will be coming back.

 

[sillysally]

This topic reminds me of a quote by Gandalf in LOTR:
"'He deserves death.'
'Deserves it! I daresay he does. Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment.'"

Honestly, I think that whether or not this guy deserved to die and whether you should feel bad that he is dead are two separate issues. I don't blame you for not feeling sad and being relieved that he was shot. He boldly violated your home, putting you and your loved ones at risk.

However, I won't sit here and say a guy deserved to be shot based on the fact that he was a repeat burglar. Who knows why the cops shot him--he could have actually posed a threat to their lives or they could had gunned him down for other reasons-wouldn't be the first time. Yes, he knew that there where risks of being killed, but to me that does not mean he automatically deserved to be. I agree with Fran--he deserves to be caught and punished for what he did, absolutely.

I'm glad that Paul didn't have to "dispatch" him--I'd imagine that would take a mental toll on most people, even if it was in defense of home and family.

I'm very glad that you guys are ok though!

 

[Michiyo-Fir]

I don't necessarily feel that he deserves to die. He's still a person, I'm sure he has a reason for theft, although no real reason would justify it. Whether he is an addict or mentally unstable, there must be a reason. I do believe he should have been punished but I believe there are probably better options than death.

 

[ThoseWordsAtBest]

I don't think you are bloodthirsty.

But I don't think I think he "deserved" to die. I don't think people deserve to die. (see edit below)

He deserved to get caught, deserved to do time, to pay his dues, to return the lost items..but I don't think people deserve to die for crimes like that. or that other human beings should jubilate in the idea of taking human life.
Is it sometimes necessary? of course. I just don't think it's a joyous occasion. I would much rather a criminal caught and jailed than dead. Doing bad things doesn't make for a bad person..there are of course bad people, but who is to say this guy was some violent horrible criminal?

EDIT: I mean't I don't think people deserve to die for crimes (such as theft or break-ins or drug dealing)

This sums up my feelings pretty well. It sounds like his intentions were theft, and if more it seems strange he would flee when merely yelled at. Either way, no idea what his actual intentions were and could only guess. I suppose the only thing I find odd is what happened that made the police decide to shoot him?

 

[milos_mommy]

Keep in mind that the OP lives in South Africa, which has a quite different police and criminal justice system than we would in America, and different protocol for handling any kind of potentially or proven violent criminals. Aside from the fact that a) this guy was looking for a knife, so could have been armed, and even if not seeking out violent acts, may have tried to defend himself against police and b) the OP has also stated she lives in an area with an extremely high violent crime rate.

America certainly sees enough police brutality that scares the heck out of me...but knowing little about SA's policies on things like this, most of us can make very little judgement about whether this guy was a violent criminal or if the police acted in a way that would be deemed appropriate by American standards.

 

[puppydog]

He most certainly was high on drugs. A very dangerous drug called Tik.

We have a huge problem with it in Cape Town.

 

[ACooper]

He most certainly was high on drugs. A very dangerous drug called Tik.

We have a huge problem with it in Cape Town.

And that is another reason I would NOT wait to see if the person who broke into MY HOME was going to attack us. As I said earlier, if you break into my home I'm going to assume the worst, I'm going to assume since you don't mind breaking in when people are home that you won't mind doing whatever it takes to get what you want.

It's scary he didn't mind continuing to pilfer whilst the alarm was blaring, how far would he have gone for another score?

Puppy, I wouldn't think you were blood thirsty if you had pulled the trigger yourself and felt no remorse.
Anyone who wants to think of me as a blood thirsty, cold hearted beeatch.............feel free

 

[AdrianneIsabel]

Samesies.

The likely story is the cops caught up to him, said stop, he ran or fought, got shot.

You run, you risk being shot. You do drugs, your judgement is screwed, you're likely to run. This isn't an uncommon situation.

Of course I'm not sure about SA police.

 

[puppydog]

Of course I'm not sure about SA police.

They are pretty good. I have no complaints. All my dealings with them have been pleasant. But I suppose I don't break and enter.

 

[Emily]

Just looked up "Tik" and it's crystal meth to those of us here in the states. Yikes.

 

[Barbara!]

I don't think you are bloodthirsty.

But I don't think I think he "deserved" to die. I don't think people deserve to die. (see edit below)

He deserved to get caught, deserved to do time, to pay his dues, to return the lost items..but I don't think people deserve to die for crimes like that. or that other human beings should jubilate in the idea of taking human life.
Is it sometimes necessary? of course. I just don't think it's a joyous occasion. I would much rather a criminal caught and jailed than dead. Doing bad things doesn't make for a bad person..there are of course bad people, but who is to say this guy was some violent horrible criminal?

EDIT: I mean't I don't think people deserve to die for crimes (such as theft or break-ins or drug dealing)

This.