Bob Irwin highlights the latest self-defense and other shootings of the week. Read them and see what went wrong, what went right and what we can learn from self-defense with a gun.
USA –-(Ammoland.com)- A recent and apparently ongoing series of “incidents’ have been occurring near Elkhorn and Fort Apache here in Las Vegas. It involves as many as 60 middle school students from a nearby school.
The mob of children are apparently stealing things, grabbing purses from pedestrians and passing vehicles as well as breaking windows with thrown rocks.
Local FOX 5 news (KVVU) (and several private citizen ) have published cell phone videos one of these attacks from May 2018. FOX 5 interviewed the victims and attempted to get an explanation from School Police and LVMPD as why nothing is being done.
Find the story on www.fox5vegas.com. Once there, search for: “Teens caught on cell phone video jumping valley mother.”
Residents are left with few choices as to what to do here. So far these are mostly property crimes with the attackers scattering upon intervention by adult males.
The fact that nothing is done, naturally emboldens the youngsters. Sooner or later a victim will be seriously hurt or perhaps actually be killed. Then what?
Where an attack appears to be life threatening, is the answer to shoot a 12 year old?
In a Las Vegas case recently, a smoke shop clerk shot and killed a 13-year-old invader who turned out to be unarmed. The clerk rationally perceived the masked entry by two of three young teens as a lethal threat. He barely escaped a life sentence on an open murder charge.
That shooter’s family spent a small fortune on first class defense lawyers to win a lesser sentence. Naturally, a civil wrongful death lawsuit is expected also.
Comments:
I discussed this case on the 5/24/18 episode of “Fired Up with Bob Irwin” with an experienced street savvy police officer who offered some advice:
First, residents should document every incident with sound cameras, preferably solidly mounted on their homes to cover the street. Consider the doorbell types available several places.
Documentation is crucial to any prosecution of offenders and for showing a jury the whole story.
Secondly, until this pattern ends, try to avoid direct confrontations. Call 911 immediately if a group appears. Have a non-lethal response, pepper spray or a Taser, for use ONLY in case of a physical attack on you or your family.
With these tools available the young marauders can be successfully prosecuted through the juvenile system which can incarcerate them until age 18, at least here in Nevada.
For serious, repeat patterns of violence, these “children” can find themselves charged as adults.
Here and there in the United States we have experienced these “wilding” types of attacks in past summers. The instigators almost always end up doing adult prison time.
Unfortunately few 12 year olds are able to think that far ahead.
With a heavy dose of police patrols as well as an intervention from a Christian Biker group and school letting out for the summer, the incidents will be stopped.
Hopefully they will not restart in the fall.
Bob Irwin, Las Vegas
About Bob Irwin
Bob is retired after 30 years of ownership of The Gun Store & Indoor Range in Las Vegas. He continues his 2A issues show “Fired Up with Bob Irwin” on YouTube and on KLEY 1230 AM, The Nevada Talk Network on Saturdays at 9 a.m. This is 8 Nevada stations. Streamed world wide. As a firearm instructor of Concealed Firearm Applicants, Armed Security Officer and Law Enforcement Academies over his career, Bob appears frequently as an expert witness for firearm & use of force cases in Federal, State, and local courts.