A dangerous situation was diffused by Newton County deputies Saturday evening after two teens were caught by a property owner riding 4-wheelers without permission on his property, according to the Newton County Sheriff's Office.
Public Information Officer Deputy Courtney Morrison said the NCSO first became involved when one of the teens notified his mother that he and his friend were being held at gunpoint by the property owner. Both of the boys are 15-years-old.
"The mother calls 911 dispatch and then grabs her handgun and goes to the scene. On the way, she picks up a friend. When they arrive, they see a man pointing a rifle into the woods," Morrison said. "The mother then points her handgun at the man and tells him to drop his gun which he refuses to do. They then engage in a physical altercation and the female fires two rounds off into the air. The man then took the gun from her, knocking her to the ground."
Morrison said at that point, the mother and her friend run into the woods where they join the two boys and stay there until deputies arrive.
Deputies determined the man to be the "primary aggressor." Arrested was Damus Oscar Mullinax, 77, of 851 Cochran Road who was charged with pointing a gun or pistol at another and simple battery.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Those Crazy Georgia Gun Owners
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Let me get this straight. An elderly armed citizen points a rifle at two youths who were trespassing and tearing up his private property on all terrain motorcycles. And the mother of one of the youths shows up, trespasses, and points a handgun at the property owner. The mother then shoots into the air twice. The property owner then clobbers the mother and takes away her handgun and no one shoots anyone.
ReplyDeleteGuess what MikeB? Both armed citizens exercised restraint which is the norm! While criminals may run around shooting each other on a regular basis, citizens do not.
As for the elderly property owner confronting the younger, stronger, faster, and multiple trespassers with a rifle, that sounds like a wise decision to me. What would you have him do, go out with milk and cookies? Or would you prefer the elderly property owner allow the trespassers to tear up his property?
In some respects, I understand the mother's response. While her child was breaking the law (trespassing), she thought his life was in danger. And she decided it would be foolish to confront an armed person without her own gun.
At any rate note how the mother arrived to help her son before deputies could get there.
They were kids. There as no need for guns.
DeleteHave seen plenty of 15 year old kids, gang bangers and otherwise, that would give a middle aged person a run for their money in a knock-down drag-out fight, even unarmed. The elderly property owner used what he perceived to be the appropriate amount of force (and notably did not fire a shot) to cause the teens to back off. It sucks he was arrested and charged but the mother should have been charged with discharge of a firearm on private property as well. She is very lucky the old man did not shoot her because he could easily have thought she was another aggressor which would then make him outnumbered 3 to 1, 1 of which had a deadly weapon and showed willingness to use it.
DeleteThe woman and her kids should have been arrested for tresspassing and assault on the home owner. He had every right to hold those kids until the police could arrive to arrest them. The woman had no right to attack the property owner and recklessly fire her weapon into the air.
ReplyDeleteIn most states currently simple trespassing does not warrant the use of deadly force. Under that doctrine, the elderly man used deadly force when he pointed his rifle at the trespassers. Please note the elderly man was well within his rights to be armed when confronting the trespassers. According to the law, he went too far when he pointed the rifle at the trespassers for no other reason than the fact that they were trespassing. Had the trespassers threatened or rushed the property owner, that would be a different matter.
DeleteOf course, Anonymous. Our gun-rights friends know this too but they can't help their contentious natures. Even if the women had gotten arrested they would be arguing about that.
DeleteThe story is not exactly true. The man was drunk and trespassing and hunting illegally so there for the mom was coming to her son's rescue because she received a phone call from her son saying there was a man with a gun pointed at him.. Also they were riding dirt bikes on a trail. The police talked to the property owners and they said they didn't want to press charges because people ride on it all the time.
ReplyDeleteWell that changes everything. Thanks for the update on the story
DeleteYes, thanks, that makes sense. I'm waiting for Jim and the first Anonymous to admit they were wrong now.
DeleteAdmit to being wrong for arguing their point based on information you presented? And when the information changes you expect them to "admit they were wrong"? That might happen...after you admit you were wrong for not having the whole story and arguing on the same pretense as they did.
Deleteknowthetruth---where did you get your informaiton. This man is a family memeber. He does not drink, never has. And the reason he had a rifle is he was deer hunting, on his property. Maybe you should know the truth rather than trying to stire thing up.
ReplyDelete