Firearms Owners Against Crime
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
A 17-year-old girl in Mississippi used a handgun to defend herself and her mother against a home invader early Monday morning. The idea of a burglar showing up in the middle of the night is chilling and not something that many of us want to think about. Still, a large number of Americans take precautions every night to fight off a potential burglar. Whether it's a deadbolt on the front door, a guard dog in the front yard or a 9mm on the nightstand, many homeowners like to feel an extra sense of security before heading off to bed.
Candy Strange certainly didn't expect to wake up at 5:20 Monday morning to a gun pointed at her head but, unfortunately, that's what happened. According to Mississippi News Now, a home invader pulled Strange and her 17-year-old daughter out of their beds and into the living room where he tied them both up before stealing two wallets and fleeing the home.
Once the two women were able to untie themselves, Strange's daughter rushed off to find a gun. Strange tried to close the front door but was unable to before the burglar returned and a firefight broke out. According to police, several shots were fired between the burglar and Strange's daughter and, while no one was hurt, the exchange did eventually lead to the burglar fleeing the home again.
Home defense has been a recurring theme in the news with multiple stories in recent years of firearms and other tools being used to fight off crime. Just last week, a 67-year-old Philladelphia man shot three home invaders who tried to steal money and rape his 19-year-old granddaughter. Digital Journal has reported on several self defense stories in the past, such as the Detroit woman who shot and killed a home invader in March.
According to FBI Crime Statistics, there were an estimated 2,103,787 burglaries in 2012, nearly 75% of those being residential home invasions.