I understand what you have written. I completely disagree with the lesson you believe is to be learned.

The burden is on the government, not on the neighbor. ANY government with the power to do as you suggest has entirely too much power for the safety and security of the citizens.

I couldn't agree more. Nobody said the Police were the best trained security personnel in the land. They are literally trained to "shoot first - ask questions later". When responding to a home alarm situation, their adrenalin is pumping hard. They don't have any idea of what they are coming to. Perhaps the cat tripped the alarm, but then again, ten well armed gang bangers might await them. When responding to a home alarm situation, the cops are running on high octane.

I think the OP is proof that poor training and over reacting created this tragedy. However, both you and I can wish all day long that better training programs be implemented to train the police how to better respond to a home break in situation. I, for one, have grown tired of hoping. Long after I am dead and gone from this world, the cops will still be under trained and ill equipped to handle such situations. So, in the mean time, we must deal with the reality of their tendency to over react.

A prudent man would take note of the incoming troops arriving with loaded weapons and stay indoors until the shooting is OVER.

But, as sure as the day is long, there will continue to be those "friendly neighbors" who, upon hearing a home alarm go off, will grab their handy hand gun and walk outside to "check out the situation".
And, as sure as the sun comes up, they may find themselves in the middle of something they weren't planning on.

The more my wife talks to men the less she talks to me. Good trade.:D

You and me both.

I've threatened to relocate to Fort Worth, that's how much I like some of the city proper. Can't say I know the city well enough outside the specific areas of old money just west of downtown- cultural/arts district, Sundance Square/downtown, stockyards. Haven't heard anything bad about the 'heat' over there though.

Everyone knows that the best way to help your neighbor is to have a gun in your hand first. Guns make you safer, this is well established.

Rookie cop with rookie cop killed the man. 6 shots in the chest...

Family Wants Independent Investigation For Deadly Officer Shooting « CBS Dallas / Fort Worth

"Waller, 72, was shot six times in the chest after he went outside to investigate bright lights outside of the bedroom on Havenwood Lane."

Combine the fact that Walter went outside holding onto a hand gun awaiting the arrival of ROOKIE under trained cops, spells disaster. IMHO, always always expect the stupid train to arrive on schedule, that way you will stay clear of trouble.

I rest my case.

So, we are now living in a land where we cower inside, awaiting the police to come?

Texas Castle Doctrine contradicts this. Of course, it does not make him less dead, even that he was in the right. It means we shouldn't put morons in uniform with badges and guns and a free license to kill anyone they want when they "fear for their safety" :rolleyes:

No easy answers for this. Do the best and brightest line up to be cops? Does a society w/o cops sound good or sound like Somalia?

It's human nature for cops to fear for their safety. It takes a mature person to have the calmness to assess the situation first. Maturity comes from experience. Experience comes from immaturity (to paraphrase the saying).

These type of things are bound to happen from time to time. Not much can be done practically to eliminate them.

As long as criminal activity exists in society there will be always be problems. My slight concern is with such light penalties criminal activity seems to be generally on the increase in areas that once had virtually none.

Factor in that police also think in some areas the courts are too laid back. The police feel there is no point in going through the motions. Same problem same person a few weeks later. Almost a constant merry go round of repetition.

Light penalties? We have one of the harshest injustice systems in the Western world. Death penalty? Check. Life without for 3 strikes even if murder is not involved? Check. Abolition of parole in the Federal system? Check.

If you want to see a cause, look to the educational system and general lack of opportunity for certain segments of society.

Lastly: crime rates have actually DROPPED significantly in most parts of the US in the last 20-30 years, despite meedjuh hype about sensational crimes.

It's a sad situation and I empathize with the family of the victim. There is always a lesson to be learned and those with the eyes to see and ears to hear will always learn from it.