12-year-old kills home intruder after 73-year-old woman shot during robbery

[Graybeard]

https://www.foxnews.com/us/12-year-old-kills-home-intruder-after-73-year-old-woman-shot-during-robbery

Charges are not expected to be filed against the 12-year-old boy, police said.

New York Post

A 12-year-old boy fatally shot a man to protect his grandmother when two intruders broke into her North Carolina home, authorities said.

The incident occurred shortly after 12:30 a.m. Saturday when two masked men entered 73-year-old Linda Ellis’ home in Goldsboro, news station WRAL reported.

The pair demanded money and shot Ellis in the leg, prompting the 12-year-old to open fire, police said.



"[The intruder] just shot his grandma… He would have shot him too, he would’ve shot me too, he would’ve killed us all," the boy’s great-uncle, Randolph Bunn, told news station WTVD.

The gunfire caused the intruders to flee, but one suspect, Khalil Herring, 19, was found at a nearby intersection suffering from a gunshot wound, police said.

He was brought to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead, officials said.

Meanwhile, Ellis was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries, authorities said.
 

"Why would somebody come into her house and do this? It’s got to stop," Ellis’ great-niece, Chiquita Coley, told WRAL.

No information was released about the second suspect, but authorities said the investigation is ongoing.

Charges are not expected to be filed against the 12-year-old boy, police said.

[Dee]

The kid oughta get medal.

[Graybeard]

It was almost certainly a life altering event for the kid and he may never get over it.

An eternity ago, around  mid '60s I guess it was a similar event took place across the street from where I had grown up. The kid was about that age, maybe a wee bit younger.

There was a drunk black guy not that his skin color mattered other than none lived even close to that area. He had been going down the street knocking on door and trying to break in.

In that house was the mother, son and a much younger child. The man was at work that late night. The woman told the man it wasn't his house, and that she had a gun and would use it if he broke in. He then told her he was coming in to rape her.

She sent the young boy out the back door to try to get past the guy and over to my parents house to get dad's help. When he got to the front porch the guy was laying his shoulder into the door and it was about to break. The boy had the old military rifle, Mauser I think.

He had not been able to load it cuz he didn't realize he needed to load the round into the magazine to get it to feed into the chamber. Just as he got to the porch it finally went into the chamber, He shot the guy in the head while he was breaking down the door to get to his mom. Killed him dead on the spot.

I've not seen or talked with him in a great many years, but I don't think he has gotten over it yet. Having to take that life was a life altering experience for him. It was a burden I don't think he will ever fully come to terms with. It isn't something I'd wish on anyone and giving a medal to remind the child of having to take a life isn't something I'd think proper.

[Dee]

Well Bill I was speaking metaphorically as the article you posted stated they weren't gonna charge him.
I've used a gun in self defense a couple a times and will say the adrenalin was very hard turn off after the fact.
I was fortunate to have witnesses on the second incident and it was over in seconds.
I didn't have any weapon confusion like your kid did, but that definitely would add stress.
As an adult the first incident answered all questions about myself I had wondered about, the second incident as I said was over in seconds, but as an adult I put both incidents into proper perspective,  and would do it again if needed. I'd also add, all three of my opponents lived, so that's a difference, but I'd have been ok either way.
A kid might, or might not be. But I've seen some can take more than you'd imagine.

[ironglows]

The kid oughta get medal.

  Or lifetime free range access to the nearest police range!  ..  

[BUGEYE]

In most cases like that, counseling is offered to the kid if he/she needs it.
I think the fact that he saved his Grandma will go a long way with him.