Police: Detroiter kills teen home intrusion suspect

**GREENTROIT** · May-06-09, 11:18 AM

I can't believe I'm going to be the first to express sympathy for the loss of a 19 year old boy. This was just a kid, and he was most definitely still maturing mentally. The world would be a far worse place if every petty criminal ever was killed. Malcolm X was a drug dealer and burglar before straightening his life out and becoming a leader in the civil rights movement.

I can't say the homeowner did anything wrong, but I wish it had turned out different. I think we can all agree that if nobody was home and the kid made off with some stuff and was subsequently caught by police he wouldn't be killed. And I'm sure nobody on this board believes that petty burglars should all be killed.

So I guess I'm saying that everyone's posts of: "Good!" and "Great!" and "He got what he deserved!" and "Great for the homeowner!" are not only harsh and extreme, but heartless.

**exdetroiter** · May-06-09, 11:32 AM

Originally Posted by GREENTROIT

I can't believe I'm going to be the first to express sympathy for the loss of a 19 year old boy. This was just a kid, and he was most definitely still maturing mentally. The world would be a far worse place if every petty criminal ever was killed. Malcolm X was a drug dealer and burglar before straightening his life out and becoming a leader in the civil rights movement.

I can't say the homeowner did anything wrong, but I wish it had turned out different. I think we can all agree that if nobody was home and the kid made off with some stuff and was subsequently caught by police he wouldn't be killed. And I'm sure nobody on this board believes that petty burglars should all be killed.

So I guess I'm saying that everyone's posts of: "Good!" and "Great!" and "He got what he deserved!" and "Great for the homeowner!" are not only harsh and extreme, but heartless.

People are just tired. Tired of working as hard as they can to make do with measly incomes that haven't increased in the last five years. Taking the few dollars and trying to accumulate belongs that either they enjoy or for the enjoyment of their children. In addition to paying huge house payments/rent and taxes, all for someone to climb through their window and take those belongs. THAT IS NOT RIGHT. Ok, say the homeowner didn't have a gun and was sleep, what do you think would have happended to this individual inside his own home resting? If the young man had been caught by the police rather than that bullet. Upon conviction and sentencing how long do you think it would have taken before he became a victim of rape within the Michigan Department of Corrections? How rehabilitated do you think he would have been after being release from a cage upon serving his sentence. I'm sorry to sound so harsh, but it seems that he was put out of his misery before it began. Many of the citizens of the city are the equivalent of HUMAN RATS. They just take whatever they want, violating anything and everything in the process. That young mans parents should have put more time, energy and effort into raising him as well as providing for his needs and at bare minimum some of his wants, then he possibly would not have climbed through a neighbors window to go shopping.

**Thames** · May-06-09, 11:45 AM

Originally Posted by Linda from Detroit

This is such a sad story from many points of view. I know that neighborhood from the 70's when we lived a little ways from there. First, I am glad that man had a gun and was able to defend himself. If it was me I would have done the same thing. There is no reason to not think someone forcing their way into your home needs an offer of milk and cookies and a nice long chat before you can do anything about it.
I put the blame on the parents of these kids. The generation that is in their teens/early 20's are a disaster. I have two stepkids that still live on the Westside of Detroit and they are horrible. When the came with us we did everything we could to try to show them proper manners, decent values and courtesy. Unfortunately the enviornment they were in was not conducive to decent behavior and consideration for others. The girl even bragged of all the relatives she stole from. Sad, isn't it? The last straw was when these two children told their father that they hope he died quicky and not to ever expect them to do anything for him. And, these kids even went to a private, Christian/Catholic school! If that is what religious schools [[and church members) are turning into the world, just imagine what some of the other kids are like! Very frightening, in my opinion.

Yeah Linda, I agree with you about blaming those kids parents. Sounds like your step children have a lousy father.

**exdetroiter** · May-06-09, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by Thames

Yeah Linda, I agree with you about blaming those kids parents. Sounds like your step children have a lousy father.

The kids father is her husband, so what does that say about her? He's a great husband, but a terrible parent. Ya, right, maybe because he was giving all his attention to his new wife/life and the children fell through the cracks.

**kathy2trips** · May-06-09, 11:57 AM

Didn't expect that, didja, Bucko? Home Invasions may be hazardous.....to crooks!

**daddeeo** · May-06-09, 12:52 PM

The thing that gets me is that the neighbor still has to worry that some relative of the dead scumbag will take offense and come after him.
Gosh, and I got bashed for moving out of the city because we got robbed and had our home broken into.
What the heck do you think people should do?
If your own neighbors are ripping you off what chance to do you have?
It's bad enough that the cops don't show up until after someone is laying on the ground dead. The only way they show up these days is if shots are being fired or you have a dead body to clean up on aisle five.
Some people may enjoy being a masochist do-gooder.
I'd rather live my life in peace and not have to always be looking over my shoulder in fear while living in Detroit.

**exdetroiter** · May-06-09, 01:07 PM

Considering the fact that I am a single parent and had my home burgarlarized without any apparent forced entry, I immediately moved out of the city because I thought, would would happen next. I be robbed in my driveway or forced into my home at gun point. I know feel I'm in a more calm environment in which my neighbors leave for work in the morning such as myself rather than watching for the working class to leave to invade their homes.

**Linda from Detroit** · May-06-09, 01:16 PM

No, my husband wasn't a horrible father...he did the best he could and so did I. It isn't our fault that their mother didn't care and left my hubby for the local drug dealer. Once, when we went to pick up the kids for the weekend my husband even found a crack pipe in his sons drawer. We went straight to the police who did nothing about it. All they cared about was that the kids weren't bruised, bloody or starving. When you are up against an insane mother who has custody it isn't easy.

**exdetroiter** · May-06-09, 01:35 PM

That sounds like a time when a visit to Friend of Court with a Motion for Full Custody would have been a great idea. Don't doubt the first time one those children get in legal trouble they are going to blame it on the lack of adult supervision in the lives.

**CountrySquire** · May-06-09, 03:10 PM

I'd like to see some of the federal stimulus moneies used to reduce neighborhood crime. I think snitching which is now forbidden out of fear of reprisal should be encouraged by police in the form of using the stimulus money to buy information that leads to an arrest. With the unemplyment so damn high it should be a raving success.

**Thames** · May-06-09, 04:02 PM

Originally Posted by Linda from Detroit

I put the blame on the parents of these kids. The generation that is in their teens/early 20's are a disaster. I have two stepkids that still live on the Westside of Detroit and they are horrible. When the came with us we did everything we could to try to show them proper manners, decent values and courtesy. Unfortunately the enviornment they were in was not conducive to decent behavior and consideration for others. The girl even bragged of all the relatives she stole from. Sad, isn't it? The last straw was when these two children told their father that they hope he died quicky and not to ever expect them to do anything for him. And, these kids even went to a private, Christian/Catholic school! If that is what religious schools [[and church members) are turning into the world, just imagine what some of the other kids are like! Very frightening, in my opinion.

What does "the last straw" mean anyways?

**Thames** · May-06-09, 04:14 PM

Originally Posted by Thames
Yeah Linda, I agree with you about blaming those kids parents. Sounds like your step children have a lousy father.

Originally Posted by exdetroiter

The kids father is her husband,

I knew that.

**grumpyoldlady** · May-06-09, 05:12 PM

I'm sorry some others don't agree, but if I wake up and see somebody climbing through MY window, they are going to end up dead or at least seriously wounded. If they are coming into MY house uninvited in the middle of the night, how do I know if they are armed and may kill ME if I don't act quickly? If I feel my personal safety is being threatened, I have every right to act just as that homeowner did. Too bad the guy lived close by...the shooter will probably suffer serious repercussions from family and friends of the bonehead who made the mistake of entering that guy's house.

**Ragtoplover59** · May-06-09, 06:16 PM

Someone above said he was just a kid?

Kids play with slingshots and puppy dogs,,
Punks try to climb in your window!

**eriedearie** · May-06-09, 06:49 PM

Well said Ragtop!

**Linda from Detroit** · May-06-09, 07:55 PM

The last straw means that my husband decided that he isn't going to put up with their antics any more. They are in their 20's now and aren't going to listen as far as he is concerned. We have tried for 18 years with these kids and you don't know half of the story. It's pretty hard to parent from 300 miles away while taking care of our own mothers [[who both had alzheimers) in our home. But, you all know the whole situation in the short post that I left, don't you? I originally joined to be able to relax and chat with some folks from my old hometown. That was obviously a mistake. Sorry I bothered you folks...I won't bother you again. I have enough heart ache to deal with now that hubby is having his bladder removed Friday due to cancer. I guess that's all his fault too. Now I know why I left Detroit..and will never be back. Have a nice night.

**Thames** · May-06-09, 08:23 PM

Originally Posted by Linda from Detroit

The last straw means that my husband decided that he isn't going to put up with their antics any more. They are in their 20's now and aren't going to listen as far as he is concerned. We have tried for 18 years with these kids and you don't know half of the story. It's pretty hard to parent from 300 miles away while taking care of our own mothers [[who both had alzheimers) in our home. But, you all know the whole situation in the short post that I left, don't you? I originally joined to be able to relax and chat with some folks from my old hometown. That was obviously a mistake. Sorry I bothered you folks...I won't bother you again. I have enough heart ache to deal with now that hubby is having his bladder removed Friday due to cancer. I guess that's all his fault too. Now I know why I left Detroit..and will never be back. Have a nice night.

Oh, OK, got it. It's OK for you to judge others and that's where it stops.

Don't overshare if you don't want others opinions. I'm sorry for anyone that has cancer, but that wasn't the topic of discussion until you made it the topic of discussion.

You initially blamed the parents for unruly kids. And THAT was the topic before you changed it to cancer.

Whatever, lady.

**softailrider** · May-06-09, 08:45 PM

Originally Posted by kathy2trips

Didn't expect that, didja, Bucko? Home Invasions may be hazardous.....to crooks!

Damm right, poor kid got a suprise didn't he...

**irish_mafia** · May-06-09, 08:57 PM

Is it reasonable to taser someone that is wearing a "Don't Snitch" t-shirt? I mean before breakfast.

**CountrySquire** · May-07-09, 07:05 AM

Originally Posted by Thames

Oh, OK, got it. It's OK for you to judge others and that's where it stops.

Don't overshare if you don't want others opinions. I'm sorry for anyone that has cancer, but that wasn't the topic of discussion until you made it the topic of discussion.

You initially blamed the parents for unruly kids. And THAT was the topic before you changed it to cancer.

Whatever, lady.

Thames, just exactly how would you have handled this situation with your X spouse and the unruly children? I don't suspect you have ever had to face the challenges of single parenting, but you can sure call out a mistake when you see one.

**exdetroiter** · May-07-09, 08:17 AM

Originally Posted by CountrySquire

Thames, just exactly how would you have handled this situation with your X spouse and the unruly children? I don't suspect you have ever had to face the challenges of single parenting, but you can sure call out a mistake when you see one.

I can answer that for Thames, prior to my husbands death, my step son lived with us and he indeed was a rebellious teenager, but his father did what he had to do in an effort to put him on track to be a respectable young man. He disciplined him when he was direspectful to teachers or fellow classmates, he place him on punishment when he tried to skip class, he snatched do-rags off his head when he tried to leave the house with it on and made him pull up his pants and put on a belt.

Linda, sorry for all your life challenges, but you brought up the issue of your step children. The responsibility of raising children don't fall more on one parent than it does the other. You and your husband could have petitioned the court for custody and put the time, effort, energy, love and money into raising them. Considering the fact that their mother was a crack head, its doubtful that she would have put up a fight. That's neither here nor there since the children are now adults. Its sad that you can't handle other peoples opinions regarding something you put out there that you knew would be read and evaluated by others after all this is a blog. I'm sorry to hear about your husband, and hope he's at peace, but I wonder if it is a case where "one is reaping what he has sown". In an effort not to preach the scriptures, its all explained in a black book and I will leave it at that. There is an order in which men of the family are suppose to handle there responsiblities and reprocussions for when they don't. I hope you get your emotions in order and pray for the strenght to handle the responsibilities before you. Then you may be ready to rejoin this site. Otherwise consider therapy, because it seems you have a lot of issues to work out.

Thames, I agree with everything you said 100% and for anyone reading this I am a widow with raising a son, so I know what its like to be a single parent. Its a Full time job and it takes all of my free time and focus.

**CountrySquire** · May-07-09, 08:39 AM

I am going through similar challenges with my 15 y/o daughter who is doing poorly at school and her mom seems apathetic to the problems. Could I petition for custody and get it after spending thousands in legal fees? Probably. Would this all ready troubled teenage girl of mine be faced with new problems having to adjust to new schools and new peers? For sure! And facing these new problems could she have improved grades and attitudes? Or would she just do worse staying with me so her mom could get custody back? So, would my gaining custody actually help the child, or just teach her mom a lesson? I wouldn't be so quick to pile on Linda's husband.

**exdetroiter** · May-07-09, 08:55 AM

If your child is in a whole in which its an mentally abusive/heandering environment, your top priorty should be to change the circumstances to at least put forth effort to give them a stable environment. Regardless of what changes will come with that, if its for the betterment of your childs future, why not. It wouldn't cost thousands in legal fees, there are free legal aid agencies, paralegals and most court websites inform you step by step how to handle the court proceeding yourself. So, all it takes is effort. Unless you feel its less hassle to just leave the child[[ren) where he is and say "Oh well" his mom is screwed up and she screwed that one up with her?

**gnome** · May-07-09, 09:12 AM

The sad truth is that to get a minor child out of a mother's care is just this side of impossible. There are any number of exceptions where the father is the primary caregiver, but on whole the mother has to be shown to be not just unfit, not just a criminal, but almost insane before the father can become the primary caregiver.

**exdetroiter** · May-07-09, 09:42 AM

In Linda's case, the kids mom was a crackhead. Surely, if that's the case there wouldn't be any issues. Other sceanarios maybe so maybe not. I have worked in the Legal Profession for the last 19 years so believe me I know what I am talking about. Worst case screario a father would be granted joint legal and physical custody.