Self Defense Shooting Ends with One Dead, One Wounded

Anthony and Peter, two brothers who lived in Pine Hills, Florida, came home after work to find their home being burglarized. The brothers entered the home through the garage with their guns drawn, ready to defend themselves.

One of the intruders immediately pointed a gun at Anthony and both brothers opened fire. One of the burglars, age 17, was killed while the other was only wounded and was transported to Orlando Regional Medical Center for examination and recovery. A possible third accomplice is still at large.

The home was ransacked and completely torn apart with broken windows, emptied drawers and upended bedding. A neighbor’s home had also been burglarized even though the neighbor noted that the area is generally safe and quiet.

Peter expressed sorrow that a person died and one was wounded but added, "I didn’t want him to kill me."

Under Florida’s Castle Doctrine, it is legal for residents to use deadly force to protect themselves against intruders. The two brothers were within their rights to shoot at the burglars and, because deadly force was already in play (one intruder had a gun drawn already), their use of deadly force probably saved their own lives.

Would this have been necessary if the brothers had called 911, rather than entering a dangerous situation? It was apparent that their home was being burglarized when they arrived so they could have easily stepped back and called the police rather than engaging the intruders. Perhaps the best self defense here would have been to avoid an armed conflict entirely. How easily could the tables have been turned?