A homeowner in the town of Sandy Springs, Georgia, had to use a firearm to defend his family when an unknown male allegedly entered the house in the wee hours of the morning, shortly before 2:30 a.m., and threatened to injure the homeowner.
The terrifying situation then turned deadly, and the homeowner used a firearm to shoot the alleged intruder while another resident called the Sandy Springs Police Department and informed them of what was going on. By the time the police arrived, the suspect had died of his wounds.
The Sandy Springs Police Department, in its description of the incident, said, “On December 3rd, 2023 at approximately 2:21am, an unknown male unlawfully entered a residence on Spalding Drive and threatened to harm the homeowner. Another resident called 911 and SSPD officers were dispatched to the scene. Before officers arrived, the homeowner, while exercising his 2nd Amendment Right to Bear Arms, defended himself and his family from bodily harm by shooting the suspect. Upon arrival, officers found that the suspect had died from his wounds. SSPD detectives responded and are continuing their investigation. At this time, it is believed that this is an isolated incident.”
That statement from the police led to many different views from the comments section. One commenter, for example, said they always find it encouraging “when a homeowner can protect themselves against unwanted threats.”
Others, however, focused on the tragedy of the incident, saying things like “My heart aches for this homeowner. The stress and trauma of being put in this horrible situation is enduring” and “Pretty weird how happy everyone is – I can’t imagine the trauma the homeowner is going through. Justified or not, taking someone’s life isn’t something to be celebrated. This post feels unnecessary, especially considering it is an ongoing investigation.”
Another commenter took the opportunity to express their views on the 2nd Amendment and so-called “assault weapons,” saying, “Highly unlikely that someone entering your home without permission and at that hour would not harm you, so I’m glad the homeowner was able to protect themself and their family.
But it only takes a handgun to defend your home… not a semiautomatic rifle. I’m all for the 2nd Amendment, but it could use some clarification.”
If the story as described by the local police department is accurate, the homeowner’s use of deadly force was likely legal under Georgia’s “Stand Your Ground” law and Castle Doctrine. Under the Georgia stand-your-ground law, O.C.G.A. § 16-3-23, an individual is justified in using deadly force against an attacker if the individual reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent death, significant bodily injury, or the commission of a forcible felony.
Further, under the same code section, a residence can be defended from an intruder when “entry is made or attempted in a violent and tumultuous manner and he or she reasonably believes that the entry is attempted or made for the purpose of assault or offering personal violence to any person dwelling or being therein and that such force is necessary to prevent the assault or offer of personal violence.”
"*" indicates required fields