Trick-or-treat boy killed in US

Trick-or-treat boy killed in US

news.bbc.co.uk

A man who feared he was being robbed has shot dead a 12-year-old boy out trick-or-treating with his family in South Carolina, police say.

Quentin Patrick, 22, has been charged with murder, assault and battery with intent to kill.

Mr Patrick, who said he had been robbed and shot before, fired 29 rounds with an AK-47 assault through his front door, walls and windows when he heard knocking at the door around 2030 (0030 GMT), police said.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Douchebags (am I allowed to use that as a technical word under the ATS rules?) like this give legitimate armed self defence supporters a bad name.

While I dislike the tradition of trick or treat; and while there is a nominal amount of mitigation supplied by the fact that this guy had been previously robbed; there is simply no legitimate exuse for this.

I would have thought that identifying your target would be the first thing to do before pulling the trigger.

The shooter must definitely be charged with murder, but what sucks is that this is already being brought up and reported by the media (ie BBC) as an example of trigger-happy Americans.

I actually thought that Obama might use this as a US equivalent of Dunblane (ie using an isolated incident as an excuse for banning an entire class of guns), but I doubt he will be able to bring this up in January when he is elected. He may choose to continually bring this up from the time between his election and his inaugration as a promise, which he can then easily keep.

news.bbc.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

This guy is a complete moron, and a few other words that I am sure will get me a warning so I won't say them. What robber knocks on the door when your lights are on? Don't they wait for the lights to go out or for you to leave? Do they really knock on the door, wait for you to open it, and then say "Hi, I'm going to rob you now" before they start shooting? Seriously? Did he not know it was Halloween?

44soulslayer, I agree. I thought identifying your target would be the first thing to do as well... Idiots like this give gun owners a bad name in general, but specifically those who have one for self/home defense. I'm curious what universe he came from that thinks you need an AK-47 to defend your home from your average robber.

"After hearing the knock on his door, authorities say, a convicted felon fearing a robbery opened fire with an assault rifle from inside the house. At least 29 shots smashed through the front door and window frame, killing 12-year-old T.J. Darrisaw and wounding Grinnell and another son."

Link to Story

A Convicted Felon.... There is no need to have tighter gun laws, Enforce the ones on the Book. Send this murderer to jail for life (or fry'em). He lost his rights to own a gun when he was convicted. Twenty-Nine shots, thats one 30 round mag or he reloaded? Fearing a Robbery, damn call the Police, bar your door, move your family further inside.





[edit on 3-11-2008 by ShadowMaster]

reply to post by 44soulslayer


Heartbreaking! This guy was a jerk plain and simple. You don't shoot people just for knocking on your door! Not to mention, it was Halloween so trick or treaters would obviously be out and about. This is so very sad. Absolutely no excuse- even if he had been robbed and shot before. If someone had been breaking into his house, then go for it. Defend your life, family, and homestead. But you don't shoot little kids who knock on your door on Halloween.

Originally posted by Jenna
What robber knocks on the door when your lights are on? Don't they wait for the lights to go out or for you to leave? Do they really knock on the door, wait for you to open it, and then say "Hi, I'm going to rob you now" before they start shooting?

I was going to say something along those lines. I've heard of some stories where the robbers knock to make sure nobody is home then go around the back to break in once nobody answers but this very different. And even then, you typically wait for them to make a move- you don't just put 29 shots into a trick or treating kid through the door before knowing what is going on. This guy needs to have the book thrown at him- especially since he is an ex con who never should have had a gun in the first place.

I saw the father on the news this morning talking about his son's murder talking about all the blood and how his son's final words were, "Mom dad I don't want to trick or treat ever again"!

Just heart breaking to watch him try to hold back tears as the spoke to the news crews...

Sorry no comments about the shooter...people like him are not worth the trouble... just shot him for the rabid animal he is and be done with it...

A freak like this will have a gun whether it is legal or not.

It sounds like he was having some kind of psychotic episode, and has nothing to do with guns whatsoever.

My my.... what is the world coming to here are the key points from this story and points out why this guy is a complete and udder idiot....

1: First of all if someone knocks on your door you dont pull out an ak-47 and fire away at it becasue you think its a robber no matter how many times youve been robbed. Ive seen people with schizofrenia that have enough common sense to know that ,and on the plus side its halloween for gods sake if he did that for every kid that knocked well there goes about 100+ kids.

2: Now what really puzzels me is the fact that he had an ak-47 in the first place was he waiting at the door waiting for someone to break in so he could shoot them? on halloween of all nights you dont sit at your door with an ak-47 unless you have some god damn serious mental problems.

3: Why did he not check to see who it was in the first place??? quite obviously he was thinking "Shoot first check later" I mean he had a window on the door he could have just gotten up and taken a look outside and said " oh hey its a child maybe i shouldent unload 30 rounds into my door" I for one am quite glad that he was arrested people like that should not be allowd to live in a community or own a gun.

He was also a convicted felon so woudlent he be under police supervision especially on a night where thousands of young children are wandering around the streets many of them alone?

This is a horrifying story i must admit but ide like a bit more details on it and as to why the man did what he did.

Thank you for starting this thread.

Originally posted by nixie_nox
A freak like this will have a gun whether it is legal or not.

It sounds like he was having some kind of psychotic episode, and has nothing to do with guns whatsoever.

Have to agree with the above poster obvious mental problems. What would he have done if it was one of his own family members he shot. Although they pry know to steer clear of him if not they do now.

He'll either be locked in a mental institution or will get the death penalty for being a moran.

Originally posted by AshleyD
I was going to say something along those lines. I've heard of some stories where the robbers knock to make sure nobody is home then go around the back to break in once nobody answers but this very different. And even then, you typically wait for them to make a move- you don't just put 29 shots into a trick or treating kid through the door before knowing what is going on. This guy needs to have the book thrown at him- especially since he is an ex con who never should have had a gun in the first place.

True, I'll grant you that. I've heard of those too. Actually saw it used on a TV show, can't remember the name of it for the life of me but it's the one where the two guys show you how easy it is to break in your house and then upgrade your security stuff for you.

It just blows my mind that anyone, ex con or not, would shoot through a closed door without knowing for certain who is on the other side... A lot of people knock on doors... Family, friends, pizza delivery guys, those women from the church who want to tell you about Jesus... Pretty much everyone knocks if they don't live with you... (Well, except my sister, but she's special like that. ) I just cannot fathom how anyone could just shoot first and see who is at the door later without there being something seriously wrong with that individual...

Meant to reply to your other post as well, but since I am already typing I'll just put it here. The problem with enforcing gun laws is that they only affect the people who follow the law to begin with. If someone is buying illegal weapons, or just buying weapons illegally, they don't care if there are laws against it. The laws don't affect them in any way until someone gets killed or they get caught. It is your average gun owner who follows the law who gets ran over when gun laws are tightened, and it does no good to enforce laws when you don't know who isn't following the laws till it's too late. This horse's behind is a prime example.

I honestly cannot think of any way to prevent felon's and the mentally unstable from buying weapons without it leading to the rest of us not being able to buy them either. Can't search their houses without a warrant and can't get a warrant without due cause. Can't stop the gun runners because we don't know who they all are, and even if we did someone else would start running them. Can't stop the sale of ammo to these people because they can get that from the gun runners as well. Banning certain types of firearms doesn't work, they can still get those too. Jail time only takes them off the streets for awhile and we can't permanently imprison people for having a weapon without it trickling out to the legal gun owners as well. There just isn't any viable way to prevent guns from getting into the hands of the people who shouldn't have them. They will find a way around the law, which really sucks for the rest of us.

reply to post by Darthorious


Forget being locked in a mental institution thanks to deep funding cuts most of those hospitals are overfilled and unable to take new customers...No they would just lock him up in a normal prison but in one of the special pods... the same place they put child molesters... in general pop. the inmates would kill him just as quickly as they would a pedophile...

I should know I volunteer for the national group "Parents of Murdered Children". POMC web site

reply to post by Jenna


I totally agree with everything you just said. Just wanted to make sure you didn't think I was arguing with you. Absolutely: Some robbers knock first but still- you don't go shooting anyone who knocks... especially little kids... especially when you have your porch light on at Halloween. And the thing about the felons and guns, too. They'll always find a way.

Originally posted by AshleyD
I totally agree with everything you just said. Just wanted to make sure you didn't think I was arguing with you.

Absolutely: Some robbers knock first but still- you don't go shooting anyone who knocks... especially little kids... especially when you have your porch light on at Halloween. And the thing about the felons and guns, too. They'll always find a way.

No worries, never crossed my mind that you were arguing with me. And precisely. On Halloween of all days you know not to leave your light on if you don't want a bunch of kids knocking looking for candy. I've known that since I was 5 and I find it hard to believe that this guy didn't know what day it was.

I agree with all your posts.

The only thing more horrible than the story itself is that the media is twisting it to suit their own sensationalist agenda.

Wasn't there an instance a few years ago of people putting razor blades in candy which they then gave out at trick or treat?

I dont know if Im just paranoid, but I wouldn't let my children go trick or treating at all... the risk (however small statistically) is just too high to ignore. Its just too much of a risk to take these days in return for some candy.

Existing discussion : Here

closed.