Dramatic 911 call from right before shooting released

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http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?se...cal&id=5538780


PASADENA, TX) - A dramatic 911 call from the Pasadena man who allegedly shot and killed two men accused of burglarizing his neighbor has been released. The dispatcher tried to talk him out of it.
At about 2pm Wednesday, Joe Horn called 911 from inside his Pasadena home. He says he saw two men break into his neighbor's house. Horn tells police that he is armed with a shotgun.

"Hurry up, man. Catch these guys, will ya? I ain't gonna let them go, I'm gonna be honest with ya," said Horn on the 911 call. "I'm not gonna let them go. I'm not gonna let them get away with this (expletive)."

Horn and the dispatcher spent more than seven minutes on the phone, much of that with the dispatcher trying to convince Horn not to go outside.

"I'm gonna shoot, I'm gonna shoot," said Horn.

"Stay inside the house and don't go out there, OK?" responded the dispatcher. "It's not worth shooting someone over this."

"I don't want to, but if I go out there to see what the hell is going on, what choice do I have?" said Horn.

"I don't want you to go out there. I asked if you could see anything out there," said the dispatcher.

Horn tells the dispatcher that he understands his rights and even makes reference to the September 1 expansion that gives homeowners greater protection from prosecution should they choose to confront someone breaking into their home.
Before he can be convinced otherwise, Horn tells police he sees the burglars coming out of his house.

"He's coming out of the window right now," said Horn to the 911 dispatcher. "I gotta go, buddy. I'm sorry, but he's coming out the window."

"Don't, don't , don't go out the door. Mr. Horn? Mr. Horn?" said the dispatcher.

"(Expletive), they just stole something," said Horn to the dispatcher. "I'm sorry. I ain't gonna let them get away with this. They got a bag of something. I'm doing it."
The dispatcher can't stop Horn, who takes the phone with him as he goes outside.

"Move, you're dead," Horn, who took the phone outside with him, could be heard saying to the suspects.

Then three gunshots could be heard. Horn admits later on the 911 call that he did, in fact, fire those shots. The names of the two men shot have not yet been released pending identification and notification of their next of kin. Horn has not been arrested or charged with any crime. A police investigation is still underway. This case likely will end up in the hands of a Harris County grand jury.

[Jimbuna]

I can appreciate how peoples emotions and sense of injustice can be aroused at times like this, but I've gotta say, I'm bloody glad we don't have these types of laws in the UK

Six minutes on the phone with 911 and no police response. At seven minutes the police show up.


Once again when seconds count the police will be there in a few minutes!!

[elite_hunter_sh3]

GOOD FOR HIM!!
Finally. A story with a true rightful happy ending. This is exactly what every household should be like today. Armed and ready to protect your family. I'm sorry this family had to endure this. I'm sure they've lost much of their sense of peace. I feel nothing for the criminals. They took the risk for the easy money. They got what they deserved.

Texas was the most recent state to pass the "Castle Doctrine" law, behind Florida, Mississippi, and Georgia.You heard him tell the douchebag 911 operator the law changed in September. It states that if there is a percieved threat on your property you have right to use deadly force. The man explained they had a krowbar and were invading his neighbor's home. He also stated they ran onto his property. Case closed.

fyi they beat the stepson with baseball bats till they thought he was dead (he is still alive but in a coma)

[RickC Sniper]

He said several times he has or had no choice but he had many choices.

You don't kill someone unless you are threatened physically.

Common sense is becoming a rare thing I guess.

This is very sad.

[SUBMAN1]

I'm taking a nuetral stance on this one. Both sides have arguments here, and I don't agree with the action taken, and I don't agree with inaction. Catch 22 on this one.

-S

[elite_hunter_sh3]

it is legal to use lethal force to stop a felony in progress. In addition the neighbor could have been home and the old fellow may have had legitimate fear for their life/lives.

"So if any of my neighbors who are good friends (I have several) are being burglarized you can take a strong guess the situation will end the same

Same here if I'm in public and an armed robbery, rape, deadly attack or such is going on I can pull my legally carried weapon and blast the perp. One has to be on the ball and very aware of what is actually going on (not immediate impressions) and what the law allows"
from a person who lived nearby the incident.

Quote:
"Then you hear him rack the shotgun. The next sound the dispatcher heard was a boom. Then there was silence for a couple of seconds and then another boom."


Quote:
The Texas Penal Code says a person can use force or deadly force to defend someone else's property if he reasonably believes he has a legal duty to do so or the property owner had requested his protection.

[RickC Sniper]

Yes, it is legal. But is it right?

For all this guy knew no one had been hurt.

[Tchocky]

I can't get over the idea of shooting two people dead over a bag, when the police are already on the way.

Look at his first sentences. He wants to perform his own style of justice.

[elite_hunter_sh3]

WRONG, the stepson was brutally beaten...

"Prosecutors said homeowner Shannon Edmonds opened fire Dec. 7 after three young men rampaged through the Clearlake house demanding marijuana and brutally beat his stepson. Rashad Williams, 21, and Christian Foster, 22, were shot in the back. Hughes fled."

http://home.knology.net/news/read.ph...SNWC01L1_UNEWS

Originally Posted by RickC Sniper

Yes, it is legal. But is it right?

For all this guy knew no one had been hurt.

Mr. Horn told the burglars to stop. They didn't.

[elite_hunter_sh3]

shame he didnt blast the third criminal, should be charged with murder of his 2 fellow criminal buddies and attempted murder of the stepson who was inside... i say execution or life in jail...

Originally Posted by Tchocky

I can't get over the idea of shooting two people dead over a bag, when the police are already on the way.

Look at his first sentences. He wants to perform his own style of justice.

Come on Tchocky, you aren't even in favor of self defense. This should at least act as a lesson as to how long it takes police to respond to a situation where seconds count. Don't you think?

BTW although I'm not fully versed in Texas law, he was performing Texas justice based on laws constituted by duly elected Texas legislators.

[CCIP]

Originally Posted by elite_hunter_sh3

Finally. A story with a true rightful happy ending.

Are you nuts?

Two people dead is a happy ending?!

They definitely did the wrong thing and should have been punished for it, but you know, this is way out of proportion for what they did. I don't neccesarily disagree with taking action and trying to stop the robbery, but 1) to me it seems rather like the guy was trigger-happy; 2) in any case, even if you forgive the shooter, you just can't call this a good and just thing! If this is justice, then we've just established a precedent for lethal penalties for petty crimes - and that's downright dangerous. You know, people really screw up their lives sometimes, but there's no reason why the punishment for them shouldn't offer a chance for rehabilitation afterward. We're sure leaving that option open for them here, huh...

Otherwise, hey, let's just screw this "fair trial" thing and start shooting everyone who does anything remotely illegal! Hardened criminals and stupid kids who got tangled up in a wrong crowd alike. After all, a bag of stuff is more valuable.

[Tchocky]

Originally Posted by waste gate

Come on Tchocky, you aren't even in favor of self defense.

This isn't a self-defense situation. What I can't empathise with is a menatl state that values one bag of a neighbour's property than the lives of two people , and the weight of their deaths on your conscience.

This should at least act as a lesson as to how long it takes police to respond to a situation where seconds count. Don't you think?

Er, no.
If the police are going to be late, then tough ****. It's not worth killing over. I can't imagine myself preferring to have killed someone than to see my neighbour missing his DVD player.

EDIT - just saw CCIP's post. +1, etc