to ask your thoughts on this? Fatal shooting during burglary

[itsjustataste]

Happened near me very recently and our community seems very torn with lots of people slinging insults at both sides. Lots of people shouting about playing stupid games, win stupid prizes etc... whilst others calling the shooter a murderer.

I find it very sad that someone so young has ultimately lost their life and has got mixed up in this sort of thing.

BUT that being said, I don't have any ill feeling toward the farmer either and cannot say that I wouldn't do the same if faced with 3 people breaking into my home, especially if I had my children in the house.

The other 2 suspects arrested for aggravated burglary meaning a weapon was involved and there had been a break in at the same home the night previously too.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-68942085.amp

I’ve not read all the posts but seen plenty calling the farmer a murderer, etc.

Because my assumption is based on my own knowledge of being part of a farming family! If the media are saying “in the property” and not “in an outbuilding” it’s logical to assume they were in the farmhouse.

There’s being open minded and then there is sitting on the fence so hard you get splinters in your arse. As I said BASED on what is being reported I am absolutely team farmer. As I also said, if it turns out they were just in an outbuilding then that changes things significantly but nobody is reporting that are they?

Do you honestly not form an opinion on anything until you know every single fact? You don’t make assumptions? That’s bullshit and you know it.

I think this thread on balance is hugely on the side of the farmer.

No. You don’t know what weapons they had, which is the problem. Too late to discover the weapons they had were guns once they’ve shot half your family dead. It could all be avoided if the scummy thieves earn and buy the stuff they need instead of thinking it’s okay to steal from others that do.

I'm with the farmer. Several years ago 2 men tried to break into my house by kicking the door down while I was there, and they were aware I was there.

DS was in primary school and was screaming with fright upstairs while I held the front door shut and called the police. If they'd have got in they would have been stabbed by my long kitchen knife that I had taken to protect me. No way would I risk 2 brazen men coming into the house.

Luckily the police arrived really quick and they didn't make it the light the door. But in a rural area you'd wait at least 30 mins for a response car.

While I don't want us to be like the US, criminals need to realise if you break I to someone's home you will occasionally get more than you bargained for - and that might mean you lose your life.

Why does it matter where in the house they were.
They were in the house and armed

Clearly too many people have been watching The Gentlemen on Netflix!

The “lad” and his family sound vile. I am 100% with the farmer.

I agree, but there are quite a number of posts not on his side too.
I don’t know what they expected the poor man to do 🤷‍♀️!

It's not been confirmed they were inside, and it does matter. There's a big difference between shooting someone as they came up the stairs towards your bedroom to shooting someone just running across an exterior yard.

Well no, I try not to.

There are a number of posters who have not formed an opinion either way because there is not enough information. I haven’t seen a single anti-farmer post.

Yes it needs to be left as no one actually has any idea of the land we have in the Peak District. Chatsworth is not in the Peak District.

I'm not not on his side, but nor do I think it's black and white as the majority of posters do. I don't think he was wrong to defend himself or his property, but he must've realised that shooting the intruders and killing them would have consequences. I just don't believe you can escape unpunished for taking someone's life by gunning them down, regardless of the circumstances.

All the more reason why we as a civilised society should not stoop to their level.

I've been broken into before. Guy was heavily intoxicated and I woke up with him in my bedroom. Screamed at him to get out and he didn't move for a second and honestly the rage that took over me in that second was like nothing I've ever experienced. I was fully prepared to kill him so he couldn't kill me, I was terrified and he ran and I chased him then called the police and broke down. If you're in fear for your life you do whatever you need to to protect yourself so no I don't blame the farmer. He had his gun legally so it's unfair to expect him not to use it.

I find it very hard to believe you never make any assumption based on the information you have to hand, but I’ll stick your medal in the post for you.

There is nothing wrong with making an assumption, as long as you are able to change your point of view if and when the information you have available changes.

Have a lovely day.

I live rurally too, and very much sympathise with the farmer - although obviously don't know all the ins and outs of this case.

Farmers are having to deal with unprecedented levels of crime over the last few years. There are nowhere near enough police to cope with rural crime, and if you report something nothing is done, many of them are basically told they just have to live with it. People are desperate, and a tragedy was bound to happen sooner or later, and now it has - and it is a tragic waste of a young life.

"His family & friends must know a 19yo armed burglar was a total loser and society is better without him"

This is not true. Plenty of people do stupid things when they're young and go on to live good lives later on.

It matters to know whether they were a threat to the family as most burglars are not.

Over £32k raised of a GoFundMe goal of £20k for legal costs just now so he has a lot of support. I think that’s only been over a day or two.

Has the stuff about him allegedly running a cannabis farm been stirred up by the burglars family and friends to try to excuse them going armed to invade someone else’s home, as in he’s a criminal too?

Police have definitely stated they were aware of the burglary the day before and I highly doubt he’d have informed them in those circumstances.

How on earth could anyone defend anyone entering someone else’s home, with or without weapons, with an intent to steal in the middle of the night! These are the type of braindead fools who would go nuts if the same had happened to them.

I don't think they were carrying sticks of candyfloss though

I suspect they won't have enough evidence for a murder charge so they'll go for manslaughter. The police probably can't question the injured man while he's in hospital.

Firmly on the farmers side. These scum bags who think they can take whatever they want have to know the risks when they try to carry out these burglaries. You would hope it puts some of the wannabe burglars off, sadly there are more scum willing to take the chance.

I really hope he is not jailed. He doesn't deserve that for defending his family and property.

The poor farmer and his family. He will be hauled through the courts and put on trial.

The scumbag who is now dead deserves to be.

I hope the farmer gets good legal representation.