Man says he shot burglar who said she was pregnant

[Baz]

Will be interesting to see if charges are filed against the homeowner.

What kind of woman commits a violent act upon another human being while she is pregnant? An autopsy will tell us if she was lying about that or not.

Were these two in the process of fetching a weapon - only to return and kill the old man? What was going through his mind at the time?

Legally the old man may be in trouble but a case could be made that these two won the prize that is often awarded to stupid people who play stupid games.

================
LONG BEACH, Calif. (AP) — Police said Thursday they're deciding whether to arrest an 80-year-old man who shot a fleeing, unarmed burglar despite her telling him she was pregnant, but they have arrested the woman's accomplice on suspicion of murder for taking part in a crime that led to her death.

The homeowner, Tom Greer, was cooperating with investigators, Long Beach Police Chief Jim McDonnell said at a news conference. But the chief wouldn't say whether charges will be recommended when they turn over their case to prosecutors Friday.

He said Andrea Miller, 28, was not visibly pregnant but an autopsy would provide the answer.

Greer told KNBC-TV he shot Miller twice in the back as she ran away.

"She says, 'Don't shoot me, I'm pregnant — I'm going to have a baby,' and I shot her anyway," Greer said in the interview Wednesday.

The surviving suspect, Gus Adams, 26, was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of residential burglary and murder, McDonnell said. The murder charge is possible because he is accused of being involved in a felony that led to a death, the chief said. Police did not know if he has hired an attorney.

Both Miller and Adams were unarmed, McDonnell said.

Both had histories of similar crimes, and Greer, who had been burglarized three times before, believes the same suspects were responsible.

Greer returned home shortly after 9 p.m. Tuesday to find the pair in his home. Both suspects attacked him, hitting him with their fists and ultimately "body slamming" him to the floor, breaking his collar bone, McDonnell said.

Miller continued to hit him, McDonnell said, while Adams moved to a safe and begin trying to pry it open.

The homeowner was able to get to another room where he grabbed a gun and returned to open fire on the suspects. They fled through the garage and into an alley, and Greer gave chase, firing at them again outside, McDonnell said.

Miller was hit, collapsed in the alley and died at the scene, McDonnell said.

"The lady didn't run as fast as the man, so I shot her in the back twice," Greer told the TV station. "She's dead ... but he got away."

McDonnell would not say whether Miller was shot in the back as Greer said. He also declined to say how many shots were fired and whether either of the suspects was hit inside the house before fleeing.

The investigation was "still very much a fresh case and a working case," he said.

No phone listing was available for Greer and he could not be reached for comment by The Associated Press.

It will be up to the district attorney to decide whether to charge Greer with a crime, the chief said. Under California law, homeowners can defend themselves if they are in "imminent danger of serious bodily injury or death," he said.

Prosecutors will have to determine whether chasing after the suspects and firing on them outside the home goes beyond self-defense, McDonnell said.


During a news conference Thursday, July 24, 2014, in Long Beach, Calif., police display photos of Gus Adams and Andrea Miller. Police said they're deciding whether to arrest an 80-year-old man who shot a fleeing, unarmed burglar--Miller--despite her telling him she was pregnant, but they have arrested the woman's accomplice--Adams--on suspicion of murder for taking part in a crime that led to her death.

http://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/Long-Beach-man-80-fatally-shoots-burglar-5644295.php#photo-6640701

[Baz]

OK this just in...she lied.....now there's a surprise.....

Suspected burglar killed by homeowner was not pregnant, coroner says

A burglary suspect who police say was shot dead while attempting to flee a Long Beach home this week was not pregnant, coroner’s officials said Friday.

Suspected burglar killed by homeowner was not pregnant, coroner says - LA Times

[Rick Lee]

That wouldn't make me hesitate for a second. But for shooting a fleeing perp in the back? He's going away for a while and will lose a wrongful death lawsuit too. Giving someone what they richly deserve ain't worth my dying broke after a long stint in prison.

[Baz]

Could go to a grand jury.......in any event I don't see a guilty verdict if it does ends up in court.

[Don Ro]

I would not want to be Mr. Greer -------in Kalifornia.
Texas maybe, but not KA.

[stomachmonkey]

Read something this morning that they had broken in twice before and this time they were trying to get into his gun safe.

Agreed he's got challenges in how he dealt with this but his lawyer will argue PTSD or some other psychological angle.

Doubt he'll see time.

[GH85Carrera]

Give him a medal for cleaning up the gene pool and put the burglar accomplice in jail for life. Done.

[Baz]

Investigation is still in progress so we'll see how it unfolds.

[mattdavis11]

I think he should be allowed access to wipe Adams out too.

[rusnak]

he should have shot them both

[dan88911]

As for the shooter if anything maybe probation.
The criminals knew the risk for their actions and one paid the ultimate price.
The other POS will should get whatever the law provides.

[HHI944]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

That wouldn't make me hesitate for a second.

If you break in my house I don't care wtf you say. If you want to convince me to not kill you, lay face down on the floor, arms and legs splayed until I command otherwise.

[5String43]

Story in the paper today sez he shot her while she was in an alley and dragged her body back onto his property. Hm. I think he risks being hammered.

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by Don Ro

I would not want to be Mr. Greer -------in Kalifornia.
Texas maybe, but not KA.

this

[speeder]

They allow people to shoot a fleeing burglar in the back and drag them back onto their property in Texas?? I knew that the gun/killing laws were lenient down there but that's amazing...

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad she's dead. Too bad it wasn't a two-fer. But that guy is in a heap o' trouble.

[weseeeee]

If he did drag her back to his property, that's pretty impressive for an 80 year old.

[rusnak]

Originally Posted by weseeeee

If he did drag her back to his property, that's pretty impressive for an 80 year old.

with bruises and a broken collar bone.

[speeder]

Yeah, that part sounds like BS. He likely left her where she dropped.

[Dantilla]

While its always wrong to shoot someone who is fleeing, when one's life is truly in peril, and is able to use a firearm, it would be very hard to turn off the immediate need to shoot your attackers.

It would take very quick thinking to determine "No more threat" and take your finger off the trigger.

This gentleman will most likely end up with a conviction, but if it were up to me, I'd send him home after congratulating him on successfully defending himself.

[HardDrive]

He should be charged with manslaughter. Shooting an unarmed person in the back while they are retreating = dirty.