Gail Gerlach was defending his 16-year-old Suburban and his tools? What kind of person leaves his unattended vehicle running outside? Ever hear of an “attractive nuisance?” That car was like a welcome sign to a car thief. It looked so easy.

Neither Gerlach’s life, nor that of his family, was ever threatened. The only threat was the man waving a gun around in the neighborhood. He had a 6-day-old baby in the house. What was he thinking? He’s protecting the vehicle, that he left running, with a gun? Who does that?

And then the inevitable phony story, that a gun was pointed at him, which the police determined to be impossible. Whatever happened to manning up? If a person is going to discharge a firearm, they have to be responsible for where the bullet goes. You can’t say, “Oops, I shot at him but didn’t think I’d really hit him.” He shot at him and he did hit him. Of course, he should be held responsible for killing a person.

This situation makes me stop to wonder, that if I have someone in my home doing, say, plumbing or something, are they coming into my home packing heat? Do I have a right to know that? That’s a little unnerving.

Kathy Wright

Chattaroy