A while back, a year or so ago I think, here where I live in New Bedford a man was fatally shot after breaking into a gun owner's house or garage, again I can't remember exactly the details. What I do know is he chased the intruder out and shot him in the back while he was running away.
It all sounds like bad juju but the local media was focusing on two things. One that the shooter was ex military and a marskman, vietnam vet I believe, and two the intruder was a drug addict and had just recently stole a woman's purse. There hasn't been any final say in what will happen to the shooter but the majority of the city is behind him.
Heres a piece I just found on the incident:
NEW BEDFORD, Mass. - A man who shot and killed another man on his property has been indicted for second-degree murder, according to prosecutors.
The grand jury indicted Charles D. Chieppa, 56, for the July 17 shooting of 26-year-old Frank Pereira Jr. with a rifle.
The fatal shots were fired near Chieppa's property just before dawn. By sunrise, motorists drove past Mr. Pereira's body, honking their horns and shouting in support of the shooting, the Standard-Times of New Bedford reported.
Chieppa, a Vietnam War combat veteran, lived in his parent's old home and largely kept to himself, neighbors said.
The home was next to Alfie's bar, which is known for drug dealing and prostitution. Pereira had snatched a purse from an Alfie's patron just hours before he was shot, police said.
Police had initially said the shooting happened when Chieppa confronted a burglar breaking into his home around 4 a.m. A day later, detectives acknowledged that they were investigating whether Pereira had actually entered the house before Chieppa opened fire.
At the time, prosecutors said there was evidence that Pereira had tried to break into several vehicles parked in the driveway, including a camper and a trailer.
One witness, said she heard gunshots then saw Pereira collapse along a curb almost 50 feet from Chieppa's fence.
Chieppa has not made any public remarks since the shooting and did not return messages from the Standard-Times seeking comment.