Dave Henry Kills Armed Robber in Shootout at His Florida Home

• Yeah, it seems to me that if anything this guy just had a gut feeling something was wrong, but not necessarily anything specific to justify calling 911. There have definitely been times in my life where I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but something just felt wrong. A great cop I knew once told me that if you have a gut feeling something is wrong, then you're probably right and you should trust your instincts. I do think it's interesting how much states vary in what they say is an appropriate use of deadly force. In states like Maryland, you have a duty to retreat as much as possible before you can use deadly force. Even if someone is in your home, you have to make every effort to escape before the law says the use of deadly force is appropriate. But in Texas (big shock:) you really have no duty to retreat. The minute someone steps foot on your property you can start shooting:)

• I admit this story doesn't warrant much warning for the guy to call the Cops. I can admit a mistake, and I was reading into the story too much, and using my own experience to deduce the outcome. As for the other story though, I stick by my opinion. The story said the guy came home to find his dog barking and heard noises inside. He had enough suspicion to think to grab the sword off the wall, I'm just saying in that two seconds he stopped to think about that, he could have flipped out his cell and just dialed 911 and set the phone down, they'll still come for a 911 open-line/or hang-up, then gone in to investigate. If he hadn't gotten the burgular first he would have been shot, and the "bad guys" as ya'll love to call em, might have gotten away scott-free. Again I didn't mean to start such an uproar, it's just a pet-peeve of mine as I explained that people fail to call for help before trying to act in emergency situations.. Hopefully we'll get a nice clear story about a malicious act that we can all agree on.... No offense to anyone..JUST MY OPINIONS..LOL :)

• @ Bacon. I can see what you are saying .. but in both this instance and the other, home invasion, instance you mentioned there is no way these guys realistically had any reason to call 911 before it was too late. Victim - "Hello Police ... there is a car parked out front of my house that I don't recognise ..." Police - "And ......." OR Victim - "Hello Police ... I just got home and my dog is acting strange ...." Police - "And ...." I totally agree that if you have something concrete to go on it makes perfect sense ... but by the time these guys had a clear idea that their "hinky" feeling wasn;t just their mind playing tricks ... it was too late.

• WOW! The cats have stopped clawing and now the testosterone is kicking up! :) First of all I happen to enjoy commentary from both Ryan and Bacon so i hate that the last two stories have sparked up so much. I don't have alot to add except that I totally understand where you are coming from Bacon but I also know in the reality of a situation alot of people just don't think about calling 911 and sometimes by the time they do immediate danger has already arrived, or come and passed. But thanks for keeping the idea fresh in my mind because regret of simple things like not having called 911 can probably weigh heavy on a person when something does go wrong. To Ryan I am with you on the right to bare arms and to protect our own THAT is for sure.I think a few things were taking out of context and misunderstood, but bottom line is, When something like this happens to us we are usually unprepared anyway.

• HYEmark77- Thank you! I forgot to say that. While reading it I thought the guys had to know him too. It just sounds far too planned and thought out for them to have not known him, his business, and what time he arrives home with the nightly deposits. I think thats why the identidy of the robber who died hasn't been revealed, but Im just speculating. I think this one will be solved soon.

• I wasn't trying to get you all upset guys/gals. I was trying to initiate some dicussion, after all I'm pretty sure this site is FULL of what ifs and coulda shoulda woulda. We obviously can't change the past, but I was just trying to get someone in the same position someday to think about the future. I don't claim to be the #1 authority on self defense, which is why I stated that it was just my opinion that calling 911 is an important thing. @ Ryan- I was a VOLUNTEER firefighter/EMT for over 5 years. I did it for free, because I like helping people and under extreme pressure I maintain my rational thought. I also worked as a 911 dispatcher, and THAT is why I speak so strongly for contacting 911. I personally call 911 all the time when I notice emergencies. I called them when I came upon 3 horses wandering alongside a rural country road. Might not be what you'd call an 'emergency' but I had the foresight and knowledge to know that if for some reason the horses spooked and ran into the road, that a horse vs. vehicle collision would not be good. I've been known to call 911 on dangerous drivers as well as suspicious persons. I own plenty of guns, and TRUST ME I won't hesitate to use them if I feel my life or my family's lives are in danger, BUT I also realize that since I'm already paying professionals to protect me from criminals 24-7 that I might as well make them works for their money every once and awhile. I had a 911 call when I was dispatching where a father noticed his ill son had been sleeping a lot longer than usual. But he didn't call because the boy was on a breathing machine that monitored his condition. When he finally investigated it further and called 911 it was too late, his breathing machine didn't sound an alarm until the boy had already STOPPED breathing. I had to listen to a father sob and cry over his dying son as he waited for an ambulance to arrive. The father just kept saying if he had only called 911 when he first noticed something wrong that the ambulance would have been there when he stopped breathing. You guys can call me a jackass or wutever you want, I'm not juding this guy or reputing his actions, I'm just asking you all to learn from his LUCKY ordeal.

• Another classic case of self defense and the good guy prevailed-great to see!!

• I think there has to be more to this story. These robbers had to have known him in order to know that he owned a car dealership and that he brings his "nightly deposits" home each night. There might be more to this story...he might have known who these people were.

• @Bacon, this is not an attack. I come in peace. Its beyond me why people cant disagree without fighting. I think he kind of had to get out of the car and investigate. His wife and daughter was in there sleeping, and though he should have called the police first for back up I think its one of those situations where you do first and think later- his family was in there and then theres always that thought in the back of our heads that we are just being paranoid. But I read your post, and I do see what your saying. The smart thing to do would be calling the police, because your right if he would have died who knows when they would have found him, but its human nature to protect whats yours. And as it goes for shooting one of the men, I dont really think hes wrong. They did pistol whip him, if they pistol whipped him obviously they had a gun too, and so many robberies go unsolved that if he didnt do something about it theres a good chance his money wouldnt have been recovered and he could have died. But I do see what your saying, I just think its easier to see the logical things to do when you arent the one under pressure. Like when I watch horror movies and I'm yelling at the girl running away in heels - take off the shoes.

• Val, I couldn't have said it any better. Literally. Sometimes I'm a bit "in your face" when I see a comment that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. So I'll just go ahead and echo your posting. Bacon, THIS is the point I was making. Sorry I called you a jackass, I'll rephrase myself, your comments were what I was referring to. So if that's even possible, I'd like to call your comments a jackass.

• Also, Bacon, I will have to say, if I was the only one that thought your comment was weird, I would think I was totally in the wrong... But Jaden mentioned it as well (I'm a bit of a lurker around here, sorry).. and we all know Jaden isn't trying to start a fight (neither was I). Let me explain to you my thinking, calmly, and I hope you can respond the same way without thinking that by stating my opinion I'm "jumping" you. The story said he "noticed something was wrong. A white Ford Explorer was parked on the street, one he didn't recognize." To me, and maybe not to you, that just sounds like typical journalism-foreshadowing. I doubt he thought something was wrong enough to call the cops, I doubt it was parked right in front of his drive way, I doubt he REALLY thought he was walking into something like "Rambo". I think it was early in the morning, he noticed the vehicle, but didn't care enough to really pay attention because he was tired and wanted to get in to his sleeping wife, when he was attacked. My point was, if that was all he had to go on, no reason to call the cops.

• Wow, Bacon. I didn't start a "tirade", but you certainly have. Your last comments on all the stories are loaded with insults at other people. That's a tirade, what I said was sarcastic, I'll admit that - then, again, you've used that same approach in many of your comments as well. So, let's just call that one a draw. What I WILL say is I was actually reading the above posts and then saw what you and other's said - i was actually going to tell you I didn't mean to cause a whole line comments directed at you. But this last comment of your's is a little ridiculous, I have to say. I'm sorry that others took what I said and ran with it, and I'm sorry that you feel like you were jumped. I did, in fact read your entire post, as well as the entire story.

• Bacon, As a matter of fact I DID read your entire post, and I still think you're a jackass. And that is a statement I backup because your comments were something a jackass would say. You calling me a "lil cocksucker" is both immature, and flat out false. #1, I'm not "lil" nor am I a "cocksucker". I can only assume that your only experience in life so far has been a short stint as an EMT/firefighter (you many years do you have on the job?), because you're using that to assume that you know how to react during any and every situation "we're drilled time and time again is ALWAYS call for back up as you asess the situation". And something tells me that if you were to come home after your 24 hour shift at the fire house, and thought "hmm something is different, I don't recognize that car out there" you wouldn't "call for back-up". You siad the first thing you do when responding to a fire/accident/shooting etc. the first thing you do is call for back-up, THAT'S BECAUSE YOU ALREADY KNOW THERE IS SOME SORT OF EMERGENCY SITUATION JACKASS! (see I can be a computer tough guy too and type in all caps). This guy did the right thing. Maybe if he actually saw someone then he would have had a reason to call the cops before going after them, but that wasn't the case, he didn't see anyone, all he saw was a car that looked out of place. Jackass.

• Bacon, I meant no harm, nor did I intend to make you feel as though you were jumped upon. Your second post clears up what little I saw wrong with your first post. BTW, thank you for your service to the community.

• Val, You obviously drew something from my post that I hadn't said. WHERE do I say you need to call the cops for every suspicious car? You are quite the sarcastic smart ass, it's just a shame you don't READ the posts before you start your tirade....pity

• Ryan, HAD YOU ACTUALLY READ MY POST AND NOT JUST SKIMMED THROUGH IT, YOU'D SEE THAT THE WHAT IF YOU SARCASTICALLY POSTED IN YOUR REPLY WAS ONE THAT I HAD ALREADY ADDRESSED. What if the robbers HADN'T stopped at robbing the guy, and What if they had knocked him out or something before entering the house to rape his wife and children. WHAT IF he had called 911 first? Then the robbers would be caught by the police who would be coming THANKS TO THE 911 CALL... READ MY SHIT BEFORE YOU CRITICIZE IT YOU LIL COCKSUCKER...I don't normally get rude on here, but don't mistake my laid back personality for a lack of balls.... @Jadensmokes- He didn't see the bad guys when he pulled up and YES thats why he has a concealed weapons permit. I wasn't knocking his actions, and I'm glad he had the gun and got to shoot back at those punks, I was just pointing out that it is wise to always dial 911 first, you can always call them back and say it was a false alarm, they won't arrest you for that. Please don't let one opinion of mine cause you to jump on the bandwagon of common idiots. I enjoy your posts as well, and I was simply trying to start a discussion, not a fight...

• Thanks for jumping me without letting me respond folks. IF you READ the story, it says the guy pulled up and thought something was wrong. Tells me he suspected something caused him to think this. NOT just a strange car like ya'll are quick to jump to. The story makes me think it was more than a 'strange car' to him. I was just pointing out the fact that EVERYDAY in America people die senseless deaths because they FAIL to report suspicious activity to the authorities. As an EMT/Firefighter the first thing we're drilled time and time again is ALWAYS call for back up as you asess the situation. When you arrive at a fire, car accident, shooting whatever, the first thing you do is alert back up, THEN do what you can. If something happens to you, your not going to have any help coming, thats all I'm saying. I'm not faulting the guy for his actions at all, I'm just pointing out that if we stop and think before acting, we might just save ourselves and others some tragedy. THIS time the guy was able to end it with him surviving, but "What Ifs" do happen, and I'm just trying to spare one of you that is quick to call me a jackass the shame of letting someone die because you didn't call 911. Hate me if you want to for that, but I personally think all you who called me an jackass and ridiculed me for my opinion are immature and ill equipped to deal with such a conflict yourselves, so you'd better listen to me and call 911, cuz in your case the What If just might come back to bite you in the jackasses.....JMO

• Bacon, I gotta say, you're a jackass!!! Just as Val said, you want everyone to call the cops every time they see a vehicle they don't recognize?! I guess if he saw they bad guys entering his home, rather than rush in his own house and protect his family, with the gun that he is legally certified to carry, he should probably call the cops first too right? I think YOU'RE the one who needs to use some common sense. I'm sorry, you're right Bacon, he should have called the cops before the shoot out, I'm sure he pulled up to his house and thought "hmmm I don't recognize that car out on the street, so that obviously means that as soon as I get out of my car I'm undoubtedly going to be pistol whipped and robbed, ahhh never mind I'll just wait and see what happens, even though I KNOW this is about to happen to me (because I have ESP) I'll just go ahead and call the cops AFTER I shoot the bad guys and get shot myself, that makes more sense." I didn't know this hero had ESP Bacon, so yeah you're right he should have called the cops first. Jackass. That's the point of having a concealed weapons permit, to be able to protect yourself and your family if you have to! This is a perfect example for why it is so important for americans to have the right to bear arms. Bacon since you're in the business of "what if" here's one for you, what if the robbers didn't want to stop at robbing this guy? What if after robbing him they wanted to see what they could get from inside his house. Then what if, after finding his wife and kid in the house they decided they wanted to rape and murder his wife and kid? Yeah you're right, he definately should have called the cops and WAITED rather than protect his family himself. Jackass. If you have a family I feel sorry for them, because you CLEARLY could not and would not protect them if you had to. I know I would GLADLY take a bullet if it meant running off the bad guys and the safety of my family. Jackass.

• I'm loving these stories of the bad guy getting theirs! Thanks Pete, it gives me hope that the world hasn't yet gone straight to hell. Bacon, I usually like your posts, but this one was out there. I can assure you if I carried a pistol and two guys pistol whipped my ass, it wouldn't be for long before the tables were turned. I would not ask them to stop whilst I dialed 9-1-1.

• Too bad he missed one of them.

• @Bacon... There are a lot of "what ifs" you have there. This is a bad situation that turned out good. Thats all it is. Just like car accidents they can all be avoided but they happen all the time. @Val... You couldn't be more right. Who hasnt seen an unfamiliar car parked on their street?? Hell, who hasnt felt like they're being followed home, or thought someone was in there home just to find out its no one.

• BaconBully.. So you want all of us to call the cops every time we see a car on our street, at any hour, that isn't one we recognize? Really? Man... Since my little country road is used as a back way to get between counties, I guess I'd have to call about every strange car that pulls over while they try to find there way on a map or GPS or talk on their phone...

• Glad this guy had his gun on him, but AGAIN I have to ask, since this story was so similar to the one in NY, WHY DIDN'T HE CALL THE COPS BEFORE THE SHOOTOUT?! Seems like in both cases, the homeowner suspected foul play, and decided to investigate on their own. That's all fine and dandy, but what if the robbers had been successful? There would be few leads or clues because both folks forgot to call 911 first, THEN investigate. What if the mans wife and daughter hadn't heard shots, what if the assailants had stabbed the man, taken his gun, AND money and left him on the ground to die?!? He wouldn't be saved by an ambulance because no one would have ever known. I'm all for self defense, but use your best weapon FIRST before you use a gun, USE YOU BRAIN/COMMON SENSE and alert someone, THEN go play Rambo. What if the guy had been injured, and his family murdered as he lay on the grass? He would feel like shit the rest of his life for not calling for help. JMO

TotalComments: 23