Shop owner shoots burglar
Fox 29
SAN ANTONIO – A business owner said he was protecting his family when he shot a burglar on Monday morning.
It happened around 7 a.m. at an auto repair shop in the 1400 block of W. Commerce near South Colorado on the West side.
Mike Bryan, the repair shop owner, said he’s been in the area for 14 years without a problem because of a recent break-in next door. He said he was totally prepared to protect his business and his family.
After seeing a suspected burglar breaking into his shop, Bryan told his daughter to call police and he grabbed his gun.
Bryan fired two times – a warning shot and then one that hit a man in the neck.
Police said the burglary suspect ran and was caught two blocks away.
Police believe the alleged burglar is a homeless man and Bryan said officers are checking to see if he was responsible for the burglary next door.
Mike Bryan was prepared to defend his business and protect his family. He had been in the area for 14 years and never saw a problem with crime. The day before, the business next to him gets burglarized and he becomes determined to not be a victim.
Literally, the next day, at 7am, he sees someone trying to break into his shop. His daughter with him, he instructs her to call the police while he armed himself.
After firing a warning shot, the intruder was undeterred, and Mike Bryan fired again; this time shooting the intruder in the neck and ending his assault.
Mike Bryan did almost everything correct. He assessed the threat when a neighbor was burglarized. He got in the right mindset to defend himself. He prepared to defend himself with a firearm.
When he saw the intruder he had his daughter call 911 and went to defend his shop and family. The only problem comes when he fired a warning shot. I do not know how the police in San Antonio will interpret this, but in many places this would be a sign that your life was not in danger and thus discharging your firearm was unnecessary.
Taking aim and firing at someone in self defense must be under the pretense that your life was in danger. If your life is in danger, you DO NOT fire a warning shot. Firing a warning shot is not only illegal in most places, but it could also extend a confrontation that would have ended had you taken an actual shot.
Most people do not want to shoot and kill someone, but when your life is threatened it is important to act accordingly. Firing a warning shot is not a prudent action when you or your families life is on the line.
