Well, now we’re getting somewhere. It is nice to see more law enforcement calling for citizens to defend themselves. Sheriffs like Joe Arpaio and Mark Lamb have the right idea on how to be tough on crime. Likewise, they are strong on empowering citizens to defend themselves against criminals. And now, Florida Sheriff Bob Johnson joins the chorus and promotes citizens shooting home intruders.

Florida Sheriff Promotes Citizens Shooting Home Intruders in Defense

In a recent public announcement regarding the capture of a career criminal, Sheriff Bob Johnson details the suspect’s sordid history. According to Johnson, the Santa Rosa Sheriff’s Office has been dealing with the suspect for years:

“You hear me talk about frequent flyers all the time. Our first interaction with this individual came when he was 13 years old. Since then, he’s had like 17 arrests.”

Likewise, the suspect spent 6 and a half years in prison, where he apparently did not learn anything. His sentence was the result of home invasion, which he promptly returned to. The genius now faces a litany of charges.

According to Fox News, “Calls of the break-ins began to come into the sheriff’s office at around 4:30 p.m., according to police. Harris is being charged with attempted burglary with assault, resisting arrest, criminal mischief, attempted larceny, and several other charges.”

Fortunately, one homeowner was not having any of it and decided to defend their home.

In the announcement, Johnson states, “Probably 20 deputies get there, the dogs are out, and he’s jumping fences and breaking into houses as he goes. One of the homeowners, he was breaking into their house, and they shot at him. So, he continues to run, we finally corner him in a house that he broke into on Tom Sawyer, and we cornered him in a bedroom.”

According to the statement, officers captured the suspect immediately after.

A Sad Commentary

Unfortunately, we are living in times when law-abiding gun owners defending themselves are considered villains while criminals are considered saints. For this reason, the homeowner who shot at the suspect is seemingly uncomfortable with coming forward. But Sheriff Johnson has a word of encouragement for the homeowner:

“I guess they think they did something wrong, which they did not. If someone’s breaking into your house, you’re more than welcome to shoot them in Santa Rosa County. We prefer that you do, actually. So, whoever that was, you’re not in trouble, come see us. We have a gun safety class we put on every other Saturday.”

This is a refreshing change of pace from nonsense advice—like running at a violent criminal blowing a whistle—coming from the left.

However, it might not be the police or conviction that the homeowner is afraid of, it’s likely the unhinged left. But that is all the more reason to take Sheriff Johnson up on his offer for gun safety classes. At some point, someone is going to figure out who that person is, and who knows where that will go? They may really want to be able to hit the intruder this time.

Not to mention, if the shooter is doxed and targeted for attack, Sheriff Johnson would like them to do the county a favor and hit them. He says that taking the course will help participants shoot a lot better and save the taxpayers money.

Unfortunately, Sheriff Johnson laments that this wasn’t the case in this instance.

He goes on to say, “Of course, he didn’t get hit and now we have to pay for him.”

I could be wrong, but I think police have had enough of coddling criminals.