Two Teens Shot in Louisville after Breaking into House, Killing Family Dog

Two teenage boys were shot in south Louisville last week after the homeowner says they broke into her house and killed their dog, WDRB.com reports.

The home invasion occurred around 12:30 p.m., when witnesses say they heard several gunshots, a pause, followed by several more gunshots.

At the scene, police found one juvenile male who had been shot in the leg. Another juvenile male was found one street over. He had been shot through the back. Both are expected to survive.

“I mean, it’s a shame that you have to protect your house like that, but someone comes in your house like that while you’re home, then I guess you have that right,” Gary Dickman told WDRB.com.

Dickman, who lives across the street, said that he and other neighbors recently installed security cameras because teenagers have been breaking into homes and cars in the area. He even says he chased away a group of teens trying to break into the home currently under investigation.

Another witness, who asked WLKY.com not to be identified, said he found the teen who had been shot in the leg.

“I just heard the gunshots and I came outside and the little boy was on the ground. I just applied pressure to his wounds and told him to calm down and keep calm, that he’d be all right,” the witness said.

“He told me, ‘I’m 16.’ I was asking him because I was trying to keep him. I was like, ‘What’s your name, where do you live, what’s your mom’s number,’ and I was clapping in his ears,” the witness said.

No charges have been filed, but there are conflicting reports as to the exact nature of the events.

The homeowner told WDRB.com that her husband shot both juveniles after they entered the home. The teens didn’t realize the husband was home, she says, and he shot them at some point after they killed the family dog.

The WLKY report, on the other hand, does not include an interview with the homeowner. That report presents the shootings as separate but “related,” and notes that “police are asking for the community’s help in finding the shooters.”

No report includes an interview with the shooter(s), who appears to have fled the scene. This decision will likely come back to bite him even if the shooting occurred in a self-defense situation.

The US Concealed Carry Association points out that the first 48 hours after a self-defense shooting are the most crucial hours in the investigation. What you do during these two days can determine whether the court rules the shooting a justifiable homicide or the prosecuting attorney sends you to jail.

The article includes some great advice, but the biggest takeaway is to make sure the prosecuting attorney can’t paint you as a bloodthirsty gun-carrier looking for a fight. Speak as little as possible, don’t tamper with the crime scene, and make sure you have an attorney present during any police questioning.

The danger doesn’t end after the bad guy is on the ground. A firearm owner needs to know what to do in the aftermath of a self-defense shooting if he or she wants to come through the process unscathed.