Man With Alzheimers Shot By Homeowner After Ringing Doorbell

[Hotwire]

Something tells me Charl will defned the homeowner and blame the old man for this.

A 72-year-old man with advanced Alzheimer's has been shot dead by a homeowner after he rang the bell at the stranger's house when he became lost and confused in the middle of the night.

Ronald Westbrook rang the doorbell of a home at 4am on Wednesday after wandering around in the dark for almost four hours in rural Walker County, Georgia. He had walked around three miles from his home by the time he approached the door.

The shooter was identified as Joe Hendrix, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, according to Sheriff Steve Wilson said.

Mr Westbrook rang the door bell and turned the door handle of the home in the new development where Hendrix had just moved in with his fiancée.

The woman, who has not been identified, called 911 and was on the phone with a dispatcher when Hendrix confronted the elderly man in the yard with a 40-caliber handgun.

Mr Westbrook, an Air Force veteran, did not respond to the commands that Hendrix issued to him because Alzheimer's Disease has left the72-year-old practically mute.
Hendrix fired four shots with one bullet striking Mr Westbrook in the chest and killing him.

The victim's body was removed from the scene at 10.30am on Wednesday.

It is unlikely that Hendrix will be charged with any crime, according to The Chattanoogan.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2514803/Man-Alzheimers-shot-homeowner-ringing-doorbell.html

 

[Tropico]

Agreed.

 

[KevanG]

And yet more shootings. Maybe 'someone' should suggest some sort of gun control. Hmm?

 

[NewYorkSpider]

Who was watching him? For someone who has advanced Alzheimer's, I find it hard to believe he was alone.

 

[brett66]

Hmm, it's a non-compliant, clearly not in a right state of mind old person... I could just punch him the face... or shoot him in the leg... or not shoot him at all and just let him wander around my yard... Naaaahh. Might as well shoot him four times in the chest since he's likely to be the Michael Myers type and get back up after I run in to call the police.

 

[Hotwire]

Who was watching him? For someone who has advanced Alzheimer's, I find it hard to believe he was alone.

It happens. I met a man once who's wife wandered off and was lost in the forest for 3 days.

 

[DJ_KiDDvIcIOUs]

Freaking hell, another senseless death by someone who is trigger happy. What harm did an old guy pose to this man? And why in the world is he not being charged?! Sick and tired of this kind of junk going on in America and nobody in their right mind wants to say we should do something about it and actually do it...smdh

 

[Schlosser85]

It is unlikely that Hendrix will be charged with any crime

When exactly did we enter this alternate reality where it's acceptable to blow away someone for ringing your doorbell?

Sorry if Mr. Hendrix pees his pants so easily, but that wasn't Mr. Westbrook's fault.

I also wonder who was supposed to be caring for Westbrook, though.

 

[Pink Ranger]

Nice to know that the stand your ground doctrine isn't just for young black men anymore: it now applies to women and feeble elderly people with dementia. Just keep shootin' your way to heavenly salvation, America!

 

[Fallen Angel]

When exactly did we enter this alternate reality where it's acceptable to blow away someone for ringing your doorbell?

Sorry if Mr. Hendrix pees his pants so easily, but that wasn't Mr. Westbrook's fault.

I also wonder who was supposed to be caring for Westbrook, though.

Agree with all three points you've made but i am wondering about point #3 as well. This is a 72 year old man who has Alzheimer's where was the carers or his family?

 

[Pink Ranger]

Even if you diligently look after an elderly person who's not altogether there, there's going to be the odd occasion where they're going to be out of your sight. Unless you put them in a facility (which more people should do, but that's a separate argument) they're going to have the occasional bad moments.

 

[Warhammer]

If there aren't any small details that have been left out, then I can't wait to see someone defend the homeowner who blew the man away. I also can't wait to see the unholy s*** storm that will follow.

 

[Xeno]

Agree with all three points you've made but i am wondering about point #3 as well. This is a 72 year old man who has Alzheimer's where was the carers or his family?

The article said the man had been missing for four hours before he was murdered at 4 AM. He got out of his home late at night. Even the most diligent caregivers have to sleep sometime, so it's possible that the man left while the household was in bed for the night. People with dementia are capable of opening doors and walking long distances in spite of their mental disabilities.

 

[Tropico]

When exactly did we enter this alternate reality where it's acceptable to blow away someone for ringing your doorbell?

There are some people in this board that think that it's a naive and idiotic alternate reality where it ISN'T acceptable. Where you get what you deserve if you disturb people in the wee hours of the night.

Meanwhile, it's not cool for shop owners to go to the roof of their business with a firearm to defend it from looters during a riot. They have a GOOD reason to do what they're doing and you have no right to shoot at them as they destroy and steal your merchandise.

 

[the_ultimate_evil]

though i do agree with the right to defend your family or home with full force, this is just insane.

even if the "attacker" doesnt respond after you have fired what could be called a warning shot you should be smart enough to see there was something wrong with the situation.

this guy was trigger happy or cant shoot for crap to have to fire 4 shots

as for people asking about the carers working with someone who has Alzheimers isnt easy they can be very hard to keep track of depending on they're mental state at the time

i once had the police arrive at my door to arrest me when my grandmother had phoned them to claim i was holding her kidnapped in her own home

my grandmother had early alzheimers, a stroke and was legally blind in one eye but she was declared sound enough to live alone, but at the day i had told her she couldnt go out on her own has she was only out of hospital. its a minefield

 

[Octoberist]

I do have to say that, it depends on the situation. But it's 72 year old man and I didn't know of his condition, I probably would've shot at the ground or something to scare him off. Not kill him.

Even then, you got a young dude vs an old man, who was probably tired and decrepit, it's best to use your judgement. Who says the young guy was a smart person with common sense? The old man probably was harmless to boot.

 

[Victarion]

This doesn't make sense. Who doesn't check to see who's at the door first?

 

[Fallen Angel]

What, so you couldn't overpower and safely restrain this confused aged gentleman on the off chance he did attempt to attack you? He really needed to use deadly force with a firearm before considering other factors that may be in play and other possible courses of action? and that's totally cool with the law enforcement authorities down that neck of the woods? Insanity.

 

[Hal_Jordan]

Being held accountable for shooting someone to death is anti-Murican!

Cuz, GUNZ! and 2nd amendment YEAH! Git offa mah propertah! PEW PEW PEW!

 

[Lead Cenobite]

Because you can't **** around with an unarmed old man with Alzheimers who's outside your locked house, it's kill or be killed!

 

[charl_huntress]

LOL...I wasn't going to click on this when I saw it was from Hotwire and I'm actively ignoring him/her, but I just had too....lol.

Interesting that the homeowner won't be charged. That's the LAW for ya! Respect them normal operating hours...that's all I'm saying.

The only really interesting thing I find about this article is the guy fired four shots and only ONE hit him in the chest. What was he doing? Does it say if he hit him anywhere else? I can't hear the news report.

There are some people in this board that think that it's a naive and idiotic alternate reality where it ISN'T acceptable. Where you get what you deserve if you disturb people in the wee hours of the night.

Meanwhile, it's not cool for shop owners to go to the roof of their business with a firearm to defend it from looters during a riot. They have a GOOD reason to do what they're doing and you have no right to shoot at them as they destroy and steal your merchandise.

Since this is obviously meant for me, I'll just go ahead and say if the looters are already in your store then man up and go confront them looters in the store. If you're too much of a punk to do that then put down the gun and run. Nuff said and I'll say no more on this.

 

[Lantern Venom]

If I may adapt a quote from President Grant in Wild Wild West:

"America, not every situation calls for your patented approach of shoot first, shoot later, shoot some more and then when everybody's dead try to ask a question or two."

 

[RetrogradeOrbit]

Words fail me...

We're talking about an old, confused man that was probably scared out of his wits. And the homeowner thinks the solution is to shoot at that person 4 times when they didn't respond to his commands.

Really?

You don't think that it might be pretty obvious that the person on your lawn is "not quite all there"?
At the very least, the shooter has to be charged with manslaughter. An incident like this has to have resolution, or dare I say it? Justice.

If I may adapt a quote from President Grant in Wild Wild West:
"America, not every situation calls for your patented approach of shoot first, shoot later, shoot some more and then when everybody's dead try to ask a question or two."

Couldn't agree more.

 

[jmc]

I do have to say that, it depends on the situation. But it's 72 year old man and I didn't know of his condition, I probably would've shot at the ground or something to scare him off. Not kill him.

Even then, you got a young dude vs an old man, who was probably tired and decrepit, it's best to use your judgement. Who says the young guy was a smart person with common sense? The old man probably was harmless to boot.

The shear fact you'd even shoot at the ground towards a 72 year old man is what scares me about the US.

 

[Hotwire]

Interesting that the homeowner won't be charged. That's the LAW for ya! Respect them normal operating hours...that's all I'm saying.

And I was right.