A Ledbetter-area business owner fatally shot a suspected burglar Sunday morning, the second time in three weeks that he killed an intruder, Dallas police said.

James Walton, owner of Able Walton Machine & Welding in the 2000 block of Chalk Hill Road in West Dallas, was alerted to the intruder when his motion sensor system activated about 9 a.m. Sunday, police said.

Mr. Walton, who also lives at his business, went downstairs with a shotgun and fired at a man who had broken in. The intruder was later identified by police as Jimmy Gannon of Ferris.

Police said Mr. Walton also noticed another man outside Sunday. Mr. Walton shot and wounded that man. He escaped, but a witness eventually led police to him. The man, whom police did not immediately identify, was questioned by officers Sunday afternoon.

Mr. Gannon, 37, was taken to Methodist Dallas Medical Center, where he died.

Police said Mr. Walton is allowed to protect his property. No charges were filed against him Sunday, though the case will be referred to a grand jury, police said.

“He’s got a right to defend his property. What gives a stranger the right to go in and vandalize or burglarize his business?” said Dallas police Sgt. Gene Reyes. “He’s within every legal right to do this.”

Full Story Here:
West Dallas business owner kills 2 suspected burglars in 3 weeks

I love it when the good guys win one, and this is also one of the biggest reasons I love living in Texas, we have very generous gun laws and the right to protect the home or business is an absolute RIGHT.

About 18 years ago I was living in Dallas and we were burglarized one night, about 2:00AM, I was lying in bed reading, my wife was asleep, my son was asleep in between us, my twin girls were about a year old, they were in their baby beds and my oldest girl was asleep in her bedroom.

I heard the window open in the front of the house and heard the blinds being moved around so I got up to see what was up, it was cold that night but it was stuffy in the house and I assumed that the oldest girl had got up and opened a window, well, long story short, I walked by the bedrooms and the babies were asleep, I walked by the oldest girls room and she was out like a light so I looked in the living room and there the guy was, disconnecting the TV and VCR.

Well, he didn’t get too far, I kicked him square in the groin and kind of put his lights out for him, but when the Dallas P.D. showed up the very 1st question they 1st cop on the scene asked me was, “Why didn’t you shoot the SOB? It would make a lot less paperwork on us, and we don’t charge a homeowner any extra for removing dead carcases from the premises…”

And he was damn serious too, and by now ALL the kids are up and I looked at him and said, “Do you have kids at home officer??” and he said no, he didn’t, all I could do was shake my head in disbelief.

“I caught the guy FOR you, you see I have my wife, 4 kids and the dog here and you ask me WHY I didn’t shoot him?? Shoot in the dark with a house full of KIDS?? I have NO problem with shooting him if these kids or the wife is in danger but this guy will NEVER have kids, I blew his balls up with that kick and YOU ask ME why I didn’t shoot him?? I put him DOWN and he stayed down, what the hell else do you want??”

His Sgt. told him to go 10-8, he’d take the rest of the report.

I am fully in support of the right to keep and bear arms and in using a gun to protect yourself and your property, and now a days the kids are grown and it’s just 2 of us here in the house and it’s easy to keep a precise account of where WE are, but with gun ownership comes owner responsibility, and I applaud this business owner and his actions, but if you’re not 100% sure of your target or the consequences of firing in the dark, a good ass-kicking and an arrest isn’t too bad an outcome either.

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