Someone breaking into your house can be pretty scary, and having someone break in while you’re home can be even scarier.
And as Baton Rouge ranks 11th in the 2009 FBI Uniform Crime Report for cities between 100,000 to 249,999 people, many people are purchasing burglar alarms, security cameras and guns for safety.
Being armed during a break-in can make a person feel protected, but it can also cause problems.
Late at night Jan. 28, Keith Brown allegedly kicked in the door of the home of Richard Alexander, a Baton Rouge man, in an apparent burglary attempt. After grabbing a gun and chasing Brown into the driveway, Alexander shot Brown, according to the Advocate.
Alexander called the police and told them he shot Brown because he had grabbed at his waistline — a movement appearing as if he grabbed for a gun.
The shooting occurred outside the home, so Louisiana’s “shoot-a-burglar” law no longer applied. The police booked Alexander with manslaughter.
When I read the story, I began to wonder what would go through a man’s head when someone breaks into his house, and what outside factors would cause him to act this way.
Associate English professor and retired Navy Capt. Ricky Blackwood said fear could influence someone’s decision to shoot. He said police officers have emptied entire magazines after being startled.
Blackwood also said during war, many casualties occur during friendly fire because of choices made “in moments of terror.”
Clearly, fear played a part in the shooting.
Blackwood said being burglarized is a traumatizing experience — he has also been burglarized in the past.
“[Having] someone inside your house is very scary,” Blackwood said.
Daily Reveille cartoonist Lacye Beauregard was burglarized on Jan. 29. She agreed with Blackwood’s statements concerning what it feels like to know someone has entered your home and gone through your things.
“I felt extremely violated and mad,” she said.
She was not home when the burglar broke in. Imagine a person’s reaction when someone breaks in. Naturally, people want to protect themselves and their belongings. Such a threat could lead to an irrational decision.
“Fear and anger [can be] closely aligned,” Blackwood said.
Having his door kicked in could have startled Alexander, and at the same time angered him. His levels of fear and anger were probably off the charts.
On top of the initial terror, both Blackwood and Beauregard expressed fear the burglar could return.
“I’m worried they’re not done,” Beauregard said. “They might come back.”
Alexander could have expected Brown to come back if let go. Brown may have returned armed.
The LSU Police Department posted a video to its website Jan. 31 informing students what to do if there’s ever a shooting on campus. LSUPD said the best thing to do is to hide, find a way to protect yourself and decide whether to fight back.
If a shooting did occur, would the student who kills a shooter if he’s running away be considered a hero or be charged with manslaughter?
I know that’s extreme, but take it back to Alexander’s case. Brown didn’t have a gun, but he could have had one.
Alexander clearly didn’t hide, but he did find a way to protect himself — and fight back.
Alexander clearly had a moment to stop but didn’t. Fear and anger had a compelling influence on him, causing him to shoot another man.
Yes, he acted outside the law, but hopefully, if the case is taken to court, the jury will understand the fear and anger Alexander experienced and realize forceful outside emotions can have the power to cause someone to break laws.
Chris Grillot is a 19-year-old mass communication and English sophomore from New Orleans. Follow him on Twitter @TDR_Cgrillot.
 
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Contact Chris Grillot at [email protected]