The Second Amendment In Action, Granny's Got a Gun ... and Uses It

From ABCNews.com http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=1302793

Granny's Got a Gun ... and Uses It

Keeps Gun at Her Bedside

Nov. 11, 2005 ? A 66-year-old grandmother is giving new meaning to the saying, "Don't Mess With Texas." Susan Gaylord Buxton of Arlington, Texas, shot an intruder who broke into her home using the .38-caliber handgun she keeps by her bedside. The intruder, Christopher Lessner, 22, suffered a leg wound and is now in jail.

"I was scared, I was terrified and I was really, really angry that he was in my house," Buxton said. "He could have harmed me or my granddaughter."

Buxton, a cartoonist and an artist, had already gone to bed for the night. But at 12:45 a.m. on Wednesday, she got up to let one of her puppies outside. She took her gun with her in case a coyote tried to attack her dog in the yard.

On her way downstairs, Buxton noticed that her granddaughter, Mandy Davis, was awake because she had heard a noise like breaking glass. Buxton walked out on her back porch and let her dog out, who began sniffing two big muddy footprints on the porch ? a red flag, since they hadn't any rain in about six weeks.

Then Buxton and Davis noticed other odd things: the door to a backroom was ajar allowing the family cats to escape and other items in the room were in disarray. They discussed calling the police, but instead decided to methodically check the house on their own ? with a spotlight and her gun in hand.

After checking the entire house, they realized the only place they hadn't checked was the coat closet ? and there was Lessner.

"This big, 6-foot-1, really big, buff man jumped out," Buxton said.

As Buxton dealt with the intruder, Davis called 911 to get help.

Lessner was on the run from police who were trying to ticket him for speeding in a stolen car earlier that night.

Buxton ordered Lessner to "get down" but he refused. She fired one warning shot into the air and then she shot him in the leg. But Lessner still managed to run out the front door.

Police apprehended him near Buxton's home.

"They found him bleeding and cowering on a neighbor's balcony," Buxton said.

Buxton has owned a handgun for 12 years, but this was her first time shooting anybody, she said. Buxton bought the gun 12 years ago after she says someone tried to kidnap one of her grandchildren while she was baby-sitting.

She has taken a shooting course where she was trained to aim for the torso, but she said she aimed for the leg instead.

"I didn't want to kill him," Buxton said.

The police took Buxton's gun as part of the investigation. In the meantime, she's carrying her other gun, a 9-millimeter semi-automatic. Buxton has a permit to carry a handgun and will not be charged with a crime because she was defending herself.

Lessner is facing charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, evading arrest, criminal mischief and criminal trespass. Now that he's out of the hospital, he's sitting in jail.

"I'm glad he's in jail," Buxton said. "That's where he belongs."
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One thing in this article nags at me:

Why did the author feel obliged to include this? Last time I checked law abiding Texans can keep a handgun in their house with out a permit and shooting trespassers in their houses is almost a requirement if you want to be called a true Texan.

MacE, Reporters, as a rule do not understand the second amendment nor are they interested in promoting the notion that we are individually responsible for our own well being. After a few years of brainwashing (Schooling) they become experts on how the government is responsible for keeping the peace and those of us who think otherwise are a throwback from a more violent and barbaric time. Of course, you already knew that!

Good article Steve and a great question. The whole idea of needing a permit to carry a weapon is something I take grave issue with, but it has been an effective way for many states to protect law-abiding citizens from the gun-grabbing socialists.

I would imagine the reason for the inclusion of the statement is just reflective of the ignorance, and perhaps contempt, of the journalist. Texas has long had protections for homeowners to use deadly force to stop anyone illegally entering their home, so inclusion of the observation she has a permit isn't relevant to the story.

I agree with the statements thus far over the "permit" qualifier by the reporter. What I don't agree with is Mrs. Buxton's actions. Why would she even consider shooting him in the leg? And why does she think he belongs in jail? She should have fallen back on her training and dumped a couple of slugs into the man's heart. That way, he would never threaten another grandmother again, and the fine taxpayers of Texas wouldn't be responsible for keeping him in food, shelter, clothing, and medical/legal services.

Oh, and another thing Buxton, if they guy had been hopped up on heroin or pcp, he may have taken the gun away from you and killed you and your grand daughter.

Here in the Soviet of Rochester, New York, things are a bit different. A friend of mine was ambushed from behind at by someone twice his size. He managed to pull out his licensed .25, and politely asked the thug to stop hitting him. The thug's response was to punch him in the neck, causing him to reflexively pull the trigger. The slug went between a couple of ribs, and put the thug down permanently. After investigating, the cops took my friend to breakfast, gave him some cigarettes, and sent him home, as it was an obvious case of self-defense.
Our fearless county district attorney sent the case to the grand jury, which wasted no time finding that the killing was in self-defense. A couple of weeks later, my friend received notice that his permit was revoked and he had to turn in his weapons. It appears that the DA decided it was too dangerous to allow someone who had actually used a firearm to defend himself to keep the firearm. According to the DA, the only way to reduce the homicide rate (and Rochester has an extremely high homicide rate) is to "get guns off the street." It appears this tireless crime fighter lacks the judgement to differentiate between guns being used to commit crimes and guns used to defend oneself. I can't help wondering whether there's a connection between the DA's lack of judgment and the rising homicide rate since he took office. The prior DA made it clear that shootings in self-defense were perfectly justified. Every so often a shopkeeper or homeowner would shoot a robber or burglar, but the homicide rate was quite a bit more under control.
Off the soapbox.