The Virginian-Pilot
©
SUFFOLK
A tire change may have been a burglar's undoing Friday night.
An attempt to burglarize Butler's Store, on Godwin Boulevard, had been unsuccessful. The store's owner, John Butler, said he heard an intruder try to kick in the door and had chased him away, but the intruder managed to drive off and escape unharmed.
"I coulda dropped him," said Butler, who'd come running out of his store with a 9 mm in his hands. He and his wife live in an apartment in the back of the store, he said, and they'd just been burglarized a few weeks ago.
"The thought did cross my mind," he said. "But then I thought, 'No, I don't want to do it.' And my wife, she was inside here crying, and she'd be upset."
So, Butler said, he fired at the tires on the escaping 1997 Chevy, hitting the front left one. The burglar drove off, and police arrived soon after.
Butler was on his way to police headquarters to give a statement when he saw something funny in a 7-Eleven parking lot.
"Car exactly like the way I was saying," he said. "Trunk open. The fella was changing the tire." Butler called 911.
Matthew Freeman has been charged with breaking and entering and possession of burglary tools, police spokeswoman Debbie George said.
Alicia Wittmeyer, (757) 222-5216, alicia.wittmeyer@pilotonline.com
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What were the police doing
The owner saw the suspect's car at a well lighted market and called 911?? I have also heard that another relative of the victim saw the suspect walking down the road and called the police???? What were the police doing? I bet they were asking Mr. Butler where he was standing when he fired his pistol. Marking Mr. Butler's shell casing and collecting as much evidence as possible on Mr. Butler. And after all this time passes, Mr. Butler is the one that spots the car??? Where were the policemen??? This should be watched very closely by everyone....The victim has a good chance of coming out as the bad guy.
I also noted that the Butlers live in an Apartment in the store, so this was not only burglarizing a business, this was a home invasion. I think Mr. Butler showed great restraint in not killing old Matthew. I hope I would be as charitable. I would not have let him open that car door - I have no idea on what he is going to come out with. And that automobile is a deadly weapon.
Good job John Robert..............POP would have dropped him!
Thanks
Thanks to the storeowner for not killing someone over possesions. If the person was leaving the scene of the crime and no was hurt at the scene....thank goodness no one was hurt after the scene. The criminal got waht he derserved. Mr Bulter thanks for not adding to the body count this year over material items. Smart thinking, good aim and good eye!! Things can be replaced but people cannot and neither can the idea of killing someone. I believe peole should own guns if they are responsible enough to have them Mr Bulter demonstrated this ability. I hope nothing develops over it and no charges are bought to him.
jury trial
If it goes to trial, ask for a trial by jury. I doubt you would find a jury that would convict - especially if it is a jury of his business owning peers.
And the Winner is.....
Matthew Freeman is the latest Darwin Award Winner. Good work John, even though you will come under intense scrutiny for using a handgun by shooting at an occupied vehicle, which was operated by an alleged unarmed fleeing felon. I can't wait to see how Commonwealth's Attorney Phil Ferguson rules on this. I hope the Pilot stays on top of this story, for a change.
Good job!
This is why I never leave my house without my gun, never know when you may need it! Good job!
Charges may be coming
I strongly suspect they might charge the business owner for shooting at the suspects car. His life was not in any danger as the susepct was fleeing, so techically he had to reason to fire his weapon. The suspects lucky he wasnt hit, but the man firing the weapon is probably even luckier. Dont get me wrong, Im all for what he did. But with the way the legal system is, he could be in a world of poo poo.
apology and thank you
I'd say the suspect owes Mr Butler a Thank You for making a good decision in not shooting him.
Should give him a...........
The city should give him a box of shells. But instead some DA will be probably be looking at some shooting charge to bust him on. One always takes a chance protecting your property now days. How did we let it get like this?
I thought the same thing
My first thought was exactly as yours. I fear for the victim. He deserves a medal, but may get an arrest warrant instead. I'll be watching this case, closely.
"I coulda dropped him,"
Yes and it would have been ruled self defense, because it's Suffolk. Don't get me wrong, I favor shooting burglars or in this case attempted burglars as much as the next man, but it makes me wonder, how long before the wrong person gets killed?