Caleb Gordley wanted to go to a party Saturday night.

[Robb]

Caleb Gordley wanted to go to a party Saturday night. But the 16-year-old was grounded because he hadn’t cleaned his room. So he decided he’d sneak out of his Loudoun County house to be with his friends.

When he left the party at about 2 a.m., Caleb needed to sneak home. His friends dropped him off and helped hoist him through a back window. But Cabeb had been drinking and had gone to the wrong house. The brick homes on his street are similar, and Caleb was two doors down from his own.

The homeowner heard his burglar alarm sound, grabbed his gun and went to investigate. When the two met on the stairs inside the house, the man said he told the teen to leave and fired a warning shot, according to a law enforcement official with knowledge of the investigation.

Caleb didn’t stop, and the homeowner fired again, striking and killing the teen, the official said.



A day later, Caleb’s friends and family were trying to figure out how this promising, well-liked athlete, who stayed out of trouble and generally listened to his parents, could have died in such a way....

Read More: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/loudoun-teen-fatally-shot-by-homeowner-identified/2013/03/18/1e8611f8-8fe2-11e2-9cfd-36d6c9b5d7ad_story.html

[panader0]

1. Quite a few years ago, about 35 or so, I got plastered on New Years Eve.

My brother had to come pick me up from the bar and drove me, not home, but to my parent's house.
He was bummed at me and left me in the car, and when I came to, I wandered inside, to the house next door.
The couch had the same material, I saw it and passed out. My next memory was of the babysitter trying, rather scared, to wake me up.
I came to, totally embarrassed. The neighbors were still out partying and the next day were very pissed.
I went to their home and apologized, then drove to the babysitters home and apologized. The next day The neighbors tried to have me arrested, but the judge said that I had tried to atone, and let it go. I was lucky.

[Neurotica]

2. Tragic...and the response from many in our area has been vile

Many commenters on the WaPo and local papers have applauded the actions of the homeowner, even upon learning the details of the situation. Truly despicable.

I'm sure the homeowner feels terrible about what transpired. I just don't understand why he had to shoot to kill.

[HughBeaumont]

3. Ah, yet another Second Amendment Solution solving a temporary problem.

What, a warning shot wouldn't have done the trick?

[MindPilot]

4. According to the story a warning shot was fired.

And then the guy kept coming.

As long we are going to Monday Morning Quarterback this thing, at that point I have to take the homeowner's side.

Yeah, a horrible tragedy that should not have happened, but in the same situation, I think a lot of us would have done the same thing.

[HughBeaumont]

5. See, the story I read left out the "warning shot" part.

Still, why shoot to kill? I'm assuming the lights are on at this point and if "coming after" means "not in any way drawing a gun", was shooting to kill necessary? Take his foot or hand or something; I'm sure he was a decent-enough shot to do so.

We all do stupid things. Was it necessary for this kid to die for his stupid thing?