Steve Thompson  on December 1st, 2007

Mr. Horn chose to go outside with a loaded, ready to fire shotgun, against the (repeated) recommendation of the 911 Operator.

Listen to this bloated windbag as he tried to impress the 911 Operator with his bravado, what is soooo brave about shooting 2 guys who were armed with crowbars?!?

Joe Horn is a murderer, he is not a hero. Yes those 2 burglars probably weren’t the best human beings however there can be no excuse for killing someone over property.

I hope this “righteous” man rots in jail for a long time.

Kathy T  on December 3rd, 2007

Steve, I hate to say it but you are a sniveling coward and and an idiot — I just thank God that you do not live next door to me and my daughters and I pray you do not have a wife and daughters to protect (God help them). We’ve already lost the protection of our government, our law officials, and our courts and live each day at the mercy of the bane of our society (thugs, thieves, illegals, drug addicts, rapists, murders, pedophiles, etc). If we cannot count on our good neighbors to stand by our side and defend us, then we may as well all give up and give everything we own to the criminals. Mr. Horn is a hero and I wish he’d move to my neighborhood.

Those who say property is not worth a life obviously have no clue of the laws and values this country was founded on and have obviously never been violated. Steve may want to allow the scumbags to come in and take his hard earned possessions (yet I notice he didn’t post his home address here and invite the scumbags to take visit him). Property IS worth killing for! It’s life (hours spent working and earning) that purchases property…and all that life is lost when it’s taken from you. Plus whatever those degenerates took from that home could have haunted that family for life (heirlooms, irreplaceable items) and /or put them in danger of further violations for the rest of their lives (financial information, ss#’s, credit cards, etc). Being robbed is nothing less than mental rape and scars the victim(s) for a life. What kind of man WOULD or could just stand there and let his neighbors be put through that? The answer is that no ‘real’ man would. These criminals were a waste of space on this earth, they suffered exactly the justice they deserved, and are exactly where they need to be now.. rather than being coddled in a jail somewhere only to get out (again as they had in the past) and do this to someone else. It’s sad for their families but a happy day for the rest of society. Maybe other criminals in Texas will think twice about their actions from now on. Wish they would enact these laws everywhere so the rest of the country can be safe and secure.

greg thompson  on December 3rd, 2007

Im no relation to Steve, Thank god. Kathy I couldnt have put it better. My hat is off to you. Those boys got just what they had coming to them. The great state of Texas is way ahead of the rest of the country as far as dealing with the criminal element.Im just glad I dont live in Hollywood like Steveie does. If we all had good nighbors like Joe Horn and watched each others back like that, the criminal element would be a rare creature…

Shandi  on December 4th, 2007

This guy is a hero!!! I wish “modern” men had the rocks in their pants to do what this guy did, maybe we wouldnt have so much crime if they did. FYI: America’s freedom was won with the sound of a gun. We didn’t gain our independence until some people fed up with the pansy-ass government took their shotguns and took care of business.

JR  on December 6th, 2007

Bravo Joe Horn! You can be my neighbor anytime. Also, kudos to the 911 operator who kept a cool head the entire time and performed his job to the best of his ability.

On a different note, I do find it irresponsible when a headline says he killed two ‘black’ men. Who cares what color they were? It will only create racial tension and blur the facts. Once again, you can always count on the press. *sarcastic*

Matt  on December 7th, 2007

We all have a civic responsibility to defend the rights of all good people across these lands. Without having the full story I can’t condone or support his actions. Regardless acts such as these will make others think twice before committing crimes. I support Kathy in what she says about stealing ones property. I have been a victim of theft and though it was many years ago, the “scar” is still there and the anger still lingers. And just for the record I would have not stood by and let this happen to one of my neighbors either. If the guys had gotten away my thoughts would have been they may return to my home and now I would be worried for the safety of my family!

A real Man  on December 8th, 2007

Anyone that can call this man a hero is a poor excuse for a human being. That’s why we live in the type of world we do today. These two individuals were obviously not the model citizens, but to bring their lives to an abrupt end is definately not the answer. The fact of the matter is that Justice will be served. Joe Horn, as well as everyone on this earth, will have to stand before God. I just don’t understand. If property is worth a life as some are saying, then would the same actions be justified had these two men been your two children (or Kathy T’s daughters)?? You never know what the future holds. Be careful Kathy. You might get get your “real man” neighbor, but you might also get a daughter that takes the wrong path in life. Maybe your good neighbor will put an end to that if he ever finds her in his house stealing his property. It’s a crazy world out there, and if you have any common sense, you should know that it is only going to get worse. FYI Shandi – independence is long gone.

Lieutenanant USMC  on December 14th, 2007

Well guess what folks, maybe if burglars know that someone will possibly use deadly force they will think twice about breaking in somebody ELSE’S HOME…what makes a person think they can BREAK in ANOTHER human being’s home, and expect NOT to get shot…what gives someone the RIGHT to even think they can BREAK into another person’s place where they, their family, children CHILDREN live…

Just yesterday a fellow Marine had to go home because his best friend’s mother was stabbed 15 times after 2 men (hispanic) but it doesn’t matter what their color was… forced their way into the home tied her up, ran-sacked the home, tried to find money, couldn’t so on the way out THEY JUST STABBED HER…

I hope the day never comes when you are faced with such a situation…what world do you people live in where you don’t think shit like this happens…we don’t have to be maniacs and armed to the teeth…but TEXAS and FLORIDA have it right…the best way to deter criminals is to know that people are not going to wait for the Law enforcement to show up AFTER the crime has been committed….

This isn’t about a white man shooting black men because they stole a neighbors property…its about letting CRIMINALS KNOW THEY DON’T HAVE THE RIGHT TO EVEN THINK ABOUT COMMITTING AN ACT LIKE THIS

The punishment for stealing IS NOT DEATH, but when you break into someone’s home you better expect to get shot in the face… I don’t understand why you people think that a man doesn’t have the right to shoot someone who does this ….CRIMINALS WILL LEARN unless people like you let your super-unrealistic views take the day…its sad, I’m so glad there are still people who know what the real world is and how people can act.

Kathy T  on December 18th, 2007

“A real Man?” (Well, okay, if you say so but not by my definition). If my daughters decide to take the wrong path in life, they know that they also decide – at that moment – to deal with the consequences of their actions. It would devastate me ‘more’ that they chose to violate another human being in such a manner. As a parent I have taught them that there are consequences for each decision they make in life, good or bad, and as autonomous human beings – they have to decide what those decisions will be. Would it destroy me if something like that were to happen to my children? Of course!! They’re my children. Just as I am sure the families of these men are grieving and justifiably so. But, would I fault the property owner? No, why would anyone in their right mind? I would fault my children, and probably my own parenting, but not someone else’s decision to defend against a home invasion.

And while this was a weak attempt to play on our emotions (ie this was someones ‘child’), keep in mind that we’re not talking about ‘children’. These were grown men. Do I think Mr. Horn would have shot and killed two 10 year olds for doing the same? No, based on his character I don’t think he would have, and if he had — then we would be having a whole different type of discussion. The simple truth is that this entire situation is horribly tragic. But the tragedy was caused by the decision of two men to live as criminals and to violate the human rights of innocent people — and NOT by anyone else, most especially not Joe Horn. It’s way past time for our nation to reclaim a logical mindset regarding crime and the degradation it’s causing to our society. “The criminal is NOT the victim”! Repeat as often as necessary…and then please, wake up and smell the coffee.

(Sidenote: USMC, that’s heartbreaking! I just saw a similar story where a deployed soldier was brought home to bury his 2 year old daughter because his ex-wife and her boyfriend (both convicted of abusing the child habitually) finally beat her to death because the courts kept giving her back to them! This man offered his life in service to our nation and in return, his nation via a screwed up judicial system took his child’s life. This has to change…and we can start by offering men like Joe Horn our support.)

Steve H  on July 1st, 2008

To the so-called “real-man” my first suggestion is to learn how to spell or go back to grammar school. I just happen to have two daughters, and with their current upbringing and the home in which they live, there would never be a question as to whether this kind of behavior would EVER be possible. You “definitely” have a distorted sense of reality and are reaching quite a bit by comparing anyone’s children with what these men did. Breaking and entering with the intent to commit theft is a punishable offense, and had the actual homeowner caught these two in the act and done what Joe Horn did, there wouldn’t be any question or debate here.

As far as the media is concerned, shame on you, too. Creating news headlines that specify the “victims” as black men is ludicrous. You’re just inviting idiots like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson into this for no reason. This was not racially motivated or triggered. It was circumstantial.

Additionally, for those of you reading transcripts of the 911 call, LISTEN closely to the call itself! When Mr. Horn actually DOES go outside he does not say “Boom, you’re dead!” Rather, if you listen carefully, he says “Move, you’re dead!” When you translate properly, it plays out 180 degrees differently. These guys actually came at him after he confronted them with a loaded shotgun. How stupid were they at that moment? Speaks volumes about the character of the thieves themselves, doesn’t it?

As far as Steve Thompson’s comments are concerned, don’t you find it a bit sad that the 911 operator was on the phone with Mr. Horn for better than 5 minutes from the call’s origination and there were STILL no local law enforcement officials on the scene? Had the police responded in a more timely manner, this whole incident would not have been necessary! When faced with the possibility that these thieves were going to get away, Joe Horn took matters into his own hands since the local police were too slow to reach the scene.

Good for him, and the neighbor should be thankful to have someone living next-door who cares as much as he does.

I should be so lucky to have a neighbor like Joe Horn!

Matt Pinson  on July 1st, 2008

Human is human. putting up hypotheticals about who is worth more value is despicable. The fact is: this man killed two, shot them in the back, and he got off scot free. A term in communication studies that is often used is Nacirema (American spelled backwards). Nacirema is, really, what others see us as, which, I’m sure, most of you will thumb your nose at and say “I don’t give a damn!” but truely, shit like this is why we are hated. Only in America can a man kill two people and nothing will happen to him. This isn’t a battlefield, this is a neighborhood in Texas, and when people start perceiving threats and taking lethal action against those threats, then the people start getting suspicious of each other to point of murder, then we have truly fallen.

Mike  on July 2nd, 2008

I hate how ignorant people bring God into this. God help us….blah blah blah. God help Joe Horn. This man must have a mental illness of sorts. Or perhaps hes a racist. Probally both. I know you all in Texas have a fast lane for the death penalty, but this insane. In Oregon, this fool would be in Prison for murder. Its just that simple. Texas really needs to take a look at just how they handle things. Kathy T, people like Horn make the world unsafe. Armed only with crowbars these men are murdered cause some redneck watched one to many John Wayne flicks. And if your going to toss God in the discussion please freshen up on the teachings of JESUS CHRIST!! God doesnt condone such actions.

joe  on July 2nd, 2008

Pure ignorance. He is in no way justified for what he did. Lets go stand in front of the local gas staion and blow away every child, homeless person who steals something. Yes, they
were in the wrong completly, but he knew noone was home in his neighbors residence, so everyone saying,”I have kids and I would want someone like that next to me ” makes no sense. 95% percent of home invasions happen at night. When it is justifiable to take those sorts of measures, when someone is in the house. But broad daylight, he put himself and his family in danger by step in and trying to be the hero. In my eyes, he’s not, he is for watching and calling the “proper” authoriites, but for stepping in front of some potentially danderous suspects and putting himself and his family in danger, he is a complete moron. In my opinion they didn’t charge him. Who would charge a man armed with a shotgun? When he said “boom” or “move your dead”, when he popped out and they saw him, they took off, and he shot them in there back, If he shot them when they supposedly charged him, they would of been in his yard dead, not across the street and down the block. The local police arrived 8 minutes of when he called, and 6 seconds of when he fired the shots. All in all, he is not a “real man” he is a coward for what he did, he diserves everything coming to him. He had an itchy trigger finger waiting to shoot some one, he could of fired a warning shot.

Kevin O  on July 2nd, 2008

Apparently Texas has started its own Taliban. What’s next? Why again did we fight to keep Texas?

Tim M  on July 2nd, 2008

I pity the media personnel who use their air power to promote the use of guns to allow people to take the law into their own hands. There is an idiot in Oregon, Lars Larsen, who was promoting his right to use a gun to kill anyone breaking any law. Mr Larsen also is proud of his ability to carry a loaded firearm wherever it is legal. Mr Bigmouth should go to the Mideast and put his gun where his mouth is. Matter of fact, this texas dude who loves his shotgun should be made to permanently serve his country in the front lines. This whole idea of owning guns is sickening. If you want to own a gun, join the military.

John  on July 4th, 2008

A man interfered with police work and turned a non life-threatening situation into a double homicide. He put himself, his family, the plainclothes officers, and everyone within range of his shotgun in immediate danger. He’s not a hero. He’s a jackass. The cops were less than ten seconds away.

Jennifer M.  on July 5th, 2008

I feel bad for everybody involved. Mr. Horn who has to live with the consequences of his actions. There is a higher law. No matter what has happened, I feel for him because he is a father and a grandfather. Call me naive, I just don’t feel there are many people who feel right and whole when they take someone’s life. I feel for the families of the men who died. They have to deal with the “What ifs”? I feel for the citizens in the neighborhood who in some form or fashion are affected. People go aIong life doing what they know to do.I see know winners in the sad, true story.

Hektor  on July 7th, 2008

@ John

Accept for the nonsense that there was any wrong doing on Joe Horns side, why didn’t the police do anything, since they where “less then 10 seconds away”?

There was no obligation on Joe Horn to follow any instructions of the dispatcher for what to do on his property and what not.

What also amazes me “property is not worth (taking) a human life”. Well obviously taking the property of Joe Horn’s neighbors was worth risking their lifes for the two criminal illegal aliens.

Steve  on September 13th, 2008

Go Joe horn. If there were many more like hime there would be less crime and certainly less criminals.

Annie  on September 21st, 2008

@ Kathy T, greg, Shandi, and the lot of you who agree with her in saying that Joe Horn is a hero

You are a bunch of SENSELESS and INCONSIDERATE BASTARDS. (And don’t say I’m being unfair or uncivilized by saying this, because a bunch of you were calling other people idiots earlier.)

Property “IS worth killing for”? Kathy T, you are the lowest excuse of a human being I have ever met. You also said, “Those who say property is not worth a life obviously have no clue of the laws and values this country was founded on and have obviously never been violated.” You DUMBASS. If it was so, then why the fuck was slavery outlawed, if not for the fact that human lives are worth more than to be considered as chattel? The Constitution was built to PROTECT individuals, not fucking DEVALUE them. Pardon my French, but superficial people like you make my blood boil.

I agree that property is worth a lot, but it’s not enough to replace human life, which is infinitely more valuable! You can replace an expensive computer if it gets stolen, but you cannot bring back a human life!

Let’s say your child, or someone you love gets into an accident. Even if you get paid millions of dollars for compensation, wouldn’t you think that’s not enough to replace the life of the loved one you lost? Don’t obfuscate the question by ranting about how this “plays with your emotions” because the facts are laid out pretty bluntly. If you had no heart (which I think you are) you’d probably be happy with your millions of dollars.

Joe Horn was REPEATEDLY warned not to interfere with other people’s businesses, and yet he did. Even if the thieves were about to get away that wouldn’t have given him permission to shoot them dead. He could’ve shot them in the leg or something. The police could have tracked those robbers down (who were traveling ON FOOT btw) and chased them by car. There could have been many possibilities in which those thieves could have been rightly put to justice had Mr. Nosey-Joe here had learned to control his trigger-finger.

adam  on November 6th, 2008

I agree with all the people who say that Joe Horn did the right thing. I live in Texas and have friends who have been robbed at gun point in their own home.These people who say that it is not right to shoot a theif, have never been faced with that kind of situation. They live in nice little gated communities and have never known the feeling of helplessness. As stated by all of these fine people above i to wish i could have a neighbor like Joe Horn. Its people who try to make it wrong to defend your family and property, that are doing wrong to america. They make it easier for criminals to sucseed in breaking into your house, stealing your car, and a long list of other horrible acts. We have to give criminals a reason to fear everyday normal people, thats the only way this problem will be resolved.

Carol  on April 23rd, 2009

To Annie:

Inconciderate bastards? YOU are the lowest form a human being. Would you watch your neighbors be robbed? I highly doubt that. I think what Joe did was brave. You are the sick one.

Jessie  on June 28th, 2009

Honestly? You people idolizing Joe Horn disgust me, you only magnify and reiterate the ignorance and stupidity Horn displayed. His residence was not being intruded upon, nor was he in ANY danger until he interjected himself into the situation with the intent to instigate and commit murder, against the strong recommendations not to do so of the 911 dispatcher.

He had no rights here, Castle Law does not extend to his neighbor’s property when there is no threat posed to his own. When such threat presented itself it was because Horn instigated it, having previously stated in the call his clear intent to shoot & kill.

dean  on August 6th, 2009

…sad…sad…sad…

..I read some of these comments and I fear for the integrity of the American Public…Property is not equivalent to a life Kathy and to suggest that Joe Horn is a hero is absurd. He is the “snivelling coward here..It certainly takes a world of courage to shoot 2 people in the back while they are running away….

..Its people like you Kathy that define the word hillbilly red-neck…no wonder much of the world perceives Americans as such…

pheonix  on February 8th, 2010

I would shoot anyone who forces their way into my house to steal without hesitation I got that fed up of neds forcing their way into my workshop stealing tools and vandelizing the place the police would not do anything about it I cured them fried them with 440 volts by making the metal work benches live with plenty of warning notices on the benches and on the locked doors they forced their way in and could not read Ouch burnt fingers and toes they never did it again but i got a hefty fine from the sherif their is no justice the law is only for the dishonest