Guns can and do save lives, that’s not something I have to tell regular Bearing Arms readers. So let this story be a lesson to those of you who may not own guns or have access to a firearm in a critical situation.

Number one, I’m sorry you had to find out this way that having a gun for self defense is a good idea and number two, please have the first phone call you make go to the police. 

Sgt. Jason Houck, a spokesman for the King County Washington Sheriff’s Office, said deputies received a call of a disturbance early Tuesday morning around 2:15 a.m.

Houck said after two female residents of a home on Renton Avenue South in Seattle heard someone breaking into their house, they didn’t call 9-1-1, they called a male relative who lives nearby.

The male relative then called a friend and together, the two men went to the house to investigate, Houck said.

However, as the friend was running up the driveway to the residence, he was shot in the stomach and arm by one of the alleged home intruders.

Then they called the police.

Although the three suspects fled, one was later tracked by K-9 units. While deputies were talking to that suspect, a caller reported seeing two other men run away from the car just before the K-9 team arrived. The K-9 team found those suspects running down the street, Houck said.

“Their clothing matched what the suspects had been wearing at the time of the shooting and burglary,” and a witness positively identified the suspects as those that had been at the house when the shooting occurred, Houck said.

The friend of the male relative, a man in his 20s, was taken to Harborview Medical Center, where he was in surgery as of Tuesday morning.

Houck confirmed all three suspects, one juvenile and two adult males, are in custody being interviewed by detectives with the Major Crimes unit.

Again; guns can and do save lives, but this is definitely not the way to do it. Get armed and trained to save yourselves ladies, but call the police if you are unarmed and fearful of your safety.