AR-15 Not For Home Defense? Tell This Florida Man That

AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File

Usually, when the headline contains the word “Florida Man,” you expect to see something ridiculous. The adventures of Florida Man have reached legendary status and are the stuff of mockery, though Floridians would rather their fellow residents show some restraint. After all, no one wants to be lumped in with some of these people, right?

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However, this time, we have something different. This Florida Man showed everyone once again that yes, the AR-15 has a role in home defense.

SUMMERFIELD — Marion County sheriff’s officials say a homeowner armed with an AR-15 shot and killed two intruders and was injured himself during a home invasion robbery in Summerfield Wednesday night.

Two other robbery suspects — Robert John Hamilton, 19, of Ocala, and Seth Adam Rodriguez, 22, of Belleview — were detained near the scene, according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.

Nigel Doyle, 22, of Summerfield, and Keith Jackson Jr., 21, Ocala, were killed. The homeowner, whose name was not released by the Sheriff’s Office, was in stable condition at a hospital Thursday afternoon.

Rodriguez was arrested on charges of murder and home invasion robbery with a firearm. Hamilton faces home invasion robbery with a firearm. Both men were being held in the Marion County Jail without bond.

Deputies got the call at 8:21 p.m. Wednesday and went to the home at 14999 SE 32nd Court Road in response to a report of shots fired.

Sgt. Micah Moore found Doyle with a gunshot wound and a shotgun next to him on the ground. Deputies entered the home and found Jackson dead on the dining room floor. Detectives said he was wearing a “Jason” mask on top of his head, gloves on both hands, jeans and a black shirt.

Near Jackson’s head was a semi-automatic pistol, detectives said.

Continuing into the home, deputies found the 61-year-old homeowner in a bedroom.

He had an AR-15 rifle on his legs and was bleeding from a gunshot wound to the stomach, according to sheriff’s officials. Doyle and the homeowner were transported to Ocala Regional Medical Center, where Doyle died.

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A 61-year-old man found himself up against four armed attackers, all younger than him, and the anti-gunners don’t think that’s the time to use an AR-15? He was disadvantaged in every other way possible. His best course of action was to at least have them outgunned as best he could. Even so, he was still wounded.

Something anti-gunners either don’t know or don’t care about is that the armed citizen doesn’t get to pick the nature of their engagement. In fairness, a lot of gun people don’t seem to get it either, but an anti-gunner really doesn’t. Then they want to make laws that ignore reality. Imagine, for a moment, that the AR-15 had been banned in Florida and this homeowner had complied with that ban. He’d be dead right now.

Instead, he’s recovering from his injuries while two of the perps are dead and two others are facing charges. That’s a win by any definition you want to use.

Remember this the next time someone claims the AR-15 has no use in home defense.

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