Sometimes in researchinig stories to share with TTAG’s audience you come across an old one that still makes you shake your head. Sometimes you come across an old one that makes you shake your head so much you just have to share it. After all these years, what this grandfather says, in spite of his obvious grief, is still a head scratcher. So here’s the story:

Years ago, Massad Ayoob once told me, “In a fight for your life, if it’s a fair fight, your tactics suck.” Like many of us, I’ve heard (and used) that same expression countless times. However, a grandfather in Oklahoma apparently thought it should be a fair fight between home invaders like his grandson and innocent homeowners.

Leroy Schumacher told media outlets that the homeowner’s use of an AR-15 gave him an “unfair advantage” against the gaggle of armed thugs who broke into his home. In the end, three of the thugs assumed room temperature.

Grandpa, using his impressive intellect and reasoning abilities told KTUL at the time that the shooting and killing of the armed home invader teens was “not needed.”  From KTUL:

COOKSON, Okla., (KTUL) — A family member of one of the three teen suspects killed after breaking into a Wagoner County home Monday is speaking out for the first time.

The grandfather of Jacob Redfearn believes shooting and killing the 17-year-old and his friends was not needed.

Don’t you love it when the family members of violent criminals speak out to the media, trying to paint their misguided scholar kin as the true victims.

Grandpa Schumacher brought a big shovel to continue diggin’.

“What these three boys did was stupid,” said Leroy Schumacher.

Schumacher agrees his grandson and his friends made a bad decision, but not one worthy of deadly consequences.

“They knew they could be punished for it but they did not deserve to die,” said Schumacher.

Redfearn, 19-year old Maxwell Cook and 16-year old Jake Woodruff were shot by the homeowner’s son while breaking into the Wagoner County…

Schumacher says his grandson didn’t have a chance. The 17-year old, he says, never got into trouble.

“Brass knuckles against an AR-15, come on, who was afraid for their life,” Schumacher told the station at the time.

Those “boys” FAFO‘d – deep in the heart of gun-lovin’ Oklahoma of all places – and it didn’t work out well for them.  And now, the intruder’s grandpa wants to change the law that allows homeowners to use deadly force in the face of a violent and tumultuous forced entry into their home by intruders or recommend which guns are acceptable to defend yourself with so what? The criminals have a chance.

“There’s got to be a limit to that law, I mean he shot all three of them; there was no need for that,” said Schumacher.

LISTEN: 911 call released from deadly Wagoner County burglary

Schumacher does say he supports the right to bear arms and protect your home. But he doesn’t agree with shooting and killing intruders.

At least not when his grandson was one of them. Despite sporting masks and two of them carrying weapons, the homeowner should’ve just taken his beating I guess.

He only hopes their deaths can be an example for others.

“You can’t change history, but you can damn sure learn from it, and maybe some kids will learn from this,” said Schumacher.

Finally Grandpa Schumacher said something we can all agree with…maybe some of these little thugs will learn if they “fool” around, they might find out that doing so may have fatal consequences.

A Slate Report had more information about the incident.

(Elizabeth Marie) Rodriguez later went to the police, admitted her involvement and told investigators that she had planned the whole thing. She was arrested and charged with first- and second-degree burglary, as well as three counts of first-degree murder since Oklahoma state law says someone can be charged with murder if another person takes the life of a human being during their commission of a felony, CNN reported.

For her part, Rodriguez can face life in prison or even the death penalty, but it’s the homeowner’s son and the AR-15 that Leroy Schumacher seemingly blames for his grandson’s death. “What these three boys did was stupid,” Schumacher admitted. “They knew they could be punished for it, but they did not deserve to die,” he continued. “Brass knuckles against an AR-15? C’mon. Who was afraid for their life?”

Authorities didn’t agree with Schumacher’s sentiments, however, and Zach Peters was not charged with any crimes because police say he acted in self-defense. Schumacher was not convinced that the shooting was justified, though, and reiterated his belief that the consequences didn’t fit the crime. “There’s got to be a limit to that law, I mean he shot all three of them — there was no need for that,” he said.

No, he should’ve probably just shot one of them and hoped the others ran off instead of taking charging at him and using his own gun to kill him. You can’t make this stuff up!

To think those three teens apparently committed that violent home invasion under the leadership of their criminal mastermind friend Elizabeth Rodriguez, who eventually pled guilty to reduced charges and was sentenced to 45 years for each of her criminal partners killed. All three sentences were to be servied concurrently. As for her associates Jacob Redfearn, Jake Woodruff and Max Cook, they will for eternity pay the price for a very stupid decision that they learned too late has very real, long-term consequences. While this incident took place in 2017, it’s a lesson that is still valid today.

You don’t go in a person’s home unless invited. It’s as simple as that.