WAKE FOREST, N.C. – A home invasion turned deadly after an intruder failed to heed the warnings of a homeowner in Wake Forest, N.C., recently. The homeowner was alerted to the in-progress attempt to get into his home, armed himself, and warned the intruder to stop, but to no avail.
Homeowner’s Warnings Fall On Deaf Ears
At just after 3 a.m. on the morning of Oct. 23, a homeowner in Wake Forest was awoken by the sound of someone trying to break into the home by shattering door glass panes, according to WRAL News.
The homeowner went to the door armed with a lawfully possessed firearm and warned the intruder, Steven Dallas Contestable, that he would shoot if Contestable didn’t stop trying to break into his door.
Contestable didn’t stop, and the homeowner repeated the warning several times. However, the warning to stop fell on deaf ears as Contestable continued to try to break through the paneled glass.
The homeowner fired and hit Contestable, who was pronounced dead at the scene by responding authorities.
Contestable was a resident of the immediate area. A neighbor who knew him recalled him fondly, suggesting that Contestable had been going through a few years of financially related struggles and perhaps had suffered some sort of mental break leading to the attempted break-in.
Charges have not been filed and – given that North Carolina law specifically justifies shooting in self-defense during a forced entry – are likely not to be.
Warnings Don’t Always Work, And How To Pick A Secure Door
This is about as textbook as home defense shootings get.
Someone was trying to break in, and the homeowner/resident was alerted to it and responded to it while armed, warned the intruder to stop or else they would defend themselves, and shot when it was obvious the warnings didn’t work.
The first obvious takeaway is that warnings don’t always work. If someone has committed themselves to violence and/or violent entry of a house or structure, they may not even be able to comprehend that they’re being warned.
The homeowner obviously didn’t want to shoot Contestable; he gave him multiple warnings and opportunities to stop and leave unharmed.
Therefore, be aware that if you encounter a similar situation, you have to be prepared for the possibility that you will have to shoot.
The other takeaway is that the home clearly had a door with pane glass panels, easy pickings for a burglar or someone trying to gain entry into your home forcibly.
A windowed door is a liability. They look nice; they let in more natural light, but they are very easily broken into.
Good home defense starts at the hardware store, and door selection is a big part of that. Exterior doors should have a solid core, a locking door knob, and a deadbolt at minimum, and ideally, have full-length strike plates to reinforce the locks and prevent easy entry.
