The Christmas holiday season may be over, but having armed good guys — and ladies — is a gift that keeps on giving.
A Louisiana woman just before dawn Sunday was confronted by a home intruder who forced his way into her residence on the outer edges of Hammond.
The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office reported that 51-year-old Robert Rheams brandished a shovel and a lug wrench when he allegedly broke into the home, which was occupied by the intended victim and her two young children.
The mother, however, had no intentions of becoming just another victim.
A physical altercation between Rheams and the homeowner ensued, and this resulted in the home invader being shot and killed. He was pronounced dead at the residence by the parish coroner.
The deceased had a history of violence, according to Chief Jimmy Travis.
Rheams currently was on parole after serving roughly 20 years in prison for armed robbery. He was also a suspect in a carjacking that happened just hours before he attacked the residence, according to Travis.
The Sheriff’s Department added that while the case appears to be self defense and the intended victim exercised her Second Amendment rights, it has been forwarded to the District Attorney’s office for further review.
No one celebrates the loss of life in this or any incident, but no one forced Rheams to allegedly break into the home of a young mother and threaten her family. That action caused everything else that followed, and the man who was fatally shot had no one to blame but himself for the outcome.
Too many times, so-called political leaders and the national media strive to demonize law-abiding gun owners. As these words are being read, there are those who dedicate every waking hour to depriving American citizens of their precious constitutional rights — particularly the right to defend themselves.
But without the right to protect your family and home, how much do other freedoms really matter? If you are a sitting duck for any criminal who is having a bad day or needs a quick fix, so much else can fall by the wayside in the blink of an eye.
This Louisiana homeowner is very fortunate that she chose not to be a victim. She took preemptive action and armed herself in the event of the worst case scenario. And as any brief glance across the daily news reveals, what was now a rare occurrence in U.S. society has become all too common.
At 5 a.m. on Sunday morning, this loving mother had no idea that a parolee with a history of violence, including just hours beforehand, would force his way into her home. Had she been unarmed, she and her children could have become footnotes on the news to be quickly forgotten.
Instead, she was prepared.
This Louisiana mother did what every responsible parent does — she prepared for the unexpected. It could have been a hurricane or some other natural disaster, or it could have been illness or financial struggles. But it wasn’t.
Instead, it was a home invader armed with instruments for violence, ready and willing to attack both the mother and her precious young children. No doubt he counted on finding a defenseless family that would cower in fear and comply with his every demand.
What he found, however, was a woman prepared. A law-abiding citizen who exercised her Second Amendment rights to defend what was most important to them.
That is what politicians and the mainstream media want so desperately to ignore. But across this great land, there are stories piled on top of stories of brave Americans who defend themselves against the tyranny of those who care nothing for lives or freedom. These are the stories that must be told.
