Therefore, it is hardly surprising when it is reported that Americans in the face of a crime wave are arming themselves. People from all walks of life are choosing to be prepared for the unexpected, for that sound in the middle of the night that awakens you and triggers your desire to protect yourself.
For one Pennsylvania man, that instinct likely saved his life.
Police in Bethlehem Township in Northampton County report that four men now face charges of robbery and home invasion after they entered a Willow Park Road residence around 4 a.m. Thursday.
There were three people in the home when the attack unfolded, and at that early morning hour they were quite likely asleep. There is absolutely one thing worse than hearing that startling sound in the middle of the night and knowing that someone is in your home with violent intentions.
It is hearing that sound and being without means to protect yourself and your loved ones.
Fortunately, the residents in Bethlehem Township did not fall into that second category. According to the Northampton County District Attorney’s Office, one of the home’s occupants emerged armed with a weapon and shot two of the invaders.
The suspects were identified as Millito Delgado, 45; Michael Matas, 29; Francis Ferrando, 23; and Anthony Santiago, 29.
One of the alleged home invaders, Michael Matas, was struck by seven bullets. He is currently listed in critical but stable condition at a local hospital and is expected to survive. Ferrando was hit in the leg. The two suspects who were shot along with Delgado were taken into custody, but police say Santiago remains on the loose.
The four face multiple charges, including three counts of robbery with attempted serious bodily injury, two counts of possessing an instrument of crime, burglary, simple assault, and other related charges.
The investigation is ongoing, and the affidavit remains sealed to secure the current probe. The District Attorney’s Office reported that it is unclear how the wounded suspects reached the hospital.
The Bethlehem Township incident could have ended far worse, as three people in the residence were potential victims. Authorities may have had to clean up a much more tragic scene without the presence of a good guy with a gun.
The fierce anti-gun lobby is out in full force, demanding that law-abiding Americans be stripped of their Second Amendment rights. They’d like nothing better than to give this constitutional freedom second-class status, far below those of speech, religion, the press, and other cherished liberties. But it is not.
There is a reason the nation’s founders enshrined this basic human liberty in the Bill of Rights. As we know now, they also knew that the instinct for self-defense is one of the most basic and profound within humanity. It is the right of all to protect themselves, their loved ones, and even their property from those who have no respect for others.
Gun control remains a highly divisive subject for many Americans, but that is even more reason for those who cherish their freedoms to hold their position. While it is good to remain civil as the debate rages on, it is still necessary to defend these rights against those who would strip them away.
The violent encounter in Bethlehem Township is another shining example of the reason responsible gun owners need to safeguard their freedoms. It is built within all of us to survive, and preparation for self-defense is a basic human right.
