Why every state needs a 'make my day' law

CNN) -- A Johns Hopkins University student killed an apparent burglar with a samurai sword after discovering the man in his garage, police said Tuesday.

Baltimore, Maryland, police received a phone call shortly before 1:30 a.m. Tuesday about a suspicious person, and an off-duty officer arrived at the scene with campus security, city police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said.

When authorities arrived, they heard calls for help and for police, he said. They discovered a suspected burglar with a severed left hand and severe lacerations to his upper body, Guglielmi said.

The suspect died at the scene, he said.

The man had entered a home where several Johns Hopkins students lived, Guglielmi said. Four students, one armed with a samurai sword, had confronted the suspect in the garage.

The man "lunged" at the students, and the student with the sword defended himself, severing the man's left hand and cutting his upper body, Guglielmi said.

Police did not release the name of the suspect, who Guglielmi said had a long criminal history, or that of the student.

Police questioned the three witnesses, Guglielmi said, and released them. It was not immediately clear whether all four students lived at the house, he said.

Authorities are determining whether the student will face criminal charges, Guglielmi said.

Burglars had taken two laptops and a Sony PlayStation from the students' home Monday, Guglielmi said.

The burglary suspect had been released from prison Saturday, Guglielmi said.

I'd rather just shoot the idiot...but I guess the sword did the trick. DRT baby.

Was it Sunday?? 

looks to me like the thief.....came up a little short handed.

What a timely story. Lets all get swords and when gangs and theives start showing up in piles of parts we can see what they will try to ban then. Or maybe instead of guns we can keep a crossbow in every room and carry them as side arms. When they get tired of finding crooks with bolts in their foreheads, maybe they'll wish they had left guns alone. They keep pushin us tighter against the wall and they may find out that we will always find a way to defend ourselves.

Just thought of this too. The NRA should start a campaine for all gun owners to arm themselves with crossbows and swords. That will throw alittle shock into the crime circles. Plus it will be fun to see how this administration responds. There would be a lot of dumb looks on their faces.

Sgt. D wrote: Just thought of this too. The NRA should start a campaine for all gun owners to arm themselves with crossbows and swords. That will throw alittle shock into the crime circles. Plus it will be fun to see how this administration responds. There would be a lot of dumb looks on their faces.

I have a few myself..... It's a good idea, better if they know how to properly use them.

That kid seemed to do ok.

This happened in my back yard so to speak.  It took the authorities 3 days to decide NOT to prosecute the kid with the sword.  I multiple witnesses hadn't said the burglar had lunged at the kid they would probably have charged him!

samurai sword technique doesn't use a hacking technique, the sword is held close to the guard with one hand (tsuaba) and the other hand holds the hilt end lightly and the sword is "snapped" thru the target area, if the kid was a practioner of the art the sword tip was probably going 3 times the speed of the "baseball bat technique". this technique is used so the sword can be whipped back to attack position rapidly and prevent grabbing or grappling countermoves (which the crook was apparently lacking). If guns go-- swords will become a way of life.

Exactly Dale... That sword is not a medieval weapon. It is a finesse weapon, and meant almost entirely for offensive purposes where speed and agility are the defense. Properly wielded they are fast to correct and change direction, and hard to defend against. The only sword meant entirely as a cutting weapon. Medieval swords were built big and heavy and more often used as a bludgeoning device, and also to take the attack force when used to block another sword, or weapon strike, rarely was there ever any edge to edge contact like is portrayed in Hollywood films. Thus that type of weapon was built large and heavy.