Mrluvaluva
17-10-2007, 04:28 PM
From Sky News
A suspected burglar has been shot dead after a parrot reportedly warned its owner there was an intruder.
Dennis Baker's Mexican Redheaded parrot Salvador regular says "hello" when he sees someone.
As someone passed a window at Mr Baker's home in Dallas, Texas, Salvador began saying "Hello, hello", waking his sleeping owner.
Mr Baker, who keeps several pet birds, said he then approached the intruder, John Woodson, 46, in a detached garage, and shot him.
Woodson was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital, where he died, Dallas police Sergeant Larry Lewis said.
The officer added that Mr Baker's home had been burgled four times this month.
Mr Baker told the Dallas Morning News said: "They were coming here like they owned the place. I hate what happened, but somebody has to do what's necessary.
"The fifth time is enough. It's not something you want to do, but you have to do."
Police said they would turn the case over to a grand jury.
A bill passed earlier this year by state politicians gives Texans a stronger legal right to defend themselves with deadly force in their homes, vehicles and workplaces.
The so-called "castle doctrine" states that a person has no duty to retreat from an intruder before using deadly force.
Link to article (http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30200-1288790,00.html)
A suspected burglar has been shot dead after a parrot reportedly warned its owner there was an intruder.
Dennis Baker's Mexican Redheaded parrot Salvador regular says "hello" when he sees someone.
As someone passed a window at Mr Baker's home in Dallas, Texas, Salvador began saying "Hello, hello", waking his sleeping owner.
Mr Baker, who keeps several pet birds, said he then approached the intruder, John Woodson, 46, in a detached garage, and shot him.
Woodson was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital, where he died, Dallas police Sergeant Larry Lewis said.
The officer added that Mr Baker's home had been burgled four times this month.
Mr Baker told the Dallas Morning News said: "They were coming here like they owned the place. I hate what happened, but somebody has to do what's necessary.
"The fifth time is enough. It's not something you want to do, but you have to do."
Police said they would turn the case over to a grand jury.
A bill passed earlier this year by state politicians gives Texans a stronger legal right to defend themselves with deadly force in their homes, vehicles and workplaces.
The so-called "castle doctrine" states that a person has no duty to retreat from an intruder before using deadly force.
Link to article (http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30200-1288790,00.html)