Third attempted burglar shot this year in Richmond: “Unusually high,” police say
on December 15, 2014
Terrell Ruben, 42, became the third person shot and killed in an attempted burglary in Richmond this year. A Richmond homeowner shot Ruben in the chest after he discovered Ruben and another man attempting to steal property from his backyard last Saturday.
Homeowners killing intruders or burglars tend to be very rare, according to police.
“We go years and years without them happening,” said Capt. Mark Gagan at the Richmond Police Department. Out of the 13 homicides this year, three were killed by homeowners.
The man who shot Ruben had experienced a residential burglary late last year, according to police. The second suspect fled immediately. Ruben at first submitted but then resisted the homeowner. Detectives have identified the second man and are actively looking for him, according to Gagan.
Ruben, who was struck in the chest, had CPR performed on him at the scene, according to witnesses. Ruben was transported to John Muir Hospital that night. He died on Sunday.
At the scene a police officer yelled “Don’t move! Put your hands up!” several times to Ruben, according to a woman who lives up the block from the crime scene on 43rd St. and Roosevelt Ave. The woman declined to give her name.
None of the homeowners involved in the killing of burglars this year have been charged. The California Penal Code justifies homicides in various instances. Section 198.5 and 199 states that a homicide is justifiable when a person is “using force intended or likely to cause death or great bodily injury” in their residence, if acting due to fear for their life or safety, or that of their family.
Despite the unusually high number people shot in burglary attempts, residential burglaries have gone down 28 percent compared to last year in the period between Jan. 1 and Nov. 30.
You should always call the police in the event of a burglary. Not every burglary happens the same way, but giving the intruder incentive to flee may work, according to police.
“Yelling to the burglar that you have called the police and that they’re en route can scare them away,” Gagan said.
Other ways to secure your home include installing a motion-detector alarm and motion-triggered outdoor lights. Getting to know your neighbors is also important, according to police. Trustworthy neighbors can look after your property and call the police in your absence if something happens.
If you have information regarding this burglary, you can contact Sgt. Eric Smith at the Richmond PD by calling (510) 620-6647
44 Comments
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The scumbag deserved to be shot. I live a block away and my house was broken into just days earlier. They made away with a lot of valuables and what is worse might have assaulted by little puppy badly – he has been terrified since of even smallest movements. I had never condoned gun ownership but given the utter threat these lowlifes are to hardworking law-abiding citizens like myself, I am in the process of acquiring a weapon myself. Next time when something like this happens I will be home and not think twice before shooting.
I completely understand what you’re saying, especially if your hiyse was burglarized before. But, in the article, Capt. Gagan gave great advice on alternatives to fatally shootingt he burglar. Less lethat actions like shooting him in the leg(s) or using a stun gun would have incapacitated him long enough for the police to come and arrest him – just something to think about.
Screw less lethal, stay the hell out of my property and you have a 100% chance you.won’t get your theiving ass shot.
“When seconds count, the police are only minutes away.”
The more burglars are afraid of homeowners, the fewer burglaries we’ll see. Stands to reason.
Carole,
You may already have experience, but if not, I suggest you take a basic firearms class. You’d learn pretty quickly that firing to incapacitate is NOT a viable option. Notice the police NEVER try to incapacitate? Also, a stun gun is usually good for one shot if you are lucky? What if it was a team of two theives? Like I said, I suggest taking a class. It is enlightening, empowering, and doesn’t even require you to supply your own firearm. At the very least, it would allow you to make much more informed opinions/comments. I know it was instrumental in changing my views.
I completely understand what you’re saying, especially if your house was burglarized before. But, in the article, Capt. Gagan gave great advice on alternatives to fatally shootingt the burglar. Less lethat actions like shooting him in the leg(s) or using a stun gun would have incapacitated him long enough for the police to come and arrest him – just something to think about.
Shoot him in the leg???
Obviously you have no idea how to handle a firearm and or have watched too much tv or movies.
No one is trained to shoot a leg or arm. That’s a fantasy Try hitting a moving target that is coming towards you, while your adrenaline is pumping, you are scared and in fear.
This all could have been easily prevented. Criminals don’t break the law. Respect other peoples property and life.
You want something get a job, earn your monety and buy it!
I can’t see how you can say any thing about that man he did not have to shot that man he was in the back yard you could of called the cops shooting some body family is not the answer.that why this world . Is messed up know cops killing incent people and know homeowner think cause they have. A gun they can kill people put ur self in that man shoes he could of been going through something you dont know what was in there back yard dam its worth killing someone.this shit is getting out of hand im scared if my kids throw something over the gate and tyres to go get it they may kill them I wont not wont to be living on there block. Hands up stop the killing.
The District Attorney will decide if enough evidence to charge homeowner. Police do not decide on charging anyone with a crime.
Innocent people…that would imply Brown and Garner did not commit a crime before the arrest. The both were being lawfully arrested for a crime and resisted. Hands up reference does not apply because it has been proven that Browns hands were not up. The witness that reported that later said they were not even there when shooting happened.
If your kids throw something over a gate or fence, they go to the front door ask the homeowner to retrieve it for them.
That’s what we did as kids and never had a problem. So teach your kids the correct way to retrieve something by respecting others property and you wont have to worry about them.
Oh no….guess Magnus going to hold up another sign # Burglar Lives Matter.
Yep and you made everybody life matter . Oscar grant Eric Garner,illegal chokehold on the black man.and other innocent people what do u say about that nothing . HANDS UP IT HAS TO STOP SOME WERE .ALL THiS HATe CRIMES…..
English class would help a lot…that’s what I have to write about that. Learning is fundamental!
Here’s a wacky idea… Don’t resist arrest and the cops won’t have to choke you out. Or are we going to keep pretending that hoods like Thugvon and Brown didn’t get exactly what they had coming?
Tell me why I will Never be blessed with Ruben’s smile Again. Sounds like the Richmond police officer has a lot of explaining to do. As well as the homeowner. Ruben never once made it in the house he was shot in the backyard With a shotgun which meant there was no need for the officer to keep shooting him once he got there Till death. Is it because The victim is black that it is okay for the office to get away with The murder. Why is it just now that I’m hearing that it was the office that killed Ruben all papers say it was the homeowner . So many questions yet not one fucking answer. Both homeowner and officer r in the fucking wrong and need to answer to there mistakes. One question was the officer an ex military or come from that
It was homeowner not police.
Did you read the story???
The police did not shoot him “till death.” He died at the hospital the next day.
And why you wont see his smile again. That’s because he chose to do something that lead to his being shot.
It is ENTIRELY his fault. He could have stayed home and watched tv instead of committing a burglary.
FYI, burglary is the entering of a property with the intent to steal.
His “partner” should be charged with homicide when he is caught.
I live in the same area. Home robberies have gone up since I move here in 2001. @ houses next to mine were burglarized about 1 month ago. There is always regret to a lost life, but if they come in my house were my wife and children reside; I will not doubt to use my fire arm. It is my right. And it is my home after all. Maybe Sarah Gonzales you could offer your home to these delinquents, so they do not get shoot somewhere else. “Respect the rights of others is peace”. In this case. Do not go into peoples houses with the intent to rob. “Or you might get shot”.
That man was a good man.y’all only see him as a robber but you dont know what that man was doin he was only in the backyard he never even went in the house he could have told him to leave or im going to shot you.but that was never throught about .and all you defending him for what its not your house.and you were not there to see what really happened. John Spartan get a life trash
Family background . If so remember military is trained to kill and officers r trained to protect and serve. Who wants to be protected like this. Putting a sign in my window of home and car saying ” 7 shots is not justified its homicide “
No… 7 shots is called being sure. Here’s a fun fact, you come onto my property with the intent to commit a felony, the only way you’re leaving is feet first. The really hilarious part is that there is not a damn thing you could do about it. It’s black letter law.
I would have put at least two extras in his head. Leave the EMTs nothing to save and be sure he’s not going to get up and attack me if he’s on bath salts or PCP.
Reuben the subhuman got a ballistic change of heart for Christmas this year. Hopefully he’ll learn not to rob innocent people.
I wanna start a potition right now fuck
Petition? ??
Many of you are missing the trees for the wood so to speak. To recap my house, two blocks away, was burglarized just two days ago, the burglers making away with $10,000 worth of valuables. My 4-month-old puppy was definitely assaulted, kicked and strangled perhaps, because now he is no longer his happy self but a scared and scarred creature who ducks under the couch everytime we have visitors. Now what if I had an elder and defenceless family member in the house. Had the criminals found the occasion in their favor, they would have assaulted and killed him or her too – too many such reports to make this mere conjecture. I made no commentary about race and nor I will. But home invasion is the worst violation of your person and property and in such cases, especially in an area like ours where it occurs way too often, I realize the homeowner is in the right to own firearms and shoot to kill. As long as these scum bags think it is okay to tresspass and steal things and endanger lives. The police shooting of the African Americans has nothing to do with this. These scum bags deserve to be shot to death. Period. I will prefer that over a life threatening danger to my puppy, my loved ones and myself.
I say kill them all at the first chance you get. There is no way in hell law enforcement can intercept them. Only the homeowners can send them the message in the strongest language possible. You break into someone’s house, you die. As simple as thar.
[…] I have seen the sentiment before, but never in quite such a succinct way. The article was about a third burglar suspect being shot and killed in Richmond, California, this year. From richmondconfidential.org: […]
Good, I hope he blew a hole through his chest.
Send a message out there to any other burglar that thinks they can break into a house.
‘Merica
I’m 1 of Ruben’s closet friends and I have something to say:It hurts to know what happened to him,but I can’t defend him mainly because I would do the same thing the homeowner did.
[…] confound media sophisticates. Take, for example, this recent routine defensive gun use story from richmondconfidential.org: “Terrell Ruben, 42, became the third person shot and killed in an attempted burglary in […]
Thankfully, Ruben the subhuman got a ballistic change of heart for Christmas this year. Hopefully he didn’t get a chance to reproduce. If he did manage to squirt some more genetic trash into the population, hopefully they die twitching like their criminal father.
Funny commentary on this article, Martin Totland and the Butterfield Effect at the Truth About Guns:
http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2014/12/daniel-zimmerman/burglars-shot-fewer-burglaries-knew/
Martin, you should definitely read this.
[…] sophisticates. Take, for example, this report of a recent routine defensive gun use story from richmondconfidential.org: “Terrell Ruben, 42, became the third person shot and killed in an attempted burglary in […]
“Despite the unusually high number people shot in burglary attempts, residential burglaries have gone down 28 percent compared to last year in the period between Jan. 1 and Nov. 30.”
“Because of…” not “Despite…”
Idiot
Yep, cause and effect … something not taught in journalism classes these days.
[…] sophisticates. Take, for example, this report of a recent routine defensive gun use story from richmondconfidential.org: “Terrell Ruben, 42, became the third person shot and killed in an attempted burglary in Richmond […]
[…] I have seen the sentiment before, but never in quite such a succinct way. The article was about a third burglar suspect being shot and killed in Richmond, California, this year. From richmondconfidential.org: […]
[…] I’ve seen the sentiment earlier than, however by no means in fairly such a succinct means. The article was a few third burglar suspect being shot and killed in Richmond, California, this yr. From richmondconfidential.org: […]
[…] I have seen the sentiment before, but never in quite such a succinct way. The article was about a third burglar suspect being shot and killed in Richmond, California, this year. From richmondconfidential.org: […]
[…] I have seen the sentiment before, but never in quite such a succinct way. The article was about a third burglar suspect being shot and killed in Richmond, California, this year. From richmondconfidential.org: […]
Geez, some of you guys sound like wanna be Zimmermans!
You’re making us gun owners look bad. I side with the homeowner in this case too, but taking a life is a solemn and serious matter. And frankly, we don’t know all the details here. Is it possible this guy wasn’t a threat? Definitely. Is it probable he was up to no good? Absolutely.
And to Miss Diamond and Sarah G, I’m sorry for your loss, sounds like you knew Terrell. But man, it kinda sounds like you’re defending him. Don’t defend criminal acts, please. That only ends up hurting poor people and communities of color. And if you know anybody else robbing and doing dirt, tell them to stop. And definitely don’t do it in our hood! The 40s around Wilson elementary are full of law abiding, hard working folks of all colors who own guns and aren’t afraid to use them.
What can we do to prevent burglary in our neighborhood, many of you say not to use violence…but how can we protect our property our hardworking money and our things we have inside our house our valuables… we work so hard to have a little bit of good things in a house’s for someone else to come by and steal our hard-working things ..there should be a way and a how ..neighbors should get together and volunteer on taking care of each other properties dint you think!!
some of us are single mothers and have kids and we have our little house and want to protect our family and stuff..what can I do if a burglar is inside my house..I just let him in and let him take my things and ignore that he’s there..no we need the police to attend when people is calling asking for help today I call the police it took them 1 hour and a half to get here,, in the burglar live across the street and the police didn’t do nothing about it no one’s doing their job that’s why the world is how it is because no one cares that’s why people do what they do to defend there things