Good Samaritan stops theft. Thoughts on the statement from police at scene?

The sergeant is right. Gotta look at it this way, those are your bullets, you own them....even after you discharged them. That does make our good Samaritan culpable for damages/injuries/deaths due to his shooting at the 'bad guys'. It was a busy Wally-World parking lot full of people and other vehicles. Hitting either of them would 'probably' represent negligence on the good Samaritans part.

Yes, he was justified in shooting at the driver when he backed the pickup towards him, but the good Samaritan placed himself in that position by confronting the thief.

I do not want my kids or wife shot by a 'good Samaritan stopping a thief stealing tools. Sometimes being a 'good witness' is a better choice. Our permit-having 'good Samaritan' is going to be perceived as a wanna-be cop or some kinda vigilante.... not good.

Having said all that.... I'd probably confront the thief too but shooting at him is the last thing I wanna do, but if I had NO OTHER OPTION or escape.... and running someone down in a vehicle DOES constitute use of deadly force by the thief.

I am typically on the side of the CCP, but in this case - I'm w the Sgt. on this one.... The Samaritan should have gotten out of the way of the fleeing truck and recorded the license plate number & description.... Not standing in the lot & firing a weapon into the back glass.

The Samaritan, from what little we know of the situation, seemed a little trigger happy. Glad they got the suspect tho.