El Paso Homeowner Shoots Home Invader After the Intruder Shot the Man’s Dog

By
Dan Zimmerman
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72
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You can learn a few things from a John Wick movie, but maybe the most important lesson is…don’t mess with a man’s dog. Maybe Bruce Wayne Murphy isn’t a movie fan. Or maybe he’s just too much of a dim bulb to have picked up on the attachment people have for man’s best friend. Either way, Murphy made a critical mistake when he broke into the El Paso home of a dog owner Wednesday.

According to kvia.com the 29-year-old home invader . . .

…forced his way into a home Thursday on the 7500 block of Howard Street in northeast El Paso around 8:56 a.m. There were three people inside the home, including a dog. According to residents, Murphy shot a weapon inside the home, injuring the dog.

“three people, including a dog”

Dogs are certainly some of the best people we know, a sentiment the El Paso residents apparently shared. Seeing his pup take a bullet, 37-year-old Sean Patrick Suniga drew his gun and shot Murphy.

Police say Murphy was found at Gateway South and Broaddus Ave. in the middle of the intersection Wednesday around 10 a.m., yelling for help.

Murphy will face a charge of burglary of a habitation once he’s recovered. You’d think armed criminal action would be justified, too, but maybe that’s forthcoming. Let’s hope the dog survived and will make a full recovery.

 

 

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72 COMMENTS

    • I’m generally not supportive of registration in most cases, but the argument for registering your dog (mandatory in Los Angeles County) is that any attack on that dog would arguably provide a legal footing for your decision to defend your “living property”.

      • Unfortunately, dogs (and other livestock) only have the same legal status as inanimate personal property. They don’t count for more than your phone, laptop or television. It’s not legal to defend them with deadly force. In this case, it won’t matter because breaking into an occupied dwelling, dog or no dog, is justification for using deadly force in defense of the human occupants.

        • “They don’t count for more than your phone, laptop or television. It’s not legal to defend them with deadly force.”

          Demand a trial. You have a fair shot at getting one juror on your side…

        • “What if someone shoots a police dog? The perps will be charged for the assault.”

          Not in the GunShine state of Florida.

          Kill a police dog here, and you will charged with capitol murder…

        • the clear FACT that the intruder was armed and willing to shoot would justify lethal force no matter what else. It would only take a half second to reaim the gun onto the homeowner and fire. Perp NEEDS to be indicted also on the charge of unjustified use of lethal force, and I’d wager high stakes at long odds the creep was a “prohibited person” debarrred the use of arms. Bust him for that. I’ll lay further cash at good odds the perp was felon in possession. Bust him again.
          In any case, perp MUST be charged with unlawful use of deadly force and reckless endangerment, at least. Lock him up for a long time.

        • prohibited person” debarrred the use of arms. Bust him for that. I’ll lay further cash at good odds the perp was felon in possession. Bust him again

          Isn’t that kind of the same thing?

      • What are you, NUTS?? Register my dog? If I register her, the Biden administration will stop sending her freebies! My Speckles will remain an UNregistered Alien Pooch!

        • Had to “register” my English Mastiff, he was a male prostitute, got paid $500 every time he got “friendly” with a female English Mastiff…

    • The bad guy even drawing his gun is a potential threat and firing it for any reason solidifies the presence of a threat.

      • If the bad guy fires first, you’re off to a bad start. Remember, Hans Solo shot first, despite all the progressive propaganda and rewriting of history!

    • …yeah, a little surprised ‘impersonating a police officer’ wasn’t one of the charges.

        • “impersonating a police officer
          that right there was funny stuff”

          That’s a felony crime in most states… 🙁

    • That was the first thought that crossed my mind, how did he know he wasn’t shooting a fed since the first thing they do is shoot the dog. I think they keep score and the office that shoots the most dogs wins the pool and gets a trophy.

  4. EMS should have rushed the dog to the ER and left the dirtbag on the side of the road !

  6. I probably won’t get the chance to shoot your dumb ass, momma gonna beat me to it if you hurt one of her babies!

  7. In 2001, House Bill 653 and Senate Bill 1724, known as “Loco’s Law”—named after a dog called Loco, whose eyes were gouged out—was passed, making animal cruelty a felony in Texas and punishable by a $10,000 fine and up to two years in jail. The maximum seems appropriate in this case.
    How long do you go to jail for burglary of habitation in Texas?
    If the building is a habitation, then a conviction for Burglary is punished as a Felony of the Second Degree, with a maximum possible fine under Texas state law of up to $10,000 and prison time of up to 20 years, unless the enhancement below applies. Use of a firearm, Again the maximum is appropriate. A first-time convicted offender of armed criminal action can expect sentencing between three and fifteen years. The convicted offender will not be eligible for parole, probation, conditional release, or any type of suspension of the sentence before three years served. Again the maximum is appropriate. Just make sure the sentences run concurrently.

    • Some people just cannot be satisfied without inflicting misery on others and themselves. Like the grandson of a very nice man we met who was selling his grandson’s HD Dana grandpa had purchased all because the habitual offender brat was in the process of being trasported to a Texas Big House.

      • so the very nice man’s greatgreat grandson was going to the hooskow and the greatgreat grand son’s grandfather was selling the greatgreat grand son’s father’s dyna?
        and that’s how bob’s your uncle.

    • which all makes me really winder WHY no charge relating to either the use of a firearm in the home invasion OR the fact that he deliberately hurt the dog with his gun. Either the Law are exploring options for further charges, or they’re hiding something. Maybe the perp is someone’s relative er eumpin

    • “Kill em, cut em up, then feed em to the dog after recovery!!”

      There are a few fictional dystopian books with that exact plot out there…

      • “Shoot my dog and I’ll eat you.”

        Text does not reflect gestures, tone, inflection, facial expressions.

        Might want to consider re-stating your entry.

  9. maybe he’s just too much of a dim bulb to have picked up on the attachment people have for man’s best friend.

    Must be one of Brandons AFT guys…

  10. The dog means nothing in this situation but a fantastic example that this criminal did not care about life. Thereby making him a threat to everyone in the home.

  11. In Texas, you break in vertical, leave horizontal. It’s amazing how many really stupid criminals think it can never happen to them. F*k around and find out applies here.

  12. John Wick would have been straight to video after initial screenings.
    It did badly so the writers changed the beginning.
    They had the bad guys kill the dog and Wick burying it.
    The screenings went from it was just a stupid movie to it’s kick ass.
    Never shoot or kill a dog, people get much more upset then if it were a child.
    John Wick: Chapter 4 will hit the theaters in 3 weeks on 3/24.

    Bruce Wayne Murphy will probably be found dead in his cell.
    BRUCE WAYNE Murphy? I don’t think this guys parents were too bright.

  13. The home owner only made one mistake that I can see in this situation,
    He only shot the perp once, double tap is the answer. & if he’s still moving, shoot him again.

    • I’ve only got a single shot. If their still moving I’ve got to club them to death with the gunm. And when Im pissed clubbing someone to death gives me a little more thrill then just shuteing them again.

      • Possums must have quite strong tails. I can see you shooting a guy, but clubbing him to death requires strength!

  15. I guarantee if he entered my home and shot my dog(s), he would have been carried out in a Ziploc. I’m not giving some scum-bag a second chance. When they are very dead, THEN the threat is over.

    • That statement could get you in trouble with a jury, especially in Progressive America. Say instead, “He moved every time I shot him, so I considered him a threat! When he stopped moving, then I stopped shooting.”

      • What I say here on TTAGs and what I say after a DGU and to the cops are two different things. You NEVER EVER make statements to the cops other than I had fear for my safety and defended myself.
        YOU DON’T make a spontaneous utterance to the cops and say “He shot my dog so I made sure the fu—ing scum-bag was dead”

        I’m a little smarter than that!

  16. I assume that “Castle Doctrine” applies in Texas. Castle Doctrine means if someone violently enters your home you can use deadly force. I think CD applies here. Also, a dog is part of your security system, if someone tries to destroy your security system, that is good sign they mean harm to you.

  17. “You’d think armed criminal action would be justified, too, but maybe that’s forthcoming.”

    Not likely.

    El Paso,as with Houston (that’s hewston, not houseton), San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, Ft. Worth, is s Dimwitocrat controlled city.

    Ok, if PETA launches a campaign some sort of crime against an animal charges may be forthcoming.

    • There are many things on here that are 100% true.
      This why I have two German Shepherds.
      A bad guy would be fixated on the one attacking.
      That bad guy would probably shoot that one.
      Unless that dog was dead, it will continue attacking.
      While the bad guy is dealing with that, her sister comes out of nowhere.
      They were taught that way and are from a kennel that breeds police dogs.
      Whether it’s me or my wife the dogs would be given a command to back off.
      Then the home invader would be shot, likely more then once.
      Once disarmed and if the guy is still alive, he gets to play with the dogs again.
      Then 911 gets called, it may be a couple of minutes later though.
      My vet lives right down the street and would treat any serious wounds to my dogs.
      The 24/7 emergency vet is about 3 to 4 miles away.

  19. Should have hit the beasterd with the ambulance coming to “Render Aid” to the scummer ! “Thump” whawuzdatt ????? fellow EMT..Awwww nuthin’ “I’m Hungry, after we save that beautiful dog let’s git sum Arby’s

    If the dog owner wouldn’t/couldn’t FINISH the JOB! Maybe the GMC Bus should !
    or when sent to jail (they still do that occasionally right?) tell his “cellies” what a fine upstanding citizen Dog-shooter is and let nature take it’s course. Natural Law.

  20. @Southern Cross
    “Sam, even perps know cats will not move a paw to help their owners.”

    Our cats musta been different. At any sound close to the house, they would immediately run to windows, or doors, tail fur puffed out, caterwauling, scratching at the door/window.

    Ok, they were probably thinking someone was bringing food.

  22. I was born and raised in Texas. There are idiots here who you will have to kick off your property because they will show up at your place and threaten your dog, especially if you’re not in town.

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