Locksmith Shot While Changing Locks

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2000Z-71

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There's a whole lot to this story that is very questionable. Not sure if the story is that fishy or if it's just really poor reporting.

1. Why's a locksmith changing locks at 4:30AM?

2. How's a homeowner not know of a foreclosure?

3. Why's a locksmith drilling out a lock? One would think they have less intrusive methods.

4. Why isn't the Sheriff's Department involved with the eviction if it is a foreclosure?

5. No arrest made?

http://www.azcentral.com/commu...6abrk-locksmith.html

Locksmith hired to change locks shot by homeowner
96 commentsby Maria Polletta - Mar. 16, 2009 01:43 PM
The Arizona Republic
A locksmith sent to change the lock of a Phoenix home supposedly under foreclosure was shot early Saturday morning by a man still living in the house.

The unidentified 26-year-old locksmith expected the home, on the 4300 block of East Campo Bello Drive, to be empty when he arrived around 4:30 a.m. and began drilling out the lock on the front door, according to Phoenix Police Sgt. Andy Hill. When he pushed the door open, he was shot in the hand by the 39-year-old homeowner.

The homeowner, whose named has not been released, claimed he had never received any notice of foreclosure and thought the locksmith was breaking in, Hill said. He was not arrested at the time of the incident.

The locksmith was taken to a local hospital.

Phoenix Police will be turning the investigation over to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office for review.
 
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There's a whole lot to this story that is very questionable. Not sure if the story is that fishy or if it's just really poor reporting.

1. Why's a locksmith changing locks at 4:30AM?

2. How's a homeowner not know of a foreclosure?

3. Why's a locksmith drilling out a lock? One would think they have less intrusive methods.

4. Why isn't the Sheriff's Department involved with the eviction if it is a foreclosure?

5. No arrest made?

http://www.azcentral.com/commu...6abrk-locksmith.html

Locksmith hired to change locks shot by homeowner
96 commentsby Maria Polletta - Mar. 16, 2009 01:43 PM
The Arizona Republic
A locksmith sent to change the lock of a Phoenix home supposedly under foreclosure was shot early Saturday morning by a man still living in the house.

The unidentified 26-year-old locksmith expected the home, on the 4300 block of East Campo Bello Drive, to be empty when he arrived around 4:30 a.m. and began drilling out the lock on the front door, according to Phoenix Police Sgt. Andy Hill. When he pushed the door open, he was shot in the hand by the 39-year-old homeowner.

The homeowner, whose named has not been released, claimed he had never received any notice of foreclosure and thought the locksmith was breaking in, Hill said. He was not arrested at the time of the incident.

The locksmith was taken to a local hospital.

Phoenix Police will be turning the investigation over to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office for review.
 
Anyways, back to the topic:
Maybe the locksmith came at 4:30 because he had been told that's when no one would be home? It does sound pretty fishy.

Was the resident there legally or not? Seems like he could have given a verbal challenge to the locksmith, rather than just waiting till the door opened and then firing. Perhaps he jus woke up and armed himself then the door opened? I suppose anything is possible.
 
Some people are morning folks (I am not, 0430 is a bit early for bedtime), and if he had a lot of work to do, then maybe he wanted to start early.
 
My guess is that the shooter was erroneously described as the "homeowner" and is likely a renter/tenant who was unaware of the foreclosure procedings, and thus was in reasonable apprehension of foul play by someone drilling his lock in the middle of the night. The Arizona Republic, source of this story, is notorious for inaccuracies, ignorant reporters, sloppy editing and fact checking, etc. It does seem odd that the work was being performed at that early hour, and one wonders why it commenced unannounced? Were I to attempt drilling the lock at a possibly occupied residence, I think I'd start at civilized hours, and at least knock and announce first.
 
So much going on here, and so little dependable evidence. I'm a little sensitive to the above posters remarks because I, too, live in a region without a newspaper. OK, we have one, but its generally acknowledged as being the "fishwrap." To them, anyone inside the house is called the homeowner. Regardless if they've made any payments in the last year or so. Also, any bank trying to get any money is considered evil.

The attitudes we see here from our own posters is kind of instructive. Anyone going faster than we are on the interstate is an idiot, as is anyone going slower. Anyone getting up earlier than we are is a fool, as is anyone sleeping in a little later. We tend to rationalize what we do as being correct and the only correct way. Sometimes common sense isn't factored in. Like the risks of working on a front door during hours where it isn't expected.

Until we know more, we're shooting at noises in the dark, much as the resident of the home did.
 
This is what separates real journalism from the sensationalist sound-bites we now get, in print as well as on the air.

I just think you have to take these kind of stories with a healthy dose of salt. Here in Michigan, we have a lot of foreclosures, a lot of folks just walking away from their homes because they lost their jobs and can't pay the mortgage. Really sad.

Sometimes, "unlicensed pharmacists" will open shop in such a house. Only a really lazy reporter would use the term "homeowner" for such a person. Drug dealers tend to be doped up and pretty jumpy, so if they think someone is breaking in, they unceremoniously commence firing.

Or it could have been an honest guy, paying his rent or mortgage, who had no idea what was going on, just that some strange guy was suddenly in his house. I doubt the reporter knows or even cares enough to find out.
 
Not sure why he was doing his job at 4:30 AM. I would have waited until daylight and after the homeowner left the house.
 
There is NO reason a locksmith would do his job at 04:30 AM, unless he didnt want to be hasseled. This obvisley worked in reverse!
Unless I knew that I probley was going to be evicted, I dont think 4:30 AM would be too healthy for someone to be messing with my lock either!
Maybe the homeowner had reason to think the occupant was a graveyard worker and picked that time to lock him out?
 
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