If guns are outlawed, I guess we’ll all wield katanas.
A Johns Hopkins University student from Monmouth County armed with a samurai sword killed a man early today who broke into his off-campus home in Baltimore, according to a report by the Baltimore Sun.
Baltimore police responded to a report of a suspicious person at the 300 block of E. University Parkway around 1:20 a.m., when they heard shouts and screams and found the suspected burglar suffering from a nearly severed hand and a severe cut to his upper body, the report said. Police said initial investigation shows the man was killed with one strike of the sword.
John Pontolillo, an undergraduate student from Wall, said he heard noises and went downstairs armed with the sword when he discovered a man in his garage, the Baltimore Sun report said.
The student asked the suspect what he was doing and threatened to call police.
“When he said that, the suspect lunged at him, kind of forced the kid against the wall, and he struck him with the sword,” said police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi told the Associated Press.
Chris Wysocki notes the burglar had 29 felony convictions and had been released from jail only days before. In addition, Pontolillo’s home had been broken into just the day before. More from Chris:
OK, on a more serious note, the Baltimore police took Mr. Pontolillo into custody. For what? Defending himself and his home? You can bet that the liberal hand-wringing has already begun. How long will it be until some ass-clown calls for government regulation of samurai swords? Will Jon Corzine suggest a “one sword a month” limit?
He’s since been released, but a police spokesman said it would be “up to the state’s attorney’s office to decide” if he would be charged. It is legal to own a samurai sword in Baltimore (a city with even more restrictive gun control laws than New Jersey). According to them it “depends” on whether or not Mr. Pontolillo was “the aggressor”. The aggressor? WTF? A guy with 29 prior felony convictions broke into his home days after being released from prison. The criminal got what he deserved.
Prosecute him? They should pin a medal on him.
I don’t imagine the charges will last long. According to the story, the burglar backed Pontolillo against a wall before he found out just how strong the student’s iaijutsu really was. Still, it leaves a sour taste that his life could be ruined on the whim of the state’s attorney’s office. I guess it’s better to let the criminals who have turned Baltimore into a cesspool just have their way. That’s how you get yourself a quality city.
Tags: Baltimore, Law Enforcement
