(NewsNation) — From a deadly confrontation at a New York bodega, to a Florida man using an AK-47 to chase away possible home invaders, some people are taking matters into their own hands when in potentially dangerous situations.
In the case of the New York bodega, 61-year-old Jose Alba was seen on video repeatedly stabbing Austin Simon, 35, during an altercation. Simon’s girlfriend had been in the store to buy chips, but her card was declined. The girlfriend left the store, but then came back moments later with Simon. In the video, Simon is seen going after Alba behind the counter and attacking him. After Alba was pushed down and grabbed by the neck by Simon, he picked up a knife and stabbed the other man until he collapsed.
Alba’s supporters say he was defending himself and should not be charged with murder. Now, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg says he’s considering dropping the second-degree murder charge against Alba.
The Florida man who opened fire on home intruders with an AK-47 will not be charged at all, Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons said.
The Miami Herald reported that three suspects, one with a gun, went to a home and passed themselves off as old acquaintances to the owner. When the homeowner unlocked the door, two of the men pushed him into the house and attacked him, while another pulled a handgun from his pants. The homeowner ended up going to a back room of the house where he had a firearm and began shooting at the intruders.
“The homeowner is protecting himself and in Florida (and) in Escambia County, you can protect yourself,” Simmons said.
Defense attorney Rachel Fiset said on NewsNation “Prime” that Florida’s “stand your ground laws” allow incidents like this to qualify as self-defense quite easily.
This raises the question: in what situations should you fight back?
“If you’re being mugged and they are strictly after your purse or your valuables you need to give those up and quickly,” former FBI Agent Jennifer Coffindaffer told NewsNation.
But if you’re being attacked, and are fearing serious injury or even death, “At that point you need to take the offensive,” Coffindaffer said.
These headlines come as the FBI reports violent crime went up 4.6% from 2019 to 2020, which is the last year there is complete data for.
Homicide numbers in some cities are also concerning some people: Washington D.C. saw homicides go up by 14% this year, while in Los Angeles, they hit the highest level in over 15 years during the first half of 2022, according to ABC 7.