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BY EMILY SPAIN
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Prosecutors decided not to charge an 18-year-old mom who shot and killed a man attempting to enter her home with a knife on New Year’s Eve... this with the guidance of a 911 operator.
The mom, Sarah McKinley, just lost her husband a week earlier on Christmas day from cancer.
She used a shotgun to take down Justin Martin who she described as a stalker who had come by her house once before trying to introduce himself. The second time he showed up he brought an accomplice and a knife.
McKinley had her three-month-old baby at the house and called 911 asking for advice while the men where trying to break-in...Here’s the call:
DISPATCHER: “Are your doors locked?”
MCKINLEY: “Yes, I’ve got two guns in my hand. Is it okay to shoot him if he comes through this door?”
DISPATCHER: “I can’t tell you that you can do that but you do what you have to do to protect your baby.”
Police deemed McKinley’s actions justified. And many on the web deemed them impressive. Most are fascinated by her mommy will-power, praising her for protecting her baby boy. Perez Hilton wrote:
“...we're just happy to know that Sarah was able to keep a cool head, while managing to arm herself with weapons, calmly discuss her options with a 911 operator, and simultaneously keep her infant quiet and calm. Truly an inspiration.”
A writer for Townhall agrees and is glad the incident ended in McKinley’s favor.
“...we've documented time and again how guns are an equalizer when it comes to women (or anyone, really) defending themselves. It's hard to imagine a scarier scenario than being left alone with a small infant, only to have a stalker and an accomplice break into your home and run at you with a knife. What could have been a tragic story instead became a positive account of a woman saving her life and the life of her child.”
And finally a blogger for the Stir says people should know not to mess with mommas, because when motherly instincts kick-in, they’re hard to stop.
“Honestly, I'm a heck of a lot older and I don't know if I would have had the wherewithal to take care of myself and my baby after everything this young girl had just gone through. Of course, once you go into protective mode with your babies, you're capable of anything.”
The accomplice with the man ran away after he heard McKinley’s shots. He’s now behind bars and prosecutors are charging him with first-degree felony murder.
Transcript by Newsy.
