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A Miami man who tried to protect his wife and daughter from a pair of home invaders was shot and killed early Wednesday, family members said.
Miami Police say they're looking for two heavily armed suspects who ambushed the family inside their home in the area of Northwest 16th Avenue and 44th Street.
"We call these two men beasts," Miami Police spokeswoman Kenia Reyes said.
Family members said 36-year-old Maurice Harris and his wife and 11-year-old daughter were inside the home when the two men broke in around midnight.
"We are all numb, in disbelief," said Harris' mother-in-law, Annie Streeter, who said her daughter and Harris had been married for 14 years.
According to Streeter, Harris was shot after he stepped in to stop one of the men who aimed his weapon at his daughter.
"Someone took the gun and put it to her head and like, had them hostage there," she said.
The men shot Harris, who was rushed to Ryder Trauma Center where he was later pronounced dead.
"I was like in disbelief that something like this could happen, cause they're a loving family," Streeter said. "The one thing I do know, that he gave his life trying to save his family."
Police said they're looking for the suspects and are asking anyone with information to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.
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This is sucha tragedy. Too bad he did not have a gun to defend his family. We can call criminals all the names we want but every family should have a way to defend themselves through the use of a gun. Florida has some strict guns laws as it is.
Floridas gun laws are not terribly strict. They are moderate and fair IMO. Concealed weapons classes are readily availible by anyone who is not a felon and can pass the course. Most gun shops make clients wait three days after purchasing a firearm for the background check. Concealed carry is legal in Florida which is also a stand your ground state. I live in Jacksonville and take full advantage of the gun laws here.
I can see the arguments now:
Liberal: "See, guns kill people"
Conservative: "He could have protected himself if he had had a gun"
I said find them . kill them hand their bodies from a bridge for all others to see . any democraps that feel bad for the killers get the same treatment . and poor guy , if he only had a gun to protect his beloved family he would be here today .
@Leftleaninglisa
Had this father had a firearm he MIGHT have been able to protect his family. No guarantees. But his chances of survival drastically increase if he has a firearm to combat to thugs also carrying firearms. You dont agree?
Who cares, should've had more guns to protect himself
Described as two black males... wouldn't that be helpful for tips and information leading to their arrest or does everyone already know that by default? NBC would rather have two white legal gun owners arrested.
In Miami it goes without say that generally crimes like this are commited by Blacks or Latinos. Sad but true face. I wish this father would have been armed to end these two POS thugs who took his life. BTW im not racist whatsoever. One of my best friends is black and hes more sickened by this than i am.
Why wouldn't they give a description? Its a big part of the who question left unanswered. Cowardly criminals, I hope when they find them they resist arrest and get put down like they need to be.
The guy that was killed is black, I believe the two heavily armed intruders are black.
For all of you going off about if he had a gun this wouldn't have happened, how do you know that he(the deceased) didn't have a gun? Maybe he was unable to get to it.
Third: What will all of your responses be to this "hero" if it comes to light that there were alot of drugs involved, and maybe he owed them money or made a bad deal? What say you then? I mean, come on, two heavily armed men breaking into a home in what appears to be a low income area? Just sayin'. I will be interested in seeing what comes of this in the days that follow.
Find the trash that committed this cold blooded murder and take quick, swift and sure care of them... They don't deserver to be wasting tried and conviced and sent to a jai; but should be rotting in a deep dark grave immediately. I don't care if I'm not politically correct; but stop the damned bitching and fighting about Guns, Gun Control, Gun ownership rights and actually do something constructive.
Generally crimes are committed by individuals that have no choices, regardless of race.
Lol @ "have no choice". Bleeding hearts have finally been exposed as the criminals they are. Always sticking up for the criminal and blaming the victim. Boo hoo hoo, the child molester who cut up the little girls body couldn't help himself boo hoo hoo. Boo hoo hoo we should all be more forgiving boo hoo hoo. Liberals are such scum bags.
We are going to continue to see tragedies like this as long as we allow the BIG LIE that the NRA touts to go unanswered.
The NRA wants us to believe that we can't keep guns out of the hands of criminals so we have to arm everyone else in self defense.
But we CAN greatly reduce the number of guns in the hands of criminals. Not the ones who already have guns but the ones who are trying to get them even as I type this.
It is the NRA itself that has facilitated the black market in guns that feeds firearms into the hands of criminals. The NRA sponsored Tiahrt amendments prevent the federal government from closing the black market in guns and the Tiahrt amendments were written by the NRA.
If you want to see gun crimes go down then we shoud re-examine and repeal most of the Tiahrt amendments.
We CAN keep guns out of the hands of criminals but not if we allow the NRA to continue to lie to the American people.
Im never surprised how full of sht Liberals are.
Do you honestly think these thugs went into a gun store and purchased these guns legally? I can tell you they did not. Chicago is a perfect example that STRICTER GUN LAWS DO NOT WORK AND ONLY HURT AMERICAN CITIZENS WHO ARE PURCHASING GUNS LEGALLY. Maybe caps will help with you understand.
When you are able to keep illegal drugs out of maximum security prisons, THEN we'll talk about your ability to keep guns away from criminals.
UGA and rnd -
CRAP RUBBISH and STUPID!!!!!!
Youy bring up irrelevant arguments that have NOTHING at all to do with the truth.
No system is perfect but your weak little minds can't accept that.
You have NO CLUE at all.
Anyone capable of doing something like this is capable of stealing the weapons to do it. Its not the guns, its the criminals.
Just what is your plan for keeping bootleg firearms out of the hands of criminals. Especially once they are coming from outside this country.
Trace information remains available for law enforcement use. The permanent version of the Tiahrt amendment ensures that trace data is available to federal, state, and local agencies "in connection with and for use in a bona fide criminal investigation or prosecution" or for use in administrative actions by BATFE
Both BATFE and the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) oppose release of trace data. In fact, BATFE has fought for years in the federal courts to keep trace records confidential, because they contain information (such as names of gun buyers) that could jeopardize ongoing investigations—not to mention law enforcement officers’ lives. For example, a suspected gun trafficker could search publicly released information for names of "straw purchasers" he had used to buy handguns, or for traces requested on guns he had sold. That information could lead him to names of officers, informants and witnesses against his crimes.
Much respect to the father giving his life to protect his family. Honorable indeed, and at least he will be known to his kids and family as "that type of man"...so his rememberance will be honorable.
These thugs were hired by the NRA to derail the political momentum for gun control.
Your a moron. Please do not reproduce.
Morlack translated into English ,means MORON ?
Thugs on drugs... yeah, they are beasts. Uncivilized, selfish beasts... nasty warts on the butt of humanity.
Most of us have nothing of value to steal, that would not require a moving van to move, so why would a proffessional crook break into your home. These punks give crime a bad name. It must be a gang thing, only the really stupid would break into a home with the owners there. Nothing here makes any sense, when you say they were professional crooks. I feel for the family, did these animals get the wrong address? Having a gun is only good if you arm everyone in the home and keep the loaded gun under the matress or pillow, if you use the pillow please sleep alone a nightmare could prove deadly.
ISITREAL-
EXACTLY!!! One reason why I dont have a gun, one bad nightmare & there goes my wife or one of my kids trying to wake me up!! I'll take my chances & say my prayers every night!!
UGA fan, what is wrong with YOU??? Do you always try to play political games in the face of a tragedy?? You are a prime example of what is wrong with this country! This family just lost their FATHER who was protecting them!! And you start squawking "The Liberals"?????????????? Some trashy statements should be totally ignored!
If any case deserved a speedy trial and conviction AND execution, this case does. God bless thjis family!
Tom in NH
I simply point out the facts. There will be hundreds of thousands more families losing their fathers if Sen. Frankenstein and King Obama get their agenda passed to ban any gun with more than a 10 round clip and all AR / AK platforms.
If the truth affends you than it may be time to take a look in the mirror and re think some things.
I hate to see this just as much as I did when Haidya was killed. It is horrible. But I have 0 problem with pointing out that if the majority of guns are banned, this will be much more frequent in the news.
You injected your politics into a tragedy!!! I wont even discuss the "truth" of what you said! SHAME on you! You dont get it!
Just curious Tom, do you equally condemn Obama and Feinstein and the rest of the gun control side when they continue to exploit Sandy Hook for their political purposes?
Aww man!!! Just last night also my wife tells me she heard a noise shortly also before midnight!!!
But thankfully it was nothing!!! But if it was some mother @!$%#ing low life scum bags I too would have made this sad news report!!!! Who knows how one will react when that terrible moment ocurrs but I am one to try and fight back, smartly of course since I dont have a gun but would probably try to talk or distract them before making a family saving move if needed. RIP dude!!!!
Cher Jenkins- I do agree about the knife thing, but in this case he just stepped in front of his daughter/gun & that mother @!$%#er shot him, it didnt say anything about a struggle I beleive, I'm sure he non-agressively stepped in since that was his family in the house & didnt want to give them any reason to fire a shot or any violent act.
automatic death penalty in all gun-related offense. everyone get to keep their guns, but anyone caught using it unlawfully, instant death row.
i believe this is something all law-abiding gun owners can agree with
I have guns. I am not an NRA member.
I have a concealed carry permit, which required a background check.
I think background checks are a good thing and will help reduce the number of guns in the wrong hands, but WILL NOT eliminate the problem.
I DO NOT think there is any way to keep criminals from getting guns. Even in the "gun free" European countries. OR in New York City.
I think trying to add more laws to the ones we have that we don't enforce is absurd.
I think attacking legal gun owners is stupid - we are not the problem.
Dave
You are mostly right.
Attacking legal gun owners is worse than stupid because legal gun owners are never the problem.
But there ARE ways to keep guns out of the hands of criminals. They are not perfect ways but they are effective. So if we significantly reduce guns in the hands of criminals but don't totally eliminate them does this mean that it is worthless?
Well the NRA has made this impossible. We shoud push back against the NRA and reduce the black market in guns. It isn't a prefect solution but every life saved is worth the effort - don't you think?
"But there ARE ways to keep guns out of the hands of criminals. They are not perfect ways but they are effective."
Pray tell us these wonderful ways you speak of?
Diogenese, No one will ever be able to stop the flow of illegal/bootleg/counterfeit guns on the black market. For the same reason as prohibition in the 1920's and the current drug war. If it is legalized it can be controlled. Make it illegal and there is no control. Because of the drug war in Juarez ,Mexico there have been over 50,000 homicides in a ten year span.
As noted in the article, they were ambushed, right? So having a gun in the house would not have helped unless they were caring the weapon on them. I think the media is doing a dis service to us, making it appear there is some sort of plan to restrict US Citizens from buying or owning guns yet I've not seen a single bill proposed to do that or even a plan to do that. Are their crazy people on both sides that say dumb stuff lke take away guns or arm every school, sure there are wacky people out there, but what is being considered does not infrindge on our rights to buy or poses guns. I can't imagine why someone would object to a background check when buying a gun, or a law making it illegal to buy a gun for someone else who cant legally own one (straw buyers) such as fellons. We also need to close the loop whole for Gun Shows, since 40% of guns sold in the US are sold via channels like Gun shows without ANY background check or regards to public safety. (Anyone can buy a gun at a gun show with no check, that's just wrong). I'm not sure how I feel about assault rifles or large clips being banned, I think my 12 gauge shotgun will protect me just fine if someone breaks in my house, not sure what use assault rifles really have in hunting or self-protection.
Randy,
As a gun owner I do not object to more mental screening or background checks. But banning semi-auto rifles and pistols with more than 10 shots in a mag will not do anything but give a law abiding citizen 10 shots to defend their family while the criminals can have up to 30 in an AR/AK Glock ETC.
Ill put it like this. If criminals are going to have an AK47, then as a law abiding citizen i want one to defend myself. My 12 shot pistol vs an AK47 with 30 shots isnt not going to do a whole lot of good if someone breaks into my home. Extreme scenario yes, but it does happen.
Thank God the Father didn't have a gun. He probaly would have been arrested for shooting the Felons and if he didn't kill one he would probaly be sued for damages. It's amazing how our system works now and who it protects. I hope the felons did'nt hurt themselves when they were leaving the house they may still sue the mother whenthey gete arrested.
I'll be nearly impossible to keep guns from Criminals if they want them, but what we can do is make the punishment so harsh for their use in crimes they only get to do it once in the entire life. We can also look at laws to ensure those that do own guns maintain control of them so they don't get inthe hands of Kids or the Mentally ill.
But what about the nuts like in Sandy Hook that don't expect to do more than once? They are on a suicide mission and want to take as many with them as they can. How harsh a punishment will keep them from doing it again - they are dead.
gun violence, violence in general, runs in the genes of the perpetrators. killing them instantly as soon as they are caught, not letting them breed, will reduce violence in society in the long run. let's do more death penalty for all violent offenders.
The criminals will ALWAYS get weapons. Heck our own government made sure that criminals in Mexico were getting guns.
Gun laws only keep LAW abiding CITIZENS from being able to protect themselves and their families.
There
is no deterrent for the mentally ill, they aren't capable of understanding. If
his Mom had control over the guns she would be alive and so would those kids.
It was her lack of control and concern that allowed her mentally ill son to
follow through with his deranged massacre. She should have gotten him
professional help. An armed guard at the school would not have helped in that
situation, he broke in through a side window and since he was, like many
mentally ill when on a rampage, on a suicide mission, an armed guard would have
been more likely killed than to have helped. (IMHO at least)
First, my sympathies go to this family, and to all of those who are affected by violence, whether it's by guns, knives, cars, fists or a myriad of other weapons.
Second, it's pretty sad that this discussion turned immediately to pro/anti gun control. Who knows what would have happened if he (the homeowner) had a firearm? Who knows what the result would have been if he could have gotten to a firearm before the people broke in? Who knows if he even owned a firearm? I read 5 articles, most from the Miami area paper and Florida papers. None of them stated whether or not this family owned firearms. So the arguments are really moot. Perhaps the discussion should revolve around WHY crime is so prevalent in some places, and what we can do as a nation to reduce it. Those who run around yelling that their second amendment rights are being denied are just as much a part of this problem as those who run around wanting all guns banned. No right is absolute, and in a civilized society, citizens have a right to regulate anything used among them for the betterment of society as a whole. There are many parts to the solution, but few voices that want to reasonably discuss them.
You my friend don't understand the consitution then do you? The Rights laid out in the Bill of rights are abosolute. They are gauranteed. Not understanding the constitution is part of teh problemf iwht Liberals. They just don't get it.
Florida is a "stand your ground" state. Unless your residence is a fortified compound patrolled regularly by heavily armed guards, you are putting up a "welcome" sign for home invaders.
I would think statistically having a large magazine for bullets when protecting yourself would have very little effect on your ability to do so with 8 rounds vs. 20. If you are in a situation where a gun is your best safety option, then 6 rounds in a fully loaded revolver is probably going to be just as useful as having a Glock with a 16 round clip. So I don't buy the larger clip means more safety argument. Sorry.
You honestly think its that easy to fire 6 shots with precision while someone is attempting to take your life. If you are not trained for situations like this 9/10 people will panic. Math should tell you that the chances of hitting a target greatly increase with (18) 9mm rounds in a glock as opposed to 6 rounds in a .38 snubnose. I know my fiancee faced with a tragic situation like this would be able to fire her weapon which holds 8 nine millimeter rounds. However i do worry about her accuracy in a frantic situation.
@Randy. Please tell me you are joking. There is too much fail in your comment for you to possibly be serious. You are aware how bullets work in real life aren't you? This isn't the movies, guys don't explode when you shoot them. They don't go flying 20 feet back when they are shot.
A woman in your state (Georgia) just shot a man 5 times IN THE FACE a few weeks back and he was still able to run away and drive off. If there were would have been more than one attacker, she'd be dead right now.
Which shows that people who chose to own weapons like Semi Auto Rifles have a much better chance of survival. That guy could have easily kept coming at her or shot her had he had a gun even though he took 5 rounds. Had she shot him with my 300 Blackout M4, we would be saving boatloads in medical bill and she would have had a mess to clean up.