HARRISONBURG, VIRGINIA — A lot of times it makes sense when criminals do dumb things. If these people were intelligent, they probably wouldn’t be criminals in the first place. Every once in a while though, one of these folks does something really stupid that leaves you scratching your head.

Two years ago, Lucas Hemp broke into a home near Elkton and escaped unharmed. On Sunday night, when he returned to the home for a second time, he wasn’t so lucky.



Sheriff Bryan Hutcheson said Hemp, 39, was shot as he tried to enter the home in the 20000 block of Wooded View Lane near Elkton. Hemp was recently released from prison for breaking into the same home. Via Daily News-Record

They say if at first you don’t succeed, try again. I am not sure if that saying was meant to describe robbing a house. Apparently though, our dashing criminal, Hemp, follows that doctrine pretty closely. Two years ago, he was caught breaking into the same house and served two years in jail for the crime. He was just recently released, and he went back for round two.

This time, however, the homeowners were better prepared than last time. Having been the victim of a home robbery once before, the Babbington’s (homeowners) weren’t going to be victims a second time. When Hemp came a creeping on their property and tried to force his way into their residence, Mrs. Babbington pulled the trigger.

Of course, the Babbington’s did try to get him to leave first. They verbally shouted at him to leave, and then called 911. When neither of those actions resulted in Hemp backing off, Mrs. Babbington decided enough was enough and shot Hemp in the torso.

It looks like Hemp will be going back to jail, albeit this time with a scar from a gunshot wound. No charges are being filed against the Babbington’s for defending themselves.

No one wants to ever be in the situation where they have to pull the trigger and shoot another human being, but sometimes we are faced with circumstances that warrant that level of force. This is why we plan and prepare for scenarios like this, so should the time come when we have to use deadly force, we will be ready and capable of defending ourselves.