A mother, protecting her young children, faced off with a crook who forced his way into their home. After the brave woman put up a fight, she fatally shot the suspect, who had a history that will make any reasonable-minded person livid and proved he should have never been let loose on our streets.
Robert Rheams, a 51-year-old armed robber, met his match when he broke into a Louisiana home early on a Sunday morning and came face to face with a mom, who was willing to do whatever it took to protect her two young children. The unnamed homeowner not only put up a fight, but she also fatally shot the man who forced his way into her house, according to the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office.
The break-in reportedly occurred at the Hillside Mobile Home Park on Klein Road in the city of Hammond, about an hour north of New Orleans, authorities said. According to The Blaze, Robert Rheams forced his way into the home of the victim and her two young children while armed with a shovel and a lug wrench. He also had a covering over his face, WWLTV reported. Unfortunately for him, he would soon find out that he had brought the wrong weapons to a gunfight.
After the homeowner and Rheams engaged in a physical altercation, the unnamed woman shot the suspect, leading deputies from the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office to respond to reports of shots fired shortly after 5 am, the sheriff’s office said. Rheams was pronounced dead on the scene by the Tangipahoa Parish Coroner’s Office and an investigation into the incident was launched.
“During the course of the investigation, detectives were able to determine the suspect, later identified as [51-year-old] Robert Rheams of Hammond, was armed with a shovel and a lug wrench when he forced entry into the home of the victim and her two young children,” the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office revealed in a statement. “During the incident, a physical altercation took place between Rheams and the homeowner which ultimately led to Rheams being shot by the homeowner.”
It was soon discovered that Robert Rheams was out on parole after serving approximately 20 years in prison for armed robbery at the time of the incident, authorities said. Making matters worse, detectives also tied Rheams to a carjacking that took place hours before the home invasion. He also had two other prior felony convictions before his 20-year prison stint; one for drugs and another for theft.
Chief Jimmy Travis with the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office said that no arrests were made in the investigation, but the case would be forwarded to the district attorney’s office for further review. However, Chief Travis added that the case appears to be a homeowner exercising her Second Amendment rights to protect herself and her children from a violent home invasion.
Many on social media appeared to agree with the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office and their assessment of the situation, expressing their support of the mother’s actions and satisfaction with the outcome of the sheriff’s office’s investigation.
“That lady did exactly what she was supposed to do to protect her[self] and her family!” one such commenter wrote. “Let her be and don’t go after her! How about getting her some now much needed therapy because of her needing to do this! Well done Mom!”
“Play stupid games win stupid prizes,” another commenter wrote. “Justice prevails today; good for her. She acted in self defense and went [to] war for hers — not willingly but necessarily. It’s never a good day when a human being is killed, and this mother will inevitably feel pain and remorse and probably will never be the same ever again, but she needs to proud of her quick thinking and readiness to make ‘that call’ — them or me. Because that suspect made up theirs when they broke [in] … this should always be in the forefront everyone’s mind: No, you can never practice an exact scenario, but you can … sure be ready for one. It can happen to anyone.”
“No arrest should be made,” yet another commenter declared. “She’s protecting her home and her children. He was out on bond for doing the same damn thing [he did to her]. Praying for the victim and her kids.”
“Good job, Momma,” another commenter wrote. “We protect our children at any cost.”
Overall, the comments seemed to side with the mother. Social media users had little to no sympathy for the criminal who lost his life after failing to learn his lesson while spending two decades behind bars. Perhaps the best comment was a warning to others like Robert Rheams: “What a sad way to go,” it said, adding, “You don’t know what’s on the other side of that door. People are afraid, and they are tired of being victimized.” Thanks to the Second Amendment, law-abiding citizens can and will fight back when danger darkens our doorstep.
