Sandecki is a columnist in Terrace, B.C. This column was originally published in the Terrace Standard.
For those who missed news about the 38-year-old Tees, Alta., farmer Brian Dennis Knight, who pursued and arrested a brazen night-time thief, the story began when his wife heard voices in their farmyard about 1:40 a.m. and woke Knight. Three men were trying to steal his all-terrain vehicle.
Two of the men escaped in a pickup. The third, a 30-year-old, clambered aboard Knight’s quad and tore off down the road, with Knight driving his truck in pursuit.
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About two kilometres along the road, Knight rear-ended his own quad, sending both the ATV and his truck into the ditch.
The thief took off running. Knight snapped a shotgun to his shoulder and blasted two shots, air-conditioning the thief’s buttocks.
Knight phoned relatives and neighbours to help him round up the bleeding thief. This they soon did, and corralled him in a pick-up cab. Knight phoned RCMP to collect his prisoner.
The thief was airlifted by helicopter to an Edmonton hospital, where his peppered behind was treated. He was charged with theft, but his name not released because police have yet to swear the information in court. He was released without bail on a promise to appear in court at a later date.
Knight was charged with seven counts, including discharging a firearm, assault with a weapon, assault and criminal negligence causing bodily harm and dangerous driving. He appeared in court April 9 supported by 70 family members, friends, neighbours and even strangers who applaud his stand in protecting his property.
His supporters know first-hand how vulnerable farmers and rural households are to crime where it may take hours to days for RCMP to respond. Such delayed response leaves personal safety and protection of property in the hands of would-be victims.
Not satisfied with attending court, Knight’s supporters have organized a petition to have his charges dropped, and set up a trust fund for people to donate funds to help defray his legal costs.
“Burglaries are psychologically damaging,” wrote Lorne Gunter in The Edmonton Journal of March 29.
“In addition to making the victim angry, they can leave him or his family feeling violated and vulnerable. Especially out where a police cruiser can be an hour or more away, if burglars are left unchallenged, they will come to feel more and more free to commit their thefts.”
I trust a jury to acquit Knight of criminal charges. The final insanity in this case would be if legal aid is approved for the thief so he can sue Knight for his buckshot wounds.
