On December 27, 2024, WFIN Florida cited Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells regarding recent home invasions and shootings. The sheriff said:
“This is Florida. If you want to break into someone’s house, you have to be prepared to get shot.”
This incident occurred on December 26, 2024 at approximately 9:00 p.m. From wfin.com:
“He knew something bad was about to happen and he didn’t stall,” MCSO Sheriff Rick Wells said at a news conference Friday. “He grabbed a gun and told his wife to get into a safe area.”
The homeowner fired multiple shots, hitting Flores-Toledo “several times,” while Soto-Mera fled the scene, the sheriff’s office said.
“I sat next to him on the balcony and the door was open and I could clearly hear three gunshots,” John Newceder, who was visiting family in the neighborhood, told Fox 13.
Flores-Toledo was initially reported to be in critical condition and then taken to Sarasota Memorial Hospital, where she died Friday morning, authorities said.
“This is Florida,” Wells said. “If you want to break into someone’s house, you have to be prepared to get shot.”
Deputies used a K9 unit to track Sotomela, who had been in the country illegally after his 90-day visa expired in September, and arrested him several blocks away, according to the sheriff’s office. The scene was secured and all involved accounted for and there was no threat to the local community.
The man who was killed was Flores Toledo from Mexico. There is no mention of his immigration status. The man she was with was from Chile and had entered the country illegally.
Situational awareness is key. The homeowner noticed the two suspects before trespassing. This gave him access to a gun and a tactical advantage, giving him time to advise his wife to evacuate. It appears that the couple had planned for such a situation, as they acted quickly. Often people see danger occurring and refuse to accept what is happening. This leads to dangerous delays in an effective response. The United States is one of the few jurisdictions that protects the inherent right of people to use firearms to protect themselves and, to a lesser extent, their property.
Neither Mexico nor Chile have the same concentration of firearms in private hands as the United States. In the United States, it is not uncommon for homeowners to shoot and kill intruders. More and more sheriffs are publicly praising homeowners for exercising their Second Amendment rights to protect themselves from criminals. There have been several cases in recent years.
For 150 years, Americans have been celebrated for their ability and willingness to defend their homeland with deadly force. Starting around 1965, there was a growing trend toward gradually disarming Americans, condemning the use of firearms by Americans to protect themselves, and criticizing the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. That trend is over. Although not fully restored, the Second Amendment is being restored by Congress and the courts.
Hats off to Sheriff Rick Wells. He is an American politician/lawyer who states the obvious. I hope he gets re-elected. He has held the position for almost eight years. He is married to Lupita Wells and they have three sons.
About Dean Weingarten:
Dean Weingarten is a peace officer and military veteran who served on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught Arizona’s concealed carry course for 15 years until the constitutional goals were achieved. Carry achieved. He has degrees in meteorology and mining engineering and retired from the Department of Defense after a 30-year career in Army research, development, test, and evaluation.
