It was the best possible outcome for Eddie Maurice and his family Friday, June 22.

Charges against him for shooting an alleged thief on his property in February were withdrawn by the Crown, but the question it raises, is does this mean more landowners will be willing to take shots at alleged criminals on their property, based on the outcome of this decision?

Foothills Regional Crime Watch Association President, Don Larson, says not likely.

"I don't think anybody when you look at the situation feels that that's going to be one of the implications or the follow through on it. In accordance with our legal system, there's no trial, there's no decision. There's really no court precedent that's being set here. So, I don't think there's much here that flows out of it."

Don Larson, the President of the Foothills Rural Crime Watch Association says he doesn't think what happened in the Maurice case is going to cause more landowners to start shooting at people. But he does say the Association will have to continue to try and educate people on what they can and can't do.

Larson says the question that's still very much up in the air is what exactly land owners can do, outside of locking their doors and phoning police, to deter rural crime?

He says that's not a simple question to answer, but they are lining up some guest speakers and other officials to talk to residents at meetings they're hoping to hold in the Fall.

 

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