The Second Amendment and the right to defend yourself against harm are protections provided in the U.S. Constitution. So the recent incident in which local resident Louis Fumbanks was arrested for admitting he fired a warning shot while standing in his yard to thwart an alleged intruder is a bit disturbing.

Fumbanks claims he was charged Aug. 18, under an amended city ordinance passed in March by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen setting a mandatory $500 fine and 30 days in jail for people arrested for discharging a firearm inside the city limits.

He was scheduled to appear Thursday in Municipal Court and intends to request a trial on the charge.

Fumbanks said his neighbors gave him a description of a man trying to break into their home. He got his gun and walked to the front of his house, Fumbanks said, and as he was heading to the neighbor’s house, he saw the man the neighbors described.

“He was cussing, waving his arms, coming right to me; he was in my yard. I gave a warning shot; I shot into the ground and he stopped. He walked into the street and headed toward the end of the street, and a little bit later, the police showed up and caught him.”

When asked, Fumbanks admitted to the officers he fired the warning shot. He was then handcuffed, processed and jailed.

Given the circumstances, it’s understandable that most people in Fumbanks position would have done the same thing if they had a weapon and felt their life was being threatened.

Thankfully this incident didn’t end more tragically.

There is a reason for the ordinance, but common sense on the part of law enforcement should also be considered.

We’re hoping, if true, this was just an isolated incident and a misunderstanding that should be investigated.