Johns Hopkins Samurai Sword Incident: John Pontolillo Kills Intruder With Sword (VIDEO)

John Pontolillo, an undergraduate student at Johns Hopkins University, killed an intruder who broke into his off-campus house with a samurai sword. Pontolillo's home had been broken into earlier that day, and when the student heard noise coming from his garage he grabbed his sword and went to investigate. The intruder lunged at him and with only one blow Pontolillo severely lacerated the intruder's chest and severed one of his hands. The intruder, Donald D. Rice, died of his wounds. Since the student appears to have been acting in self-defense, it is unlikely he will be charged with a crime, however that is for the state's attorney to decide.

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Comments

[A M]

I live in the area and know the guy that he got the sword from. I don't think it was a relic or anything.
Regardless, this dude got what he deserved.

My younger brother played soccer for JHU's men team and one of his grad teammates were stabbed to death when he awoke to a burglar stealing his laptop. Spilling the blood of young people whose families are shelling out a fortune and trying to advance themselves and make the world a better place needs to be met with force and John took the law into his own hands. Kudos to John, and all of the other students and security staff that keep a keen vigil to ensure that JHU is a safe place.

[brahdog]

a fan of shogun assassin, i'll wager

[TheJibreelaMonsters]

I like this guy style, get em up close

[AllieMD]

The latest from local news......­.

http://wjz.com/local/hopkins.student.sword.2.1192785.html

[BlackJAC]

The latest from the reality-based portions of the country...­....

http://cheezburger.com/View.aspx?aid=2605846016

[rf dude]

x

" Benefit From First Hand Med School Admissions Committee Experience"

from Google advertisement for John Hopkins Medical, running at the top of this thread today...
--

[duxguts]

In Florida it's mandatory to have one samurai sword in every house.

[T4Obama]

"Bring out the Gimp"

"The Gimp's sleeping"

[yellowdogminnesotan]

Hey Gun Nuts! See you don't need a Gun to defend your home!!!

[joependleton]

Maybe so, but swords don't have swagger.

[MosheDayanHero]

Actually a sword is far cooler than a .38 or even a 9. It just lacks the reach of a 9. But may be that's a good thing in a urban environment.

[MontanaMan]

You live by the sword you die by the sword...ne­xt time someone chooses to assault an individual while stealing from them in their home they may want to think twice. I believe we all have the right to be secure in our homes and our property.
People rob, steal, rape, murder, and then whine about someone actually defending themselves. Find a better job next time rather than stealing from those who live by the rules and try to make their way honestly through life.
It's too bad the guy died but then, what might he have done to someone not willing, able, or prepared to defend themselves so he could get away and continue preying on his fellow man.

[newleaf]

if you're breaking into someone's house, you just gotta accept that that might be the last thing you ever do......

[jayes]

they should enhance the reporting by discussion of how he happened to have the sword and if he was trained to use it, a 'natural', or 'lucky'.

[raptor]

Undercuts the argument in favor of guns for home protection

[isaidit]

My thought, precisely. :)

[Kamenskiy]

A Japanese sword is more effective than a gun in close quarters.

[rf dude]

Indiana Jones...
--

[AllieMD]

you said 'undercuts' lol

[hereinlou]

My husband has a tacky collection (3) of these... he bought them in his bachelor days... I suppose he thought they were a klassy decorative touch.... the kind of thing that would look nice atop a black lacquer table... maybe with a bearskin rug underneath­... perhaps next to a massive fish tank.

In any case, they now reside in a box in the basement..­. away from sight. I guess I'm glad to know they could come in handy if anyone ever breaks in.

[Mirabai305]

It's probably true that most people who own samurai swords got them for the 'look' or some sort of misguided decorative passion. But for those who study the art of swordfighting, these are things of beauty. Watching a pair of true masters in combat is a thing to behold.

[hereinlou]

I'm sure you're right... his were some mass produced, Home Shopping Network-type.

[newleaf]

I think I'll take ours outside and see how far it gets chopping some big pineapple or something. If it performs pretty well, might start keeping it out handy instead of back in the closet. It's a lot easier to practice with that at home, than drive to the shooting range to practice.

[AllieMD]

uh huh - and during a home invasion you'll have time to run to the basement, find the box, unpack them - and do you even know if they are even sharp or the dull just for looks kind? My .38 is always loaded and within arms reach of my bed.

[BlackJAC]

http://cheezburger.com/View.aspx?aid=2605846016

[callmecrazy831]

Whether the student was in his home or simply on his own property is a moot point. According to the story, the intruder "lunged" at him. I don't care if I am on my property or on public property, I can and will defend myself by any means necessary.

However, I am concerned that the intruder would lunge at a homeowner wielding a sword. Was the student overzealous in his anger of the previous intrusion? Could that be the real reason for the attack? Without a witness to the melee, we will never know. I would have to give the student the benefit of the doubt.

[DannyRose]

Property has greater value than human life. Only in America.

[hereinlou]

The problem is... you never truly know what the intruders motives are... I am as peaceful person as they come, but I am not a pacifist. If someone breaks into my house, with my two daughters.­.. all bets are off...

[newleaf]

agree 100%. I could only hope I'd have the courage to follow through. If somebody's in my house, I'd prefer they get hurt instead of me. You break in someone's house, you're kind of asking for it.

[Mirabai305]

That can't be denied. There are people all over the world that value things over people.

However, in this case, I think one could make the argument that this young man valued his life more than the life of the intruder who broke into his home and, when presented with the option of leaving, chose to lunge at a man holding a sword. If he felt his life was in danger he had to choose the more valuable life in that moment, and so he did. He gave more value to his own.

[newleaf]

property must have had more value to the thief, or why else would he be there?

[MosheDayanHero]

boo-hoo-ho don't fill up your adult daiperz, With a name like DannyRose it is rather likely.

[marxmarv]

Trip Fisk says don't mess with swords. They'll f---ing cut you wide open.

[marxmarv]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_RpbaUU7NI

[newleaf]

too bad there's not an amendment specifically for swords. Seems like a totally right wing kind of thing. They'd be all over it if they thought for a second a sword was a right.

[BlackJAC]

Technically the Second Amendment does cover it, as the actual text says "arms" and swords were still in use back in the colonial era.