How would you have reacted?

[RidgeRunner]

You handled it right in my opinion. In the eyes of the law, If you lay a hand on the 17 yr old you are in the wrong. You really should have called the police. They would have started a turdstorm that the ungrateful youth and his mother would not soon forget.

Protect your family, whatever it takes.

The mother of the 17 yr old has no idea how serious this is, or could have been. She should have been begging you not to call the police, made her son apologize after admitting what he did and taken away his rifle on the spot. What is wrong with these people?