Civilian Gun Self-Defense Blog

Sugar Land Man Shoots Intruder

Residents are on alert tonight after a man tries to break into a Sugar Land home.

The man was shot after trying to break into an apartment on Long Reach Drive near Lexington in Sugar Land.

Going by his first name only, James, a computer technician, who works the graveyard shift was sleeping in his apartment when he was awaken by his barking dog around noon.

"That alarmed me so I picked up my gun just to have it with me in case someone was there," said James.

And there was; an unidentified intruder who apparently entered through a kitchen window.

"I opened my bedroom door and saw the guy," said James. "It looked like he was running towards me with a weapon like a screwdriver and I was scared."

The 33 year-old pulled the trigger striking the suspect in the upper body. James was dialing 911, when he says the suspect ran out through the front door.

"The suspect description that we have is a Hispanic male in his 20's," said Doug Adolf, a Sugar Land City Spokesperson. "We were told he might have fled in a silver-colored SUV."

The suspected get-away vehicle, which was stained with blood, was later discovered 10 miles away near a southwest Houston Long John Silver Restaurant.

Police say the suspect walked to a nearby clinic, and was eventually taken to Ben Taub hospital.

Surprisingly, James says he feels bad for the man.

"If he hears this, I hope he lives," said James. "I'm sorry that I had to shoot him. I was scared and he shouldn't be getting into people's apartment and trying to rob them."

"That makes me feel great that there is someone out there that will defend themselves and their community," said Courtney Huckaby, a neighbor.

Police say when the suspect took himself to a clinic he actually claimed a robber had shot him. It's unclear his exact condition at this time, and whether charges have been filed against him.

Sugar land PD says there has been an increase in apartment burglaries and a task force was created to combat the problem.

Labels: home invasion, TX

Man shoots, kills intruder during home invasion, intruder turns out to be man's grandson

Police say a grandfather shot and killed his own grandson, after the 20-year-old broke into his grandparents' house.

But WHAS11 News has learned the grandfather didn't realize who he was shooting until it was too late.

Metro Police say the grandson came in through a back window wearing a ski mask around 4:30 a.m. on Wednesday. His grandfather woke up and saw the figure with a mask and opened fire.

The shots killed his grandson, James Michael Keen, 20, who has a record of repeated drug charges. We're also told had stolen from his grandfather in the past.

Investigators say keen also fired at his grandfather, but they're not sure who shot first. We're told the gun keen had on him at the time was his grandfather's gun, previously stolen from his grandfather's car.

It appears the motive of this morning's break-in was theft, but since it ended with Keen dead, WHAS11 asked police if his grandfather might face any charges.

"The facts we have don't lead to that as far as I’m concerned-- for an arrest to be made. It seems to me to be a justified homicide, as far as self-defense, but that determination will come from the Commonwealth Attorney's Office,” said Lieutenant Barry Wilkerson, LMPD.

However, Nicholas Joseph Spencer, 20, is under arrest. Police say he was waiting outside in the getaway car for Keen at the time of the shooting.

A source also tells WHAS11 that Keen's grandfather first figured out it was his grandson just before police arrived, when he pulled the ski mask off Keen.

Police say that the grandson also fired shots at the homeowner, his grandfather.

Labels: home invasion, KY

Burglar Shot by Owner of Truck He Was Breaking Into

A burglar is in jail tonight after he was shot by the owner of the truck he was breaking into and apprehended by police.

It was the latest in a string of attempted car robberies at the Woodlands Apartment Complex where the shooting took place.


After a series of attempted car break-ins management here at the woodlands apartment complex told residents to contact police if anything else was going on. The other night one resident did just that but not before shooting and detaining a would-be burglar.

"Pow pow pow... just like that".

Tony Lynch ran out of his apartment only to find a bleeding man on the ground.

"This is a really nice neighborhood. This is a real nice complex and it was a shock to me", said Lynch.

Police say a resident fired two rounds at two would-be burglars... hitting one in the ankle.
Neighbors say it wasn't the first burglary.

"The managers have put notes on the doors saying that everybody should be aware that we've been having some problems with breaking into vehicles", said Lynch.

Vandalism hit this resident.

"Pretty upset. You have to go back and re-do everything and fix it up".

After the break-in and shooting one witness tells us the gunman said he didn't mean for it to go off. So was this an accidental shooting or did he take "don't mess with Texas" a little too seriously?

"They kind of deserve it for breaking into a car", said Ryan Dominey.

"Would you just let them break in? I would end up shooting them too" added Ryan Dodd.

Either way... it's legal under Texas Penal Code 9.42.

"It authorizes a person to use deadly force to protect land or tanagible, movable property during the night-time", says Cpl. Sherrie Carruth of the Odessa Police Dept.

It may be legal... but police say it's rare. And Tony Lynch... wouldn't pull the trigger.

"It aint worth it man... you can replace a car but you can't replace a life".

Labels: street property theft, TX

City liquor store owner outwits armed robber who threatens to kill him

The quick-thinking owner of a Social District package store turned the tables on a man who had a knife to his throat and threatened to kill him for money Tuesday, police said.

After a violent struggle with the robber, the owner of U-Save Liquors at 399 Clinton St. convinced him that he was too tired to fight anymore and he was giving up. In an attempt to put the robber at ease, John Quinn then offered him the keys to the store and invited him to lock the front doors before he looted the store.

As 20-year-old Kevin Mortimer was busy fumbling with the keys, however, Quinn, 56, slipped into his office and emerged with a Walther PPK 9mm handgun, the police said. With the firearm trained on Mortimer, Quinn reached for a phone with his free hand to call the police, at which point Mortimer ran from the store.

Moments later, Patrolmen Michael Flood and Sean Carpenter captured Mortimer on a footpath that hugs the Blackstone River, just behind the store. Mortimer was arrested after a wrestling match with his arresting officers that ended only after he was in handcuffs and leg irons, said Detective Lt. Eugene Jalette.

“They put shackles on him, and that’s not something that normally happens unless a person is really kicking,” said Jalette. “He was quite combative.”

Mortimer, of 59 Salisbury St., was charged with first-degree robbery, two counts of assaulting the police and resisting arrest. Mortimer was also booked for obstructing because he allegedly refused to identify himself after he was taken into custody. This may be Mortimer’s first arrest in Rhode Island, but Jalette said he has a lengthy criminal record in Massachusetts, where he used to live.

The run-in at U-Save began at 10:28 p.m., when Mortimer entered the store and asked Quinn where he kept the vodka, said Jalette. Quinn was showing him the brands he had in stock when Mortimer suddenly came up behind him, wrapped one arm around his waist and held a knife to his throat with the other. The owner struggled with Mortimer, causing the armed man to cut himself on the forearm with his own knife.

At that point, Quinn broke away from Mortimer, letting the robber think he had gotten the better of him, said Jalette. Mortimer allegedly told him, “I don’t want to kill you but I need the money for my rent,” said Jalette.

After the owner gave Mortimer the keys to the store, the would-be robber began attempting to lock the front door. The owner used the distraction to step into the office to get his Walther PPK, the same pocket-size handgun that British spy novelist Ian Fleming made the signature weapon of his famous fictional character, James Bond. Fleming’s influence is said to have been a major factor in the popularity of the distinctive-looking weapon, which has been around since the 1930s.

Mortimer did not require medical treatment for what was described as a small cut on his arm. After being held overnight at police headquarters, Mortimer was arraigned in District Court Wednesday and ordered held without bail at the Adult Correctional Institutions pending a review hearing on July 15, according to court records.

Quinn told The Call later that he’s been in business 13 years and he’s never been the target of a holdup before. He said Mortimer repeatedly threatened to kill him during the course of the attempted robbery because he was desperate for money, and Quinn took the threats seriously.

“What would you think if somebody has a knife to your throat and says he’s sorry, but he needs the money?” Quinn said. “I figured it was going to be me or him, and it wasn’t going to be me.”

But Quinn said he used more brains than brawn to overpower the younger man. When he broke off the struggle, Quinn convinced Mortimer that he couldn’t fight any longer because he had heart trouble and needed to a drink. Mortimer was so desperate to be in control of the situation that he actually fetched him a cup of coffee from the brew-station in the store, Quinn said.

“It’s not always the more powerful or the armed one who wins,” said Quinn. “It’s the smart one.”

Labels: business robbery, RI

Homeowner shot intruder, police say

A security alarm went off at a Holly Hill accountant’s residence in the pre-dawn hours Tuesday, rousing the sleeping homeowner who grabbed his gunshot, confronted an intruder standing in his doorway and shot the burglar in the shoulder.

L. Glenn Littlejohn, 71, of 1244 Peake St. interrupted the suspect, Roosevelt Elmore Jr., at around 4:55 a.m. as Elmore stood in the doorway of Littlejohn’s home, according to police.

Holly Hill Police Chief Robert Wunderlich said an unarmed Elmore allegedly forced his way though a doorway into the kitchen of the victim’s home.

Littlejohn, after being awakened by the alarm, “grabbed his shotgun, went out the back door and went around to the side of the house where the suspect made entrance and confronted the suspect in the doorway,” Wunderlich said.

He said Littlejohn shot Elmore in his right shoulder with a 12-gauge shotgun. The wounded Elmore fled the scene, and Littlejohn called 911, the chief said.

Moments later, Wunderlich said, a 30-year-old male resident of Gilmore Avenue called law enforcement after observing a man with a gunshot wound standing on his front porch.

Wunderlich said the suspect ran nearly 300 yards from Littlejohn’s house before arriving at the Gilmore Avenue residence. Holly Hill officers were able to follow a trail of blood in tracing Elmore’s escape route from Peake Street to Gilmore Avenue, he said.

“He (Elmore) had several pellet punctures in the upper shoulder area,” Wunderlich said.

Officers recovered one spent three-inch shotgun cartridge from the scene. Sgt. Andy Myers said an unspent cartridge could contain 15 pellets. Wunderlich said Elmore had 14 puncture wounds. However, he said some of the wounds may be the result of shotgun pellets exiting the suspect’s body.

Emergency crews responded and transported Elmore by helicopter to the Medical University of South Carolina, where he underwent surgery on his shoulder, Wunderlich said. He said Elmore’s injuries didn’t appear to be life-threatening.

Elmore was charged with felony first degree burglary, Wunderlich said. If convicted, he could face from 15 years to life in prison, the police chief said.

Wunderlich said Elmore is also a “person of interest” in three previous reported burglaries at Littlejohn’s home in recent months – on Dec. 24, 2008, March 5 and April 10.

Wunderlich said Elmore’s criminal rap sheet is lengthy, including convictions for assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, burglary and forgery.

The Times and Democrat attempted to contact Littlejohn; however, he was meeting with a client in Charleston at press time.

Labels: home invasion, SC

Clarksdale Store Owner Kills Robber

A Clarksdale, Miss. convenience store owner shot and killed an armed robber Wednesday evening.

According to Captain Robbie Linley with Clarksdale Police, 31-year old Joey Barron held up a store with a handgun on the 1600-block of N. State Street. Barron took cash and some prescription drugs, and was then shot once by the store's owner.

Barron was transported to the Northwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center where he later died.

The store owner will not face any charges.

Labels: business robbery, MS

Guard shoots man during attempted grocery store robbery

An exchange of gunfire between a security guard and an alleged robber at the Mars Super Market on Maiden Choice Lane and Westland Boulevard, in Arbutus, Sunday evening left the alleged robber with several gunshot wounds, according to Baltimore County police.

It also left the store, at the Maiden Choice Shopping Center in the 1000 block of Maiden Choice Lane, without some of its front windows — which were boarded up Monday morning.

Neither the guard nor any customers in the store were injured, police said.

At 6:52 p.m. June 21, Jamison Harvey Johnson, 40, entered the store and “announced the robbery,” said Bill Toohey, a police spokesman.

Johnson then walked to the store’s customer service office, where he demanded and was given an undisclosed amount of cash, police said.

An armed security guard employed by Mars who was inside the store followed Johnson to the store’s entrance and confronted him, police said.

Johnson, whose address is listed as “unknown” in court records, then shot at the guard, Toohey said.

The guard returned fire and Johnson then ran into the parking lot and got into a green Honda Accord, Toohey said.

As the gunman drove away, he again fired on the security guard, who again shot back, Toohey said.

The car was found a short time later at the end of Wilton Farm Drive, in Catonsville.

Police began searching the area, using a helicopter and a K-9 unit.

A man fitting Johnson’s description was spotted walking along Kenwood Avenue, in Catonsville, with several gunshot wounds by an officer involved in the search at about midnight, almost five hours after the gunfire occurred, Toohey said.

The man was caught after a brief foot chase, police said, and taken to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center, where he received treatment for gunshot wounds.

Johnson was later charged with armed robbery, attempted murder and two handgun violations — one for the possession of a firearm with a felony conviction.

In 1996, Johnson, then living in the 1800 block of West Pratt Street, in Baltimore, was found guilty of robbery with a deadly weapon, according to court records.

Bail has been denied, and Johnson is being held in the Baltimore County Detention Center, in Towson.

Toohey said another man ran from the store during the incident, which “drew the interest of authorities.”

Police are “checking to see if there is any evidence that can link him to what happened,” Toohey said.

Labels: business robbery, MD, private security

Business owner shoots intruder

A store owner shot and wounded a man who broke into his business on West Fifth Street Monday morning, police said.

The names of the men involved were not available.

The shooting was reported between 3 and 4 a.m. at The Auction House, said Lt. Johnny Barnes of the Lumberton Police Department.

The man who broke in threatened the store owner with a tire iron, Barnes said. The owner then shot the man in the leg, Barnes said.

The wounded man was taken to Southeastern Regional Medical Center, Barnes said.

The wounded man will be charged with breaking and entering, Barnes said.

The district attorney will decide if any charges should be filed against the business owner, Barnes said.

Labels: assault, NC

Homeowner wounds would-be burgler

A homeowner fired a shotgun after two people broke into his home on N.C. 54 early Monday and hit one of the suspects in the arm.

The gun scared the two men away, and one of them, 36-year-old Randy Stewart, of Morningside Drive, Burlington, showed up at Alamance Regional Medical later, according to an Alamance County Sheriff's Department news release.

He was taken to UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill for further treatment. His medical condition wasn't immediately known.

The sheriff's department obtained a warrant charging Stewart with first-degree burglary, but it still hasn't been served. The second suspect remains at large and deputies continue to search for him.

The incident happened at about 12:30 a.m. Monday at a home on N.C. 54. The home owner, John Davis, told authorities that sometime after midnight he and his girlfriend were awakened by the dog barking. They heard noises outside the door of the home.

When Davis got out of bed to investigate, the two suspects allegedly shattered the door and entered the house.

"The victim was then confronted by the suspects as they proceeded through the kitchen of the residence," the release states. "At that point, Mr. Davis had armed himself with a shotgun. As the suspects advanced toward him, he fired the weapon."

Both suspects left the home. The investigation is ongoing. The sheriff's department plans to confer with the District Attorney's office, but it is unlikely that Davis will be charged.

Labels: home invasion, NC

Armed robbery at Twisters Ice Cream Shop, suspect arrested

A man from Bath was arrested for robbing Twisters Ice Cream Shop on 421 in Bath just after 6:45 Saturday night.

Witnesses said the suspect walked into the store armed with a gun and demanded money from the employee. He was given an undisclosed amount before being confronted by the owner's son Shannon Labord.

The suspect shot at Labord hitting the counter. Labord fired back and chased the suspect while firing several more shots to a near by trailer.

23 year old Joey Taylor was arrested.

He is charged with armed robbery, assault and battery with intent to kill and possession of a weapon during the commission of a crime.

No one was injured during the incident.

Labels: business robbery, SC

Mira Loma man kills home-invasion suspect

On Sunday at 8:11 a.m., deputies from the Jurupa Valley Station responded to a report of shots fired in the 31000 Block of Chardonnay Way in the community of Mira Loma. Deputies found a deceased male adult in the street.

Investigators from the Jurupa Valley Station and the Sheriff’s Central Homicide Unit responded to the location and assumed the investigation.

Investigators learned the victim of the homicide and a female companion had participated in a home invasion robbery. During the robbery, a struggle ensued between the suspects and the homeowners. The male suspect dropped his firearm during the struggle with the homeowner. The homeowner retrieved the firearm and fatally shot the suspect during the struggle for the weapon. The suspect attempted to flee the residence after he was shot, but collapsed in front of the residence.

The identity of the deceased male is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

Update: The female suspect in the home invasion robbery was located by the Ontario Police Department in the area of Walnut and Cucamonga on Sunday at 7:15 p.m. The suspect was identified as Amy Schinzel (pictured), 30 years of age, from Ontario. She was arrested and booked for murder.

Labels: CA, criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion

Jewelry store manager fires shot at fleeing thief

Afer her father's store, Bob's Coins & Jewelry, was burglarized twice, and after hearing about jewelry stores being robbed recently in Ocala, Vickie Buxton decided to take precautions.

Buxton, general manager at the store, took concealed weapons classes and armed herself with guns she keeps at the business in case she encounters an intruder.

She did not have to wait long.

While working at the store, at 17860 S.E. 109th Ave., Suite 621, on Thursday, Buxton shot at a thief after the man entered the building with a hammer, broke a glass case and escaped with an official Vatican Treasury gold medallion worth $20,000.

"I hit the back of the truck," Buxton said, describing a bluish-purple sports utility vehicle she said the robber got into.

She said before the robber entered the store, "The vehicle sat in front for several minutes, and then it drove around the parking lot some more."

Then, she said, the suspect approached the business and pulled a bandana up to his face.

"I yell, 'Gun!,' meaning my employees know I'm going for the gun," she said.

As the robber entered the store, Buxton said she told him, "I'm going to shoot."

The man ignored her and smashed a display glass that contained coins.

Buxton tried to fire a .380-caliber handgun, but the weapon misfired.

The robber grabbed the medallion and as he was heading out the door, Buxton again tried to fire the gun, but it misfired a second time.

Buxton successfully fired a third shot, which struck the back of the SUV.

"He dropped the medallion on the ground. He then picked it up, and got in the truck," she said.

Capt. Tommy Bibb said detectives are looking for the suspect, described as a white male approximately 6-foot tall, of medium build, who was wearing a white jacket or long-sleeved shirt and camouflage short pants.

Bibb said he also wants jewelry store owners to be aware of their surroundings and be mindful of anyone who appears to be suspicious. He said the vehicle in Thursday's robbery did not have a tag.

Labels: business robbery, female, FL

Clerk kills would-be robber and critically wounds another, police say

A Kansas City, Kan., corner-store clerk fought back when two men tried to rob him tonight, shooting and killing one suspect and critically injuring the other, police said.

Officers were called to the 5th Avenue Convenience Mart at Fifth Street and Quindaro Boulevard shortly before 7 p.m., Officer Mike Golden said.

The clerk told them two men with long guns entered the store and demanded money, Golden said. When one of the suspects fired a shot, the clerk grabbed a handgun from behind the counter and shot both suspects.

One ran halfway up the block before collapsing, dropping a gun in the middle of Quindaro. An ambulance took him to a hospital, but he died before arriving, Golden said.

The second suspect made it slightly farther and went to the hospital in a private vehicle.

The clerk, mildly injured in the scuffle, was checked by paramedics at the scene.

Detectives and crime-scene technicians were on scene investigating the incident — the sixth homicide in five days for Kansas City, Kan.

“It’s been a very busy week,” Golden said. “We don’t have an answer for why.”

Labels: business robbery, KS

Shop Owner Shoots Would-Be Robber

A jewelry store owner in Oklahoma City opened fire on a would-be robber on Thursday, sending him to the University of Oklahoma Medical Center.

Police said they were called to the scene of a shooting at Northwest 23rd Street and Villa Avenue.

“When officers arrived at this location, they did find evidence that there was some type of shooting inside this door,” said Oklahoma City police Sgt. Jennifer Wardlow. “Shots were fired.”

Police said they believe the clerk pulled out a gun from behind the counter just after the robbery began. They said the clerk told them they thought he hit the would-be robber at least once. No one else in the store was hurt.

Officers said the would-be robber ran out of the store and got into a vehicle that was waiting for him. The driver of that car took the man to the hospital, where he was listed in critical condition late Thursday.

Police said they were looking for a maroon or dark red Chevrolet HHR with Oklahoma license plate number 762XNR. They said the driver was a black female wearing glasses and a pink shirt who had her hair pulled back. Police urged anyone who saw this woman not to approach her and to call police instead.

The shooting comes about six weeks after a similar robbery and shooting at Reliable Pharmacy. Pharmacist Jerome Ersland is charged with murder in the shooting because prosecutors said he continued to fire shots after victim Antwun Parker no longer posed a threat to him.

Labels: business robbery, OK

One dead after botched home invasion

Deputies say at least one gunman was killed in an early-morning home invasion near Wagram.

Anthony Martin, of Kale Street in Wagram, was shot to death in the failed robbery attempt while two others masked men fled, according to Shep Jones. The sheriff's department did not have Martin's age.

Investigators say one of the robbers was 40-year old William Anthony Strickland, according to Jones. The last-known address for Strickland is 9539 Springview Road in Charlotte. Jones would not say how Strickland was identified as a suspect.

Warrants were obtained for Stricklands arrest on charges of robbery, burglary and felony assault.

Investigators have not released information on the third suspect.

Jones said the trio entered the home of 62-year Edmond Cooper at 23296 Wagram Street at about 12:30 a.m. through the back door, which had been left unlocked.

Debbie Cooper, Edmond's wife, was still up and a suspect knocked her out by striking her over the head. The men then entered the room of the Coopers' 15-year old son. The suspects used ziploc ties to restrain the juvenile. The three men then entered the hallway of the residence, according to Jones.

"Edmond Cooper came out of the bedroom with a gun," Jones said. "He fired several shots, hitting one of the suspects."

He said the two suspects left standing returned fire, while fleeing from the residence.

"Mr. Cooper was shot in the hand," Jones said.

Martin was dead when emergency personnel arrived on the scene, according to Jones. Edmond Cooper was taken to the hospital, where he was treated and released.

Jones said the two suspects may have fled with $1,000 from the residence.

"It shows the times we're living in when families are at home, where they are supposed to be safe, and they are violated," Jones said.

Wagram police have assisted the sheriff's department in this case.

If you know the whereabouts of William Anthony Strickland or have information on the third suspect, contact the Scotland County Sheriff's Department at 276-3385 or anonymously report your tip to Scotland Crime Stoppers at 291-3333.

Labels: assault, home invasion, NC

Gunman Shot to Death During Home Invasion

A home invasion turns deadly after one of the robbers is shot by the homeowner.

It happened on Moss Landing Drive in Antioch around 1:00 a.m.

Dennis Nicholson told detectives that he was confronted by 22 year old Elijah Minnard (pictured left) at the home.

Nicholson says Minnard had a shotgun, and 17 year old Jeremie Thomas (pictured right), had a pistol.

Police say the men forced Nicholson inside, and Minnard held Nicholson and 25 year old Lincoya Stephens at gunpoint upstairs while Thomas searched the downstairs area of the home.

Police say Stephens grabbed the shotgun to try and disarm Minnard, but Stephens was hit in the leg by a shotgun blast.

Police say Stephens and Nicholson still managed to get the gun away from Minnard.

Officers say Stephens then pulled a pistol that was concealed in his waistband and shot and killed Minnard.

Thomas, hearing the gunfire, went to check on Minnard.

Stephens opened fire on Thomas, and he fled the house.

At 2:15 a.m., police say Thomas, with gun in hand, jumped in front of a driver on Hamilton Church Road and yelled for her to stop.

The driver accelerated as she and her four passengers ducked.

Thomas was caught by officers a short time later.

Detectives say Thomas told them he and Minnard went to the home to commit a drug-related robbery.

No drugs were found in the residence.

Stephens is hospitalized with a gunshot wound to his leg and has not yet been interviewed by detectives.

The investigation is continuing.

Thomas is charged at Juvenile Court with two counts of aggravated robbery, two counts of unlawful weapon possession, attempted criminal homicide, four counts of aggravated assault, and attempted aggravated robbery.

Thomas is being held in juvenile detention pending a hearing.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion, minor offender, residence robbery, TN

Woman Kills Husband in Apparent Self-Defense

A Prince George's County woman fatally shot her husband in an apparent act of self-defense Saturday after he attacked her at the Capitol Heights duplex where the pair lived in separate units, according to police and neighbors.

Just after 8 a.m., authorities said, police were called to the home in the 700 block of Capitol Heights Boulevard on a report of a domestic dispute. In front of the house, they found Richard Marcellous Wilson, 30, with a gunshot wound. He was taken to a hospital, where he died.

Police said Wilson's wife fired the fatal shot.

The circumstances of the incident are unclear, but police think that the shooting "appears to have been in self-defense," said Cpl. Mike Rodriguez, a spokesman for the Prince George's police department. Wilson, police said, had violated an active protective order when he attacked his wife.

Rodriguez declined to name the shooter because she is a victim in the case and has not been charged.

(More)

Labels: domestic dispute, female, MD

Neighborhood watch president shoots, kills dog; its owner disputes the need

Tensions are high on a Saginaw street where the neighborhood watch president shot and killed his neighbor's dog.

Jose Barajas, Southwest Saginaw Neighborhood Association president, told police he shot Onyx, a 50-plus-pound pit bull and shar-pei mix, with a 40-caliber Glock after the dog broke its chain and charged him at 1223 Maple on June 18.

Barajas said he was working outside the house next door when he heard a resident crying for help. Diana M. Fick, 52, said she was mowing her backyard about 7:30 p.m. when neighbor Samantha A. Griffus' dog lunged at her. Fick said Onyx perched atop the tailgate shell and jumped off toward her, breaking his chain. She said she screamed for the owner and used the lawnmower as a buffer to keep the dog at bay.

Griffus didn't hear her, but Barajas did. When the dog turned on him, he said he shot it two times.

Barajas "didn't have an option," Fick said "He popped him."

Griffus, 19, said the dog was on a 10-foot chain attached to a tailgate shell on the lawn. She said Barajas had no right to shoot her dog because it hadn't left her property.

Splatters of the dog's blood are still on the tailgate shell, Griffus said. She said she thinks Onyx was chained when Barajas shot him and broke the chain afterward. A few weeks ago, Barajas had threatened to "shoot the dog if it pooped in his yard again," Griffus said.

Barajas has a permit to carry a concealed weapon and often patrols his neighborhood as part of its watch group.

Saginaw police investigated and cleared Barajas.

"If I wouldn't have been there, that neighbor would have likely gone to the hospital," he said.

Griffus went onto her porch overlooking the area where Onyx was chained after hearing the gunshots and her dog "yarp." Onyx had run off; Barajas was standing in her yard, his cell phone to his ear, with his gun visible in its holster, she said.

Barajas is "the greatest guy you ever want to meet," Fick said. "It's not like he just goes around the neighborhood shooting dogs."

Wounded in the face and abdomen, Onyx ran toward the front of the home, approached the front door -- where blood stains remain on the concrete steps of the porch -- and ran across the street. Griffus found him in a neighbor's kennel with the chain still clipped to his collar, Griffus said.

She took it to Great Lakes Pet Emergencies in Carrollton Township but returned with the dog because she couldn't afford the $1,275 bill to treat it or $289 to euthanize it. Onyx died at 11:30 p.m.

Labels: animal, concealed carry permit, MI

Man shoots and kills large rabid possum

A caller told police he had shot a large rabid possum in his front yard and was concerned that the possum might attack his dog. He was advised on discharging a firearm in city limits.

Labels: animal, CA

Clerk's gun scares off would-be robber

Dominic Mathew had always felt it was better to give an armed robber what they asked for.

His philosophy changed after his Food Pantry store on Lower Beaver Road was held up several times, one time with a thief behind the counter and holding a gun to his neck.

He got a handgun.

On Tuesday, the third time the store was held up, he and a robber were in a face-off with their weapons.

“The guy came in from the side (of the store)” and walked in the front door, Mathew said. “That’s where they usually come from. The guy came in with a hoodie on. It was awfully warm on Tuesday, too warm for a hoodie.”

Mathew, 30, already had his gun drawn when the robber walked in, he said. The suspect lowered his gun immediately upon seeing the handgun.

The would-be robber ran out the door.

“I didn’t want to get to this point,” said Mathew. “But there have been a lot of robberies. Times are tough. A lot of people are out of work.”

Police Chief Judy Bradshaw said detectives are still investigating. She said clerks can make a situation more dangerous by adding a second gun to the equation.

“Robbers don’t want to shoot,” Bradshaw said. “They want what they came for. From a public safety perspective there are so many more possible outcomes when clerks arm themselves.”

On Tuesday three other convenience stores in the city reported thefts from cash registers. None of them were armed robberies. One man has been arrested and charged with all three incidents.

The armed robber who tried to steal from Mathew has not been caught.

Labels: business robbery, IA

Man Shoots Pit Bull Attacking Teen

A man shot a pit bull in the leg Thursday evening to stop the dog from attacking a teenager.

Police said the dog tore part of the 15-year-old boy's ear and bit his arm and leg, 10TV's Kevin Landers reported.

According to police, the attack was the culmination of an argument among neighbors on Diane Place on the south side. The argument escalated into a fight involving the boy and others on the street.

A witness told detectives they heard the owner of the dog say "sic 'em" before releasing the animal to attack the boy.

"During the fight, the male released the dog and it bit one of the people they were fighting," Sgt. Thomas Nance told 10TV News. "Another man approached and shot the dog as it was attacking the 15-year-old."

The boy was taken to Nationwide Children's Hospital. His condition was not known Thursday night.

Police were still investigating the cause of the argument.

The dog was taken into custody by animal control officers.

Labels: altercation, animal, OH

Would-be Burglar Shot to Death

An apartment break-in ended in a shooting, with the tenant killing the intruder. It happened to our east in Moorhead, Minnesota around midnight Saturday.

The burglar died after being shot in the chest at close range with a shotgun.

It`s been an emotional night for Sara Graham. "I thought he was drunk and trying to rob me; I did not know he was," says Graham. She begins to cry and can`t finish her sentence.

She was sleeping in her apartment when a man walked in in the middle of the night. She yelled at him to leave, and he did.

"No clue who he is," notes Graham.

But the intruder came back, this time entering another apartment. The tenant told police the man refused to leave and tried to pick a fight with him. The apartment owner grabbed his shotgun, and when the intruder attacked again, the tenant fired. It was a fatal shot.

Moorhead police Lt. Tory Jacobson says, "The entire circumstance has to be closely examined and specifically saying X and Y equal this result, you know, have to have variables that come into play, and no one would wish to be in that situation of having to choose between life or death."

Jacobson says everyone has a right to protect himself. That`s what David Allen says his brother, the apartment tenant, did.

"I know my brother isn`t that kind of person, he`d be the first to call the cops. I`m kind of confused by the situation," explains Allen.

The injured man fled back to Graham`s apartment, holing himself up in her daughter`s bedroom.

Neighbor Nelly Peralez says she hoped the deadly scene was only a nightmare. "It`s just shocking, I mean this morning when I woke up I just kept thinking saying please don`t let it be true because I live here," she says.

But as Sara Graham surveys her blood stained carpet, she says her nightmare is just beginning. "He was screaming. He was crying. I`ll never forget it. I`d rather see it again than hear it all over again," she says.

Moorhead police say they will not charge the shooter, apartment tenant Vernon Allen. Police say the dead burglar was a 17-year-old Moorhead boy.

Labels: home invasion, minor offender, MN

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS -- A masked suspect was shot and killed outside an Altamonte Springs home.

Deputies arrived on the scene just before 4 a.m. Friday on the 300 block of Magnolia Street just off of Ronald Regan Boulevard.

A woman woke up when she heard someone trying to kick in the door of her home. Seminole County Sheriff's deputies say that's when her husband went to the door and shot twice at Donald Salaam. Salaam, 21, was hit once in the chest.

The wife was on the phone with a 911 dispatcher when the shots were fired.

Investigators say it appears the homeowner was justified.

“Our homeowner didn't have an obligation to retreat. He is able to protect his property," said Lt. James Clark, of the Seminole County Sheriff's Office. "The questions we’re trying to answer: If he was in fear for his life and the life of his wife. If he was, he would be justified in this shooting.”

Detectives are trying to determine if Salaam acted alone.

Seminole County deputies say Salaam has an extensive criminal history involving drugs, fleeing/eluding law enforcement. He was also investigated for a previous armed robbery.

Labels: FL, home invasion

A Blountville homeowner held an intruder at gunpoint when he spotted him going into his travel camper Tuesday morning.

The Reedy Creek Lane resident told Sullivan County Sheriff's deputies he first thought a relative had entered his camper, which was parked in his driveway.

When he discovered the man was a stranger, he went to get his gun.

He returned with his pistol to find the man inside his car, which was parked next to the camper, according to a sheriff's office spokesman.

The homeowner held the man at gunpoint until deputies arrived to arrest him.

Labels: residence burglary

Resident Opens Fire During Home Invasion

An attempted home-invasion in the southwest valley today ended with shots fired. It happened around 10:30 a.m. at a house on Ocotillo Falls Avenue, near Grand Canyon and Patrick. Police say a homeowner fired five shots in self-defense after a man kicked in his door. No one was hit, but two suspects left the scene in a car. One was caught and arrested, the other fled on foot and is still being sought.

Labels: home invasion, NV

Homeowner With Shotgun Kills Intruder

A Mesa homeowner used a shotgun to defend himself during a home invasion late Wednesday night, authorities said.

According to Mesa Police Department spokesman Sgt. Ed Wessing, two men armed with guns and demanding money forced their way into the home near Stapley Road and Southern Avenue.

The intruders rounded up the four men who live there and forced them into a room, Wessing said.

"At some point during this crime, one of the residents was able to grab a shotgun," Wessing said. "(He) shot and killed one of them, and then fired at the second suspect (who) was injured but then fled the area."

Police said the second intruder ended up at a nearby hospital, where he is expected to survive.

The four men were not injured.

Neighbor Ron Hahn has surveillance cameras set up around his home for security, and he shared copies of the video with police.

The video appeared to be too dark to determine what was going on inside the home; however, Hahn said his cameras did catch someone two months ago.

A person jumped the fence into his back yard and dismantled the security light.

"He sat in the corner of my yard for about, I would say, five minutes or so, watching the house behind me (where the homicide occurred) with a two-way radio," Hahn said.

Police also have the surveillance video from the second incident; however, they said it's too early to tell if it's related to the home invasion.

Labels: AZ, home invasion

Armed robber shot by Barstow homeowner during break-in

A Los Angeles man who was trying to rob a Barstow home Friday night with two others was shot and killed by the homeowner, police said.

A man who lives in the Teton Street house was attacked by three home invasion robbers about 10 p.m. as they attempted to break into his house, police said. The homeowner, who was armed, was able to shoot one of the robbers when they tried to escape.

Officers found Henry Jackson III, 57, lying in the front yard with a gunshot wound in his lower stomach.

Anyone with information is asked to call Barstow police Detective Keith Libby at (760) 255-5134 or Detective Ronan Colleco at (760) 255-5167.

Labels: CA, home invasion

Harris man fatally shoots teen at home

A homeowner who had twice ordered a teenager to leave the property — once while holding a rifle — shot the teen dead after the boy refused to leave and walked toward him, authorities said.

“He feared for his life,” said Harris County sheriff’s Lt. Rolf Nelson.

Dwayne Austgen, 69, was inside his north Harris County home in the 5500 block of Susanna around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday when he noticed a teenager in his front yard, officials said. The man went outside, confronted 17-year-old Vidal Herrera, and told him to leave, authorities said.

After the teen left the property, Austgen noticed Herrera had left a crack cocaine pipe, officials said. Austgen then went back inside his home, taking the pipe with him, officials said.

A short while later, Herrera returned to the home, confronted Austgen about the pipe, and the pair argued, officials said. Austgen, this time holding a rifle, again ordered the teen to leave, officials said.

Herrera began to walk away but then approached the homeowner, who fired the .22-caliber rifle, striking the teen in the abdomen, officials said. Herrera was taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital, where he died.

The case will be referred to a Harris County grand jury without charges.

Austgen could not be reached for comment.

(More)

Labels: minor offender, trespassing, TX

Police: Suspect treated for gunshot wound then jailed

A man was treated for a gunshot wound to his leg then taken to the Wichita County Jail on assault charges in connection with an incident Monday, said Officer Harold McClure, public information officer with the Wichita Falls Police Department.

Perrion Lavell Warrior, 46, was charged with three counts of aggravated assault family violence in connection with the incident. His bond was set at $60,000 and he was being held Tuesday in the Wichita County Jail.

According to reports:

Police were called to the 500 block of Marconi to check on reports of shots fired about 10 p.m.

Officers talked to a 44-year-old woman who said she was threatened by her live-in boyfriend. She said he was intoxicated and they were arguing in the bedroom.

Her 24-year-old daughter lives next door and came over when she heard the commotion. At about the same time, the victim’s 22-year-old son showed up.

The woman’s children arrived and found the suspect holding a knife to the woman’s throat.

Both children asked the suspect to put the knife down and tried to get him to leave. He threatened them, and said they would all be dead before he left.

The son left the room, came back with a handgun, and shot Warrior once in the left leg.

The suspect was taken to the emergency room in a private vehicle, where police took him into custody and then to jail. His injury was not considered life threatening.

The assault victim’s son does not face any charges for the incident because the shooting was considered self-defense.

Labels: assault, domestic dispute, intoxication, TX

Bear shot to death after breaking into home

A man shot a bear to death after it broke into his home in Colorado Springs.

The bear broke in through the back door of a home on Columbia court around 8 p.m. Friday night.

Colorado Springs police say the homeowner loaded his gun, after a roommate yelled that the bear had broken in. The bear roared at the homeowner several times, and went to a part of the house where it couldn't get out.

The man shot the bear 4 times, and it died. Division of Wildlife investigated, and say the homeowner was justified in the shooting.

Labels: animal, CO

Man Shoots, Kills Robbery Suspect

Richland County deputies are investigating a fatal shooting at an apartment complex.

The incident took place at 12:01 a.m. Friday at the Colonial Villa Apartments on Garners Ferry Road.

According to deputies, a man was sitting in his car doing paperwork at the time of the confrontation. Deputies say he provides security detail for the apartments.

Deputies say a male suspect approached the car demanding the victim's handgun; however, deputies say the victim pulled out that weapon and shot the suspect.

The suspect was taken to the hospital where he later died.

WLTX.com will post further details as they become available.

Labels: private security, SC, street robbery

Concealed weapons permit holder stops would-be robbers

A man with a concealed weapons permit stopped two would-be Midvale robbers from making off with his friend's stuff.

Police say the men were coming home from an errand around 7 a.m. Wednesday morning when they spotted the suspects with their things. The suspects took off on foot.

One of the men being robbed grabbed a gun from his truck and started running after them.

Midvale police Detective Sgt. John Salazar said, "Grabs a loaded .40-caliber handgun and chases with the gun, shooting rounds either into the air or into the ground as they were chasing."

The gunfire stopped the suspects dead in their tracks. The men held the robbers at gunpoint until police arrived and arrested them.

No one was hurt.

Labels: residence burglary, UT

Cell Phone Protects Clerk From Knife Attack in Robbery

A Georgia liquor store clerk credits his police officer son with giving him two life-saving gifts — a cell phone and a gun.

Joseph Wescott says the phone he slipped into his shirt pocket stopped a knife to his chest when a robbery suspect attacked him at the store in a northern Atlanta suburb. He then reached under the counter for the .40-caliber handgun and shot the man.

"The knife that he had looked like it was about 10-foot long," the 67-year-old Wescott exclaimed.

When the suspect lunged at Wescott, he fell back and the knife struck the battery area of the phone, the clerk said. He then fired one shot at the man Monday night.

"That was the first time I had ever fired that gun," he said.

Police said Carlos JeanPeirre, 34, is recovering from non-life threatening wounds and faces multiple charges including aggravated assault and attempted robbery.

Wescott's son, Jason, said he gave both gifts to his father to keep him safe.

"Something like that can happen in a split second and it's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it," Jason Wescott said.

After the attack, Joseph Wescot said he used his cell phone to call 911.

Labels: assault, business robbery, GA

Princeton woman, 77, escorts armed intruder from home at gunpoint

A 77-year-old Princeton woman faced down a man armed with a sawed-off shotgun and sent him running after she pointed her own gun at him, according to court documents.

Doris Gatchell’s daughter, Eileen Newman, said Monday that family members had since nicknamed their mother “Annie Oakley.”

Suspect Dean T. Moore, who was arrested shortly after the Friday, June 12, incident, made his first appearance Monday in Washington County Superior Court. He faces up to 30 years in jail and fines of up to $50,000 on each of the two most serious charges of burglary with a firearm and robbery. He also has been charged with possession of a firearm by a felon, criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon, theft and criminal restraint. On Monday night, Moore remained in Washington County Jail unable to come up with the $15,000 bail set after his arrest.

Doris Gatchell’s daughter, Vanessa Gatchell, 50, was home watching television on South Princeton Road when she heard footsteps in the hallway at about 4:30 p.m., according to court documents made available Monday. Doris Gatchell had just left the house and Vanessa Gatchell thought her mother had returned because she had forgotten something. “She called out, but there was no answer,” according to the affidavit on file with the court.

Vanessa Gatchell went into the hallway and found Moore armed with a gun and a knife just standing there, the affidavit said.

The woman asked Moore not to hurt her and offered him money, according to the court documents. He refused to leave and demanded liquor, the affidavit said. “Ms. Gatchell opened two bottles of wine for [Moore], and he directed her to the front room where they both sat,” the affidavit said.

They talked about 30 minutes during which “he told her he was not afraid to hurt someone and he had used guns and knives before,” the court documents said. At some point during the conversation, Moore discarded the knife, but kept the shotgun, according to the documents.

The woman asked him to leave and said no one would have to know he had been there, but Moore declined to leave, the affidavit said.

Eventually Doris Gatchell returned home. Moore hid the firearm from view as Doris Gatchell entered the front room, the affidavit said. The two women then went into the kitchen, and Vanessa Gatchell told her mother that Moore had a gun and she “thought he was going to shoot them both,” the affidavit said.

Doris Gatchell retrieved her own gun and, according to the court documents, went into the front room and stood behind Moore’s chair.

Eileen Newman told the BDN on Monday that her mother, Doris, had a concealed weapons permit and had a gun “stashed” somewhere in the house. She said her parents at one time owned a sporting goods store that sold firearms. Her father, Ken, is deceased.

Doris Gatchell told Moore she had a gun and ordered him to leave, the affidavit said. “Mrs. Gatchell escorted the defendant out the door. Once on the porch [Moore] dropped his gun and then picked it up again. It was only at that point that Mrs. Gatchell saw the gun,” the court documents said.

The Gatchells then called the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

Chief Deputy Michael St. Louis said Monday that when police arrived they at first were not sure whether Moore had run into the woods near the house or had gone back to his home about a quarter of a mile from the Gatchell residence.

Police surrounded Moore’s house and tried to contact him, according to St. Louis, but there was no response. After about 90 minutes, however, Moore stepped out onto his front porch to smoke a cigarette and that was when police arrested him and took him to jail, St. Louis said. Officers found the firearm in Moore’s garage and later recovered the knife from the Gatchell residence, the chief deputy said.

The Maine State Police, the Baileyville and Calais police departments, the Maine Warden Service and the U.S. Border Patrol assisted on Friday night, he said. In court on Monday, Attorney Jeffrey Davidson of East Machias was appointed to represent Moore.

Deputy District Attorney Carletta Bassano said Monday that Moore is expected to appear for a hearing to reassess his bail on June 22 in Washington County Superior Court.

According to the affidavit, Moore has a long criminal history including a prior conviction for robbery and criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon. In 1998, Moore fled across the U.S.-Canadian border after he robbed a Calais convenience store clerk at knifepoint and stole more than $800. He quickly was apprehended by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, returned to the U.S. and later sentenced to 11 years in prison.

Labels: concealed carry permit, female, home invasion, ME

SPRING, Texas -- A woman opened fire when two robbery suspects broke into her Spring home on Sunday, KPRC Local 2 reported.

Harris County Precinct 4 deputy constables said the 34-year-old was alone inside the home in the Timberlane subdivision on Briarcreek Boulevard near Cades Cove Drive at about 6 a.m.Investigators said the woman opened fire when the attackers burst through her bedroom door.

"She's in her bedroom, locked in her bedroom. And she could hear them rustling through the rooms about the house. She grabbed her weapon and you know, held up inside her bedroom. It wasn't until they forced their way into her bedroom, they kicked the bedroom door in. She fired several shots at the suspects," said Lt. Jeff Stauber with the Harris County Sheriff's Department.

Investigators said Gerson Jonathon Linares and Shalom Mendoza, both 17, were wounded.

Detectives said the teenagers, who live in the neighborhood, ran out of the home and called for help, claiming to be the victims of a shooting.

"Through our investigation, we were able to tie them back to this incident on Briarcreek," Stauber said.

Investigators said the pair has admitted that they were involved in the crime.

Labels: female, home invasion, minor offender, TX

Oakland Man Fatally Shoots Intruder

An Oakland, Tennessee man fatally shot an intruder trying to climb in his window early Monday morning.

The incident occurred on the 400-block of Bell Grove Road. The homeowner heard what sounded like a knock on his window around 12:30am. When the noise grew, the homeowner found a neighbor, 32-year old Anthony Webb, breaking through his window with a rake.

The homeowner tells FOX13 that he told the man repeatedly to stop, but Webb's reply was "What are you going to do?"

The intruder was shot three times, and was declared dead upon arrival by local police.

The homeowner also tells FOX13 that the intruder's father was a high school classmate of his.

Labels: home invasion, TN

NORFOLK, Va. - An attempted robbery led to a gunfight at a Norfolk motel Thursday. Three suspects, one armed with a handgun, stormed into a room at the Econo Lodge. Much to the surprise of the suspected criminals, one of the victims was also carrying a gun.

Police say two of the suspects were shot by the victim. One of the suspects died at the scene, the other was transported to a local hospital where he remains in critical condition.

The suspect who died has been identified as 22-year-old Dante Cooley of Virginia Beach. Police have not yet released the names of the other two suspects, one of which fled the scene and remains on the run.

The victim, who was also shot by one of the suspects and transported to the hospital is expected to recover.

A second man has died as the result of a gunfight inside a motel room, and police said Friday that an attempted robbery appeared to be what set things off.

Trevor L. Pauley, 20, of Norfolk had been hospitalized in grave condition after the incident early Thursday at the Econo Lodge at 865 N. Military Hwy. A Sentara Norfolk General Hospital spokeswoman said Pauley died about 1:45 a.m. Friday.

Police said Pauley was one of three men, at least one of whom was armed, who forced their way shortly before 2:15 a.m. Thursday into a room occupied by two men, one of whom legally had a weapon.

Labels: defender shot, home invasion, VA

An alleged carjacker was shot and killed in north Houston Saturday morning, police said.

At about 6:15 a.m., witnesses pulled Darryl Milton Franklin Jr., 37, out of a car that he was reportedly breaking into in the 1100 block of Langwick Drive.

As they waited for police to arrive, witnesses saw him attempt to break into other vehicles and even try to commit a carjacking, authorities said.

Franklin attacked a man who approached him. The man, who was carrying a permitted concealed weapon, shot Franklin, said Houston Police spokesman Victor Senties.

The shooting is being investigated by the District Attorney’s Office and will likely be referred to a grand jury, Senties said.

Labels: carjacking, concealed carry permit, TX

Intruder shot dead at southside Oklahoma City house

An Oklahoma City homeowner on Tuesday shot and killed an intruder he found inside his house during his lunch break, police said.

Scott Henson saw a blue pickup in his driveway at 2200 SW 57 when he made his daily trip home for lunch, said his wife, Delores Henson.

"Apparently, there was someone inside the house,” Delores Henson said. "So he (Scott) shot and killed him. ... I don’t know if he had to defend himself or what.”

Scott Henson pulled out a handgun and shot the intruder about 11:30 a.m., police Master Sgt. Gary Knight said. Knight and Delores Henson said they didn’t know if the intruder, whose identity was not released, had a weapon.

Delores Henson said her husband has a license to carry a concealed weapon. She was at work when Scott Henson called.

"He just called and said he had shot somebody, that was it,” she said.

A neighbor, Daryl Kindrick, said he has lived in the neighborhood 20 years and there have been a number of home burglaries over the years.

"I’ve been robbed twice,” Kindrick said. "It doesn’t surprise me. It’s a shame someone got hurt.”

Labels: concealed carry permit, OK, residence burglary

Gunshot scares off intruder

A Richmond woman thwarted a break-in early Friday by firing a warning shot from a gun.

"She confronted him at the door," Richmond Police Chief Kris Wolski said Friday. "She fired one shot to scare the person off."

Wolski doesn't think the incident is linked to a series of home invasions and sexual assaults of women that have plagued Richmond for about two years.

The 41-year-old female resident in the 200 block of North 21st Street heard a noise and rushed to get the semiautomatic gun, he said. Wolski said her possession and use of the gun was lawful.

Police were called to the scene at 1 a.m. The suspect was wearing a baseball cap under a hoodie, but that's about all the victim could see, Wolski said.

"Hopefully the neighbors saw something," he said. "We're doing more scene processing and getting statements."

At least eight attacks have been attributed to a man who stands about 5 feet 5 inches and strikes in the early morning hours while wearing a mask and dark hoodie.

Four more attacks are possibly linked. His female victims have ranged from a teen-ager to an 81-year-old woman.

Wolski acknowledged that the attacks are on the minds of residents, including Friday's victim.

"She was aware of the other incidents," he said. "Everyone is at a heightened level of awareness."

The police department is getting numerous calls each day with tips about potential suspects in the attacks.

"I think we are making headway," Wolski said.

Labels: female, IN, trespassing

Homeowner shoots would-be intruder

A homeowner confronted a pistol-wielding, bandana-wearing man at his front door, wrestled the weapon away and shot the would-be intruder late Saturday, deputies said.

The Manatee County Sheriff's Office said Christopher Mullins, 23, answered the door at his Bradenton home about 11 p.m. Saturday and found Tron Calloway, 26, on the doorstep.

The two struggled over Calloway's gun and Calloway fired several shots, wounding Mullins, the sheriff's office said. Mullins got control of the weapon and shot Calloway.

Mullins was treated and released from Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petesrburg, the sheriff's office said.

Calloway was taken to Tampa General Hospital, where he is listed in critical but stable condition.

No charges have been filed and the investigation is continuing.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, defender shot, FL, residence robbery

Merciful storekeeper changes robber's mind, religion

A potential victim became a compassionate counselor during a recent robbery attempt, changing the would-be criminal's mind -- and apparently his religion.

Storekeeper Mohammad Sohail was closing up his Long Island convenience store just after midnight on May 21 when -- as shown on the store's surveillance video -- a man came in wielding a baseball bat and demanding money.

"He said, 'Hurry up and give me the money, give me the money!' and I said, 'Hold on'," Sohail recalled in a phone interview with CNN on Tuesday, after the store video and his story was carried on local TV.

Sohail said he reached under the counter, grabbed his gun and told the robber to drop the bat and get down on his knees.

"He's crying like a baby," Sohail said. "He says, 'Don't call police, don't shoot me, I have no money, I have no food in my house.' "

Amidst the man's apologies and pleas, Sohail said he felt a surge of compassion.

He made the man promise never to rob anyone again and when he agreed, Sohail gave him $40 and a loaf of bread.

"When he gets $40, he's very impressed, he says, 'I want to be a Muslim just like you,' " Sohail said, adding he had the would-be criminal recite an Islamic oath.

"I said 'Congratulations. You are now a Muslim and your name is Nawaz Sharif Zardari.'"

When asked why he chose the hybrid of two Pakistani presidents' names, the Pakistani immigrant laughed and said he had been watching a South Asian news channel moments before the confrontation.

Sohail said the man fled the store when he turned away to get the man some free milk.

He said police might still be looking for the suspect but he doesn't intend to press charges.

"The guy, you know, everybody has a hard time right now, it's too bad for everybody right now in this economy," said the storekeeper.

Labels: business robbery, NY

Robbery attempts foiled: Victims break free, chase suspects in separate incidents

Spencer Cockrell told authorities he cut himself loose and grabbed his gun late Monday night after he and his wife were tied down at their Nash County home and robbed at gunpoint by two Rocky Mount men, later identified as Jesus Pryor and Justin L. Shaw.

Deputies said Cockrell freed himself as Pryor, 27, and Shaw, 22, fled the scene. Cockrell chased after them with a gun, officials said. Cockrell told authorities he found Pryor outside the home, attempting to cut the phone line.

Pryor allegedly raised his gun, deputies said, and Cockrell fired shots at the suspect, striking him in the arm and buttocks.

Pryor ran and later was found bleeding in the back of a pickup truck on Old Carriage Road, near the alleged crime scene. He was taken to Nash General Hospital then airlifted to Pitt County Memorial Hospital, where he remained in stable condition Tuesday.

Authorities were continuing to search for Shaw on Tuesday.

Arrion T. Dickens, a suspected getaway driver in the burglary, was found in Rocky Mount early Tuesday and arrested, authorities said. Dickens, 26, was charged with first-degree burglary and two counts of second-degree kidnapping. Similar charges will be filed against Pryor once he’s released from the hospital, deputies said.

No charges will be filed against Cockrell, deputies said.

Labels: home invasion, NC

Citizen holds suspected burglar at gunpoient, aids in arrest

Citizens doing their part to stop the rash of burglaries paid off after a Richmond County man was taken into custody by an armed homeowner Wednesday afternoon. Jamie Tyler, of Garrett Road, (Left) said he saw the man the Sheriff’s Office was hunting run from behind a shed in his yard and pulled his Glock 9 mm pistol and ordered the man to the ground. “I had my gun on him and yelled at him to get down, get down, or I’ll put you down.” When the suspect turned around and saw the gun pointed at him he complied and deputies arrived moments later to take him into custody.

The manhunt began after another citizen heeded recent pleas from the Sheriff’s Office to call in suspicious vehicles and reported a red Mustang pulling in and out of driveways on Republican Road around 1:30 pm. A nearby deputy responded to the area and spotted a red Mustang parked at a home at 708 Republican Road. Deputy Jessie Robles exited his car to run the license plate and a man emerged from the back corner of the house holding a small fire safe and a jewelry box. When ordered to stop the man dropped the goods and fled into the woods.

Edgefield County Sheriff Adell Dobey and every available deputy converged on the area within minutes setting up a perimeter. “We knew he was still in the area,” Sheriff Dobey said. Edgefield and Aiken County Bloodhound Teams began tracking the suspect as a SLED helicopter circled above. “I called everybody I could for help,” Sheriff Dobey said, “We weren’t going to let him get away.”

A caller reported a man fitting the description running behind Buck Tyler’s Taxidermy on the corner of Garrett Road and Martintown Road which was just a few hundred yards away from the crime scene. Deputies in the area began checking homes and informing residents of the situation. That is when Mr. Tyler said he made sure his children were safe inside of his home and went outside to keep an eye out for the suspect. That is when the man emerged and Mr. Tyler held him at gunpoint until deputies could arrive and cuff him.

(More)

Labels: fugitive, SC

Gun Turned On Would-Be Robber

A 16-year-old was shot and wounded with his own gun Thursday morning during an attempted robbery on Detroit's west side, police said.

Two teenagers, one carrying a rifle and the other a handgun, approached a man at the BPS Gas Station on Plymouth Road and the northbound Southfield Service Drive around 6:40 a.m.

The robbery victim grabbed a gun out of the teen's hand and shot him with it.

The wounded teen jumped into a vehicle and attempted to drive away, but crashed into several cars on Forrer Street.

He was transported to Sinai Grace Hospital and is in stable condition.

The other robber fled the area. There are unconfirmed police reports that the second robbery suspect was arrested in downtown Detroit.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, MI, minor offender, street robbery

Bakery worker shoots and kills would-be robber

A man was shot and killed when police say he tried to rob a bakery.

Investigators told News 4 WOAI Roberto Adame tried to rob the Cinderella Bakery in the 1200 block of Saltillo Street on the West Side Wednesday evening.

The bakery owner's son, who was working in the back, heard screams and came out with a gun. Police say he shot Adame at least two times.

Adame took off running. Police found him a few blocks away from the bakery and called for an ambulance. He was taken to Wilford Hall Medical Center, where he later died.

The bakery owner's son is not expected to face any charges.

Labels: business robbery, TX

Labels: FL, minor offender, street robbery

Attempted robbery at North Long Beach pawn shop ends with robber, employee shot

Three would-be robbers stormed a North Long Beach pawn shop Tuesday morning armed with one gun and a lot of bravado.

When the suspects fled Long Beach Pawn & Jewelry, however, all they had to show for their efforts was a bullet from the shop supervisor's gun lodged in one suspect's leg, witnesses said.

The 64-year-old supervisor from Long Beach was also shot, and hit in the face, but is expected to survive, authorities said.

Police at the scene said the suspects clearly picked the wrong target, which is at 5106 Long Beach Blvd.

"I mean, who's stupid enough to try and rob a pawn shop?," said one witness, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "They have tons of security, it's covered in cameras, who doesn't know that?"

The witness told the Press-Telegram that he was walking into the pawn shop to pay his bill when the armed suspect walked in right before him. He recalled the gunman vividly due to his custom-looking, three-piece white suit, which looked like it belonged in church more than a pawn shop.

"(The shop's employees) even complimented him on his dress," the witness recalled, saying the suspect asked a female employee to show him some rings because he was shopping for his girlfriend.

After she took the armed man to the back of the shop, the other two suspects - dressed in casual clothes - rushed in, the witness said.

One man jumped the counter and the other stayed by the front door as the armed suspect ordered everyone on the floor. That prompted the shop's supervisor - who the witness knew only as Bob - to confront the trio, the witness said.

As the other employees ran to the back of the store and customers hit the ground, the shop's supervisor and the gunman faced off and both opened fire, the witness said.

The supervisor was shot in the cheek and fell back while one of the suspects was hit in the leg, the witness said.

"After the first shots I heard three more shots, and then (the suspects) crawled out of there," the witness said.

"They got nothing...but one of them left his gun behind," he added.

Long Beach police were called to the business at about 10:30 a.m. and confirmed an employee was shot but did not release any information about the shootout or the extent of the victim's injuries.

Long Beach Fire Department paramedics treated the victim at the scene and took him to a hospital. He was listed in mild distress and stable condition, said Capt. Jackawa Jackson.

The witness said that a river of blood gushed from the victim's cheek wound, prompting the witness to take off his shirt and use it to apply pressure to the wound while he talked to a 911 operator.

"He was saying 'I can't feel my arms, I can't feel my legs, I'm going to pass out, I'm going to die!" the witness recalled. "He was (going into shock) but we were able to keep him with us."

After the shooting, several people were seen inside the pawn shop talking with police. Shattered glass was scattered everywhere from the gunshots.

Detectives were checking security camera footage at the shop and other businesses in the area to help identify the suspects, said officers at the scene.

A search area was set up immediately after the botched robbery, but as of 5 p.m. the suspects were still at large, said Officer Jackie Bezart, an LBPD spokeswoman.

The three suspects were described as black males in their 20s, Bezart said.

Witnesses said the two suspects who were not armed were wearing sweat shirts with hoods and said the supervisor who was shot was an older man known to wear his gun in a holster while working in the shop.

They also said there were several more guns behind the counter, but that none of the other employees could get to the weapons because one suspect had jumped the counter and blocked their access.

"I hate to think what would have happened if Bob didn't have his gun," the witness said. "It probably would have turned into a take-over."

(More)

Labels: business robbery, CA, defender shot

Suspect in home invasion robbery shot during struggle

A 21-year-old Evansville man was shot in the hand this afternoon as he wrestled with a man he was trying to rob, authorities said.

Bassil Mohammad Kamali was booked into the Vanderburgh County Jail after being checked out at Deaconess Hospital for a minor wound.

He is being held without bond pending an initial court appearance Monday. Preliminary charges are listed as robbery with a firearm, armed burglary, intimidation with a weapon and criminal recklessness, all felonies.

Evansville Police Department Sgt. Greg Motz said Kamali was armed with a handgun when he knocked on the victim's door in the 900 block of Douglas Drive. It happened shortly before 2 p.m.

Motz said Kamali, who also lives in the area, heard that the victim had just sold a stereo and believed he had cash on him.

The victim was asleep and his two children - ages 6 and 8 - answered the door. The children started screaming when the armed suspect barged in, Motz said.

"(Then the victim) comes out and wrestles with the guy with the gun and pushes him out," Motz said. "At some point, the gun goes off and shoots the suspect in the hand."

A man nearby heard the children screaming for help during the struggle, Motz said. He then stopped Kamali from fleeing and physically held him on scene until authorities arrived.

"The guy jumped over the privacy fence when he heard the kids screaming," Motz said. "It was a heroic act."

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion, IN

Kelltown convenience store robbed at gunpoint

The Tift County convenience store owner who stared down the barrel of a gun during an armed robbery tells us the thieves are now in custody.

An armed woman wearing a ski mask entered the Holiday Market of Highway 319 and demanded the clerk for money. That was when a customer already at the register pulled out his gun and shot the woman in the foot.

She dropped her gun in the store and dropped her drivers license in the parking lot as she tried to get away in a Ford F-150. A man was driving that getaway pick-up. The store owner tells us police caught up with that driver later that night.

The woman was later taken into custody after she tried to get treatment at Tift Regional hospital for her gunshot wound. The Tift County Sheriff's Office would not give us the suspects names.

Labels: business robbery, GA

No arrest expected in weekend shootout near Covelo

A man injured during a shootout near Covelo is not a homicide suspect as Mendocino sheriff’s detectives say he apparently was acting in self defense when he shot and killed another man.

“He didn’t draw first,” said Mendocino County sheriff’s Lt. Rusty Noe Monday.

Round Valley resident Jason McLean, 22, died in the gunfire exchange early Saturday during a party in the woods.

Andrew Card, 23, was shot once, according to sheriff’s officials.

The two apparently have a long-standing feud, involving Card stabbing McLean two years ago at a Labor Day rodeo. Card served time in county jail for the stabbing.

Early Saturday, as a party in the woods was winding down, McLean reportedly got a high-powered rifle from his car and fired at Card.

Card pulled out a handgun and began firing back. The two men, standing about five feet apart, fired several times at each other.

McLean was hit at least four times and died.

Card was flown to UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento for surgery. He was not at that hospital Sunday, said a hospital spokesman. Noe said he may have been transported closer to home.

Noe said Card’s status wasn’t known by detectives as the man wasn’t a suspect.

“It’s still under investigation but he was not arrested. We’re going to complete the investigation and submit if for the DA’s decision,” Noe said.

Labels: altercation, CA

Man Fires In Self-Defense, Kills Attacker

An act of self-defense leaves a Lookout Mountain, Georgia man dead and a family grieving.

Walker County Sheriff Steve Wilson said his deputies tried to stop an on-going, heated family dispute but it was just too late.

"Unfortunate for the victim, the victim's family and the person that had to do the shooting," Sheriff Wilson said.

Harry Lee Derryberry, known as Chuck, was just 45-years-old when his life ended in a field on his family's property in Rising Fawn on Lookout Mountain. He had been shot in the groin with a 12-gauge shotgun. His family called 911 earlier saying they needed help quickly with a domestic dispute that turned violent.

"Upon speaking with the deputy arriving on the scene, he told me he actually heard the gunshot when the gun was fired," Sheriff Wilson explained.

Sheriff Wilson said Brian Lee Walden fired the gun, acting in self-defense and is not being charged. He and several family members were assaulted by Derryberry - the result of an argument over one of his sons.

"It appears that a 62-year-old female victim sustained injuries along with maybe one or two other people, along with the shooter," Sheriff Wilson said.

The family told a story of Derryberry that included a life of alcoholism and depression. The family said Derryberry had threatened his own life and others during a fit of rage Monday evening. They and the sheriff said after Walden was struck in the face Walden got his shotgun and told Derryberry to stay away.

"Pretty well warned the victim, said stay away but he came at him in an aggressive manner," Sheriff Wilson said.

District Attorney Buzz Franklin reviewed the circumstances and evidence, along with the Georgia law and found that Walden's actions were justified.

Derryberry was a father of three children.

Labels: domestic dispute, GA

Oakmont police nab shirtless, tipsy home intruder

Oakmont police said they arrested an intoxicated man early Sunday as he attempted to enter a house in which the owner had armed himself.

The man, Brian Adam Witkovitz of Elicker Road, Plum, gave no statements and indicated no motive as to why he tried to enter two houses in the 600 block of Ninth Street about 3 a.m., according to the police report.

Police said officers responded about 30 seconds after the owner of a house called the Allegheny County emergency dispatcher to report a burglary in progress. Officer Joseph Cattani observed Witkovitz, who was shirtless, open the storm door to the attached garage, according to police.

Despite instructions to the contrary from the dispatcher, the homeowner had armed himself in anticipation of meeting the intruder.

Cattani, backed up by another officer, entered the garage and subdued Witkovitz without incident before the suspect entered the house.

Witkovitz has been charged with burglary, criminal attempt, public drunkenness, loitering and prowling at night, disorderly conduct, criminal trespass and simple trespass. He is free on a non-monetary bond.

Oakmont Police Chief Dave DiSanti praised his officers for their quick response.

"They managed to keep the burglar from bumping into the armed homeowner," he said. "You can see how bad it would have been, had there been a confrontation. It took a lot of fortitude for Cattani to enter the garage."

Labels: intoxication, PA, trespassing

Burglar chased off by shotgun-wielding homeowner

An unemployed man who reportedly sneaked into a home shortly after 1 a.m. Thursday was chased away by a shotgun-wielding homeowner.

According to officials, Stephen Cody Hand, 18, was later arrested and charged with occupied burglary.

The victim, Harold D. Chick, told officials that he and his wife and daughter were watching television in his bedroom when the women fell asleep. Chick said he had just closed his eyes when he heard the television shut off.

He said he opened his eyes and saw a white man, about 5-foot-7, with dark hair, wearing a white tank top and plaid shorts, standing in the room. Chick said he grabbed his shotgun, which was nearby, and the intruder slowly walked out of the home.

"He was standing there at the foot of the bed, and I was wondering who the hell is standing there," said Chick, 67, in an interview with the Star-Banner.

Chick told deputies the man may have silently entered the home through the unlocked front door. The door was left unsecured so his other daughter, who was visiting a friend, could come in. Chick told the Star-Banner the door is normally secured, but because his daughter did not want to disturb her mother, who is a nurse, he left the door unlocked.

Nothing was taken from the home, located in the 3400 block of Southwest 90th Street, officials said.

Deputies were called and a perimeter was set up. During their search, deputies spotted a man wearing plaid shorts, but no shirt, who fit the description of the man they were looking for.

Authorities brought Chick to the location, where he identified Hand as the man who was inside his home.

Asked by deputies where he was coming from, Hand told them he was sleeping and had been at home all night. Asked about fresh shoe prints in the dirt, he said he was walking down the road.

Officials then arrested him.

And though Hand is in the Marion County Jail, the incident has left Chick searching for answers.

"I would like to know what was he up to. What was he going to do? I don't know if he had a weapon," Chick said.

Hand declined an interview request.

Labels: FL, home invasion

Burglar Shot During Home Invasion

A home invasion late Tuesday night ended with an alleged burglar in the hospital, according to Hardin County Sheriff Tom Seiner.

The sheriff reported in a press release that the woman in the home shot the intruder.

The home on Tower Rock Road outside Elizabethtown belongs to Marty Impastato and her husband Bruce, who was not home.

Impastato's daughter tells News Three that the man entered the home through an unlocked window. Shawna Stevens says the man is a friend of the family who visits the home regularly. She says she's not sure why he broke in.

According to Stevens, Impastato grabbed her gun when she heard the man make his way across the house. Stevens reports that when the man entered the bedroom and rustled through the safe where the family keeps jewelry and prescription drugs, Impastato shot him.

Illinois statute makes it legal for the victim of a home invasion to shoot someone in their home if they believe they can prevent violence to themselves or others in the dwelling or they reasonably believe that force is necessary to prevent a felony.

The sheriff's department is not releasing the name of the alleged burglar. He is described only as a white male in his twenties. Wednesday night he was in the intensive care unit at Deaconess Hospital in Evansville, Indiana. He has not been charged.

Labels: female, home invasion, IL, residence robbery

Winston-Salem resident shoots intruder

A resident shot and wounded one of four men who forced themselves into his apartment Tuesday night, police said.

About 10:18 p.m., Joseph Tyler Cox, of 5039 Winster Dr., Apt. 203, responded to a knock on the door, according to Winston-Salem police.

Four men dressed in dark clothes with their faces concealed forced themselves inside. One was armed with a knife.

Cox retrieved a handgun and began to fire at the suspects, police said.

Quenton Alphonzo Taylor, 18, of 5489 Country Side Drive, Apt. F, was struck by several rounds, according to police.

Cox also shot himself in the hand and was stabbed several times in the back.

The three other suspects fled on foot, leaving Taylor behind, police said.

Cox and Taylor were taken to Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, where they were treated for their injuries.

Charges are pending for Taylor, police said.

Labels: defender shot, home invasion, NC

Security guard kills would-be robber, police say

A security guard shot two men who were trying to rob a check cashing business on Milwaukee's northwest side Wednesday afternoon, killing one and injuring the other, police said.

Ronald Reed, 24, was shot in the back and collapsed in an alley behind the building at 3906 N. 76th St., where he was pronounced dead, police said.

His cousin, Vidal Mason, 22, turned up at a hospital with a gunshot wound to the abdomen and was in critical but stable condition late Wednesday.

The men were identified by family members at the scene.

Reed and Mason were arrested in 2005 for committing an armed robbery together, Assistant Police Chief James Harpole said. Both were convicted of two counts of armed robbery in 2006, according to online court records.

The men were armed with guns when they entered Check Into Cash about 3:40 p.m. and ordered everyone to the floor, including the security guard, according to Harpole and a statement from the Police Department.

One man told the other to shoot the guard, who got up and fired shots at both men, according to the statement.

"He felt that he was going to be shot or that someone else was going to be shot, so he took defensive action," Harpole said.

Reed ran from the store and collapsed in the alley, Harpole said.

Mason also ran from the store and wound up at a hospital.

No one else inside the store was injured, Harpole said. Money taken during the robbery was recovered, said the department's statement.

The security guard, who is in his 20s, was being interviewed by police, Harpole said. The preliminary investigation suggests the guard was properly licensed to carry a gun on the job, he said.

(More)

Labels: business robbery, private security, WI

Phoenix liquor store clerk shoots would-be robber

A Phoenix liquor store clerk shot a would-be robber Saturday afternoon, after the robber pulled a knife on the clerk, police said.

Phoenix police gave this account:

About 12:30 p.m. two men went to a liquor store, near 23rd and Northern avenues after having been there two hours before.

During the second trip to the store, one of the men stayed outside. The other asked the clerk for a piece of paper.

As the clerk was waiting on other customers, the 29-year-old suspect wrote something on the paper. After the other customers left, the suspect handed a robbery note to the clerk. The clerk acted as though he couldn't read.

That's when the suspect came towards the clerk and opened a gate, which separates the clerk from the customers, and pulled out a knife. Seeing this, the clerk grabbed a gun and shot the suspect.

The suspect ran out of the store and across the street to a friend's apartment. He knocked on the door and collapsed. The friend called 911.

Police arrived and the suspect was taken to a local hospital where he remains in critical condition.

Labels: AZ, business robbery

The two men who were shot by a security guard while trying to rob a Milwaukee check cashing business last week were armed with realistic-looking BB guns, according to a Police Department spokeswoman.

Ronald X. Reed Jr., 24, was shot in the back and died at the scene, police said. His cousin, 22-year-old Vidal D. Mason, was shot in the abdomen.

The BB guns "looked very much like authentic weapons," police spokeswoman Anne E. Schwartz wrote in an e-mail.

The men also used BB guns while committing a string of armed robberies in 2005, court records show.

Reed and Mason were wearing masks when they entered Check Into Cash, 3906 N. 76th St., on Wednesday afternoon and ordered everyone to the floor, including the armed guard, police said at the time.

One cousin told the other to shoot the guard, who got up and fired shots at both men, police said.

Reed ran from the store and collapsed in a nearby alley. Mason also ran and turned up at a hospital a short time later.

The preliminary investigation suggests the guard, who has not been identified, was properly licensed to carry a gun on the job, police said.

The guard is employed by Pratt Security and Investigations. The company's president, John Pratt, said the company and its employees have the proper licenses and permits. He declined to answer questions about the robbery and shooting.

The Milwaukee County district attorney's office will review the incident Monday, Schwartz said.

Reed and Mason also were armed with BB guns when they committed five armed robberies together over four days in 2005, targeting people returning home late at night on the city's west side, according to a criminal complaint filed against them.

Both were convicted in 2006 of two counts of armed robbery, according to online court records.

Reed was sentenced by Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Elsa Lamelas to three years in state prison - with credit for 263 days for time served - and five years of extended supervision, the court records show.

He was released from prison Aug. 26, according to the state Department of Corrections.

Lamelas sentenced Mason to two years in state prison - with credit for 236 days for time served - and five years of extended supervision, according to court records.

Mason was released from prison Aug. 21, 2007, according to the Department of Corrections.

Labels: business robbery, WI

LONG ISLAND (WABC) -- A Long Island deli owner pulled a gun on a would-be robber and then gave him cash.

Mohammad Sohail, who owns the Shirley Express, says a bat-wielding man entered the convenience store and demanded money on Thursday, May 21, just after midnight.

Sohail responded by pulling out a rifle. The suspect then reportedly dropped to his knees and begged forgiveness, blaming the tough economy for his turn to crime.

The Pakistani immigrant, who has been on Long Island for more than 20 years, put down his gun and gave the man $40 and a loaf of bread.

"He started crying," Sohail told Newsday. "He was saying, 'I have no money. I have no food. I have no job. I have to take care of my family.'"

Sohail told the man to promise he would never rob anyone again, and then gave him the cash and bread. He says that when he went to get the man some milk, the suspect fled the scene on foot.

Sohail then called 911. Police, who confirmed the account, say the incident is under investigation.

Labels: business robbery, NY

June 1, 2009 (RIPON, Wis.) -- This Town of Ripon homeowner was craftier than the armed burglar trying to rob his house.

Fond du Lac County Sheriff's Department officials say the homeowner held a 23-year-old man attempting to steal cash, firearms and other items by gunpoint until police arrived around 1:20 a.m. Friday.

Lt. Bill Flood says the homeowner saw lights on in his house, crept into his driveway, retrieved a handgun and waited for the burglar to come out.

Ripon police and sheriff's deputies arrested the victim's 24-year-old girlfriend in a nearby vehicle. Officials say she dropped him off.

Labels: residence burglary, WI

A 77-year-old man was within his rights when he shot a robber during a holdup of a game room in unincorporated Galveston County, Texas City police officials said Tuesday.

“He is truly a victim whose back was against the wall,” said Texas City police Capt. Brian Goetschius, referring to Robert Hays.

Hays was among about a dozen patrons inside Players Paradise about 12:45 a.m. Monday when a pair of armed men stormed the club at 4801 State Highway 146, officials said.

Hays said he was "peacefully minding my own business'' when the armed robbers forced their way inside.

"The next thing I knew, I was essentially flying through the air backwards and slammed down on the floor,'' said Hays, a Korean War veteran.

Hays, now lying on the floor, handed the robber his wallet. "He looked through it and threw it back down on me," he said.

He watched as the robbers worked their way through the game room, taking the wallets and purses from their other victims.

A snub-nose .38 caliber revolver in his hands, Hays was ready in case the robbers came at him.

"There were only two ways he could get at me,'' Hays said. "I positioned myself on the floor where I could see him if he came either way.''

Hays pulled the revolver from under his shirt and fired a single shot, striking one of the masked robbers, Goetschius said.

"It's not an easy thing to pull a trigger on a human being,'' Hays said. "But, when that man stood over me and said, 'Give me all your money,' my blood just boiled."

The robber fell to the ground and dropped his gun, Goetschius said. “One of his shoes came off and he ran out the back door with the other suspect.”

Hays said he shot the man to protect himself and the other patrons at the game room, especially Sharon, his wife of 39 years.

"When that first man dropped his pistol and went down, she got up and grabbed (it) and was ready to back me up,'' Hays said.

TEXAS CITY — A 77-year-old Korean War veteran fired one round Monday, wounding one of two masked men suspected in the robbery of a game room on the outskirts of the city, authorities said.

There were about 12 patrons inside Players Paradise, 4801 state Highway 146 Suite B, when a frequent guest knocked on the door, Capt. Brian Goetschius of Texas City police said.

The game room, which was robbed at 12:44 a.m., was open only to members, Goetschius said.

“They looked through the monitors and recognized him as being there before,” Goetschius said. “They ordered everyone to the ground, went through several wallets and got the apron from the attendant.”

The veteran, Robert Hays of Texas City, was thrown to the ground, and then a suspect went through his wallet, Goetschius said.

“The 77-year-old concealed gun permit carrier drew his .38-caliber revolver and shot one of the crooks,” Goetschius said. “The crook immediately fell to the floor, and he dropped his gun and he lost a shoe.”

Labels: business robbery, concealed carry permit, TX

LIMA - A wannabe burglar may be walking around with a lead reminder of a Friday break-in.

Lima Police believe the man who reportedly broke into a home in the 800 block of West Wayne Street early Friday morning may have been shot by the home's owner.

The incident occurred just before 4 a.m. Friday, according to Lima Police Detective Kent Miller. The home's owner was sitting in his living room, just about an hour after coming home from working third shift, when he heard a bang from the next room. He walked in and saw a man in his house by the front door. The homeowner turned around and grabbed his .22 revolver and yelled at the intruder, who then rushed at him, Miller said. He fired one shot before the would-be burglar fled.

Police believe the bullet may have struck the intruder, but found no blood or other evidence of injury at the scene.

"We think he hit him mainly because of the distance between them. He was just three or four feet away, but we didn't find any blood," Miller said.

Police have notified hospitals around the region to keep an eye out for a man seeking treatment for a gunshot wound. Miller said he believes if the man is wounded he may try to treat himself or ask friends for help.

Labels: OH, residence burglary

A 29-year-old woman who broke windows at a house behind Dorn VA Medical Center in Columbia was shot in the head by the homeowner, a Richland County sheriff’s spokesman said.

The bullet grazed the woman, who was slightly injured, the spokesman said Tuesday.

The woman who broke the windows at the house at 618 Hatrick Road was trying to get in and will face charges, the spokesman said.

The homeowner will not face charges, the spokesman said. Officials did not disclose the names since no charges had been filed.

Labels: home invasion, SC

OKLAHOMA CITY -- One burglar may be considering a different profession after nearly losing his life during a break-in, last Wednesday.

Heather Fitzgerald says she was checking e-mail in her garage with the garage partially open. Shortly before 3:00 a.m., however, an intruder crawled in.

Heather immediately worried for her children, who were sleeping inside the home. She grabbed her 9-milimeter pistol and fired two shots at the man.

Police do not believe he was hit because they found no blood at the scene. As he was running away, she says she lined up the gun's laser sight on his back, but did not pull the trigger again, most likely sparing his life.

"I just, I couldn't do it," Fitzgerald says. "And it took everything that I had, not to. Seems like you should be able to be in your own garage at night when it's dark and not have to worry about that kind of stuff."

Labels: female, OK, residence burglary

An attempted robbery at a North Side pharmacy turned deadly Wednesday morning when the business owner pulled out a gun and shot the suspected robber.

No other injuries were reported at the incident that happened about 10 a.m. at Babcock Square Pharmacy, located at the intersection of Babcock and Huebner Roads.

Police Chief William McManus said the suspect handed an employee behind the counter a note that demanded the narcotic drug OxyContin. The chief said the employee was somehow able to alert the pharmacy's owner, who retrieved his gun and confronted the suspect.

“The suspect saw his gun, and said, ‘Let's get it on,'” McManus said.

The owner, who saw a cocked revolver in the suspect's hand, pointed his gun at the suspect and shot him point-blank, McManus said. Only the owner, his wife, an employee and the robbery suspect were inside the store at the time of the shooting, according to authorities.

The chief said no charges would be filed against the owner, who was not immediately identified.

“He was in fear of his life, so this appears to be justified,” McManus said.

Labels: business robbery, TX

Police identified a man fatally shot Tuesday inside an Oklahoma City man’s home as Ronald Penn, 29.

Penn and another person had broken into the house of Scott Henson, 41, in the 2200 block of SW 57 when Henson came home for his lunch break about 11:30 a.m., police said. Henson, whose wife said has a concealed weapons permit, pulled out a handgun and shot Penn to death.

The second person inside the home ran away, police said.

Labels: concealed carry permit, OK, residence burglary

Jerome Ersland was back at work Thursday filling prescriptions and hoping that by taking the life of a 16-year-old boy two days earlier, he had saved others.

Rubbing an oversized bandage on his left forearm, where he said he was grazed by a robber’s bullet, Ersland related details of what he said was a highly organized hit on the Reliable Discount Pharmacy.

"I just regret anybody would get killed,” Ersland said. "But if I wouldn’t have been here, there would have been three people killed — the other pharmacist and the two techs.”

...

After the pharmacy near SW 59 and Pennsylvania was robbed two years ago, the owner installed new security measures to try to make sure his employees would never again be forced to a back room and pistol-whipped.

"We have a very good security system,” Ersland said, motioning to the magnetic door locks that won’t let anyone in or out of the store without permission. "The door locks, and they (robbers) knew that. They had cased it because they knew exactly what time to hit us when we’d have all of our narcotics out and our money out.”

About 10 minutes before 6 p.m., Ersland said, two robbers wearing ski masks waited for someone to leave the pharmacy and then grabbed the open door and threw down a board to stop the door from closing.

The robbers went in cursing and yelling, ordering employees to give them money and drugs, Ersland said.

Two women who were working behind the counter ran for a back room where they would be safe, but Ersland said he couldn’t run. Ersland said he’s a veteran with disabilities from wounds he received in Operation Desert Storm, wears a cumbersome back brace and just had his latest back surgery six weeks ago.

"All of a sudden, they started shooting,” he said. "They were attempting to kill me, but they didn’t know I had a gun. They said, ‘You’re gonna die.’ That’s when one of them shot at me, and that’s when he got my hand.”

Ersland said he was thrown against a wall, but managed to go for the semiautomatic in his pocket.

"And that’s when I started defending myself,” he said. "The first shot got him in the head, and that slowed him down so I could get my other gun.”

But as one robber hit the floor, Ersland said, a bullet from the other robber whizzed past his ear.

The pharmacist said he then got his second gun from a nearby drawer, a Taurus "Judge.”

After he had the big gun, Ersland said, the second robber ran.

But as he started to chase after the second robber, Ersland said, he looked back to see the 16-year-old he had shot in the head getting up again. Ersland said he then emptied the Kel-Tec .380 into the boy’s chest as he kept going after the second robber.

"I went after the other guy, but he was real fast and I’m crippled,” Ersland said.

Outside the pharmacy, he said he saw what he thought was a third black male in a car with the engine running and reaching for what appeared to be a shotgun.

"I pulled out my ‘Judge’ and pointed it right between his eyes and he floored it,” Ersland said.

The charge alleges Ersland shot Antwun Parker, 16, while he was incapacitated and lying on his back. Ersland’s account of the incident doesn’t match the video or the evidence collected at the scene, according to the affidavit written by Oklahoma City Police Detective David Jacobson.

Parker was shot once in the head and five times in the stomach area. The autopsy found Parker was still alive after the head shot and died from the stomach wounds.

Labels: business robbery, minor offender, OK

A 17-year-old boy stands accused of killing a man Tuesday morning, though detectives now believe the shooting was justified, authorities said Wednesday.

Sacramento County sheriff's deputies arrested the boy, whose name has not been released because he is a juvenile, late Tuesday night on suspicion of murder, said sheriff's Sgt. Tim Curran.

Detectives made the arrest based on information they had gathered about the fatal shooting that morning of 30-year-old James Davis on the 2800 block of La Quinta Drive, Curran said.

But after interviewing the boy, Curran said, detectives learned that he had acted in self-defense – and in defense of his mother, Davis' girlfriend, who had been "beaten severely" before the fatal confrontation.

The boy was booked into juvenile hall on a murder charge but later released – though the murder charge still stands, Curran said. The Sacramento County District Attorney's Office is reviewing the case and will decide if it was justifiable homicide.

Deputies were called to La Quinta Drive, near Folsom Boulevard in south Sacramento about 5 a.m. after reports of gunshots and a woman screaming. They found Davis' body on the sidewalk, and paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene. The Sheriff's Department is not releasing the woman's name because she is not a suspect and is a victim of domestic violence.

Curran said the victim and his girlfriend had had a "violent fight," witnessed by the 17-year-old boy, who followed Davis outside and shot him, Curran said. ...

Davis had a history of domestic violence in Sacramento County, according to Superior Court records. Most recently, he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor domestic violence in September 2004 and was sentenced to 365 days in jail.

Labels: CA, domestic abuse, minor defender

Labels: business robbery, GA

BERKELEY HEIGHTS -- A resident shot a man last night when the would-be intruder tried to enter a home in the Deserted Village of Feltville, authorities said.

The shooting in the secluded section of Watchung Reservation occurred around 9 p.m. on Cataract Hollow Road, Union County Police Chief Dan Vaniska said. He said the victim, whose name and address were not available, was taken to Morristown Memorial Hospital and was listed in stable condition.

"An unwanted guest forced himself into the residence and a resident responded by shooting him," Vaniska said at the scene.

Details were scant last night, but Vaniska said the home's residents were brought to county police headquarters, where they were being questioned.

It was not known where on the premises the shooting occurred, but a sedan parked near the porch of the two-story, wood-frame house had a shattered left rear window.

Cataract Hollow Road is part of the historic Deserted Village of Feltville. The site in Watchung Reservation was inhabited by small businesses, a mill and families on and off from 1845 to 1916. Visitors can stroll the village, which includes homes the county leases.

Labels: home invasion, NJ

Sacramento County sheriff's detectives continue to investigate the fatal shooting this morning of a man they say was breaking into a coin and jewelry.

The suspect was killed by the owner of the store on the 4900 block of Marconi Avenue. The 65-year-old owner has not been arrested, a sheriff's spokesman said.

The district attorney will determine if any charges are filed against the owner, based on results of the sheriff's investigation.

The shop owner was inside the store when the incident began at about 4:15 a.m. Investigators are gathering evidence that will help determine if the shooting was justified.

Sheriff's Sgt. Tim Curran said two men approached the store, which had been the target of another break-in on April 29. This time, the owner was inside and called the sheriff's department to report two men in their mid-20s and wearing black ski masks trying to enter.

Curran said that as the owner spoke on the phone with department personnel, the person taking the call heard several gunshots.

"Then the business owner said one subject was down in the parking lot," Curran said.

Deputies arrived to find a body in the park

ing lot. Fire department emergency personnel pronounced the man dead at the scene.

Labels: business burglary, CA

TAMPA, FL -- A Tampa woman refused to be a carjacking victim when she was approached by an armed man who jumped into her car on Thursday.

The woman, who only wants to be identified as Adrianna, pulled out her own gun. "I just leaned forward and punched him in the forehead with my gun," she said. The man "screamed like a girl and almost dropped his gun" as he ran away, she added.

Tampa Police have arrested one suspect so far in what they see as a pattern of carjackings. A-Keem Carr was arrested on related charges, but two others are believed to be preying on motorists in the Westshore area.

Labels: carjacking, concealed carry permit, female, FL

Armed citizen takes out tires as shoplifters flee

A citizen with a “concealed-carry” handgun license shot out a tire on a car full of fleeing shoplifters, then followed them in his own vehicle Wednesday morning, helping Azle police apprehend four people who were subsequently charged with robbery.

Police officers from at least three agencies caught up with everyone in a neighborhood behind Allsup’s convenience store off Highway 199 west of Azle.

Four accused shoplifters had been spotted by employees of Albertsons grocery store and were attempting a getaway with less than $50 worth of miscellaneous items when they were spotted by a citizen in the parking lot. The citizen was carrying a properly licensed concealed weapon, Azle police chief Steve Myers said Wednesday afternoon.

The fleeing driver seemed to be headed straight for the citizen, who fired at the vehicle, striking a front tire.

Another citizen called 911 and reported “an undercover officer shooting at someone who tried to run him down,” Myers said.

That “undercover officer”, it was later discovered, was the armed citizen, Myers said. Both the caller and the “shooter” remained unidentified by police in the interest of their safety.

However, the man with the handgun got in a pickup and followed the suspect vehicle, which could no longer be driven by the time it arrived in the neighborhood, Myers said.

“I guess they thought they could turn off the highway and get lost out in the county,” he said.

However, that area is made up of just a few interconnected streets, with no other way out besides the highway, he said.

Arrested were Michael Reiser, 38, of San Angelo; Kyle Scott, 21 of Fort Worth; Jennifer Jeffrey, 35, of San Angelo; and Tami Mickey, 32, of Fort Worth.

Three of the four were apprehended at the vehicle by Azle police in the 400 block of Oakwood Street. Reiser, the driver, was caught by Azle officer Chris Negrete and a DPS trooper about 30 minutes later in the 1600 block of Willowwood Drive.

Both are off of Pearson Lane, north of the highway.

The four reportedly discarded the shoplifted items as they drove from the scene.

They will be charged with robbery, a felony, instead of shoplifting, a misdemeanor, because the car was used as a deadly weapon in their escape, Myers said.

Albertson’s is in Tarrant County, so charges will be filed with the Tarrant County District Attorney’s office even though the suspects were caught in Parker County. Azle police, Parker County Sheriff’s deputies and at least two Department of Public Safety troopers helped in the chase, Myers said.

The chief has mixed feelings about the help officers received from an armed citizen.

“Our concern in a situation like that is the number of people in the immediate vicinity of an individual who don’t have a way to know who or what he is,” Myers said.

“A uniformed officer is easily identifiable. But the public doesn’t know who (a citizen with a handgun) is, or how to help.”

On the other hand, this particular citizen did choose the most restrained use of his weapon, firing only at the tires of the vehicle and ultimately helping catch a car full of suspects.

Labels: business robbery, concealed carry permit, TX

Detroit woman fires shots through window at would-be intruders

A homeowner on the Detroit's east side thwarted three robbers by firing out of her bedroom as the men made their way up the steps inside her home, according to police.

A neighbor at 5 a.m. today noticed the three men breaking in the kitchen window of the home in the 900 block of Algonquin, according to Detroit Police.

He called the cell phone of the man who lives there, who was on his way home from work. The homeowner then called his wife, woke her and told her to get their gun.

Hearing footsteps on the stairs, she fired a number of shots, missing the thieves. The husband arrived home just as the men were climbing back out of the window, and they escaped.

Labels: female, home invasion, MI

No charges in neighbor's death

A Boston Road condominium owner who shot and killed a neighbor Thursday night at present faces no charges because the shooting appears to be in self defense, Police Chief Allen M. Stratton said Friday.

Stratton said the Woodcrest Condominium resident, whose name was not released, told police he shot twice at a man who came into his apartment without permission, refused to leave and then became aggressive. The shooting took place just before 8:30 p.m.

The intruder turned out to be the owner of a neighboring condominium unit. He was identified as David P. Gatti, 29, of unit C25, police said.

Gatti, a star football and lacrosse player more than a decade ago at Minnechaug Regional High School, sold insurance with his parent's agency in Springfield.

He was shot twice and pronounced dead at Baystate Medical Center, police said.

Friends of Gatti said Friday the account of the shooting simply does not jibe with the gentle, non-violent man they've known for years.

"He didn't have an aggressive bone in his body," said Samuel O'Neil of Springfield.

According to police reports, the condo resident was home sometime after 8 p.m. when he heard someone trying to enter the front door. He went to the door, opened it and saw Gatti, who stepped inside uninvited.

The resident told police he did not recognize him, and when asked to leave, Gatti refused and became "threatening in nature," police said.

Police Chief Stratton said Gatti did not have a weapon and never laid his hands on the condo owner. The owner described him as yelling and gesturing in such a way that he felt threatened.

The resident told police he retreated into the condo and armed himself, and when Gatti reportedly followed him, he opened fire, police said.

Stratton said the initial investigation so far indicates the "control, possession and use of the firearm was defensive in nature and consistent with Massachusetts General Laws."

Hampden County District Attorney William M. Bennett said his office will review the circumstances but it appears the shooting is justified within state law.

(More)

Labels: home invasion, MA

Police: St. Pete homeowner with shotgun confronts burglar

A homeowner confronted a burglar this morning, smashing the intruder across the face with the butt end of a shotgun, St. Petersburg police said.

The burglar, identified by police as Justin Masse, 22, at first fled, then turned around and started toward homeowner Michael Lowry, a U.S. Navy veteran, police said. That's when Lowry fired a shell in the ground, and Masse ran off, police said.

A newspaper delivery person spotted Masse unconscious two blocks away in a front yard, police said. Masse received stitches and was eventually transported to the Pinellas County Jail on a charge of residential burglary, police said.

The attempted break-in occurred about 4 a.m. at Lowry's home, in the 5000 block of Second Avenue South, police said. Lowry spotted Masse in his detached garage and confronted Masse with the 12-gauge shotgun.

During a fight that followed, Masse was struck in the face with the butt of the weapon, apparently considered continuing the struggle and then ran off before falling unconscious, police said.

Labels: FL, residence burglary

Local man reacts to an almost home invasion

A local man wants your help finding two men who tried to break into his house, and he caught the almost home invasion on his web cam.

Many people would be frightened if they were at home and someone tried to break in, but Andy Hartman says he stayed calm because he had a weapon, and he knew the rules on when and how to use it. "I heard somebody knock on the door, and rang the doorbell. I thought it was just a salesman so I kind of ignored it," Hartman said.

Every day when he gets home from work Hartman puts his wallet, keys, phone and gun on the kitchen counter. He carries his gun with him where ever he goes, and last Wednesday, he almost had to use it in the comfort of his own home.

Hartman's home web cam taped someone kicking his back door repeatedly. In the video, you can see the shutters shake each time the person kicks. Hartman grabbed his phone, his gun and called 911. "I'm in my bedroom with a gun. They're breaking in my house," he said in the 911 call.

While waiting for police, Hartman stayed in a back room and listened as the intruder kicked his door more than 20 times. "The officers will want you to put the gun up once they're there, but it's okay obviously for you to have it while they're still breaking in," the 911 operator told him.

Hartman says he was able to stay calm because he knew exactly what to do. He took a concealed handgun class in January. "You know when you can and cannot use the gun, and when it's time to use it you know how to use it," he said.

The woman who led the class Andy took, Gay Lynn Stone, says, "The rules of deadly force for the state of Texas, it just simply says if your life is threatened or the life of another person is threatened then y ou have the right to protect you or that person."

Stone says because Texas' handgun laws are written loosely, he probably could legally shoot the intruder even before they entered the house, but she thinks Hartman made the right decision in waiting for the police. "He did exactly what he was supposed to do, and he treated it as if the use of deadly force would be the last resort," she said.

Police arrived in less than three minutes, but the suspects got away. Probably better for him than if he had made his way into the house. When asked if he would have shot the intruder Hartman said, "Absolutely. No question in my mind."

The police still have not caught the suspects, but Hartman believes two Hispanic males in their early 20s driving a gray Dodge Neon were involved.

Labels: concealed carry permit, trespassing, TX

Deputies: Armed homeowner stops burglary

Sheriff’s deputies say a 25-year-old Summerfield man accused of burglarizing a home didn’t get very far, as the homeowner retrieved his .45-caliber handgun and held the man at gunpoint until they arrived.

Calvin Crews told deputies on Wednesday he was at his residence in the 10000 block of Southeast 108th Terrace Road when he heard someone calling his name. Crews said he looked outside and saw 25-year-old James Lazarus Wayne Day running toward a truck, according to a Marion County Sheriff’s Office report.

Crews said he got his gun and returned to the window. He said Day drove the truck up to the front porch, ran inside the home, went to a bedroom and removed a five-gallon jug that was filled with about $600 in change.

Crews then held the man at gunpoint and called deputies, according to the report. When they arrived, Crews came out of the home with his gun and told authorities what had happened.

Entering the home, deputies found Day kneeling on the floor next to the five-gallon jug of change. Day told them he went to Crews’ home to ask for a job. He said he had just stuck his head in the door when Crews pulled a gun on him.

Officials said Day used to work for Crews.

Day was then arrested and taken to the Marion County Jail where he was charged with residential burglary and grand theft.

Labels: FL, residence burglary

Labels: home invasion, TX

COLUMBIA — A woman whose house was being burglarized is believed to have shot one of the three men caught in her home early Thursday.

The woman arrived at her home in northeast Columbia and found that her back door had been kicked open, according to a release from the Columbia Police Department. Inside, she found three men robbing her house.

She left the house, and the men followed her. She told police that one of the men had a handgun and pointed it at her. She fired one round at the men, the release stated.

Investigators collected evidence that led them to believe that one suspect was shot. Though local hospitals were notified, there were no suspects at the time of the news release.

Labels: altercation, MO, residence burglary

A man suspected of burglarizing cars in the Mar Vista area was shot in the face by a resident early this morning, police said.

The man was breaking into vehicles when he was confronted by a resident at about 1:40 a.m., said Los Angeles Police Sgt. Dennis Beacham.

"He was subsequently shot and sustained a gunshot wound to the facial area," Beacham said. "It’s my understanding he’s in stable condition."

Police did not release the name or age of the victim, and would not say whether the resident who shot him was arrested.

Updated: 5:33 p.m. Two young men accompanying the suspected burglar fled before police arrived, Los Angeles Police Officer Rosario Herrera said. The shooting occurred in the 3800 block of Beethoven Street, and the gunshot victim was taken to a local hospital where he was in stable condition, Herrera said. “The shooter wasn’t arrested, it was in self-defense,” Herrera said.

Labels: CA, street property theft

MISHAWAKA — Two young girls, sisters, were in critical condition late Thursday after being run down earlier in the evening while crossing the street arm-in-arm after playing with friends.

The driver reportedly attempted to flee, but was stopped at gunpoint by a man who witnessed the accident.

According to witnesses, the two girls, ages 4 and 6, were crossing 11th Street at Dodge Street about 7:18 p.m. when a man traveling west on 11th in a blue Chevrolet Lumina struck both of them at about 40 mph.

"No sooner had they crossed the street than I heard tires lock up and, 'Boom! Boom!,'æ" said Alan Knepp, who was standing just up the street when the girls were hit.

Knepp said the younger girl passed quickly beneath the vehicle, but her older sister rode the hood for several seconds before falling beneath the front end and then under both driver's side tires.

The girls behind him, the driver then hit the gas, witnesses said, but stopped when Knepp, who was legally carrying a gun, jumped in front of the vehicle and trained his weapon on it.

Approached by Knepp, the driver reportedly said the girls had jumped out in front of him. He then handed his keys to Knepp and stood silently next to his vehicle until police arrived.

The girls, meanwhile, lay nearly lifeless in the road, witnesses said. The younger one initially was not breathing, and the older one's limbs and neck were badly twisted.

Fetched by a neighbor, the girls' mother arrived moments later and reportedly passed out at the sight of her daughters' motionless bodies.

Both girls were rushed by ambulance to Memorial Hospital in South Bend with critical injuries, Mishawaka police Capt. Pasquale Rulli said. One was immediately admitted into surgery, he said, and the other flown to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis.

Labels: civilian arrest, IN

A report of a man pointing a gun at some teenagers on bikes at the Sears mall spurred an extensive police response and prompted school district officials to lock the doors at Fairview Elementary School Thursday afternoon.

But it turned out the young adults had in fact been harassing the man and that he pulled a weapon from his vehicle for protection, police Lt. Dave Parker said.

The two parties split after the incident at about 1:45 p.m., but witnesses followed the man with the gun north on the Seward Highway to 13th Avenue and Gambell Street, where police with guns drawn stopped the man and a passenger.

Seeing that activity, the principal of the Fairview school locked the doors, school district spokeswoman Heidi Embley said. It was the only school to take any action and reopened a short time later, she said.

After questioning the suspect and other witnesses -- the youths could not be located -- police determined the unnamed man had acted within his rights because he had not pointed the weapon at anyone and had not brandished it in a menacing manner, Parker said.

Labels: AK, altercation

RACINE — Four teens knocked a 42-year-old Racine man from his bike Friday night. He thought they were going to rob him.

The man pulled a Smith and Wesson revolver from his side holster, pointed it at the sky and yelled, “Gun!”

The four suspects ran, and the man flagged down a Racine police officer.

The incident will perhaps mark the first time a new opinion allowing open carry of firearms is put to the test here, as it conflicts with another state statute that makes it illegal to possess a gun within 1,000 feet of a school, if not on private property.

The Racine man involved, who asked not to be named and declined to comment on the alleged robbery attempt when contacted by The Journal Times, was assaulted in the 1100 block of Grand Avenue, which is within 1,000 feet of Walden School, 1012 Center St.

Police did not arrest the man. After he was treated for head and wrist injuries at the scene by Racine rescue, officers escorted the man home and returned his gun to him.

But that doesn’t mean charges won’t be filed against the man, and police are questioning how such situations should be handled in the future.

“It’s difficult with the way the laws are written to carry (a gun) and not get into trouble,” said police spokesman Lt. Jim Dobbs.

He said the new open carry ruling will probably prompt more and more people to wear firearms, but in many places in the city, even stepping off their front porch would mean they are breaking the law.

“People will break the law inadvertently,” Dobbs said. “We want clarification from the state on what we should be doing.”

Last month, Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen sent out a memo saying openly wearing a holstered gun is not illegal. While Wisconsin law states a person cannot legally carry a concealed weapon, it does not address carrying a firearm in plain sight.

The opinion has created many questions, now including the apparent conflict between the existing statute over possessing a firearm near a school.

RACINE — The armed bicyclist who scared off a group of teens he believed were trying to rob him earlier this month will not be charged, the Racine County District Attorney’s Office said Friday.

In a letter to the 42-year-old Racine man, who has asked not to be identified, District Attorney Mike Nieskes wrote, “After speaking with the investigating officer on this matter, I have decided it would not be in the greater interest of justice in the community to charge you with violation of Wisconsin Statute regarding gun free zones.”

According to police reports, the man was riding his bicycle in the 1100 block of Grand Avenue on May 1 when he was knocked from his bicycle by four teens. The man told police he thought the group was trying to rob him, so he pulled out the revolver he was openly carrying in a side holster. Reports said he pointed the gun at the sky and yelled, “Gun!”

The group of teens fled and the man flagged down a Racine police officer. During the assault, the man suffered a wrist injury. He was treated at the scene by Racine rescue.

Police did not arrest the man. They escorted him home and returned his gun to him.

However, the incident raised questions from law enforcement because the man was armed within a 1,000 feet of a school, which is illegal under state statute. The current law conflicts with a recent opinion by the state Attorney General’s Office which said it is legal to openly carry a firearm.

In his letter, Nieskes said the decision not to charge the man was based on the recent determination of the attorney general, along with the man’s lack of prior criminal record and no showing of irresponsible use of the firearm. “I don’t believe it would be appropriate to charge you,” Nieskes wrote. “I will presume that you understand that despite the announcement by the Attorney General for the State of Wisconsin regarding open carry, that you and all other individuals, a notable exception being on-duty police officers, are barred from possessing a firearm in certain circumstances and place.”

Labels: street robbery, WI

HOUMA — An armed burglary that ended with a homeowner’s brother fatally shooting a suspect was preceded by a rash of similar crimes in the area, deputies said.

...

About 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, two brothers who live in the 400 block of West Main Street discovered a pair of men — one of whom was armed with a BB gun — who had broken into one of the men’s garage.

The homeowner, Chris Derocher, and his brother, Bryan Derocher, live on the same property in separate homes.

Bryan Derocher called his sibling that evening when he saw two men walking around the property, deputies said.

When Chris Derocher, who was away from home, arrived, he noticed his garage window was damaged and a motion-sensor light inside the garage was turned on, deputies said.

Chris Derocher and his brother, who was armed with a handgun, opened the garage door and found the two men inside, deputies said.

One of the suspects, Terry Hayes, 34, brandished the BB gun at the men, and Bryan Derocher fired two shots, one of which struck Hayes in the torso.

Hayes died at the scene, deputies said.

Hidalgo said Hayes’ BB gun was indistinguishable from an actual gun.

The other burglary suspect, Charles Mouton, 42, of Thibodaux, was held at gunpoint by Bryan Derocher until deputies arrived.

Hayes had previously been arrested for armed robbery, theft, burglary, illegal possession of stolen goods and illegal carrying of a firearm, among other charges, deputies said.

Mouton had similar arrest history.

Labels: LA, residence burglary

KNOXVILLE -- A Corryton man who was shot during a Saturday night robbery at his home is in “very critical condition” at the University of Tennessee Medical Center, a Knox County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman said today.

Billy Graves, 42, was shot in the abdomen during an exchange of gunfire with two masked robbers who burst into the home he shares with his wife at 9920 Washington Pike just after 9 p.m., said Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Martha Dooley. His wife, 47-year-old Vickie Graves, wasn’t injured.

Authorities don’t know if either of the robbers was hit, and authorities don’t have detailed descriptions of either male suspect because they wore bandanas over their faces, she said.

A safe that was stolen during the robbery was later found near the couple’s home with the contents missing, she said.

Labels: defender shot, home invasion, TN

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Two people were shot Monday during an Anchorage home invasion and police said one of the robbery suspects may also have been wounded.

The homeowner, Tupo Santini, ran outside for help during the robbery. He managed to wrestle a gun away from one of the assailants and fire at him before all three fled, police said.

One man who may have been involved showed up at a hospital with a gunshot wound to his stomach but the other two were at large Monday morning, said police spokesman Lt. Dave Parker.

"We do not know who they are yet," Parker said.

Just after midnight, three armed men wearing dark "hoodies" broke into a mobile home in south Anchorage, intending to rob the home, police said.

Santini was at home with his five children. Police said his girlfriend, Christina Dau, had left to go to a store but his brother, Lofia Santini, and his girlfriend, Amy Itta, were visiting.

The men demanded money and one struck Tupo Santini on the head with a pistol. Santini suffered a cut to his head and the gun fired.

Lofia Santini began struggling with a suspect and Itta tried to crawl down a hallway.

Lofia Santini was shot twice in the chest and Itta was shot in the back. Police said their injuries were serious.

No children were injured.

Tupo Santini ran to get help and was chased outside by a gunman. Santini managed to wrestle the gun from the assailant and fire at him. The assailants then left.

Labels: AK, criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion

Pistol-packing pharmacist scares away robbers

A small sign in the Bob Johnson Pharmacy window says it all: Mike Donahue does not put up with anyone trying to steal from him.

The sign lists a half-dozen people who Donahue says have tried to rob the Crown Hill pharmacy since 1988. “None of them got away with it!” the sign reads. Donahue has security cameras set up, a security system and, as he tells KING 5, he’s armed with a Glock 19 handgun under his lab coat.

This is surveillance video of Donahue chasing a would-be robber out the front door. “When someone comes in to rob my pharmacy or put my patients at risk I have something to help protect us,” he says. He’s pulled the gun on three potential thieves, most recently a few months ago.

Bob Johnson Pharmacy isn’t the only business in the area around 85th St. and 14th Ave. that’s been the target of recent crime. Crown Hill Methodist church was broken into early in the morning on Palm Sunday, and just last week, someone broke into Wild Mountain Cafe.

Labels: business robbery, WA

Grand jury: city homicide justifiable

The Weatherford home owner who shot and killed an intruder in March will not face criminal charges, a Parker County Grand Jury recently determined.

After hearing a full offense report, which included witness statements and evidence, jurors declined to indict the elderly shooter.

Weatherford police presented the case April 16. The homicide, which occurred in the 500 block of South Rusk Street, occurred shortly after 1 a.m. on March 4.

On the morning of the incident, Robert Earl Bardwell, 57, of Weatherford, was shot multiple times after police say he forced entry into a residence and started assaulting the elderly owner’s 34-year-old son.

The home owner, identified as a 66-year-old white male, reportedly attempted to warn Bardwell by firing one shot from an automatic pistol into the ceiling. However, when the assailant failed to heed the warning and continued to assault his son, police say the father shot the intruder several times, fatally wounding him.

According to police, Bardwell was estranged from a relationship with a female subject in the home at the time of the incident.

Following the incident, police declined to identify the shooter and his son because neither man was arrested.

Labels: assault, home invasion, TX

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Police said a man was shot when he tried to rob a northeast side gas station on Tuesday morning.

The armed robber entered the BP gas station, located at 1959 17th Ave., shortly after midnight, 10TV's Tino Ramos reported.

The man confronted the clerk, who had a gun behind the counter. The clerk shot the robber and he collapsed outside.

Labels: business robbery, OH

'Case cleared' in shooting of dazed intruder

There will be no charges against any involved in an April 11 incident that resulted in a 20-year-old Conway man being shot in the leg after intruding into a home.

Paul Willey told a Conway Police Department detective Brian Williams that he had been awake for several days and had entered "a hypnotized state."

Willey said this hypnotic trance "is why he was walking on cars and swinging through trees," Williams wrote in a supplementary report released Thursday.

In his apparently dazed state Willey entered a Baxter Drive residence believing that a friend lived there and jumped out of a second-floor window when confronted by a homeowner armed with a Walther PPK .380 caliber handgun.

This homeowner told Williams that he fired two shots "into the ground in an effort to get the suspect to stop" as Willey fled through a neighbor's yard. He said he wasn't aware that one of the bullets had hit Willey in the leg, causing what is described in the report as a "through and through" injury that bled very little. Willey was treated and released by Conway Regional Medical Center that day.

The families of Willey and the homeowner who shot him have "all decided not to pursue charges (against) each other," Williams wrote, and 20th Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney Marcus Vaden has "advised that he will not file charges per the victims' request."

"No further action taken, the case will be exceptionally cleared," the report concludes.

Labels: AR, home invasion, intoxication

Police: Resident shoots, kills intruder in Midvale apartment break-in

Police say they are looking for as many as eight or nine assailants after a home invasion early Tuesday at a Midvale apartment that ended when one of the residents shot and killed a suspect.

Midvale police believe a female assailant was also shot, leaving a trail of blood outside the Springs of the Country Woods apartment complex at 1039 E. Watercress.

Four people, including two sisters, ages 14 and 22, were inside a third-floor apartment at the complex at about 1:30 a.m. when someone knocked at the door, Midvale police Sgt. John Salazar said.

When the 26-year-old uncle of the sisters opened the door, a group of up to 10 tried to force their way inside. In a struggle at the door, one assailant stabbed the uncle in the hand, Salazar said.

As the struggle continued inside, one assailant hit the 22-year-old woman, angering her 23-year-old boyfriend. He fought with another assailant, got hold of the man's gun and fired about four shots inside, and possibly three outside, Salazar said.

Three of the shots inside struck a 31-year-old suspect, who died at the scene. He was armed with two knives and a handgun, Salazar said.

Everyone else scattered in different directions, and the lone woman in the group appeared to have been shot outside, witnesses told police.

"I'm amazed that no one else was hurt," Salazar said, noting that the bullets fired inside did not go through walls into neighboring apartments.

Police found a sawed-off, 12-guage shotgun and a 40-caliber handgun on the roof of a parking structure nearby. They forced their way into a neighboring garage, but did not find anyone hiding there.

The uncle was hospitalized for his knife wound, and will be OK, Salazar said. Investigators, who were wrapping up their work at the scene by about 10:30 a.m., don't yet have a motive for the home invasion.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion, UT

Man shot in self-defense, police say

The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office was called to 1211 Lakeside Drive at about 9 p.m. Saturday on reports of a shooting, spokeswoman Janice Atkinson said.

On arrival deputies found the victim, Kevin Bailiff, 22, lying on the ground at the edge of the driveway to the residence, suffering from a gunshot wound to the left lower leg, Ms. Atkinson said.

Deputies secured the scene and detained the father of the victim, Richard Bailiff, 66, Ms. Atkinson said.

Detective Ed Merritt advised that father and son became involved in a verbal argument that escalated to the shooting and at this time appears to be self-defense, Ms. Atkinson said.

The victim was transported to Erlanger hospital by Hamilton County EMS.

The investigation is continuing, Ms. Atkinson said.

Labels: mental illness, TN

College Park police are investigating a home invasion at a College Park apartment early Sunday in which a victim shot and killed one of the robbers.

Police said two men forced their way into a unit of the Southern Lakes apartments on Lakemont Drive about 2:54 a.m. There were 10 people in the apartment, police said.

After robbing them, the men and women were moved to different areas. One of the men has a gun and fought the robbers, shooting one of them, police said.

The robber was found dead outside the complex, police said, and his accomplice had fled. Their names were not released by police.

Bailey said he thought it was the end of his life and the lives of the 10 people inside his apartment for a birthday party after two masked men with guns burst in through a patio door.

“They just came in and separated the men from the women and said, ‘Give me your wallets and cell phones,’” said George Williams of the College Park Police Department.

Bailey said the gunmen started counting bullets. “The other guy asked how many (bullets) he had. He said he had enough,” said Bailey.

That’s when one student grabbed a gun out of a backpack and shot at the invader who was watching the men. The gunman ran out of the apartment.

The student then ran to the room where the second gunman, identified by police as 23-year-old Calvin Lavant, was holding the women.

“Apparently the guy was getting ready to rape his girlfriend. So he told the girls to get down and he started shooting. The guy jumped out of the window,” said Bailey.

A neighbor heard the shots and heard someone running nearby.

“And I heard someone say, ‘Someone help me. Call the police. Somebody call the police,’” said a neighbor.

The neighbor said she believes it was Lavant, who was found dead near his apartment, only one building away.

Bailey said he is just thankful one student risked his life to keep others alive.

Labels: GA, home invasion

PITTSBURGH -- An alleged robber was shot inside a Northside bar Friday night, emergency dispatchers said.

Emergency dispatchers said a man was shot in the chest while attempting to rob the Cantina Lounge in the 2600 block of California Avenue.

Labels: business robbery, PA

OLNEY - April 16, 2009 (WPVI) -- An 18-year-old man is hospitalized after being shot in Olney by a man he allegedly tried to rob.

It happened around 9:00 p.m. Thursday night at 3rd Street and Roosevelt Boulevard.

Police say the 18-year-old was found shot in the leg.

He was taken to Einstein Hospital.

His injuries are said to be nonlife threatening.

According to authorities, the 18-year-old was allegedly trying to rob the man who would eventually shoot him.

Labels: PA, street robbery

FORT WORTH — An 18-year-old Fort Worth man killed Tuesday afternoon inside a north Fort Worth apartment had apparently forced his way inside, armed with an aluminum bat, when he was shot by one of the apartment’s residents, investigators said.

Derek Splawn, a student in the Keller school district, had been upset with the apartment’s 18-year-old resident and had reportedly threatened in an earlier telephone conversation "that he was tired of this and he was going to come over there," homicide Detective Curt Brannan said.

Around 4 p.m. Tuesday, police said, Splawn made good on his word and had a friend drive him to the Watercolor apartments in the 8600 block of Spring Tree Lane, near Beach Street and North Tarrant Parkway. As the friend waited in the car, Brannan said, Splawn first pounded on the apartment’s patio door, shouting for the 18-year-old resident to come out, before beating on the apartment’s front door.

Though the resident did not emerge, Brannan said, Splawn was able to force his way inside the apartment after the resident’s roommate opened the front door to peek out and saw Splawn standing there with the bat.

"Before he could get the door shut, the man [Splawn] pushed the door open and had taken several steps inside the doorway in the direction of the [18-year-old]," Brannan said.

Brannan said the 18-year-old, in turn, picked up a shotgun he kept in the home and fired once, striking Splawn in the face.

Labels: home invasion, TX

Robbery Suspect Dies After Being Shot By Property Owner

A Polk County man shot at two robbery suspects Tuesday morning when he thought they were going to run him down.

One of the suspects was hit in the head and died, and the other is still at large.

The incident happened near a citrus grove on Rifle Range Road in the Wahneta area of Winter Haven.

Property owner Jamie Jones heard a commotion outside while working inside his shed just before dawn.

Jones told detectives a man and woman were driving away in his Land Rover. He said after they saw him, they tried to run him over.

Fearing for his life, Jones pulled the trigger.

One of the bullets hit 21-year-old Nikki McCormick in the head. While she lay bleeding in the passenger seat, the male suspect fled on foot.

McCormick was rushed to the hospital where she later died.

Detectives aren't sure if the male suspect was hit. The property owner last saw him limping down a nearby street.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office searched for him by air and ground for hours but did not locate him. The sheriff's office hasn't been able to identify him.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd says Jones likely won't face charges, and he offers a warning to other would-be robbers.

"The word to the criminal is first -- quit being a criminal, quit stealing," Judd said. "But if you're breaking into someone's house, the homeowner is very likely to shoot you."

Labels: assault, FL, trespassing

Midlothian man's fatally shot at Arlington house, police say

A 42-year-old Midlothian man was fatally shot in Friday night by his former father-in-law, Arlington police said.

Police said the shooting appeared to be in self-defense, and that they would turn over evidence to the Tarrant County District Attorney's Office for a determination. No one has been arrested.

Rodney Kennedy was at a home in the 1400 block of Pecan Street when he was shot by his former father-in-law, 67, police said. The shooting happened at 10 p.m. during an altercation, according to reports.

The house is near the University of Texas at Arlington.

Labels: domestic dispute, TX

Son’s 2nd shot kills intruder

A woman, awakened by the sound of someone removing the screen from her bedroom window, got out of her bed at 1 a.m. Friday, walked to her son’s room and quietly woke him.

“She said, ‘Snigg get up,’” the son said in an interview later Friday morning.

“I got up, grabbed my gun and went to the corner there by her room,” he said, standing at the door of the apartment, on the bottom floor of the last in a row of Spanish-style buildings in the Granada Apartments on Chicot Road.

It was dark in the apartment, but the window was backlit, Snigg said. He heard the window go up and saw a man coming in.

“He stuck his hand under and pulled the blinds back, the blinds and the curtain,” he said. “And he eased in like he was attempting to come in.

“I fired two shots, then he ran off,” Snigg said.

Police say they won’t identify the woman or her son, who offered the nickname Snigg, for fear of retribution.

Javorous Darnell Tims, 20, ran about 80 feet from the window, fell to the sidewalk and died of a single gunshot wound, police said Friday.

Pascagoula police said Snigg and his mother acted appropriately, “taking the actions they felt necessary to protect themselves.” However, because a man died, the case will be presented to a grand jury for review.

Tims, who had at one time lived in apartments not far away, was a familiar face in the parking lot of the Granada Apartments, according to Dustin Clarke, 22, who handles maintenance and courtesy security at the apartments.

Not many people in the complex heard the shots, said Clarke, who was at the scene when police investigated the shooting and talked with residents and investigators.

Clarke said Tims had gotten his head through the window when Snigg fired the first shot and missed. That shot hit the wall under the window, Clarke said. By the time Snigg fired the second shot, Tims had turned. The bullet went through Tims’ upper body, he said.

“The blinds were down. And the bullet hole in the blinds supported his (Snigg’s) story,” Clarke said.

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Labels: home invasion, MS

Kamiah man shot and killed during alleged break-in in Stites

The FBI and Nez Perce Tribal Police are investigating a fatal shooting at that took place at a grocery store in Stites early Thursday morning.

It happened during an apparent attempted break-in

The Idaho County Sheriff's Office confirmed that a 21-year-old Kamiah man was pronounced dead at the scene. His identity was being withheld until family was notified.

He was one of two men who were reportedly trying to break into the Stites Grocery Store. He was shot and killed during the alleged break-in. The Sheriff's Office says the other suspect ran from the scene. Witnesses say the pair came in through a fan vent in the back of the store.

The grocery store owner, who asked to not be identified, said a man was working on an upstairs computer at the store when he heard a noise. She said that's when one of the alleged would-be burglars "came at" the man who then shot the alleged burglar in the leg. She says when the alleged burglar didn't stop, the man fired a second shot into his chest.

The Idaho County Sheriff's Dispatch Center said the call came in at 3:24 a.m. from the man who had done the shooting, saying he had shot an intruder in the store.

It was unknown if either alleged intruder was armed.

Upon arrival, deputies secured the scene while the Clearwater Valley Ambulance stood by.

The FBI is leading the investigation because the man who was killed is believed to be a Nez Perce Tribal member and the shooting took place on reservation land.

Labels: business burglary, ID

Man wrestles gun from intruder in Pittsburg home invasion

A Pittsburg man fought off two men who broke into his home early Friday morning, wrestled away a shotgun and shot one of the suspects with it as he fled, according to the victim and police.

The wounded suspect left the scene but was arrested after being treated at a hospital, said Sgt. Steve Albanese. Police also arrested a second suspect and are still searching for more people connected with the home invasion.

The incident happened just after midnight when two men with guns broke down the front door and entered the home on Calistoga Drive.

The male homeowner, who declined to be named, said he was awakened and came out of his bedroom to investigate the noise. He said he was confronted by one man with a sawed-off shotgun and a second man with a handgun. He wrestled the shotgun out of the suspect's hand, and the man fell on him, he said.

The second suspect then reportedly shot at the victim's wife but did not hit her. The victim, whose stepson was also in the home, said he got up, recovered the shotgun and began shooting in the direction of the suspects.

The suspects fled, and the victim fired one round as they ran across a neighbor's driveway, hitting one man in the upper torso, Albanese said.

The victim said there was nothing in his house worth stealing and guessed that the suspects may have targeted the wrong address.

"We don't have valuables or anything," he said.

Police could not release further details because they are still investigating the incident, Albanese said.

Labels: CA, criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion

A woman who tried to carjack a man at gunpoint outside a North Side Walgreens early Thursday was shot and wounded by the man, police said.

The man called police around 12:30 a.m. to report he had just shot one of two women who tried to take his car as he waited in the pharmacy drive-through near East Grant and North Swan roads, said Sgt. Fabian Pacheco, a Tucson Police Department spokesman.

Pacheco gave this account:

The 26-year-old man, whose name was not released, had just left Tucson Medical Center and went to fill a prescription.

When he drove back to the drugstore to check on his prescription, two women came up to his car. One was armed with a gun.

The woman tried to shoot the man, but he pulled his own gun while she was trying to pull the trigger. Her gun didn't fire for an unknown reason.

The man fired his gun twice. One shot grazed her head, and the other struck her in the shoulder.

The woman fell to the ground, and the man took her gun away.

Labels: AZ, concealed carry permit, street robbery

Homeowner Cleared in Shooting

Prosecutors have concluded a Lake Wales security guard who shot a man who was breaking into his home was justified in using deadly force.

Assistant State Attorney Robert Antonello wrote a letter with his findings about the March 18, nonfatal shooting to the Lake Wales Police Department.

In the letter released Thursday, Antonello said William Cornwell, a hospital security guard, was protecting himself and his young children.

Cornwell arrived at his Grove Avenue home just before 7 a.m. His wife left for work, and he was alone with his 3 1/2-month-old son and 3 1/2-year-old daughter.

A noise awoke him from his sleep and, armed with a semi-automatic pistol, he went to find out what was happening, Antonello wrote.

Cornwell came "face-to-face" in the hallway of his home with Michael Collins who swung a crowbar at Cornwell's head. Cornwell chased Collins out the back door and fired two shots, Antonello wrote.

Collins ran to his vehicle parked in the house's driveway, Antonello wrote. Cornwell ran back through his house, out the front door, and "instinctively opened fire on the vehicle (at the tires and body) in an attempt to disable it and prevent the intruder from leaving."

Collins drove about 200 feet up the road to an orange grove where his vehicle overturned, and he was captured.

Lake Wales police say Collins, 45, was struck in the head and left arm by the gunfire, but survived.

Collins was flown to Lakeland Regional Medical Center for treatment.

He is charged with armed burglary and possession of burglary tools. He remains in the Polk County Jail and is being held without bail on the burglary charge.

Labels: FL, home invasion

Brainerd Man Shoots 2 Dogs Attacking Neighbor's Dogs

A Brainerd man shot and killed two pit bull dogs attacking a neighbor's pit bull in an incident on Sunday.

The case was turned over by Chattanooga Police to the McKamey Animal Trust.

McKamey officials have charged the owner of the two dogs, Walter Pitmon, for letting his dogs run at large.

Police Officer Brian Blumenberg said he responded to 108 S. Howell Ave. and spoke with Stephen Hooper, who said two pit bulls attacked his pit bull who was chained in the back yard.

He said while the attack was going on, his neighbor, James Klassen, came out of his house at 106 S. Howell Ave. with his pistol and shot the attacking dogs an unknown amount of times.

Mr. Hooper said after the dogs were shot, they ran off. The dogs were later taken by McKamey officers to an animal clinic on Amnicola Highway. They were later put down.

Officer Blumenberg said Mr. Pitmon arrived at the scene and identified himself as the owner of the two dogs. He said he was trying to feed the dogs at his residence at 113 Spring Creek Road when they got out. He said that was about an hour before the attack.

He said he went looking for them, then saw a number of officers at the house on South Howell and suspected that it involved the two dogs.

A neighbor, Matthew Overby, said he was playing with his four-year-old cousin less than 100 feet from where he heard six or seven shots.

He said he put the cousin inside and went looking in his truck to find who was firing shots in the neighborhood.

He said he found a pit bull with a bullet wound that severed its spine. He said he then saw the second dog that had also been shot.

Mr. Overby said he waited on Conner Street "with several more Good Samaritans who had stopped to help these two dying, bleeding dogs."

He said the owner eventually showed up "and was initially upset with them for getting out in the first place. His anger quickly turned to tears as he just held his dogs."

Labels: animal, TN

Shootings found to be self-defense

Spartanburg County deputies determined that a man who shot two people Monday night outside his residence was acting in self-defense and charged the two men on Tuesday.

Daniel Scott Byrd, 22, of 115 Keith Street, Greer and Josh Duncan, 24, of 207 Church St., Wellford were each charged with one count of assault and battery.

Byrd's stomach was grazed by a bullet and Duncan was struck in the buttocks during a fight Monday night outside a Keith Street residence.

Larry James Pruitt Jr., 41, told deputies that a group of people were causing "a bad ruckus" outside his home and he asked them to keep it down. Pruitt said Byrd and Duncan then came into his yard and began choking and assaulting him.

Pruitt said he pulled a revolver from his pocket and fired several times, then ran into his home, reloaded his gun and waited for deputies.

Multiple people who said they witnessed the incident told deputies Pruitt was truthful about what happened.

When the deputy arrived, Duncan and Byrd were still on the ground outside of Pruitt's home.

Labels: assault, SC

Man shoots wolf for threatening cattle

A landowner shot and killed a wolf on private property near Hamilton over the weekend after he said he saw the animal chasing his cattle.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks investigated Saturday's incident and said the man's actions were warranted. Federal rules say wolves in the experimental wolf population area of Montana - which includes much of the southern half of the state - can legally be killed if they are seen killing or threatening to kill dogs or livestock. All incidents must be reported to FWP within 24 hours.

Wolves are expected to be removed from the federal Endangered Species List on May 4, after which they will become reclassified under state law as a species in need of management. The flexibility to protect livestock and domestic dogs will be provided in Montana law and will apply to the entire state.

Labels: animal, MT

Springfield police say fatal shooting was self-defense

Police say a fatal shooting in Springfield was an act of self-defense.

The shooting happened Monday night at a home on the 2300 block of E Street. Investigators say Rodolfo Baldenegro, 47, went to the home looking for his estranged girlfriend. Investigators say the woman had filed a restraining order against him.

Police say Baldenegro forced his way into the residence and got into a fight with the woman and another man. Police say the other man shot Baldenegro in self-defense. Baldenegro died at the hospital.

Labels: domestic dispute, female, OR

Clerk Opens Fire On Would-Be Robber

Two men were hospitalized on Wednesday after they were shot during a hold up at a drive-thru on the city's northeast side, 10TV News reported.

The shooting occurred at about 3:30 p.m. at Dani's Drive-Thru, located near the corner of Westerville and Agler roads.

Investigators said a man walked inside and tried to rob the clerk, but the clerk produced a gun and opened fire, wounding the man in the legs, 10TV News reported.

The man was apprehended about a block away near a home on Cleveland Avenue.

The other person wounded in the shooting may have been an innocent bystander, police said.

The injuries were not considered to be life-threatening.

No other injuries were reported.

Labels: business robbery, OH

Home invasion ... kids, adults not hurt

Police are looking for three suspects wanted in connection with a home invasion overnight in northwest Charlotte.

The incident ended with the homeowner firing shots at the fleeing attackers.

It started about 11 p.m. at a residence in the 2700 block of Kendrick Drive, in the Coulwood area.

Police say three men kicked in the front door of the home, where three adults and two children were living. The attackers took money and fled.

While they were fleeing, police say, one of the adult residents fired shots at them. It is not known if the suspects were hit by the gunfire.

The getaway vehicle was described as a white Ford Contour or a Ford Taurus.

The suspects were described as short and thin black males, who covered their faces with shirts.

Anyone with information in the case is asked to contact Crime Stoppers, 704-334-1600.

Labels: home invasion, NC