Civilian Gun Self-Defense Blog

Local Lawmaker Defends Drawing Gun in Parking Lot

Huntsville City Councilman Glenn Watson is no stranger to controversy. Recently, during a confrontation at a local parking lot, Watson says he pulled a pistol on a man who he says was threatening him. It all happened about two weekends ago when Watson, his ex-wife and his 5 month old granddaughter were loading the car after shopping.

Watson says a man became irrate because Watson's car door was blocking a parking space. The two exchanged words, tempers flared, and Watson says the man threatened to attack.

Speaking with WAAY 31's Violet Parker, Watson described the incident. "This guy is 35 years old, I'm 66. He out weighs me 40 pounds. I'm not going to take him on man to man. In my younger days I would have." So what happened next? "I pulled out my pistol and said 'Back off.' When he saw my gun, he backed off. When I saw that, I put the gun away. As far as I was concerned, the incident was over."

Huntsville police investigated the incident and since Watson has a permit to carry the gun, there was a threat of imminent danger, no charges were filed.

Labels: AL, altercation, concealed carry permit

Shooting could be self-defense

Man's death may not result in charges under 'Stand Your Ground' laws

An assistant state attorney said it appears the shooting death of a 47-year-old Pensacola man in a home off Langley Avenue may have been justified in self-defense.

No charges have been filed in Tuesday's incident. Marilyn Caraway, 53, called 911 shortly after 6:30 a.m. and told Escambia County sheriff's deputies she shot her ex-boyfriend, Johnny Ray Clark, in self-defense.

Assistant State Attorney Greg Marcille said his office will make the final determination whether the shooting was justified once the Sheriff's Office investigation is complete.

"It is then that charges, if any, will be filed," Marcille said. "At this point, it appears the shooting will be justifiable."

Sgt. Mike Ward, Sheriff's Office spokesman, said investigators are looking into whether the shooting happened in self- defense.

"It's probably going to be a while before we know," Ward said.

When deputies arrived at Caraway's residence in the 6300 block of Langley Place, they found Clark on the back screened-in porch, shot once in the chest with a high-caliber handgun.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Ward said once Sheriff's Office investigators complete their investigation it will be reviewed by the State Attorney's Office.

If it is proved that Caraway was acting in self-defense, she likely will be protected under Florida's Stand Your Ground laws, which allow the use of deadly force to defend against forcible unlawful entry or attack.

These laws eliminate a person's duty to retreat from an invader or assailant in certain cases before resorting to the use of deadly force.

"It appears (Caraway) was put in a position of fear," Marcille said. "This seems to be a fairly simple case that can be handled in a fairly short period of time."

Ward said further information on the shooting could not be released because the investigation is ongoing.

Labels: domestic dispute, FL

Shotgun blasts stop home invasion

An old farmhouse in a residential part of the Town of Newburgh near Orange Lake was the scene of a wild home invasion in which ski-masked intruders were turned back by shotgun blasts that ripped through walls and panicked neighbors.

Police were called to 706 Gardnertown Road Monday night around 8 p.m. in response to reports of gunfire. The owners of the house, a couple in their 20s, said at least three men, possibly Hispanic or light-skinned blacks, burst through their backdoor, pistols drawn. One gunman held the man to the ground, while the others headed upstairs, where the couple's tenant rents a room.

The tenant grabbed a shotgun and fired several times, police said, narrowly missing his landlord. It is unknown if any of the intruders were hit.

Lt. Michael Clancy said neighbors reported seeing the intruders flee the house, firing back at its occupants. None of the home's occupants was injured.

Labels: home invasion, NY

Lynchburg man who shot father found not guilty

A Lee County man accused of shooting his father has been found not guilty.

It happened back in July at Mister C's in Lynchburg.

Authorities say Charles Nelson, Sr. and Charles Nelson, Jr. got into a physical fight, when the son shot his dad.

Both men were taken to the hospital.

The defense argued that Nelson, Jr. shot his dad in self-defense.

Labels: domestic dispute, SC

Montgomery County officials are searching for an armed man responsible for an aggravated robbery.

It happened at a home in the 19000 block of Laurette Drive in Porter, Texas just after midnight Wednesday.

That’s east Montgomery County.

A 61-year old victim told deputies the armed and masked man approached him outside his home at around 12:30 Wednesday morning and demanded money.

The gunman reportedly forced the victim inside his home and held him and two others at gunpoint until they gave the suspect money.

The suspect then ran away, that’s when, officials say, the homeowner shot at the suspect.

Deputies believe the suspect was shot because blood was found at the scene.

No one else was hurt.

Labels: home invasion, residence robbery, TX

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Homicide detectives are combing the scene of a deadly overnight shooting in west Charlotte.

Police say a cab driver shot and killed a man who robbed him around 3 a.m. Wednesday on Columbus Circle.

Investigators say the driver called for help over his radio, but before help arrived, the two men started fighting and the cab driver fired a shot.

The robber was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police have not said if charges will be filed.

Labels: NC, street robbery

Duquesne man cleared of homicide

A resident was acquitted yesterday in a non-jury trial for the fatal shooting of his sister's boyfriend June 11.

Lamont D. Thompson, 24, faced one charge of homicide in the death of Vernon S. Johnson, 24.

Allegheny County homicide detectives said the victim became irate while visiting his two children at the residence Mr. Thompson shared with his sister in the Duquesne Place Apartments.

Witnesses testified that Mr. Johnson grabbed the mother of his children, who was and is still pregnant with their third child, and held a .357 caliber revolver to her neck. Mr. Thompson, who had a permit for a gun, shot Mr. Johnson of Braddock.

Judge Cheryl L. Allen ruled Mr. Thompson was not guilty and said he may be released.

Labels: concealed carry permit, domestic dispute, PA

Thursday not a thankful day for four men

A robber used a lighter resembling a pistol to steal a man's wallet -- only to be shot by his victim, who was armed with a gun that was real.
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Delbert Leroy Wells, 40, the would-be robber, lingered for two weeks at Jackson Memorial Hospital before succumbing to his wounds on Thanksgiving Day.

On Nov. 8, Miami police say, Wells was driving a white Dodge when he pulled up to the car of Patrick Laguerre on Northwest 75th Street and North Miami Avenue at about 12:20 a.m. He asked for directions.

As Laguerre was responding, Wells pulled out a nickel-plated lighter made to look like a gun.

Laguerre gave him some loose dollars, ''but [Wells] wanted more,'' according to a police report. Wells searched his pockets, fished through his wallet and got back into his own car.

But the wallet was empty.

Wells ''became irate, aiming the handgun at the victim, stated he was going to shoot,'' the police report said.

Laguerre took cover back in his own car, grabbed his own handgun and squeezed off three to four rounds.

Mortally wounded, Wells tried driving off. He crashed into a fence. While at Jackson Memorial Hospital, he was charged with armed robbery.

But Wells died on the Thanksgiving holiday -- delivering Miami homicide detectives a fresh case. Their investigation of the shooting is now under way.

''It seems the victim was defending himself,'' said Miami homicide Sgt. Jose ''Pepi'' Granado.

Labels: FL, street robbery

Police Investigate Home Invasion, Shooting

Authorities are searching for two men they said were involved in a shootout with a Vancouver homeowner Monday night.

Officers said the homeowner surprised two burglars inside his home on Northeast Benton Drive around 7 p.m. The homeowner told authorities that he confronted the burglars and he exchanged gunfire with the two men.

There were no injuries reported.

The men fled the scene and left in a newer model gray SUV-type vehicle, according to police.

Police said it is unknown how many shots were fired, if the two men were hit or who shot first.

Authorities are investigating a possible connection to the shooting. They said a man walked into a Portland emergency room last night with a gunshot wound.

The incident is under investigation.

Labels: residence burglary, WA

Coon Rapids man kills home invader

A man who kicked his way into a home in Coon Rapids was shot and killed by the 73-year-old homeowner late Monday night, according to reports.

The homeowner told police that the suspect, and a perhaps a companion, kicked in his rear garage door in the 11700 block of Bittersweet Street at around 11 p.m., according to reports. The man told police he shot and killed the intruder with a rifle.

Police said the homeowner heard people talking and believes there was a second suspect who escaped. The dead man was not carrying any identification, according to police.

No other information was available.

Charges unlikely for Coon Rapids man who shot apparent intruder

A 73-year-old Coon Rapids man who shot and killed an apparent intruder Monday night "appears unlikely" to face charges, a top Anoka County investigator said today.

The resident told police he was awakened to sounds of what he thought was someone breaking into his house on Bittersweet Street in Coon Rapids, sheriff's Capt. Bob Aldrich said. He grabbed a rifle that he kept in his bedroom around the time a man in his late teens or early 20s entered the room.

"(The resident) fired a single shot, and the suspect was struck in the torso," Aldrich said. "The suspect was able to stumble or stagger down the stairs and then collapsed near a door. And died."

Authorities this afternoon were still trying to identify the suspected intruder, described as a man in his late teens or early 20s, Aldrich said.

The resident declined to speak with reporters when he returned home early this afternoon.

County prosecutors will make the final call on whether or not charges will be filed, but Aldrich said police released the resident without booking him.

No charges against Coon Rapids homeowner who killed intruder

Authorities say they will NOT charge a 73-year-old Coon Rapids man who shot and killed a teenage intruder in his home in November.

Gerald Whaley shot 17-year-old Anthony J. Parks with a .22-caliber rifle he kept loaded by his bed after Parks entered his home and appeared in the doorway of his bedroom.

Assistant Anoka County Attorney Bryan Lindberg wrote in a five-page letter to the sheriff's office that he believed the state would be unable to prove that Whaley broke the law in defending his home.

Labels: home invasion, MN

Clerk/Robber Have Shootout

A robber gets more than he bargained for at a Dayton convenience store. The thief walked into the Express Market on Necco Avenue last night with a gun. Instead of giving him cash, the clerk whipped out his own pistol and the two shot at each other. Officers followed a blood trial over to Kings Mill Court where they found the suspect shot in the shoulder. The clerk wasn't hit.

Store clerk involved in gunfight with would-be robber

A store clerk involved in a gunfight Monday night fired straighter than a would-be robber, leaving the man wounded and fleeing into the night.

Police said a man entered the Express Mart, 3999 Necco Ave., about 9 p.m. armed with a handgun. The clerk behind the counter pulled out a handgun of his own and both men discharged their weapons, Dayton police Sgt. Scott Lawson said.

The clerk wasn't hit, but the robber was shot in his shoulder and ran.

He turned up a little while later at the residence of an acquaintance near Kings Mill Court, a few blocks east of the mart, and called an ambulance to treat his wound.

Police also responded to the call and quickly realized the wounded man was their suspect because he matched the description of the robber — right down to his choice of clothing.

After treatment for the non life-threatening injury at a hospital, the suspect was taken to the Montgomery County Jail, Lawson said.

Labels: business robbery, OH

1 Shot To Death At South KC Home

A man was shot to death Monday evening in south Kansas City, officials said.

Police were called to a home at East 118th Place and Food Lane shortly before 5 p.m. When officers arrived, the homeowner told police he had shot and killed an intruder. The homeowner said he didn't know the man.

The homeowner was taken in for questioning, which is routine in a shooting investigation.

No names were released.

Labels: intruder, MO

Resident shoots intruder

A Hillsborough County man shot and critically injured an intruder in his home early Monday morning.

A couple who lives at 286 W. State Road 60 found the intruder at around 1 a.m. when they returned home after being out of town for a few a days, according to a report from the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. As the woman was calling 911, the man fired a shot at the intruder.

The intruder was taken to Lakeland Regional Medical Center where he was listed in critical condition.

The names of those involved were not being released.

A Plant City man shot an intruder who slipped into his family's home as they unpacked from a trip, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

John Kilgore, 57, his wife, Cynthia, 43, and their two sons, 14 and 16, returned to their home at 286 W State Road 60 about 1 a.m. Monday after several days away, deputies say.

The home is protected by a gate and a sign for a security dog, but the family left a door unlocked as they brought in luggage, and a 23-year-old burglar walked inside, said sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter.

As Mrs. Kilgore called 911, her husband shot the burglar, firing once and hitting him in the torso, Carter said.

Emergency crews took the intruder to Lakeland Regional Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition Monday afternoon, Carter said. Deputies did not release the man's name.

Intruder dies; no charges in home invasion shooting

An intruder shot by a Plant City homeowner has died of his injuries, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

Noe Alvarez-Ramirez, 20, was shot Nov. 27 by John Kilgore, 57, deputies say. Alvarez-Ramirez died of his injuries Dec. 31 at Lakeland Regional Medical Center.

Detectives have no plan to file charges against Kilgore.

Alvarez-Ramirez broke into the Kilgore's home near Plant City, and Kilgore's wife, Cynthia, 43, found the intruder in the couple's bedroom, deputies say. Cynthia Kilgore took the couple's two sons, 14 and 16, into another bedroom, and her husband shot Alvarez-Ramirez.

The ability to use deadly force to protect a home stems from a common-law principle known as the "castle doctrine," which allows such force if people are attacked in their homes or cars.

Labels: FL, residence burglary

SAN DIEGO -- A man who shot and wounded one of three suspects who allegedly tried to rob him Sunday at his home in his Spring Valley will not face criminal charges, according to the sheriff's department.

A homeowner in the 9300 block of Hollyhock Road called 911 at 12:11 p.m. to report that three suspects just tried to steal his air conditioner and money, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.

The homeowner said he shot one of the suspects, later identified as 21-year-old Jose Colmenero, with a a rifle, said Sgt. Rose Kurupas.

...

A sheriff's deputy saw the suspects' vehicle at Ildica Street and Sweetwater Road in Spring Valley, Kurupas said.

Steve Aguilar, 22, Vincente Colmenero, 20, and Jose Colmenero, 21, were arrested on suspicion of burglary and attempted robbery, Kurupas said.

Jose Colmenero was take to a hospital with a gunshot wound to the abdomen and is expected to survive, Kurupas said.

Labels: CA, home invasion, residence robbery

A Fort Wayne man was able to escape a would-be robber early Thursday but did not escape without injury.

According to a Fort Wayne police report, the man was arriving home on East Rudisill Boulevard about midnight when he was approached by another man on a mountain bike.

According to police, the man got out of his car and was walking to his house when the man on the bike showed him a knife and demanded his money.

The man punched the robber, knocking him to the ground, police said.

The man then went into his house and brought out his handgun, but the robber was already leaving the area on his bicycle, police said.

The man then realized that he had been stabbed in the left hand, police said.

Labels: IN, street robbery

Police: Pizza Deliveryman Shoots, Kills Robber

Police are investigating a shooting in southwest Atlanta that left a 14-year old dead.

A pizza deliveryman shot and killed the teen Sunday night during an attempted robbery, according to investigators.

The deliveryman told officers a group of teens confronted him at the Huntington Pointe apartments at 2909 Campbellton Road.

He claims he gave up his cash to the robbers, but pulled a gun and opened fire when one of the teens made a threatening motion.

The teen died at the scene.

Police are searching for the other teens who tried to hold up the delivery driver.

There's no word yet on whether the deliveryman will be charged.

Pizza deliverer, friends of teen suspect try to cope with killing

Around noon Monday, about 15 teenagers, calling themselves the Young Paper Chasers, stood beneath a tree and tried to wash away what was left of their friend Kenyatta Calhoun.

About two miles away at Super Crown Pizza on DeLowe Drive in southwest Atlanta, Zihaid Mahmood did not come to work. Mahmood, a pizza delivery driver, shot Kenyatta to death during an alleged robbery Sunday night, police say.

"I am not going to work today," Mahmood said in a telephone interview. "I am so sorry about what happened. But I was protecting myself."

On the spot where the 14-year-old died, the Young Paper Chasers poured liquor and soda on the ground to flush away the red stains.

"We couldn't look at the blood anymore," 17-year-old Bay Bay Green said. "Today, we are just sitting around, drinking. Thinking about Big Boi."

Labels: GA, pizza delivery driver, street robbery

Facing gun, merchant shoots 3

The E. Germantown deli owner, on guard early, detained a 4th suspect until police arrived.

It was clear to John Lee that the four guys who came into his East Germantown deli Saturday night would not be paying customers.

"They all had their hoodies pulled tight, and it wasn't a cold night," said Lee, 48, owner of the Chelten Market at Chelten Avenue and Musgrave Street. "I said, 'You need to take off your hoodies,' then one of them came around the counter with his gun drawn, so I shot them."

Lee fired five rounds from his .38-caliber revolver, striking three of the bandits and rupturing a water line, police said. The gunman dropped his loaded 9mm pistol as he and his wounded partners fled the store. Lee found a fourth would-be robber - who had not been shot - hiding in the rear of the store.

"He had a BB gun on him, so I took it," Lee said. "Then I beat him up and took his boots and called police."

All four suspects - three juveniles and a man, 22 - were listed yesterday in stable condition at area hospitals, police said. Their names were not released.

The two juveniles were shot in the neck and leg, and the man was hit in the chest, police said.

They were charged with armed robbery, as was a fifth person who waited outside as the driver. The suspect detained by Lee was arrested when police arrived. The others were arrested after driving to Temple University Hospital in the same Dodge Intrepid they allegedly planned to use as the getaway car.

No charges were filed against Lee, who said he was taken to Temple a couple of hours later to identify two of the suspects.

Police took Lee's gun, which he said is legally owned, as well as the recording made by the store's surveillance cameras.

The group is suspected of holding up a bar 15 minutes before trying to hit Lee's store, Detective Michael Cannon said.

"They are also being investigated for robberies in other parts of the city," he said.

State Rep. Dwight Evans, who lives a neighborhood away in West Oak Lane, had no criticism for Lee's actions.

Evans is expected to run next year for mayor, with a pillar of his platform being the need to find ways to reduce violence.

"He was doing what he had to do to protect himself," Evans said. "This is an issue we will continue to face. Public safety has to become a priority for the city government."

It's not the first time Lee has wounded someone trying to hold up his store; he shot a man last year on Labor Day weekend.

Tim Rosser, who works at the market as a cook and lives in the area, said Lee is known in the neighborhood as someone residents can come to for help.

"He has the respect of the people around here," said Rosser, 42. "The people who cause trouble at the store are strangers."

Lee was thankful he was working behind the counter instead of his wife.

"I didn't tell her about the robbery yet because I didn't want to upset her," he said yesterday morning. "She's at church right now. Her prayers must be working for us."

Labels: business robbery, PA

Homeowner fights back against robbers

Two men were shot during an apparent robbery attempt in the Clear Lake area.

Police say four men armed with a gun barged into a home and tried to tie up the homeowner. He had his own gun and fired on the suspects. Two of the four were hit. The other two tried to get away.

"I ran outside and there was a guy lying right there shot and we drove around," said neighbor Brittany Hubbell. "We got in the car and drove around. And there was another guy in the red shot over there."

The homeowner was not hurt. The two suspects who were shot were taken to the hospital for serious injuries.

Labels: home invasion, residence robbery, TX

Clerk Fires Back

An attempted robbery at a Donelson store left one suspect dead and another in critical condition.

Police tell us the two men walked into the Smoke Depot on Stewarts Ferry Pike armed with guns. They began to pistol whip the store owner who was behind the counter.

One of the suspects dropped the gun and the store owner was able to pick it up.

The store owner and the other suspect exhanged gunfire. Both suspects where hit but the store owner was not. One of the suspects, Sheldon Hope, died from his injuries. The other suspect is at Vanderbilt Medical Center in critical condition.

The 40 year old owner of the shop has a pretty bad gash in the back of the head, and several scrapes and bruises, but he's expected to be OK.

Labels: business robbery, criminal's gun taken away and used against him, TN

Suspected home invader shot, killed

A late-night shooting in the Four Hills area of Albuquerque left one person dead and a homeowner shaken.

Police say the homeowner called 911 about 11:30 Saturday night.

Albuquerque Police Department spokesperson Trish Hoffman says the homeowner woke up to sounds inside his house, discovered a burglar and shot the intruder.

The intruder died at the scene. Detectives haven’t released whether the intruder was armed.

Detectives are investigating the scene as a homicide, but say it’s possible the homeowner won’t be charged because it may be a justifiable homicide.

Labels: NM, residence burglary

Second Robber Sought After Fatal Home Invasion

Police Say Victim Shot, Killed One Robber

Police are seeking the public's help in identifying a second person wanted in connection with a fatal home invasion robbery that took place in Sacramento.

Detectives said two armed assailants attempted a home invasion robbery at a residence on the 2300 block of 32nd Avenue at 1:40 p.m. on Nov. 14.

During the robbery, one of the robbers severely beat the victim in the head with a gun. Police said the victim was able to break free from his attackers, obtain a gun and shoot at the intruders.

One of the robbers, 36-year-old James Robinson, was shot and killed. The second robber fled the scene on foot, investigators said. It was unknown if the second robber suffered any injuries.

The second robber has been identified as a black man with a light complexion, 25 to 30 years old, 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall and 160 to 170 pounds. He had a thin mustache and medium-length, wavy hair that was bleached or blonde in color. Police released a sketch of the robber.

Labels: CA, home invasion, residence robbery

Armed store owner fights off two suspects

An armed store owner fought off two robbery suspects Thursday night, possibly shooting one of them, authorities said.

The incident happened at around 10 p.m. when the owner of the Silver Bell food store was leaving the business at Mount Houston and Northpost.

As the store owner was getting into his car, a man came at him and tried to take cash from the store. The store owner pulled out his gun and fired shots at the suspect.

Another suspect who was in the getaway vehicle, got out of the Expedition and starting firing a shotgun at the store owner, who then returned fire with the second suspect.

The suspects fled without taking anything. Police arrived and found blood trails from the story, so they think at least one suspect was hit by the store owner.

A few minutes later, authorities received word about a shooting victim in the 500 block of Gulf Bank. There, a 17-year-old man was found with a gunshot wound.

Authorities are investigating whether that person could be a suspect from the store robbery who was shot.

Labels: business robbery, TX

Barbershop owner shoots suspect after he and his patrons are robbed Wednesday evening.

Cleveland Police confirm that the robbery occurred shortly after 730pm Wednesday evening.

A 47-year-old male entered the barbershop located near East 124th and Buckeye Road in Cleveland.

The male robbed the store and the patrons inside taking cash, jewelry, and other valuables.

The store owner, who has a concealed weapons permit, pulled out his handgun shooting at the robber. The suspect was struck in the elbow.

The robber dropped his weapon and fled.

A short time later, police located the male and took him into custody.

The male was taken to Huron Hospital where he is being treated for his gunshot wound.

Labels: business robbery, concealed carry permit, OH

Jarriel Searight is charged with murder and aggravated robbery in the death of Kevin Stevenson of Mount Healthy, police said Monday night.

Searight did not fire the shot that killed Stevenson, but because he and Stevenson were committing a felony during which a person was killed, he was charged with murder, Homicide Sgt. Robert Liston said.

The person or persons who fired the fatal shot that killed Stevenson remained at large Monday night, Liston said.

Searight and Stevenson attempted to rob a street vendor in the 6500 block of Montgomery Road about 2:50 p.m., police said. While fleeing the scene, an unknown person or persons fired shots at the two robbers and struck Stevenson, killing him.

“Somebody in the crowd fired shots at the robbers,” Liston said. The person or persons who fired the fatal shots may have been acting to help the robbery victim, Liston said.

Labels: OH, street robbery

Man with bat beats Crime Stoppers chief

Central Ohio Crime Stoppers President Kevin Miles had to draw his handgun to stop a man from beating him with a baseball bat on Sunday, he said.

"Fortunately for him I didn’t have a bullet in the chamber," Miles said of his attacker, described only as a light-haired white man in his late 20s.

"I saw the guy right up close. … I know I should be able to tell more. Maybe if I settle down," he said last night.

Miles, who oversees the local nonprofit group that pays police informants, said he lay in an alley for 15 minutes after the attack, comforted by his 3-yearold Shar-Pei, Archie, who also was struck with the bat.

Miles said he eventually called a friend and went to Riverside Methodist Hospital, suffering severe bruises on his arm, head and leg.

"My arm is not broken, but it sure as heck feels like it," said Miles, 49.

He said he was walking Archie on Sunday morning in Victorian Village when a car pulled up to him in an alley.

"Before I knew it, he was out of the car and he was hitting me," Miles said.

He tried to block the bat with his arm, then was struck in the leg and went down. The attacker also hit the dog before Miles pointed the gun at him. The attacker said something to Miles and left, he said. He wasn’t robbed.

Miles has a permit to carry a concealed weapon. His dog is OK, he said.

Labels: assault, concealed carry permit, OH

Man Shot and Killed in Motel Fight

A man was shot and killed at a downtown motel Monday night, after he apparently pulled a knife during an argument.

The deadly fight happened around 10:00 p.m. at the Traveler's Motel on Broadway.

Police say two men were fighting, when one of them stabbed the other in the chest. The stabbing victim then pulled out a gun and shot his alleged attacker twice in the chest.

According to authorities, the gunman ran off, but was captured a few blocks away at San Pedro and West Poplar.

Police say the gunman has a good case for self-defense, so no murder charges were filed against him. However, the District Attorney's office makes the final call.

The gunman was arrested for outstanding warrants.

Police say the 40-year-old victim was homeless and they are having difficulty trying to locate his family.

Labels: altercation, TX

Three held after foiled robbery at York store

A 31-mile chase followed the incident at a Red Barn late Friday. Police are still investigating.

A foiled robbery at a York County convenience store Friday night led to three arrests and a long, high-speed chase down Interstate 64.

Several armed men entered the Red Barn on Route 17 in Grafton around 9:40 p.m. Friday, said Capt. Frank Crotty of the York-Poquoson Sheriff's Office.

"They had guns," he said. "They had the store owner down on the floor."

A customer pulling in to get gas noticed the robbery in progress, he said, and called police.

At about the same time, the owner's son, who was working in the back of the store, came out and fired a gun at the men, Crotty said. He did not hit anyone, but caused the suspects to run from the store.

By that time, police were arriving outside, Crotty said.

One man jumped in a Kia minivan and sped from the scene, Crotty said, taking police on a 31-mile chase at speeds of 40 mph to nearly 100 mph. The man was eventually apprehended in Norfolk, after police cornered him in a parking lot on Lake Wright Drive.

Virginia State Police, Hampton police and Norfolk police all assisted in the chase.

Two additional suspects were located within a short distance of the Red Barn, after they ran from the scene.

Labels: business robbery, VA

Camper cleared in shooting of ATV driver

An Idaho man acted in self-defense when he shot a man who was headed toward him in an all-terrain vehicle, a Baker County grand jury decided.

Marvin Sauer, 52, of Boise shot Everett Durst, 38, of Vancouver, Wash., in the left leg following a Labor Day dispute near Phillips Reservoir.

The incident started when Sauer and his wife arrived to camp in an area where Durst and his party were riding. The sides had a disagreement and Durst later drove a quad runner to Sauer's campsite.

Durst began spinning the vehicle in circles, stirring up dust and throwing rocks on Sauer's wife, said Matt Shirtcliff, the Baker County district attorney. Shirtcliff said Sauer fired a warning a shot into the air. Durst stopped spinning the vehicle in circles and started driving in Sauer's direction.

"Once Mr. Durst drove the quad runner straight at Mr. Sauer, Sauer was entitled at that point to fire his gun at Mr. Durst to defend himself," Shirtcliff said.

Durst's thighbone was damaged in the shooting, and a metal rod was inserted in his leg, Shirtcliff said.

The grand jury deliberated for seven hours before clearing Sauer on Friday.

Labels: assault, OR

A 40-year-old man was shot and killed at a vacant home in the 7800 block of Old Trail Road in the Mount Aukum area about 6:30 p.m. Sunday, investigators said Monday.

Officials identified the man as James Stephen O'Neal of Mount Aukum.

The shooting occurred after O'Neal allegedly attacked a 77-year-old caretaker at the house, striking the older man with a fire extinguisher.

The caretaker had gone to the home to repair a door damaged in an earlier break-in. O'Neal may have been hiding in a bathroom, said Lt. Kevin House, El Dorado County Sheriff's spokesman.

The caretaker pulled a handgun and fired one round, hitting O'Neal, who died at the scene.

The case will be turned over to the District Attorney's Office for evaluation after sheriff's detectives complete their investigation, House said.

Labels: assault, CA

Labels: assault, home invasion, OH

Delivery Driver's Shots Went Into Suspected Robber And Family's East Charlotte Home

What was supposed to be a simple pizza delivery left bullet holes in the east Charlotte home of mother Monique Thompson.

The holes were patched over early Monday, but that doesn't erase the memory of what happened Saturday night, when a Papa John's delivery man shot a teen he said was trying to rob him outside Thompson's home at an apartment complex on Lanecrest Drive.

"He was doing wild shooting; he needed to shoot who he was going to shoot," Thompson said.

According to police, William Keaton pulled into the parking lot looking for the address he was given and was ambushed by robbers. They said the whole thing was a setup.

Keaton, who does not have a concealed weapons permit, said he was just protecting himself.

Teddy Price of Teddy's Pizza also knows the danger of delivering pizza. He was robbed at gunpoint just a few weeks ago.

"Safety is a huge issue. Every time you walk out the door with one delivery or four deliveries," he said.

Despite that danger, Price says carrying a gun carries too much risk. He won't let his drivers work with weapons. That said, he believes there's justice in what happened Saturday.

But for Thompson, one man's attempt to protect his own life risked hers and her baby's.

"I know they have to protect themselves, but at the same time you have got to be careful around the people that are innocent," she said.

Papa John's representatives said the company is cooperating with police. A spokesperson said company policy prevents drivers from carrying any sort of weapons.

As for Keaton, the company said it has not made a decision on his future.

The teen Keaton shot is expected to recover.

Labels: NC, pizza delivery driver, street robbery

Police say a 14-year old teen was shot while trying to rob a man in his bedroom.

It happened on Cleveland's east side this morning.

Police say after the shooting, the teen ran to his friend's home on Torbenson Street, where he was picked up by EMS.

The 60-year old man was arrested but police released him after determining he shot the teen in self-defense.

The teen is expected to be okay.

Who should be charged when a homeowner shoots an intruder?

Nelson says two teenage boys came to his east-side home looking for money for McDonalds on Monday, and when they wouldn't leave, they stormed inside.

Nelson says he ran to his upstairs bedroom, the two teens followed him-- then began charging the door.

"If they thought I was messing around messing around, just playing--I don't know what gave them that idea."

Nelson lodged a dresser against the door, then, police say, the two began trying to kick it in, and that's when Nelson grabbed for his gun.

"[The one teen] kept on pushing the door--and that's when it [the gun] went off," he says.

One boy was shot in the face. Both were able to run. The injured teen was hospitalized, the other was booked on robbery charges.

A short time later the 60-year Nelson was arrested for felonious assault.

Within 24-hours he was released, forgave the teenagers and says he's eager for the next step. "Next is my court date, to determine whether I'm guilty or not."

The teenager who was shot is 14-years old. His sister tells WKYC.com he is still hospitalized, re-covering from injuries to his eyes and nose.

The second teenager is 15-years old. He's out of jail, and tonight tells WKYC.com he has not been charged, but charges may be coming.

As for Nelson, he was arrested on felonious assault charges, but it will take a Grand Jury to decide whether the charges will stick.

Labels: home invasion, OH, residence robbery

Man Shot To Death After Breaking Into Estranged Wife's Home

A man who police say into [sic] his estranged wife's home was shot by her boyfriend. He later died in surgery early Sunday morning.

Police say John Bullard, 29, forced his way into his estranged wife's North Charlotte home around 4 a.m. and got into a fight with her boyfriend.

According to police reports, 27-year-old Moses Lawrence then shot Bullard.

Bullard was transported to Carolina's Medical Center and died while in surgery.

Police will take the case to the District Attorney's Office to determine if charges should be filed against Lawrence.

Labels: domestic dispute, home invasion, NC

74-Year Old Alabama Man Killed Stopping Robbery

A 74-year-old man was shot and killed as he tried to stop a man from robbing his boat house on Shoal Creek in Lauderdale County. A 27-year-old suspect was arrested.

Police said the victim, retired contractor John Duncan of Killen, was shot Sunday at least twice outside his home on Robbins Beach Road, which overlooks Shoal Creek. He died at the scene.

The suspect, Frankie Buttrum of Florence, was captured by Killen police who shot out the back window of Buttrum's Jeep as he attempted to flee.

District Attorney Chris Connolly says Buttrum will be charged with murder once he is treated at Eliza Coffee Memorial Hospital for minor injuries.
…

Authorities said Buttrum is also accused of taking guns and ammunition from Duncan's boat house. They believe Duncan saw him leaving the boat house, grabbed a gun and fired at least one shot in an attempt to stop him from leaving the scene.

Labels: AL, defender killed, residence burglary

Justifiable Homicide in North Philly?

A deadly shooting in North Philadelphia may be a justifiable homicide.

The shots were fired early Saturdcay [sic] morning, in the 1700 of Susquehanna Avenue.

Police sources tell Action News that an armed robber tried to hold up a man, but that the man had a gun and shot the wood-be [sic] thief.

He died at Temple Hospital.

We're told the man who fired the shots was authorized to carry the gun.

He is being questioned.

Phila. man shot dead trying to rob another

A 19-year-old Philadelphia man was shot and killed after he tried to rob another man early yesterday in the 1600 block of West Susquehanna Street, police said.

The robber approached from behind as the man left a bar near 15th Street, police said. The robber stuck a gun in the man's back, and demanded money. The man began to comply, then shot the robber in the head, shoulder, chest and right arm with a registered handgun, police said.

The robber, whom police did not identify pending notification of next of kin, died at 3:16 a.m. at Temple University Hospital. Police did not release the identity of the robbery victim and said that although they were still investigating, the shooting appeared to be justified, and that no charges had been filed.

Labels: concealed carry permit, PA, street robbery

Motorist with gun holds down tip thief

A would-be robber found out the hard way Friday afternoon that restaurant workers aren't easily parted from their tips.

The unidentified man grabbed about $20 from the countertop tip jar at the Chinese restaurant Chung Shing without saying a word, employees said.

"I said, 'Hey, that's my money,'" said restaurant manager Diane Lin. "He didn't care."

He also didn't have a chance.

Employees chased him outside into the parking lot of the strip mall on U.S. 301 and behind the stores. A passerby with a concealed weapons permit stopped and pulled his gun on the man, witnesses said.

Minutes later, a Manatee County Sheriff's Office patrol car drove by and a deputy arrested the tip thief.

His name was not immediately available late Friday.

Labels: business robbery, concealed carry permit, FL

Home invasion reported in Blount

A 52-year-old woman fought with two intruders today who disarmed and beat her after her pistol misfired.

Blount County Sheriff James Berrong said the woman, who resides on Old Tuckaleechee Pike, was not seriously injured during the incident.

This is the second home invasion attack this week in Blount County.

Today's was reported about 5:30 a.m. A Sheriff's Office K-9 tracking team arrived at the residence and tracked the suspects a short distance to the end of her next door neighbor's driveway.

The pistol was recovered in the woman's bedroom, and she was treated at the scene by Rural/Metro Ambulance Service.

The Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigation Division is investigating the robbery.

In a statement, Berrong said this is how the attack unfolded:

The woman was awakened by a loud noise within her residence shortly before 5:30 a.m.

She said she picked up a .32-caliber revolver from her nightstand and went to investigate. As she entered the kitchen, she saw a female in her late 20's, and was then struck with a bar stool from around the corner of the kitchen door by a man.

She attempted to shoot him, but her weapon misfired. She said the man, who is described as wearing a black ski mask, a down-style coat, blue jeans, and wearing gloves, wrestled the gun from her, pinned her to the ground, and punched and kicked her in the face.

He then walked to her bedroom and took several prescription bottles. The woman said the two then left out the front door.

Labels: home invasion, residence robbery, TN

Man shot dead in home of estranged girlfriend in Spring

A 26-year-old woman told Montgomery County authorities today she shot her former boyfriend who would not leave her home near Spring this morning.

Sheriff's deputies and Precinct 3 Constable's officers found Jeffery Keith Phillips, 43, of New Caney, dead this morning in the house in the 4800 block of Neches Court in south Montgomery County. The cause of death is presumably a single gunshot wound to the chest, authorities said.

The ex-girlfriend told authorities the victim appeared at her home while she was away. She apparently had a protective order against Phillips.

The woman told authorities she shot the man in the chest after he refused to leave, officials said.

The investigation by sheriff's detectives was continuing.

Labels: domestic dispute, TX

McCullough found not guilty

A not guilty verdict was handed down in the April McCullough trial.

She shot and killed her boyfriend in Anderson County almost two years ago. A jury decided, it wasn't murder, it was a case of self-defense.

After hearing the verdict, April McCullough was relieved.

Prosecutors contended in court McCullough murdered Scotty Fowler at her mother's house in February of 2005, but McCullough's attorney told the jury fowler was angry about a pending break-up, and forced his way through the door. That's when McCullough, afraid for her life, shot him in a back bedroom.

McCullough herself was emotionally drained, and didn't say very much, but her attorney, Druanne White, spoke for her.

We received a statement from the 10th Circuit Solicitor's Office, saying they respect the jury's verdict, but also saying this was not a clear-cut case of self-defense based on the amount of time the jury deliberated.

Labels: domestic dispute, home invasion, SC

No Charges In Fatal Shooting Of Teen

Prosecutors say no charges will be filed in the shooting death of a teenager last month. A Kennedy Heights homeowner, 61 year-old Bennie Hall Jr, shot and killed 14 year-old Quavale Finnell after police say the teen was driving away in the shooter's car.

The Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office announced Friday: "Due to the rise in violence in his neighborhood and the fact his own grandson was a shooting victim right down the street, Mr. Hall had taken the proper steps to get a Concealed Carry Permit. Forensic evidence also confirms that at the time of the first shot, the car was moving directly towards Mr. Hall. This is consistent with the statements of Mr. Hall and a witness. It is the opinion of this office that Mr. Hall acted in self-defense and no charges will be filed against him.

Prosecutor Deters: "It is a tragedy that this 14-year-old boy lost his life during this incident. Mr. Hall has a right to protect himself with deadly force if his life is in danger or he is in danger of great bodily harm. Based on the totality of the evidence and circumstances, he was doing just that."

Labels: assault, carjacking, concealed carry permit, OH

Police: Clerk Pulls Gun On Would-Be Robber

A clerk at a City Heights-area liquor store foiled a would-be armed robber when he pulled his own gun out from behind the counter, authorities said Friday.

The gunman entered T & M Liquor & Market in the 4200 block of El Cajon Boulevard shortly before 11:30 p.m. Thursday and pointed a pistol at the clerk, demanding cash, according to San Diego police.

The clerk, behind a bulletproof-glass partition, responded by pulling out his own handgun and pointing it at the ceiling, prompting the man to run away, said San Diego police Sgt. Rich Nemetz.

Labels: business robbery, CA

Judge rules killing was self defense

The 19-year-old female charged in an Oct. 31 fatal shooting has been freed from police custody.

Phyllis Williamson of Greenville was arraigned on Nov. 1 in Greenville Municipal Court before Judge Michael Prewitt.

At that time, Prewitt set William-son's bond on the murder charge at $100,000.

However, during a preliminary hearing last week, Prewitt dismissed the charges against Williamson.

“The charges were dismissed by the judge stating that it was in self-defense,” Lt. Andrew Kaho explained. “However, the Police Department will continue to investigate the case and prepare it for presentation to the grand jury.”
…

Kaho said witnesses told police that Hunt and Williamson and some other people began walking in the 1600 block of East Alexander Street.

“While they were walking, he reportedly then pulled the weapon out again, and that's when Williamson reportedly pulled out a pistol and shot Mr. Hunt,” Kaho said. “He was shot once in the back and once in the left arm. The bullet went through the left arm and into the left side of the chest.”

Kaho said while investigators were still at the scene, Williamson returned to the scene and was taken into custody. She was charged with one count of murder.

Labels: assault, MS

East-Side Homeowner Fires At Intruder

No One Injured

An east-side homeowner is keeping his rifle handy to scare away a persistent robber, KMBC's Jim Flink reported Thursday.

The 68-year-old veteran, who didn't want to be identified, said he was watching TV before going to bed when he heard an intruder and grabbed his rifle.

"I heard the glass break and I looked around, and I see an arm coming through the window and I fired," the homeowner said .

He said he fired one shot, but he didn't injure the intruder.

"If I had taken the time to really draw a bead on him, I could have hit him, but I just looked in that direction and fired," he said.

He said he regrets the act of violence, but this is the third time someone has broken into his home.

"I would hate to kill anyone's son, but you've got to think if someone is willing to break into your home in the middle of the night, for whatever reason, you have to expect them to have a weapon," the homeowner said. "I hope I frightened him enough to where he won't come back here anymore."

Labels: intruder, MO

Woman kills intruder at a southwest Houston home

A woman fatally shot a man around 7:30 p.m. Thursday in southwest Houston after she felt "forced to use deadly force to protect herself and her children," Houston Police Sgt. Mark Newcomb said.

The man entered the woman's apartment at 10211 Sugarbranch at the Forum Park Three Townhomes where he was shot once, fled the apartment, and collapsed and died nearby.

Two witnesses, one of whom is a security guard at the complex, will be charged with possession. The woman also was in possession of narcotics at the time of the incident and was an acquaintance of the victim, Newcomb said. The woman's children are in the care of relatives.

Labels: intruder, TX

Jury: Hines Not Guilty In Shooting

A Dunn man was found not guilty yesterday by a Harnett County Superior Court Jury in a controversial shooting.

Brad Hines, 33, was acquitted of a charge of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and inflicting serious injury.

Mr. Hines was charged with the Aug. 1, 2005 shooting of Robert Surles, 43, of Dunn at Mr. Surles' auto body shop.

A service manager for Perry Brothers Tire Service, Mr. Hines testified he was attacked by Mr. Surles and an unknown, armed black male while attempting to collect a debt owed his employer.

Mr. Hines testified that Mr. Surles attacked him with a board and the other man drew a gun on him.

Mr. Hines said he pulled a handgun, for which he has a permit, and fired a single shot in self-defense, wounding Mr. Surles.

In an October 2005 hearing, District Court Judge Marcia Stewart found no probable cause for the charge against Mr. Hines.

But Senior Assistant District Attorney Peter Strickland decided to press on with the case and secured a grand jury indictment against Mr. Hines.
…

After the closing statements, Superior Court Judge Jim Ammons charged the jury and dismissed them to make a verdict.

The jury returned after about 10 minutes and a not guilty verdict was read by courtroom clerk Vivian Jackson.

Gun To Be Destroyed

After the verdict was read, Judge Ammons gave Mr. Hines some advice.

"Take that concealed weapon permit and turn it in to the Sheriff's Office - you don't need it," Judge Ammons said. "If the gun is returned to you, go sell it. You don't need it."

Mr. Strickland told Judge Ammons he wants the gun destroyed.

Judge Ammons convened a hearing to decide the matter.

"In a hearing before a judge, the weapon can either be returned to the defendant or I can order the firearm turned over to the sheriff and destroyed," Judge Ammons said.

Mr. Hayes defended Mr. Hines' right to keep his firearm.

"The court heard the evidence, Mr. Hines is in lawful possession and has a legal permit," Mr. Hayes said. "You're destroying a $600 to $800 gun which belongs to someone who has never committed a violent crime and you've heard testimony of his good character and reputation."

"We have heard the evidence and Mr. Hines took a firearm into a situation late at night where he knew it might be used," Mr. Strickland said. "The state is concerned a similar incident might happen again."

After hearing arguments from both sides, Judge Ammons ruled the firearm be turned over to Harnett County Sheriff Larry Rollins and destroyed.

Labels: assault, concealed carry permit, NC

Police: Tenant killed invader

Sacramento resident broke free of beating, shot one assailant.

The man found shot to death in the doorway of a south Sacramento duplex Tuesday was one of two home invaders who burst into the apartment, dragged the resident into the front yard and began pistol-whipping him, Sacramento police said.

James Robinson, 36, was shot by the 24-year-old resident of the duplex on the 2300 block of 32nd Avenue, one block south of Fruitridge Road, said Sacramento Police Officer Michelle Lazark. Robinson, whose body was found lying in a hallway of the duplex, was pronounced dead at the scene.

No charges have been filed against the tenant, whose name was not released, police said.

Meanwhile, Robinson's alleged accomplice in the robbery -- 33-year-old Jermain Giles of Fairfield -- turned himself into police Wednesday night, Lazark said. He is being held in the Sacramento County jail on a parole violation, according to jail records.

According to police, Robinson and Giles showed up at the victim's home about 1:40 p.m. Tuesday. They dragged the resident from the apartment and one of the men beat him with the handle of a gun, Lazark said.

The victim broke free and grabbed his own gun, opening fire and killing Robinson, Lazark said.

Labels: assault, CA, home invasion

No charges filed in Condit shooting

Family spokesman says self-defense; police await autopsy for final finding

Preliminary findings indicate Tuesday’s shooting death of Stacey Condit, a Texarkana attorney’s ex-wife, was self-defense, and no charges have been filed.

“We’re speculating it’s self-defense, but they are still taking statements. We want to wait until the autopsy results are back,” Wake Village Police Chief Tony Estes said late Wednesday.

The body has been sent to Dallas for an autopsy.

Condit, 39, was the ex-wife of attorney Bruce Condit. The shooting happened about 8:15 p.m. Tuesday at Bruce Condit’s Wake Village home. Bruce Condit, his two grown children and two of their friends were at the house at the time of the incident.

They were questioned by police and released. No charges have been filed, said Wake Village Police Detective Keith Schutte.

Schutte said police know who shot Stacey Condit but are not releasing the person’s name pending the completion of the investigation.

Schutte said Stacey Condit went to the home with a rifle, apparently intending to hurt her ex-husband, and entered the house. She was shot with a shotgun that belonged to someone in the house, he said. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Michael Peek, Bruce Condit’s close friend and law partner, said he had spoken to Condit, who told him what happened at the residence Tuesday.

(Much more detail)

Labels: domestic dispute, TX

Robber takes homeowner's gun

An elderly man was assaulted in his home by a robber who took the man's shotgun when the homeowner tried to defend himself.

James Wortman, 82, was awakened early Tuesday by somebody breaking into his house, in the 5800 block of East 19th Street.He reached for his shotgun. The intruder quickly grabbed the gun, pointed it at Wortman and demanded money.

The man ransacked the house but found no money. He left the house taking only the shotgun. Wortman was not injured.

Labels: assault, home invasion, IN, residence robbery

Gunfire follows house blaze

Iraq veteran says he found intruder at site a day later

A two-alarm fire damaged a Salem home Tuesday night, displacing the family of a National Guard sergeant who told police that he exchanged gunshots with an intruder inside his house the morning after the blaze.

Brian Mumey, who was not home when the fire broke out, told police that he returned to his house at 225 Stark St. N after the blaze to check his damaged possessions and saw an unidentified man inside his bedroom Wednesday morning.

Mumey, 43, said the intruder, described as a white male in his 50s, fired a shot at him, prompting him to fire five to six rounds back. After another exchange of gunfire, the unidentified man reportedly fled.

Mumey called 911 to report seeing a man inside his home. His house no longer had a front door because of the fire.

"I saw a light and I thought, 'Great, my house is burnt, and now I'm getting robbed,'" he said.

Salem police did not find any evidence of a suspect inside Mumey's home or any shell casings from a second weapon, said Sgt. Kevin Halvorsen. They did find evidence of gunshots from Mumey's firearm, which he has a permit to carry.

Labels: assault, concealed carry permit, intruder, OR

Lawmaker turns into lawman for the day

Burchett nabs teens he says were breaking into warehouse on Amherst

State Sen. Tim Burchett says he caught a group of youngsters during a break-in Wednesday, held them at gunpoint and fed them chocolate-chip cookies until Knox County sheriff's deputies arrived.

Burchett said the youths had knocked the lock off a warehouse on Amherst Road where he keeps old motorcycles and parts and gone inside when he "snuck up" through nearby woods to the building about 11:30 a.m. Wednesday.

"I got four of them. One got away," said Burchett, adding that deputies told him the fifth had been arrested later. "I think that's pretty good. I'm sick of crime. I'm sick of being a victim. I've been staying up at night trying to catch these guys."

Martha Dooley, spokeswoman for the sheriff's department, confirmed that arrests had occurred at Burchett's warehouse, but no report had been filed late Wednesday and she could not provide details.

Burchett said that three motorcycles and a security camera had been stolen from the warehouse over the past two weeks and he thought, since the burglaries apparently occurred after school hours, that school-age teens might be involved.

He said he had previously stood watch, sometimes with a friend or his father, without success. On Wednesday, he learned that Karns High School had been closed for the day because of a plumbing problem and decided to try again to catch the youths in the act.

Burchett said he called 911, told the person answering that he was armed and planned to apprehend the suspects.

"The lady said, 'Are you going to shoot them?' and I said, 'No, I'm not going to shoot some kid over a dad-gum motorcycle'."

The state senator, who said he holds a conceal-carry permit, had a recently purchased 9 mm Glock pistol and a .25 automatic Keltec as a "backup," according to his account. He said he brandished the larger pistol and told the youths to "put your hands up" and then to "put your hands behind your head."

"One of them said, 'Well, which one do you want - hands up or behind the head?' and I said, 'Either one'," Burchett said.

He said they waited about 15 minutes "in the rain and mud" for deputies to arrive. During the period, he said, the youths began talking - one of them basically admitting to the break-in - and he gave them some of the cookies that a friend had given him earlier in the day.

Burchett said he understood from the deputies that one of the youths was 18 years old and the others were juveniles. He said he intends to press charges, fearing that if punishment is left to parents "they might take away the GameBoy for one afternoon."

Burchett said he had "almost been obsessed" with catching the burglars and had "staked out" the warehouse on several previous occasions.

"It was an exhilarating experience" to finally catch the culprits, he said.

Labels: business burglary, concealed carry permit, TN

Fultondale Homeowner Shoots Alleged Robber

A 66-year-old Fultondale man said someone tried to rob him and an acquaintance at knifepoint, so he shot and killed the 49-year-old alleged robber at 1325 Seventh Ave.

It happened at 1325 7th Avenue, where, police said, the 49-year-old suspect threatened the homeowner and his friend.

Police said the homeowner had been robbed in the past, so when the thief ordered him to go to a closet in search of more money, the homeowner was able to grab a gun and shoot the suspect, James Greg Aldridge.

Authorities said Aldridge had a long criminal history.

No charges have been filed against the homeowner.

Labels: AL, home invasion, residence robbery

Dandridge man is shot, wounds intruder during home invasion

Jefferson County authorities are investigating a home invasion and shooting incident reported Monday afternoon at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Taylor on West Highway 25/70, Dandridge.

Jefferson County Chief Deputy Bud McCoig said two unidentified attackers entered the Taylor home uninvited at 1:06 p.m.

"Mrs. Taylor was struck over the head with a gun and her husband was struck in the shoulder by gunfire. As they were leaving Mr. Taylor shot at the intruders and we are positive that one of them was struck," McCoig said.

The Taylor couple was transported to Jefferson Memorial Hospital where Mrs. Taylor was treated and released and her husband was admitted for treatment of the non-life threatening injury.

Labels: defender shot, home invasion, TN

Restaurateur shoots at robber

A 69-year-old man whose restaurant was recently hit by burglars struggled with a young robber, then shot at the suspect as he bolted away, South Daytona police said Monday.

Ralph Arruzza, owner of Long Doggers on Nova Road did not return a call Monday afternoon. But according to a police report, he tried to fight off his younger attacker -- likely in his early to mid-20s -- as the suspect pointed a gun at him Sunday afternoon.

Arruzza was in the rear parking lot of his business at the 2400 block of south Nova when he noticed two men walking toward his property, police said.

"He really didn't think anything of it until he noticed one of the men duck behind another vehicle in the lot," said South Daytona Lt. Ron Wright. "The guy came back up again and he had a bandanna across his face. He went toward the restaurant owner. "

The suspect grabbed Arruzza by the neck, brandished a pistol and demanded Arruzza's wallet, the report states.

But Arruzza wasn't easily overtaken. While the robber looked away briefly and rifled through the wallet, the restaurant owner wrested the suspect's pistol away, forcing him drop it, Wright said.

At that point Arruzza grabbed a drill he was working with earlier at his truck. He tried to strike the suspect with it, but the man slapped it out of Arruzza's hand.

Reaching for the .22-caliber handgun in his own pocket, Arruzza pointed his weapon at the suspect, the report states. But the stranger took off, plucking up Arruzza'a drill as he ran. Arruzza peeled off three shots at the running suspect, but then his gun jammed, Wright said.

The restaurant owner picked up the robber's weapon, but soon realized the pistol was nothing more than a BB gun made to look like the real thing, Wright said.

In the end, Arruzza recovered his drill because the robber dropped it. But when he looked through his wallet, he was missing $92 in cash, Wright said.

Labels: FL, street robbery

Homeowner Shoots Alleged Intruder

A homeowner shot a person apparently trying to break into his house overnight in Knoxville.

The alleged intruder was taken to Mercy Hospital with a gun shot wound to the back. He is listed in critical condition.

The incident occurred around 2 a.m. on Suncrest Street.

It is not yet known if the intruder was armed.

Police continue to gather information.

Homeowner Shoots Intruder, Jailed On Drug Charges

A homeowner shot a person apparently trying to break into his house overnight in Knoxville.

The 19-year-old man was taken to Mercy Hospital with a gun shot wound to the head. He is listed in critical condition.

The incident occurred around 2 a.m. on Suncrest Street.

Homicide detectives interviewed a 20-year-old male and, a 17-year-old female who were inside the residence with their two-month-old son when two black males entered the apartment.

The intruder showed a handgun and demanded money from the 20-year-old man. The man retrieved a handgun and shot the intruder.

The 20-year-old male was interviewed and has been charged with possession of marijuana, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and possessing an illegal firearm. He is currently in the Allegheny County Jail.

Police continue to gather information. They say the incident appears to be drug related.

The district attorney's office will decided is [sic] the alleged shooter will face additional charges.

Labels: home invasion, PA, residence robbery

Homeowner shoots robber in home invasion; search underway for suspects

According to Jefferson County Sheriff David Davenport, two suspects in an attempted home invasion robbery are at large, and one of them may be wounded.

Davenport says a white man and woman broke into a home near Exit 415 in Jefferson County and attempted to rob the homeowners, who were at home at the time.

One of the homeowners shot at the robbers. He tells authorities he belives he hit the woman.

The suspects escaped and a search is underway in Jefferson County.

Sheriff Davenport says he believes the home was chosen at random by the suspects.

Jefferson County deputies search for home invasion robbery suspects

Authorities in Jefferson County are searching for a man and woman they say broke into a Dandridge home, attacked a couple, and tried to rob them.

It all happened off Highway 25-70 just before 1:00 p.m. Monday.

Jefferson County Sheriff David Davenport says the couple first stole a truck out of Newport, and then ended up at the home of Roy and Wanda Taylor in Dandridge.

The couple reportedly went into the home, possibly wearing masks, and tried to rob the Taylors.

They allegedly beat Wanda in the head and shot Roy in the shoulder. But Roy fought back.

"The victim of the crime said he fired two shots, and he believed the female was hit," Davenport said.

After the attack, the couple reportedly drove to a nearby gas station and dumped the truck. Authorities later found blood in the passenger seat.

Sheriff Davenport says the couple either ran from the scene or got into another vehicle, possibly a tractor-trailer.

Labels: home invasion, residence robbery, TN

Man kills intruder, police say

A Fourth Ward townhome owner shot and killed a man who walked into his garage wielding a hunting knife Sunday night, police said.

"It looks like it was an attempted robbery," said Detective B.W. Nebors of the Houston Police Department Homicide Division.

The homeowner told police he was working in his garage at about 6:45 p.m. in the 1000 block of Ruthven when the intruder walked inside with a knife. The homeowner said he grabbed a gun he had stored nearby and fired at the suspect. The unidentified suspect was pronounced dead at the scene.

"The area gets a lot of foot traffic ... and the homeowner said he had been burglarized in the past," Nebors said.

Labels: home invasion, residence robbery, TX

Armed commissioner faces down gunman

A Knox County commissioner known for his pro-gun stance says he aborted an armed robbery at his car dealership Saturday with the aid of his .380-caliber pistol.

Greg "Lumpy" Lambert, who represents the 6th District, said he was at Advantage Auto Sales on Clinton Highway early Saturday afternoon when a young man began acting suspicious while test-driving a 2005 Ford Focus.

The man, identified as 19-year-old Kane Stackhouse, claimed to have $12,000 in his pocket and seemed intent on buying the car without any haggling or even a mechanical inspection, Lambert said.

Later, as the paperwork was being drawn up, Stackhouse stepped outside to smoke a cigarette, Lambert said. When the commissioner went outside to tell him it was time to work on the title, Stackhouse is alleged to have pulled a .25-calber handgun from his jacket pocket.

Stackhouse is being held on a charge of attempted robbery.

Knox Commissioner Greg "Lumpy" Lambert Outdraws Bad Guy

From Stacey Campfield via Tamara.

The customer went out side to smoke a cigarette. Lumpy went outside to tell him it was time to do some paper work. When the man came back in Lumpy had a bad feeling and had his hand on his gun he keeps on him at most all times. The man started to pull his gun.....Bad move. Lumpy does quick draw competitions for fun and had his gun pointing down the criminals throat before the criminal had his own gun half drawn. After some harsh words the criminal dropped his gun.

He began to ask for his drivers license back but Lumpy told him to get out and be happy he got out alive. The police caught up to him a few hours later and he confessed.

Lambert was apparently wearing his "Friends of the NRA" hat at the time. This is what gunwriter Massad Ayoob likes to call "a failure of the victim selection process."

Lumpy showdown, Walgreen’s slaying linked

A Knox County teenager who was disarmed in a Nov. 11 confrontation with County Commissioner Greg "Lumpy" Lambert is a suspect in the earlier slaying of a truck driver, Knox County Sheriff Tim Hutchison said today.

Hutchison made the announcement during a County Commission meeting as commissioners pondered a resolution to honor Lambert's actions.

The suspect -- 19-year-old Kane Stackhouse -- allegedly went to Lambert's car dealership on Clinton Highway in the early afternoon of Nov. 11 and told the commissioner he had $12,000 in cash and wanted to buy a car.

Lambert said he believed Stackhouse's behavior was suspicious, and when Stackhouse pulled a gun on him Lambert drew his .380-caliber pistol. Lambert said he disarmed Stackhouse and then let the teen run away.

Deputies later tracked down Stackhouse and charged him with attempted aggravated robbery.

But Hutchison told commissioners that a grand jury is expected to hear evidence Tuesday linking the man to the slaying of David Lindsey, 53, of Knoxville.

Lindsey was found lying in the parking lot of Walgreen's, 5320 Clinton Highway, just after 3 a.m. Nov. 11 by a fellow truck driver, according to the Sheriff's Office. He had been shot in the head and leg, and he died later at the University of Tennessee Medical Center.

"We're charging this person with murder -- a murder he committed 10 hours earlier (than his encounter with Lambert)," Hutchison said while praising Lambert's actions.

"What (Lambert) did, probably saved his life."

Labels: business robbery, TN

Barbershop Owner Foils Robbery Attempt

Police said a barbershop owner foiled a robbery attempt at his business Saturday evening.

According to police, the suspect tried to rob the Jazz U Up #3 shop owner at gunpoint at South 21st and Morris Streets in South Philadelphia around 9 p.m.

The owner, who has a gun license, shot the would-be-robber.

The unidentified suspect was taken to the Hospital of the University Pennsylvania for treatment.

Labels: business robbery, concealed carry permit, PA

Store Clerk Accidentally Shoots Himself

A store clerk accidentally shot himself Friday during an armed robbery in Dallas, police said.

The two robbers fired at the clerk and missed him, but when he fired back with his own gun, he shot himself in the finger.

The thieves were able to escape the scene with stolen cash.

Labels: business robbery, defender shot, TX

Home Invasion Ends In Deadly Shooting

A well-known business owner in Tyler has his home broken into, and ends up shooting the alleged would-be burglar to death. The shooting happened early Saturday morning in a neighborhood police say does not see a lot of criminal activity.

Police responded to a house on the 900 block of Watkins Street in Tyler around 4:30 a.m. Saturday morning, after they received a call that a man had been shot.

Tyler police say the owners of the home in South Tyler were asleep when a man tried to break into their home. "They were woken by hearing something beating on the front door, and then the door was actually caved in as the person was making entry," said Tyler Police Department Sergeant Bill Goecking.

Police say the homeowner, Robert Delk, grabbed his handgun for protection. When the alleged intruder got the door open, police say the homeowner shot and killed the man. "We arrived and the subject was taken to medical center hospital and pronounced dead at the hospital," said Goecking.

Police identified the alleged intruder as Justin Herrera, 22, of Tyler. Police say Herrera just recently moved to East Texas from Fort Worth and is a student at UT Tyler. According to authorities, records in Tarrant County show officials there have dealt with Herrera, but the details are unknown.

Police sayDelk did not know Herrera. Delk is well known in the Tyler community for his photography business located in South Tyler. Police say they don't often get called out to Delk's neighborhood.

"The neighborhood's been pretty calm," said Goecking. "This is a very unusual thing for this neighborhood, especially the 900 block of Watkins."

The big questions that remain are why Herrara chose Delk's home and what was he going to do once he got inside.

Police say an autopsy will be performed on Herrera to see if drugs or alcohol were a factor. At this time, police say no charges will be filed against Delk, but it is still an ongoing investigation.

Labels: intruder, TX

Wrightsville man acquitted of murder in son-in-law's death

A Johnson County jury took just 45 minutes of deliberation before acquitting a Wrightsville man of murder in the shooting death of his estranged son-in-law.

Terry Joe Anderson, 50, was charged with murder in the death of 33-year-old Richard Patrick Johnson in the early morning hours of Jan. 4, 2004.

Anderson had maintained from the beginning that he fired in self-defense.

The case was unusual in that the murder charge originated from the grand jury, not the investigating law enforcement agency. After investigating the death, the GBI declined to make an arrest.
…

According to Warnock, testimony in the case indicated the shooting happened this way:

Anderson's daughter had separated from her husband because he had been violent, at one time striking her with a two-by-four. Just past midnight on the night of the incident, Johnson showed up at Anderson's house and asked to speak to his estranged wife. She came to the door and Johnson pulled a knife on her.

Sheriff's deputies were called and when they arrived, Johnson ran into the woods. Deputies could not find him after searching for more than an hour and left, taking Johnson's wife to a shelter.

Later in the night, Johnson emerged from the woods and kicked in the door to Anderson's home. Anderson pulled out a .38-caliber pistol and ordered Johnson out of the house. Johnson left but, according to testimony Anderson gave in a pre-trial hearing, after walking into the yard Johnson turned and charged Anderson. He fired the gun, hitting Johnson four times and killing him.

The prosecution's case, Warnock said, centered on the fact that one shot struck Johnson in the side and another struck him in the back. Johnson also was not carrying the knife when he returned to the house.

Chief Assistant District Attorney Peter Fred Larsen told the jury in closing arguments that Anderson's version didn't fit the facts, Warnock said.

"He argued the angles of the shots were not consistent with testimony and the more likely scenario was that he shot him in the back as he ran away," Warnock said.

However, a doctor called by the defense testified that the bullet wounds were consistent with Anderson's story, Warnock said. Johnson was running at an angle when he charged Anderson and he was drunk and may have twisted his body, the jury was told.

Johnson had a blood-alcohol level of 0.26, more than three times the legal limit for driving.

(More)

Labels: domestic dispute, GA, home invasion

Fatal shooting may have been self-defense

Police in Albion say a local business owner who shot and killed a man in front of his store yesterday morning may have done so in self-defense.

The shooting happened at J.P. Auto Sales on Bemer Street.

Police say business owner Frank Murphey was confronted by an acquaintance, 56-year-old Joe Lee Miles.

"They were out in the parking lot in front of the business," explained Det. Lt. Scott Kipp of the Albion Department of Public Safety. "The gentleman was trying to get away from the person."

Miles rented an apartment from Murphey but police did not say if that's what the disagreement was about. "(Murphey) pulled the gun out, told (Miles) to step back. The guy still came toward him, so he fired a shot and hit him in the chest," Kipp said.

Autopsy results show Joe Lee Miles died of the gun shot wound.

Kipp says Miles had a history of assault. Police say Murphey may have acted in self-defense. He has a concealed weapon permit to carry the .32-caliber revolver police say he used in the shooting.

Police arrested Murphey after the shooting, but later released him.

Detectives plan on turning their final report in to prosecutors on Monday.

Labels: assault, concealed carry permit, MI

Jury finds a former Gainesville business owner not guilty of aggravated assault

A Hall County jury Thursday found a former Gainesville business owner acted in self-defense when he shot his ex-wife's boyfriend twice in the chest during an argument.

Anderson Bobo "Bo" Briscoe, 48, was on trial in Hall County Superior Court on a charge of aggravated assault in connection with the May 8, 2005, shooting outside a River Road Circle home that injured 64-year-old Raymond Richardson.

Briscoe went to her house on the afternoon of the shooting to pick up their young son, he testified.

Briscoe said his ex-wife refused to allow the boy to go with him. .

After Briscoe parked in the driveway, Richardson walked out to his van, and a heated argument ensued.

Richardson survived the shooting.

Briscoe is the former owner of Briscoe's Boot Country.

If convicted, Briscoe was facing up to 20 years in prison.

Labels: domestic dispute, GA

One man was killed and another was critically wounded Sunday during a "gun battle" at a Crofton home, Anne Arundel County police said.

Responding after noon to a report of a shooting at 1709 Leisure Way, police found one man dead. He has not been identified. A resident of the house, Christopher Michael Haramis, 25, had been shot multiple times, police said. He was in critical condition yesterday at Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore.

Police said the shooting may have been tied to an earlier confrontation during a party at the house.

About 2 a.m., police said, a man and a woman who had stepped outside the house were confronted by two men looking for cash.

"The persons inside the residence came out and basically interrupted the robbery and subsequently fought with the robbers," said Lt. David Waltemeyer, a police spokesman. "The robbers then ran away, making away with money, and no one was injured."

Those robbers may have been the two men who came to the house midday Sunday, Waltemeyer said. Haramis, who was inside the house with three others, was armed and shot the intruder, who died at the house, police said.

It is unclear who shot Haramis, police said, adding that the other intruder fled.

Labels: defender shot, MD, residence robbery

Accused found not guilty

A man accused of murder in connection with a 2004 shooting death at a Pike County night club was found not guilty on Wednesday when a jury agreed he fired in self-defense.

It was the second trial for 22-year-old Cedrin Ferodd Carter of Troy, who was accused of murder in the shooting death of Donney Howard Carpenter, 34, of Brundidge at Club Paradise on Dec. 25, 2004.

The state's first case against Carter ended in a mistrial in June, after a jury deliberated for nearly six hours before declaring it could not reach a verdict.

In his first trial, Carter entered a plea of not guilty. But in this week's trial, which began immediately after jury selection on Monday, he changed his plea to self-defense, admitting for the first time since the incident that he shot Carpenter.

The jury in this week's trial was not aware of the previous mistrial or Carter's change in plea.

In both trials, the state's case against Carter hinged on eyewitness testimony, and both times Carter's attorney, Randy Arnold, heavily scrutinized the reliability of that testimony.
…

Carter did not take the stand during the trial, and the defense called only one witness, Don Smith, the Club Paradise security guard who was on duty the night of the shooting. Smith testified about a gun and a bullet he found underneath Carpenter's body when he rolled him over after the shooting. Smith said the bullet did not bear any marks of having been fired.

In his closing argument, Arnold told jurors his theory was that Carpenter had attempted to fire at Carter and the gun jammed, and Carter had returned fire in self-defense.

Labels: AL, assault

Man shot by homeowner, not deputies

A man wounded during a home break-in on Tuesday was shot by the resident, David Grice, the sheriff of Davidson County, said yesterday.

A news brief in yesterday's paper incorrectly said that the man had been shot by deputies.

Grice said that Zackary Allen Staley, 21, of 149 Clapp Farm Road was shot by the homeowner, Phillip Cross Jr. The shooting remains under review and no charges have been filed against the homeowner, Grice said.

Grice said that deputies were sent to Cross' home Tuesday on a report of a home invasion and that shots had been fired. Grice said that deputies learned that Staley was shot after he kicked in a door into the basement of Cross' home. He was hit in the knee and hand.

Deputies found Staley in the emergency ward at Lexington Memorial Hospital. He was taken to Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center and later returned to the Lexington hospital, where he was released, Grice said.

Grice said that Staley was charged yesterday with first-degree burglary and attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon. He was released on a $20,000 bond.

Two other men were also charged with the same offenses.

Labels: NC, residence burglary

BREAKING NEWS: ROBBER SHOT BY STORE CLERK

A man allegedly attempting armed robbery at a local pawnshop was shot in the head by a store employee Monday morning.

The man is in critical condition at a local hospital.

Three subjects entered Old South Pawn Shop on St. Catherine Street around 10 a.m., Police Chief Mike Mullins said.

Two of the men had their faces covered and the third stayed by the door.

One man was carrying a handgun in each hand, demanded money and soon fired into the store, Mullins said.

"The employee returned fire and struck him in the head," Mullins said.

The employee held the other two suspects at gunpoint in the parking lot until police arrived.

Two men were arrested, while the third was transported by ambulance.

"The employee appears to have fired in self defense," Mullins said. "No charges have been filed against him."

Labels: business robbery, MS

Night Club Shooting with Security Guard

A man is fighting for his life in a hospital room after a security guard shot him early this (Sunday) morning.

Chattanooga Police Officer Tetzel Tillery says shortly after 3:00am a security guard for Club Deep Blue on Brainerd Road shot 27-year-old Antroil Jones. Tillery says it appears the security guard acted out of self defense. Witness told police 25-year-old Carecio Moody asked Jones to leave the club for dancing on tables and starting a fight. Jones returned after hours to confront Moody. Officer Tillery says Jones pulled up next to Moody's car and flashed a hand gun. That's when the security officer drew his own gun and shot Jones in the chest.

At last check, Jones was listed in critical condition at Erlanger. This case is still under investigation.

Labels: assault, TN

West Memphis man shoots, critically wounds intruder

A West Memphis man shot and critically injured an intruder who broke into his house and tapped him on the forehead with a pistol, police said.

The homeowner, who has not been identified, told police that he was lying on the couch watching television early Friday when a man "tapped him on his head with an old black pistol" and demanded money. The homeowner gave the man his wallet, then pulled a handgun from under his pillow and shot the intruder.

"The homeowner stated he didn't know how many times he fired his weapon, but that he fired every shot in his magazine," said Mike Allen, assistant chief for the West Memphis police.

The suspect, David Mablin, 23, of West Memphis was found lying in an alley outside the home, police said. Mablin had one gunshot wound and was taken to The Med in Memphis, where he was in critical condition Friday.

Police say they don't expect to file charges against the homeowner.

"The case is still being investigated but it appears that the homeowner acted in complete self defense," Allen said.

Labels: AR, home invasion, residence robbery

An overnight burglary attempt in Longview ends with one of the alleged intruders shot to death by the homeowner. Police say three other juvenile suspects, who broke into the property, are in custody.

Sheriffs deputies say the burglary happened in north Longview shortly after 2:00 a.m. The home is located in the 200 block of West Pliler Precise Rd.

Investigators say burglars were confronted by the 65-year-old homeowner when they entered the residence. The owner fired several shots, and the suspects fled the property.

Bradley Parrish, 19, of Longview was shot, and found dead a short time later. Parrish had apparently collapsed while crossing the road about 200 yards away from the home. Deputies caught the other three juveniles, two boys and a girl, within minutes of arriving at the scene.

The news of the shooting has shocked and unnerved neighbors, who had no idea what had happened. "It's definitely unnerving, but my feelings on it are you don't need to be there if it's not your home," said Deanna McAdams.

The juveniles have been charged with burglary of a habitat. They are in juvenile detention. An autopsy has been ordered in the case. The evidence has been handed over to the District Attorney's office, to go before a grand jury.

Some Longview residents say the intruder who was killed by a homeowner may have been following others.

...

Residents in the area are shaken by the news of a 65-year-old homeowner who shot an intruder in his home early Saturday morning, but sympathetic to his actions. "I don't blame him, honestly. I don't blame him. I think that I'd do the same thing if that were my house," said area neighbor Amber Bailey.

Bradley Parrish, 19, of Longview was shot inside the home. He fled with three other juveniles that had entered the house, but was found dead a short time later, collapsing after crossing the road about 200 yards away from the home.

Larry Barnett was Parrish's friend since childhood. He says Parrish was a familiar face in the neighborhood and would never have come up with the idea of burglary.

"He had his troubles but he wouldn't go this far. It could be anything, walking the streets visiting and the kids he was with coaxed him into it," said Barnett.

Labels: residence burglary, TX

Jury finds Kansas man not guilty of murder

Willie Rodriguez asked for it, he got it, and a jury Friday exonerated the man who did it.

Deliberating barely two hours, the jury of 10 women and two men acquitted Judd Stephen Hurst of second-degree murder for gunning down Rodriguez, 19, in a gun-waving confrontation last year alongside a dark road outside Toppenish.

In a separate verdict, the jury ruled the shooting was justified under a state law that protects the right of self-defense and ordered that Hurst, 27, receive reimbursement in the form of civil damages. A dollar figure will be decided later.

Yakima County Superior Court Judge Jim Lust signed papers on the spot freeing Hurst from jail, where he had spent the past 14 months awaiting trial. A related gun charge was also dismissed.

Afterwards, Hurst's trial attorney, Ken Therrien, said the verdict was one of the most satisfying in his career. His client earlier had rejected a plea bargain to a charge of second-degree manslaughter.

"He didn't need any prodding," Therrien said of Hurst. "He said, 'I can't take that. That's not what happened.' "

The verdict came as no surprise to those who followed the trial, which began two weeks ago and often seemed more like a coroner's inquest. The jury also rejected a lesser charge of first-degree manslaughter.

The shooting on Aug. 28, 2005, culminated a confrontation that began at a party attended by Hurst, who is from Overland Park, Kan., and was visiting friends in the area.

Witnesses testified Rodriguez, a member of a reputed street gang called the Outlaws, became angry when Hurst and a friend offered to give a woman named Angelica Gopher a ride home. Gopher was Rodriguez's off-and-on girlfriend, and they had a child together.

Rodriguez pursued the Hurst car, forcing it off McDonald Road. Rodriguez's 2-year-old daughter was in the back seat with Gopher. Witnesses testified Rodriguez got out and began threatening Hurst and the other occupants of the car with a .25-caliber chrome-plated pistol.

Hurst then grabbed a Glock semiautomatic pistol from under his car seat and opened fire at close range, firing 13 bullets in just a few seconds. Rodriguez was hit 11 times, including five or six times at almost point-blank range after he collapsed to the ground.

(More detail)

Ex-suspect reimbursed for attorney

A former murder defendant was reimbursed $2,000 for the cost of a lawyer under a rarely invoked state law that protects the right of self-defense.

Even so, the money was a pittance compared with the $30,000 in lost wages requested by Judd Stephen Hurst for the 14 months he sat in jail awaiting trial on a charge of second-degree murder.

But Yakima County Superior Court Judge James Lust refused to honor the larger sum, noting there was no proof the 27-year-old Hurst actually lost any wages.

The case stemmed from a shooting on a dark road outside of Toppenish the night of Aug. 28, 2005.

The shooting culminated a confrontation that began at a party when 19-year-old Willie Rodriguez became incensed with his girlfriend for getting a ride home from Hurst, who was from Overland Park, Kan., and was visiting friends in the area.

At the party, Rodriguez assaulted his girlfriend and threw beer on her while she was holding the couple's daughter. He then pursued Hurst's car, forcing it off the road and threatening Hurst and other occupants with a pistol.

Hurst grabbed a pistol from under his car seat and opened fire at close range. Rodriguez was hit 11 times, including five or six times at almost point-blank range after he collapsed to the ground.

At trial last year, prosecutors alleged Hurst overreacted to Rodriguez's drunken threats and that any danger posed by the victim was over with by the time Hurst fought back.

But Hurst testified that in the confusion, he didn't realize Rodriguez had put down his gun. Other witnesses tended to corroborate his story. There was no question Rodriguez was drunk and angry. His young daughter was in the Hurst car.

A jury deliberated barely two hours before acquitting Hurst. Not only that, the jury ruled the shooting was justified under a 1977 law that protects the right of self-defense.

In addition, the jury also recommended Hurst be reimbursed for costs. What those costs were, exactly, was a little unclear.

The state, represented by deputy prosecutor Duane Knittle, did not dispute that Hurst's family deserved reimbursement for a temporary $2,000 retainer to local attorney Adam Moore.

The family hired Moore, the dean of criminal defense attorneys in Yakima, in a bid to dissuade prosecutors from filing charges against Hurst in the first place. Prosecutors did anyway.

Judge Lust ruled the no-refund retainer was clearly owed to Hurst or his family, although it was uncertain who paid it and exactly who would get the check.

Hurst's trial attorney, Ken Therrien, also made a pitch that Hurst deserved wages he would have earned during the time he was sitting in jail.

"Mr. Hurst is a free man today," Therrien said, "but he lost 15 months of his life."

But Lust ruled that an unsigned statement from a restaurant owner in Seattle just wasn't enough to establish that Hurst had a job lined up. Hurst has since moved back to Kansas.

Labels: assault, WA

Shop owner kills would-be robber: cops

'He's been through a terrible ordeal'

The first sign of trouble came when workers at a Roselle restaurant heard muffled calls for help from a neighboring coin and comics shop.

Seconds later, a blood-stained Glenn Soustek burst into the restaurant, telling workers he had been shot by an intruder who tried to rob his shop.

Police rushed Friday morning to Soustek's business, Westlake Cards, Comics, Coins, and discovered 40-year-old Geoffrey A. Webb lying dead near the back of the store, a pistol still clenched in his hand.

Webb, who was on federal parole for a 1994 armed robbery, was shot several times by Soustek during what authorities described as a botched holdup.

Soustek, the 49-year-old shop owner, was wounded in the arm during an exchange of gunfire with Webb, whose last known address was in the St. Louis area. Soustek was treated for his injuries and later released.

The fatal shooting -- which was captured on the store's surveillance system -- was justified because Soustek was threatened, DuPage County officials said.

"It was absolutely clear the intruder had pulled a gun and threatened to shoot," DuPage County State's Attorney Joseph Birkett said. "There clearly was an imminent threat to the shop owner's life."

(Much more detail)

Labels: business robbery, defender shot, IL

Immediately after Char Johannessen and her 5-year-old daughter left their Reno home Wednesday afternoon, her husband was roused from his afternoon nap by their dog barking outside.

Reflected in the glass of a framed picture, Jeffrey Johannessen could see a man outside the dining room window, adorned with a Halloween picture drawn by his daughter. He watched the black-gloved burglar as he pried at the window with a paint scraper.

Johannessen, who was a deputy in Gillette, Wyo., in the 1980s, grabbed his 12-gauge hunting shotgun from a nearby closet and waited for the suspect he nicknamed "Cool Hand Luke" for his criminal confidence.

The burglar, whom police identified as Ernest Carpenter, never knew Johannessen was in the home until he faced the shotgun and was told to hit the floor.

After a few blows to Carpenter's head with the butt of the shotgun -- one strike causing his dentures to fly out -- Johannessen, 6-foot-5, held the 5-foot-3 suspect until police arrived.

Johannessen, 48, said although he has law enforcement experience from his younger days, he considers himself an average citizen. He and his wife run a real estate business from their home.

"Having an armed populace is good," Johannessen said. "I had my shotgun, but I didn't have to fire it. He got the soft end of it, not the business end."

And Carpenter could've avoided that, Johannessen said.

"If he would have just gotten on the floor like I told him, I wouldn't have even had to have struck him."

Labels: NV, residence burglary

Deputies say a teen was caught breaking into a house Wednesday, but he wasn't trying to take anything. Instead, deputies say he was breaking into the home to watch porn on TV.

When the Brito family opened up their most recent DirecTV bill, their jaws dropped. What is usually a $60 invoice ended up being closer to $300 and said they had ordered films such as Girls Gone Wild and other pornography.

So, the family asked their neighbors to watch the home when they were gone in an attempt to figure out what was happening. What they found was hard to believe.

"We realized when we got the DirecTV bill. That's when we started thinking something was up," said Jasmine Brito. "They tell you, 'You know you're being charged and that person agreed to it.'"

The Brito's then resorted to asking their neighbors for help. They asked them to watch the house while they were gone during the day. Peggy Lalor did just that.

"I peeked through the window and I saw this guy ducked down running across the hall," said Lalor.

Seeing a threat, Lalor took drastic action.

"I went in, got my shotgun and I told him if he didn't come out, I was going to blast him through the window," said Lalor.

She fired one shot in the air and 16-year-old Readchy Pellaire surrendered.

Deputies say the high school senior skipped classes, broke into the home, ordered porn in the bedroom of the home, and watched TV while sitting on the bed of one of the Brito children.

Labels: FL, intruder

A homeowner shot and wounded a drunken man early Wednesday because she thought he was trying to break into her house in southwest Lodi, police said.

Benjamin Ortega, who turned 21 the same day, was hit twice in the 300 block of Finch Run Drive around 1:45 a.m. and hospitalized with what police said were not life-threatening injuries to the leg and abdomen.

The resident, Noelle Fabrizio, 38, fired a total of four shots with her .380-caliber handgun, Officer Dale Eubanks said.

Police found no damage to the home, but they did find a wet spot on the side fence and believe Ortega had entered her property to urinate, Eubanks said.

It was the second time in less than four months that Ortega was arrested after allegedly urinating in public, and the previous incident resulted in a court order that he not consume alcohol until October 2007.

Tests Wednesday showed he had a blood-alcohol content level of 0.27 percent when he was hospitalized after the shooting, Eubanks said. In comparison, that is more than triple California's legal driving limit.

Ortega was shot with a small handgun that was registered to a friend of Fabrizio's, Eubanks said. Fabrizio was not arrested and the case remains under investigation. Fabrizio said Wednesday night that she shot Ortega to protect her children.

A woman who shot and wounded a man outside her southwest Lodi home will not face charges, the District Attorney's office said Monday.

At 1:45 a.m. on Nov. 1, Noelle Fabrizio, 38, fired four shots with her .38-caliber handgun and hit Benjamin Ortega twice — in the leg and abdomen.

A spokesman for the District Attorney's Office said the case was declined Thursday because "it was a self-defense issue" and because there is "a lack of evidence."

Labels: CA, home invasion

Quincy robber shot

Two masked men attempted to rob a Quincy home Thursday night and left only with a bullet.

Two suspects knocked on the door of a home on C Street Northeast in Quincy, bearing a small caliber handgun, according to Quincy Police Chief Bill Gonzales. The person living in the house looked outside to see the would-be robbers and fetched a small carbine rifle before opening the door.

Gonzales said one of the suspects aimed the pistol at the resident, who opened the door. The resident fired twice.

Officers arriving on the scene located a 25-year-old man laying in a gutter near the residence with a gunshot wound to the leg.

"(He) couldn't give a reasonable explanation for how he got shot, but evidence indicated that he may have been involved in the incident," reported Gonzales.

The suspect was not arrested as he was transported to Quincy Valley Medical Center and later transported to Central Washington Hospital for treatment of his wound.

Labels: residence robbery, WA

Authorities say Anchorage man shot teen in self-defense

Authorities say an Anchorage man will NOT be charged for killing a teenager in his driveway last summer.

According to the District Attorney's Office, Matthew Schneider shot 17-year-old James Ifopo in self-defense after the teen and two others attacked him in his driveway.

Authorities say Ifopo and the other two were on bicycles when they approached Schneider after he pulled into the driveway a little before midnight June 28th.

Department of Law spokesman Mark Morones says Schneider asked the youths to leave his property three times, and then said he would call the police.

Witnesses told police Ifopo then hit Schneider in the head and another teen pushed the door closed on him.

Schneider told authorities he was knocked to the ground with all three teenagers punching him. He said he pulled out a gun he carries and shot Ifopo in the chest.

Ifopo died of the injury

Sixteen-year-old Rodney Maatafa was hit in the arm, but survived.

Labels: AK, assault

Manhunt on for burglar shot by homeowner

Arlington police said that a man who was shot by a homeowner while trying to break into a house is now being sought in a manhunt.

The break-in and shooting occurred before 5 a.m. at a home in the 2000 block of Mill Creek Drive in central Arlington. Officers said they found a lot of blood on a sidewalk outside the house and they believed the blood formed a trail left by the escaping burglar.

The search for the burglary suspect is centered in a wooded area behind the house.

Labels: residence burglary, TX

Man Shot And Killed In Warren County

Police are on the scene of a fatal shooting today in Warren County.

A man was killed trying to break into a home in the 2700 block of State Route 741 in Turtlecreek Township.

In a dramatic call to 911 a woman is heard telling dispatchers that a man who was one of Warren County's most wanted tried to break into their home.

The woman's husband can be heard screaming in the background recalling the events as she talks to dispatchers. The caller said that the man was lying in the driveway and didn't know if he was still alive or not.

The woman told dispatchers that the man, who she named, was staying with the family and didn't know that he was wanted by police officers until he apparently ran from the home when police showed up after a recent incident.

After finding out that he was wanted from the police, the family didn't let him return.

The intruder apparently called and threatened the family that he would kill them if they wouldn't let him into the home.

The caller said that her husband shot the intruder with a nine millimeter handgun. In the call she tells police that she believed that he was armed.

Labels: assault, home invasion, OH

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo -- A man allegedly found trying to break into a car got a lot more than he expected when his intended victim fought back.

Grand Junction police said 28-year-old Aaron Johnson pulled a knife on the man when confronted Tuesday afternoon, but the victim was armed with a gun and chased Johnson down the street.

...

No one was hurt, and police and sheriff's deputies caught the man within five minutes.

Johnson faces multiple charges including burglary, and possession of more than a gram of methamphetamine.

Labels: CO, street property theft

Florida wildlife officials have decided not to press charges against a Carrabelle woman who earlier this month shot and killed a Florida black bear that repeatedly climbed on to the screened-in back porch of her home.

Capt. Donald Duval, with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, said FWC Officer Charlie Wood determined the Oct. 1 shooting of a 332-pound male bear by Juanita Brown, of 1674 State Route 67, was justified. Brown is the wife of former Carrabelle mayor Jim Brown.

FWC Lt. Steve Thomas later consulted with Jeremy Mutz, the assistant state attorney, who declined to prosecute the matter. Juanita Brown could have faced a third degree felony, for the taking of a protected species.

Duval said that since the Browns secured their household garbage after the bear first entered the porch Sept. 26, repaired and reinforced their screened porch twice and attempted to contact the proper authorities, Juanita Brown was justified in using lethal force after the bear pressed his nose against the sliding glass doors about two feet from where she sat writing inside her house.

“We believe that the situation was justified,” said Duval. “The bear was repeatedly causing property damage and had entered the actual residence where she was in fear for her life.”

Labels: animal, FL

A retired Superior Court judge who sometimes still substitutes in Humboldt County courtrooms was shot at and returned fire Sunday when he attempted to block two men from driving a suspected stolen vehicle from a sand bar on the Klamath River.

The Humboldt County Sheriff's Department said a deputy was flagged down by a man around noon on State Route 96.

The man said they were just near Big Bar on the Klamath when he spotted a vehicle he believed was stolen from him the night before.

The man told the deputy he talked to a fisherman in the area who said he would block the road if someone tried to leave in the vehicle.

”The fisherman added he was in possession of a handgun,” stated a Humboldt County Sheriff's Department press release.

When the vehicle owner and the deputy returned to the area the vehicle was gone but the fisherman was still on the scene.

The fisherman, identified as Harold Neville, 77, of Eureka, said he blocked the road with his vehicle when two men tried to leave the sand bar in the stolen vehicle.

”He said the two occupants of the stolen vehicle got out of the car and one of them leveled a weapon at him and fired three or four times,” the release stated.

“The fisherman, who had a handgun, fired one round at the vehicle as it drove past him, leaving the area.”

Neville was not hit.

Labels: assault, CA

A bouncer at a Westside strip club fired several shots at an armed robbery suspect early today.

Indianapolis police are investigating the incident reported at 1:26 a.m.
According to a police report, a man with a shotgun entered Patty's Show Club, 2014 W. Washington, and committed an armed robbery.

As the suspect fled the scene, police said the bouncer fired several shots at the vehicle.

Labels: business robbery, IN

Grand jury frees shooter of neighbor

Prosecutor says grand jury ruled fatal shooting from window was justifiable.

A Syracuse man accused of fatally shooting a neighbor and injuring two other men outside his home as an ongoing dispute exploded in violence earlier this year has had all charges dropped after a grand jury refused to file charges.

Lemon Defense lawyer Bonnie Levy said Tuesday her client, Jasper Lemon Jr., was freed from jail Thursday after authorities dropped murder, attempted murder and weapons possession charges.

"My client was defending his home, his family and himself from a group of thugs who had threatened to kill his family," Levy said.

Senior Assistant District Attorney Robert Duncanson said that based on the evidence presented to the grand jury, the panel concluded that Lemon was "justified in his conduct."

Lemon, 22, of 237 Kenmore Ave., had been accused of opening fire with a .22-caliber rifle from an upstairs bedroom window in his home June 25, killing Albert Maeweather, 33, of 245 Kenmore Ave. Maeweather's 27-year-old brother, Timothy, and 25-year-old Amar Chavis were shot in the shoulder.

Although Levy declined to say what her client told the grand jury, she said Lemon has maintained from the beginning that he acted in self defense.

Meaweather's mother, Cecelia Spivey, said she is angry Lemon is free.

"My son is buried and the boy who shot him is back on the street like nothing happened," she said. "It's like saying it's OK to murder someone.

"Where's the justice?" she added.

Kathy Lemon, Jasper Lemon's mother, refused to comment, referring all questions to Levy.

(More detail)

Labels: altercation, NY