1/31/07
Owensboro, Kentucky
From Evansville, Indiana’s 14WFIE.com of January 31, 2007
OPD: Burglary suspect escapes bullet, arrested
A burglary suspect is behind bars after nearly being shot by a homeowner.
Owensboro Police say 30-year-old Eric Brown unlawfully entered the home of Donald Oakley on Cullen Avenue around 2:30 Wednesday morning.
Investigators say Brown had earlier assaulted Oakley's adult daughter at a different home. Police say Brown threatened the homeowner who fired a 9mm handgun at Brown but missed.
Brown was later arrested on a long list of charges.
Labels: KY, residence burglary
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
From Oklahoma City’s KSBItv.com of January 31, 2007
Former Athlete Killed In Home Invasion
Oklahoma City police were called to an apartment at 2201 NW 122 about 8:30 a.m. Saturday. Police were responding to a "home-invasion” call.
When they arrived they found 33-year-old Richard Dean dead. Dean also goes by Mandrell Dean.
Mandrell was a well-known athlete at Millwood Public School. He also played for the Oklahoma Wranglers, and had signed to play with the Green Bay Packers.
Police say 17-year-old Brandus Clayton shot Dean after he had broken into his apartment, demanding money and jewels.
Clayton said he gave Dean what he wanted, but Dean demanded more. Police say that is when Clayton's girlfriend asked Dean to leave.
Dean became mad and assaulted the female, according to authorities. The 17-year-old victim then reached for a firearm kept close by and shot Dean, according to reports.
The shooting occurred approximately at 5:00 a.m., however police were not called until three hours later. The reason for the delay is unclear.
Clayton was interviewed by police at the scene, but was not arrested because he acted in self-defense.
The shooting is still under investigation. The Oklahoma County District Attorney's Office will decide if charges should be filed.
Labels: home invasion, OK, residence robbery
1/30/07
Oak Lawn, Illinois
From Tinley Park’s Daily Southown of January 30, 2007
Woman released; no charges in OL shooting
An Oak Lawn woman who shot and killed her estranged husband was arguing with him about who should pay for her daughter’s braces moments before she opened fire, police said Tuesday.
But Donna Miranda, 51, walked free after Cook County state’s attorneys decided she might have acted in self-defense and would not be prosecuted.
Juan Miranda, 48, was shot six times about 8 a.m. Sunday in the basement of his wife’s home in the 9100 block of South Komensky Avenue.
He was declared dead at the scene two hours later, and his death was ruled a homicide Monday by the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
Donna Miranda — who filed a domestic-abuse complaint against her husband last year and obtained a protection order against him in 2002 — said she fired to save her own life, said Keith Raspovich, Oak Lawn chief of detectives.
“She said they were arguing about who should pay for her daughter’s braces when he tried to choke her,” Raspovich said.
Cook County state’s attorney’s spokeswoman Marcy Jensen said “based on a review of all the facts, prosecutors found insufficient evidence to meet the burden of proof.”
Labels: domestic dispute, IL
Peel, Arkansas
From Mountain Home’s Baxter Bulletin of January 30, 2007
Man kills alleged intruder
A man wanted for questioning about a shooting death and an apparent burglary attempt is free after the Marion County Sheriff's Department decided not to detain him after he turned himself in.
Joe Kelley, a 71-year-old Peel resident, was asleep recovering from heart surgery Friday when he woke to sounds at his front door, according to a Marion County Sheriff's Department report.
Kelley said he found a man in his hallway and shot him with a 12-gauge shotgun, according to the report.
According to the report, police found Travis Morrison, 27, of Harrison, dead on the floor of Kelley's home late Friday night. Marion County Sheriff Carl McBee reported Kelley told police he was "scared to death" when he shot the intruder.
Kelley was not detained because the shooting death was the result of apparent self-defense, the sheriff said.
McBee said Kelley described a second man who entered the home after the shooting, asked questions of him and attempted to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on Morrison. The sheriff said the suspected accomplice was gone when police arrived.
The next morning, Johnny Lee Carter, 32, of Harrison, turned himself in at the Marion County Sheriff's Department, according to a second police report. Carter told police he had been with Morrison on the night of the shooting, according to the report.
McBee said the incident still is under investigation.
Labels: AR, residence burglary, senior
1/29/07
Pontiac, Michigan
From the Detroit News of January 29, 2007
Homeowner shoots Pontiac burglar; three in custody
Three Pontiac men are in custody, one hospitalized with a gunshot wound, after police said they attempted to break into a home and ran into an armed homeowner early this morning.
Sgt. William Ware said police were called out to a home in the 1200 block of Cloverlawn, on the city's northeast side, about 4 a.m. on a report that three men had kicked in the rear door of a home in a home invasion.
"The homeowner heard a loud bang at the rear of the home and observed three males with hoodies over their head inside," said Ware. "He told them to get out and fired twice at them."
All three suspects ran from the home and the 33-year-old homeowner, who has a permit for his weapon, said he did not know if he had hit anyone, Ware said.
About 15 minutes after the incident, an area hospital reported a man with a single gunshot wound to the chest had shown up in the emergency room. A 21-year-old man, who is listed in serious condition, is believed one of the three suspects in the home invasion, said Ware, who added two other men, 17 and 20 years old, were also taken into custody.
A weapon police believe was carried by one of the suspects was found in the snow at the rear of the Cloverlawn home.
The matter will be referred to the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office for possible charges, Ware said.
Labels: MI, residence burglary
1/28/07
Greybull, Wyoming
From the Casper Star-Tribune of January 28, 2007
Suspect surrenders after brief standoff
A man wanted in connection with a shootout outside Bozeman, Mont., was arrested here without incident following a brief standoff Thursday.
Chris Wagner, 33, will be held at the Big Horn County jail in Basin until he can be transferred to Montana's Gallatin County to face a charge of attempted murder.
Authorities say Wagner tried to kidnap Michael Peters, 33, southeast of Bozeman on Jan. 17. Both men began shooting, and both were wounded. Peters, who was shot in the torso, face and hand, was hospitalized. Wagner fled.
Investigators said they traced a call Wagner made from a pay phone in Greybull and began looking for him around the town. When they found where he was staying, they surrounded the house and locked down a nearby school.
Wagner stayed in the house for about 10 minutes before coming out.
Labels: kidnapping, WY
1/27/07
Newberry, South Carolina
From Columbia’s WIStv.com of January 27, 2007
Injured wife says she killed husband in self defenseFrom Columbia’s WIStv.com of January 29, 2007
A domestic dispute left one dead and another seriously injured in Newberry County Friday night. The wife says she shot her husband to protect herself.
"If it happened the way I have been told it happened, he needed what he got," says neighbor Talmadge Ellisor.
Ellisor is talking about his next door neighbor, 63-year old Dennis Franklin. He was found shot to death inside his Newberry home Friday night.
Investigators say his wife, 59-year-old Cynthia Franklin, fired the shots that killed him. When officers responded to the home, they found her suffering serious wounds to her head, face, and upper body.
She had been hit several times with a large stick similar to a handle on a wooden tool.
"Her husband was a good-sized man. Cynthia had heart problems, and as far as I know she had to do it in self defense," Ellisor told News 10.
Residents on Pine Hill Circle are upset by what happened last night, but they're not surprised. That's because this is not the first time law enforcement has been called to the home of Cynthia and Dennis Franklin.
"A couple neighbors told us law enforcement had been there before and that there had been domestic disputes there before but, that as a general rule they would keep to themselves," says Newberry County Sheriff Lee Foster.
"I would say they both were loner type people, they didn't mingle very much," says Ellisor.
The Newberry County Sheriff's Department is still reviewing the case to determine what action should be taken. Cynthia Franklin is still in the hospital and her condition is listed as stable.
Her neighborhood, however, is not.
"I'm sure if I would do my wife that way, that I would deserve what happened," Ellisor says.
911 tape of Newberry woman who killed husband in self defenseFrom Columbia’s WLTX.com of February 26, 2007
News 10 has obtained the 911 call from a Newberry County woman who said she killed her husband.
We've transcribed the exact words Cynthia Franklin told a dispatcher when she said her husband was beating her and that she killed him to save her life.
Dispatcher: Newberry County 911.
CF: Yes, ma'am, this is Cynthia Franklin.
Cynthia Franklin dialed 911 from home Friday night.
CF: My husband's been drinking and he started beating me up. He started hitting me on top of the head with a big old stick.
Cynthia told the dispatcher her husband Dennis was so enraged, she thought he'd kill her. So, she said she fought back.
CF: He's on the floor in my bedroom and I shot him.
Dispatcher: You shot him?
CF: Um-Hm. I had to. He was killing me.
Dispatcher: Ok.
CF: No, this is self defense!.
Cynthia said she shot her husband dead in their bedroom with a gun they kept for protection.
"She was beaten bad," says Newberry County Sheriff Lee Foster. "He was capable to continue, and I don't feel she had any other choice."
Sheriff Foster says Cynthia has injuries to her head, arms and back. He also says charges against her are unlikely.
Cynthia is in her late 50s. Her husband was in his 60s. Investigators say the couple was married 40 years and had four daughters. But reports show Friday night wasn't the first time Cynthia called 911 from their home.
Officers arrested Dennis Franklin in 1999 for making a threat against Cynthia. Records show Cynthia did not want to press charges, telling investigators she was "stuck" because she relied on her husband's insurance for medicine she needed for her heart.
Dennis Franklin went to an anger class, and charges were dismissed.
Fast forward to Friday, when Cynthia thought she was so hurt, she might die.
.CF:If I don't make it would you please tell my girls - I have 4 girls - I'm doing what I can. But will you tell them that I love them and I'm sorry this happened. I didn't know he was going to do this and he was set on killing me tonight..
She's now out of the hospital, recovering with her girls away from the place that was both her home and house filled with fear.
Prosecutors: Woman Killed Her Husband in Self-Defense
Prosecutors have decided that a fatal domestic shooting in Newberry County last month was done in self-defense.
Eighth Circuit Solicitor Jerry Peace determined that the female victim in the case, 59-year-old Cynthia Franklin, took appropriate actions to save her life, and that no charges will be filed in the case.
Deputies say Cynthia Franklin shot to death her husband, 63-year-old Dennis Franklin, back on January 26. Officers say the two got into a domestic dispute.
Investigators say they found the woman suffering significant wounds to her head, face, and upper body. They say there were obvious signs of a violent struggle in the home and that Cynthia was struck multiple times with a large stick.
Cynthia also told authorities she was trying to get away and made it to the bedroom where the pistol was kept, then shot her husband as he tried to attack her.
"This was a tragic situation," said Sheriff Foster in a written release. "While we certainly agree with the decision not to prosecute Mrs. Franklin, she and her family are left to deal with the devastating effects of this incident."
Labels: domestic abuse, SC
St. Joseph, Missouri
From January 25, 2007 KQ2 channel 2 in St. Joseph:
A 57-year-old woman robbed at knife point recently fired back at the robber`s get away vehicle at a St. Joseph Price Chopper. Some question if she made the right move. Winifred Dassero said, "I thought it was a very dangerous thing to do I don`t think she gave it much thought who she was endangering." Patti Head said, "I would give them what they wanted and then call the police." Others think she was right on. Jason Glenn said, "I think women are more vulnerable to situations like that. I`d expect my wife to do the same thing."
Police are still investigating whether the victim was right or wrong in this case. Missouri statutes say a person can shoot to protect their life, another person`s life or their property. Commander Jim Connors said, "I can`t tell you in this situation you can do it and in this situation you can`t."
Labels: home invasion, MO, residence robbery
Omaha, Nebraska
From January 26, 2007 KETV channel 7:
OMAHA, Neb. -- An Omaha man said his instincts took over when he saw four people trying to knock down his door early Thursday morning.
Jon Cowdin said he heard someone trying to break in and when he went to the door, he said he encountered a group of burglars.
"He tried shoving in a gun at me through the door, and I took the gun out of his hands before he got the chance to fully point it at me," Cowdin said.
The Douglas County Sheriff's Office said it was called to the area of 103rd and Ida streets for shots fired at the Park Meadows Estates mobile home park.
Cowdin said he felt the adrenaline pumping and fought back, shooting through the door with the crooks' gun.
"I turned the shotgun back around, and I shot him in the head, unfortunately. I wish I would have missed him and they would've run, but I hit one," Cowdin said. "I hope he's OK, but he shouldn't have been doing what he was doing."
Blocks away, deputies stopped the four people. A 16-year-old in the car had been grazed in the head by a gunshot. He was treated and released at Creighton University Medical Center then was taken into police custody, deputies said.
Also arrested were Jacobee Knave, 21, and Jerrett Jackson, 18, and another unnamed juvenile.
Cowdin said he doesn't know who the suspects are or what they were after.
Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, NE, residence burglary
Marland, Oklahoma
From the January 24, 2007 Oklahoman (free registration required):
Unwanted visitorsCraig Camp, 60, was home with his wife, Belle, and her son, Emery Roy, when gunfire broke out about 2 p.m., Noble County Sheriff Charlie Hanger said. The sheriff said a few people were at the home at 508 N Buffalo Ave. for a social gathering where alcohol was being consumed.Dwain Camp, Craig Camp's brother, was not at the scene but said there was no party. The family was sitting at home watching television when the group of unwanted visitors arrived, he said. Craig Camp told them to leave at least once but they returned with a handgun, his brother said.
Hanger said an argument broke out and Moses Scott, 25, began waving a handgun in a threatening manner. At that point, Craig Camp left the room and returned with a 12-gauge shotgun, Hanger said.
Brown said it remained unclear who fired first but it appeared Roy, 30, was caught in the cross-fire as he tried to flee the room, Hanger said.
Witnesses questionedOne of the shots fired by Scott struck Roy, who died at the scene.Six other bullets struck Camp in the arms, chest and abdomen as he fired the shotgun at Scott, striking him in the chest, Hanger said.
"We think Scott was the aggressor,” Brown said.
Scott fled the home with two others after the incident.
An Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper spotted their car about an hour later and pursued it to Ponca City, where the vehicle was stopped with the aid of several local law enforcement agencies.
Troopers arrested an unidentified driver on suspicion of drunken driving, and a 17-year-old female passenger was held for questioning, Hanger said. Scott was found dead in the back seat.
Brown said investigators are still questioning witnesses and will present their findings to the district attorney to determine whether criminal charges will be sought in the case or if Camp acted in self-defense.
Labels: altercation, OK
Lawrence, Massachusetts
From the Lawrence Eagle-Tribune of January 27, 2007
Owner foils attempted shoplifting
A man caught attempting to steal two bottles of liquor from a Broadway package store was held at gunpoint by the store clerk until officers arrived, police said.
Officers were sent to Broadway Liquors, 103 Broadway, about 10:10 p.m. Thursday and told the owner, Vipul Patel, to put his gun away.
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Labels: business burglary, MA
Jackson, Mississippi
From the Jackson Clarion-Ledger of January 27, 2007
Jackson hairdresser fires shots at thieves
Men seen on security monitor trying to steal customer's vehicle
A west Jackson hairdresser foiled an auto theft outside his business Friday morning with a .357 Magnum.
Al Bell, 44, owner of Al's Style House at 5025 U.S. 80W, was tending to his first customer of the day, chatting with her and drinking coffee, when he looked at one of his security monitors and saw a pickup pulling up next to her sport utility vehicle. He saw two men get out, and one quickly wedge the driver's side door open and climb inside.
"She was shocked, and I was too," he said. "We really just couldn't believe what was going on."
This is what Bell said happened next: As his client called 911, he pulled the large handgun from a drawer, strode outside, raised his gun and yelled, "Freeze!"
They bolted for the green, late model, four-door Ford pickup.
Bell fired, blowing out the front driver's side tire of the Ford.
The men were still scrambling for the truck.
Again, Bell yelled "Freeze!" They did not stop.
He fired again, flattening the rear driver's side tire of the truck.
By this time, the men were in the truck and driving off - on two flat tires.
Bell fired a third time, blowing a hole in the rear driver's side door.
The truck roared off, east on U.S. 80 toward Metrocenter.
Jackson police officers took a report on the attempted vehicle theft.
"The castle law gives you the right to protect yourself and your property," said JPD Cmdr. Lee Vance, who is in charge of the precinct where the incident took place. "We didn't charge him."
The Castle Doctrine, which became law July 1, expands property owners' self-defense rights by protecting people who use deadly force against an intruder or carjacker if they believe they are in imminent danger.
While it is not known if any of Bell's rounds hit the men, Vance said there have been no reports of wounded patients at area hospitals.
That suits Bell fine.
"I ain't trying to get no blood on my hands," he said. "I didn't want to hurt nobody. I had a chance to kill them, but I just was trying to protect my property and my client."
He hopes the would-be SUV thieves do not return.
"I hope they catch them," he said. "I just hope they don't bother us anymore."
Labels: MS, street property theft
Crown Point, Indiana
From Crown Point’s NWTimes.com of January 27, 2007
Jury clears murder defendant
Second trial brings acquittal in 2002 tavern shooting
A Lake County jury on Friday cleared murder defendant David Schane of all counts against him.
The jury was asked to decide whether Schane fatally shot Tim Dovichi, 37, in self defense, or if Schane's actions constituted murder. The jury returned after about five hours deliberation with not guilty verdicts on all counts, said Diane Poulton, spokeswoman for the Lake County prosecutor's office.
Dovichi died of a single gunshot wound to the chest in the parking lot of the Three Stooges Bar in Cedar Lake Feb. 12, 2002.
Schane was taking care of the bar while his brother, the owner, was out of town. Dovichi had been banned earlier from the bar but went there that night with his girlfriend.
Schane asked Dovichi to leave several times, and Dovichi did without incident, testimony in the case indicated.
When Schane heard loud voices in the parking lot, he told jurors, he went onto the side porch of the bar. Schane said Dovichi came around the building toward him, and Schane felt threatened. He pulled out a gun and fired once, not hitting Dovichi.
Then, Schane said, he leveled the laser sight onto Dovichi's chest and fired again.
Schane's first trial in June 2005 ended in a hung jury.
Schane, who had been free on bond since October 2002, faced up to 65 years in prison if convicted.
Labels: altercation, IN
1/26/07
Toledo, Ohio
From Toledo’s NBC24.com of January 26, 2007
One Shot in Botched Robbery Attempt
One person was shot early Friday morning in what Toledo police are calling a botched robbery attempt.
It happened on North Hawley Street near Hamilton and Buckingham streets around 2:40 a.m.
Detectives say a 30-year-old man was getting into his vehicle after leaving Club Mirage, when he was approached by another man.
The suspect demanded money and when the other man tried to run away, he was shot in the back. Police say the wound is life threatening as the bullet entered the victim's chest cavity. The victim also had a gun, got a shot off, but missed.
The victim managed to make it down the street and that is where the police found him. He was taken to St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center and is in surgery.
The suspect fled the scene. He is described as a black male in his 20s, with a white leather jacket, dark pants with a printed pattern and a black skull cap.
Labels: OH, street robbery
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
From the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review of January 26, 2007
Elderly Stowe man shoots burglar
An 82-year-old man shot a burglar who broke into his Stowe home and awoke him early this morning, police said.
The unnamed homeowner told police he was awoken about 4:30 a.m. in his house on the 500 block of Woodward Avenue. He told the burglar not to run while he called police, according to Allegheny County homicide detectives.
He then fired one shot when the intruder made a threatening move, police said. The burglar was hospitalized in stable condition this morning and will likely be charged. The homeowner probably will not face any charges, police said.
Labels: PA, residence burglary, senior
Charlotte, North Carolina
From Charlotte’s WSOCtv.com of January 26, 2007
Robber Shot, Killed By McDonald's Employee In West Charlotte
The Mecklenburg County District Attorney will now decide if a McDonald's employee will face charges for shooting and killing a robbery suspect.
Police say 20-year-old Donte McFadden tried to rob the McDonald's on Freedom Drive in west Charlotte around 10 p.m. Thursday when both a worker and McFadden pulled out guns. The two exchanged gunfire, hitting a woman working in the restaurant. McFadden was also shot.
Medic transported both took both McFadden and the restaurant employee to Carolinas Medical Center. The worker is expected to recover, however, McFadden died shortly after arrival at the hospital.
Investigators say there were other employees inside the restaurant, but they were not hurt.
Labels: business robbery, NC
Indianapolis, Indiana
From Indianapolis’ WTHR.com of January 26, 2007
Carjacking sends suspect to hospital
A suspected carjacker and career criminal picked the wrong victim Thursday night. Instead, the carjacker found himself facing the barrel of a gun.
It happened at a gas station at 25th Street and Keystone Avenue. One witness says she thought she was back in the old west.
"Some guy tried to take my car," says motorist Isaac Wilson. He fears the guy may have wanted to take something else. "I felt he was going to try to shoot me."
Wilson just gassed up his Jaguar and pulled over to take a cell phone call when another man got out of another car and seemed to me pointing from inside his clothes something Wilson thought was a gun.
That man ordered Wilson out of his car, he says. After Wilson got out of the car the suspect got in then Wilson ordered the carjacker to get out.
Police say the carjacker came toward Wilson making like he had a gun.
"That's why I pulled my gun," says Wilson.
Wilson fired once hitting the carjacker in the knee.
"It was hard to believe, like in the cowboys," said one witness.
"I heard the shot," said another man fueling up nearby. "I was looking in that direction and I heard the guy saying 'stop.'"
Suspect Stephen Dodson is a career criminal. He is in fair condition at the hospital.
Police are also questioning Dodson's girlfriend. They want to know if she was waiting down the block to pick up the suspect's Chevy once he stole the Jag.
"It's scary you know, I had to take cover myself," said one witness.
Another told Eyewitness News "if he did try and take his car you get what you deserve because to many of us are out working and those are the kind of people who need to get a job."
"I was acting in self-defense," says Wilson. We asked if he hopes that sends a message to other bad guys. "I hope so."
Prosecutors will review the shooting as a routine. Police say Issac Wilson had the handgun legally. They did not find a gun on the suspect.
Labels: carjacking, IN
Buffalo, New York
From the Buffalo News of January 25, 2007
Armed homeowner forces out intruder
A Buffalo homeowner forced an intruder to flee Tuesday afternoon when he pointed his pistol at the man, according to South District police. The homeowner, who lives in a lower apartment on Edson Street, was inside his home when a man kicked in his door at about 4:29 p.m. and walked in, police reported.
The man, wearing a knitted green hat and green jacket, confronted the homeowner and said, "I'm looking for Dougy."
The homeowner pulled his pistol on the intruder, who ran out of the apartment toward Seneca Street. Police said the homeowner has a valid pistol permit.
Labels: home invasion, NY
1/25/07
Las Vegas, Nevada
From LasVegasNow.com of January 25, 2007
Jewelry Store Owner Shoots Robbery Suspect
Three robbery suspects tried to hit a jewelry store Wednesday night, but the victim turned the tables on them. The owner of the jewelry store opened fire hitting one suspect. Two are still on the run.
This is the third such incident this month. The first two in North Las Vegas were deadly.
Just after 7 p.m., the suspects, two men and one woman, tricked the owners to let them into the secured store by posing as customers. Once inside they pulled out at least one gun and demanded jewelry.
Both owners were forced to the ground but one of them was able to get a gun.
It then became a shootout.
Sgt. Rod Hunt, Metro Robbery, said, "The owners and the suspects exchanged gunfire. [It's] unclear who shot first. One of the suspects who was hit was taken to UMC."
The owner was able to shoot one suspect in the spine. The other two got away. It's unclear whether they took any merchandise.
…
This is the third incident in the last month where either a shop owner or clerk has shot a robbery suspect.
"You have the right to protect yourself and your family. And I'm sure people are tired of being robbed and I don't blame them," Metro Sgt. Hunt continued.
Labels: business robbery, NV
Hall County, Georgia
From Jefferson’s MainStreetNews.com of January 24, 2007
Hall man shoots, kills home intruder
A South Hall homeowner shot and killed a man who attempted to break into his home late last Sunday night.
The incident occurred on the 4000 block of Winder Highway.
The homeowner, who has been reported to be Doug Magnus, a businessman in South Hall, killed 37-year-old Robbie Bailey, who was disguised, armed and attempting to enter the house.
Magnus and his wife had heard a noise in the house shortly after midnight, whereupon Mr. Magnus grabbed a pistol and approached the sound.
A Hall County Sheriff’s Office press release states that Magnus was confronted at the door by Bailey, who was wearing a ski mask and brandishing a pistol.
Bailey fired several shots toward Magnus but missed. Magnus then fired his small-caliber pistol at Bailey and hit him in the head, killing him.
Magnus was not injured during the incident.
The HCSO statement reports that Bailey had no identification on him at the time of his death. Finger-print data revealed his identity.
Bailey had parked his red Jeep Cherokee in a nearby field, about a quarter-mile from the Magnus home and walked the rest of the way.
HCSO Major Jeff Strickland says that home invasions usually do not occur while residents are at home.
“Normally the home invasions occur after the intruder has made sure no one is there,” Strickland said.
The district attorney in Hall County has said he will not charge Magnus in the incident, seeing as how the homicide was in self-defense.
Muskogee, Oklahoma
From Tulsa’s KOTV.com of January 25, 2007
Muskogee Prosecutors Decline Charges In Fatal ShootingFrom the TulsaWorld.com of January 26, 2007
Muskogee County prosecutors are declining to file charges against an 81-year-old Haskell man who shot and killed another man Saturday night.
District Attorney Larry Moore says Curtis Wright acted in self-defense when he shot 49-year-old Arthur Fisher Junior in the chest with a 12-gauge shotgun. Investigators say Fisher had threatened Wright with a knife.
Shooting ruled self-defense; DA won't charge man, 81
The Muskogee County District Attorney's Office has decided not to press charges against an 81-year-old Haskell man who authorities say acted in self-defense in a fatal shooting.
The shooting happened about 5 p.m. Saturday at the home of Curtis Wright, who recently opened his home to Arthur E. Fisher Jr., 49, after Fisher was released from prison Dec. 8.
"No one (else) would have a thing to do with" Fisher, Sheriff's Deputy Tim Brown said.
Brown said Fisher had a drinking problem and started other bad habits, such as stealing money from Wright.
"This exact same thing happened in 2004, and that's why he went to prison," Brown said. "Wright got tired of it and reported it."
Records show that Fisher had been incarcerated for burglary.
On Saturday, Wright told Fisher to leave and never come back, authorities said.
But Fisher did come back, kicking in the door and wielding a 13-inch carving knife, officials said. Wright reportedly shot him once in the middle of the chest with a 12-gauge shotgun.
"It couldn't have been a better shot," Brown said.
Assistant District Attorney Jeff Sheridan said he would not press charges because Fisher kicked in a wooden door and threatened bodily harm with a knife while standing in Wright's threshold.
Labels: assault, home invasion, OK, senior
Lubbock, Texas
From Lubbock’s KLBK13.tv of January 25, 2007
Tech Students Get Their Guns Up to Stop Burglars
For the second time in less than 48 hours, a Texas Tech student is forced to put two would-be burglars on the other end of the gun barrel. But these Tech students are finished being targets and are fighting back by turning the trigger on the crooks. Around 8:30 Tuesday night, Ron Harmon was at his home at 5705 Grinnell studying, when he heard someone rattling his front door knob. Relying on instinct, Harmon grabbed his gun and hid.
“So I waited and acted like I wasn`t home and they broke in the back door” says Harmon.
Two Hispanic men busted down his back door. When one of the men entered his roommate’s bedroom, Harmon made his move.
“I told him I`d kill him if he didn`t stop” he says.
One suspect escaped by running out of the back door, but 17-year old Thomas Jeremy Martinez wasn`t so lucky.
Harmon forced Martinez to get on his knees and held him at gunpoint until police arrived.
Martinez had only one thing to say, “Don’t kill me.”
Lubbock police officers arrested Martinez, but this is the second time this week that a Tech student`s house has been burglarized. And this is the second time a Tech student has put the bad guy on the other end of the barrel.
“I came home and there was a car parked in an unusual spot. My door was open and I walked inside. The gun was by the door and there were some guys in the back. I yelled and fired two shots into the ground to scare them off” says Matt Hoskinson.
On Monday, Hoskinson came home from class to find three men raiding his home and he too grabbed a gun.
“They took the T.V. off the wall and PS2, but dropped it when I shot at them” says Hoskinson.
“I think it`s a shame they’re targeting college students. There have been several cases of it” he says.
Harmon and his roommate just moved into this house on January 1st. Since then, they say they have seen the guys who broke in scoping out the house. Despite this, Harmon says they have no plans of moving out. But they say they will keep that gun.
Both Harmon and Hoskinson had concealed handgun licenses.
Labels: concealed carry permit, residence burglary, student defender, TX
1/24/07
Blenheim, South Carolina
From Florence’s MorningNewsOnline.com of January 24, 2007
Store Owner, Customer, Fight Back in Store Shootout
Marlboro county authorities are investigating a shootout at a Blenheim convenience store.
It happened shortly after eleven Tuesday night at McArthur's Trax on North Main Street.
The store's owner and customer didn't let the robber leave without a fight.
In 21 years of business Billy McArthur never had to use the gun he keeps in his store.
That was, until Tuesday night.
"We were all in there and then all of a sudden someone busted in the door, with a gun in his hand and was talking about give me your money," said McArthur.
Mcarthur says there were at least five people in the store at the time- a crowd the robber, probably didn't see coming.
McArthur says the suspect walked into the store, up to the counter and demanded money, that's when a customer approached the suspect, the suspect then turned around, and he shot the man.
The customer's son then grabbed a nearby can of beans and threw it at the robber, which gave McArthur time to grab his gun, and fire a round at the suspect.
The bullet missed the man, but McArthur says the message was clear.
"If I got a chance to shoot them, I'm gonna shoot them...that's just all there is to it," said McArthur.
Now the suspect's on the loose, the customer's in the hospital and McArthur's fielding questions from just about everyone in town.
Billy McArthur says after all these years, he didn't expect a robbery.
Now he says anyone else who plans on harming him or his business should expect, a fight.
Investigators are still looking for the suspect in this case.
Labels: business robbery, SC
Panama City Beach, Florida
From January 23, 2007 Panama City Community Web Site:
A Panama City Beach man reported shooting a home intruder last week who threatened him with a knife after demanding information about his missing girlfriend.
The Bay County Sheriff’s Office responded to an emergency call from 19986 1st Avenue on Panama City Beach around 6 p.m. on Jan. 17. The resident, Ray Coogler, had called 911 earlier but hung up before the dispatcher could get any information.
A second call from Coogler came in before a deputy arrived to follow up on the first emergency call, saying he had “just shot someone.” A few minutes later a third call was made from the Beach House Bar and Grill on Front Beach Road, just blocks from the residence, calling for EMS because a man had just entered the bar claiming he had been shot.
According to sheriff’s reports, Herbert Davis Groover, age 56, of 114 Deluna Place, Panama City Beach, broke into Coogler’s home and confronted him with a knife. Coogler claims he warned Groover that he had a gun after Groover, who continued to threaten him, demanded that Coogler tell him where his girlfriend was.
Coogler eventually fired at Groover twice, missing the first shot then hitting him in the leg, said reports. Groover then drove his car to the Beach House Bar and Grill seeking help.
According to reports, Coogler claimed Groover’s girlfriend, who allegedly had a domestic altercation with Groover earlier that week, had left for Alabama Tuesday morning after staying at his house Monday evening.
Labels: assault, FL, home invasion
Palm Bay, Florida
From Orlando’s Local6.com of January 24, 2007
Police: Brothers Shoot, Beat Home Invaders
An intended target of an early morning home invasion in Palm Bay thwarted the robber's plans when he shot one of the men, according to police. A second potential home invader escaped.
Two men identifying themselves as Palm Bay police tried to get into the Edgewood Drive home around 2:37 a.m. today by jiggling the front door, police spokeswoman Yvonne Martinez told Local 6 News partner Florida Today.
Two brothers and a 17-year-old woman were in the house. One of the brothers, Abraham Suarez, ran out of the back of the house to check on his car and confronted one of the would-be intruders.
The man hit Suarez in the face with a flashlight, the report said. Suarez screamed for his brother to help. Adam Suarez showed up and shot the man in the leg.
Anthony Giuffre, 19, of Sebastian, was taken to Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne where he is in police custody. He faces charges involving the home invasion, and impersonating a police officer.
The victims are not facing criminal charges, police said.
“We believe he was defending his property,” said Sgt. Mike Bandish. “The motive for all of this is still unclear, but it doesn’t appear the victim did anything illegal in this particular incident.”
Labels: FL, home invasion
Charleston, West Virginia
From the The Charleston Gazette of January 24, 2007
Shooting suspect says it was self defense
A South Charleston man said he was defending himself when he shot a teenager Monday night in his home near the city’s police station.
John Tyburski said two teenagers came to his home looking for his son, who lives in another part of the city. He said he didn’t know either of them, but allowed them inside to be courteous.
Tyburski said he couldn’t talk about some specifics of the shooting because it is still under investigation.
The 17-year-old shooting victim and another teen were at Tyburski’s home in the 200 block of Fourth Avenue to buy drugs, when they got into an altercation with a man who lives in the home, South Charleston Police Lt. H.S. Leishman said on Monday. During the argument, the resident shot at the teens and hit one of them in the abdomen, he said.
Police recovered a handgun. No charges have been filed. The teenagers’ names have not been released because of their ages. Police did not have an update on the condition of the boy who was shot.
The boys ran from the home then down an alley. The injured teen collapsed behind a home several doors away, Leishman said. He was being treated at CAMC General Hospital’s intensive care unit Monday night.
Tyburski said he suffered some blows to the head and now has some swelling. He said he thinks he would be dead if he didn’t have his gun.
Labels: altercation, WV
1/23/07
Phoenix, Arizona
From Phoenix’ AZCentral.com of January 23, 2007
Homeowner holds suspect at gunpoint
A man held an armed suspect of a home invasion robbery at gunpoint early this morning until police could arrive, Phoenix officials said.
The victim reportedly heard the squealing of tires outside of his residence on Marlette Avenue, north of Bethany Home Road,about 5:20 a.m.
He noticed a man peeking through his window and grabbed his gun to investigate, where he found a man in body armor in the yard, police said. He also found flashlights, masks, gloves and a semi-automatic handgun scattered around the yard.
The victim held the man at gunpoint until police could arrive.
Monti Lyle Jackson, 20, was taken into custody on suspicion of home invasion, according to officials.
An additional semi-automatic pistol was found in the suspect's vehicle. Police also found that the suspect's vehicle was stolen.
Police are still searching for a second suspect.
Labels: AZ, home invasion, residence robbery
Decatur, Georgia
From January 19, 2007 WSB channel 2:
DECATUR, Ga. -- Bullets were flying among the diamonds Thursday night at a DeKalb County jewelry store.
The owner of Starblaze Jewelers exchanged shots with three armed robbers inside the store at 4450 Hugh Howell Road.
Some of the bullets went through the walls of the store and into adjoining businesses.
Matthew Henderson said he was working next door to Starblaze when two of the stray rounds went whizzing by his face.
"All of a sudden I hear two loud bangs and feel something sting my face," he said.
"I saw two holes in the wall and went 'Whoa,'" he added.
The owner of Starblaze, who did not want to be identified, told police he shot one of the robbers in the leg.
Police are searching for the three suspects.
Labels: business robbery, GA
1/22/07
Topeka, Kansas
From Topeka’s 49ABCNews.com of January 22, 2007
Concealed carry permit holder shoots suspect
An Oklahoma concealed-carry permit holder thwarted a robbery at a Topeka convenience store Friday night, police said.
Police said 57-year-old Michael Mah shot a 17-year-old suspect who was trying to rob the Phillips 66 at 29th and Randolph, after telling him to drop his weapon. The owner of the store, Dean Yee, told police two men ran inside, when one of them pointed a gun at him and demanded money. Concealed weapons advocates said Mah did the right thing.
“The bad guys … better be careful who they pick on,” said Troy Powell, a retired cop who recently moved here from Texas.
Powell said the shooting is exactly what concealed-carry is intended for.
“The guy was right there on scene and had firsthand knowledge that it was happening,” said Powell. “I think he reacted appropriately and probably he could’ve saved that guy’s life and his own.”
Police said Mah shot the man just once.
“I don’t think any of these people that carry-concealed are wanting to do someone it, they’re just wanting to stop the guy, to keep him from hurting … someone else,” Powell said.
Mah had a concealed carry permit from Oklahoma, one of 22 states from which permit holders can also carry a weapon in Kansas, police said.
Powell said the shooting reaffirms the decision legislators made last year to override the governor’s veto and pass the law.
“This incident, it supports that they’re right,” he said. “Concealed carry is a privilege that citizens should have.”
Police said the man who shot the suspect likely won’t be charged with a crime, since he had a valid permit. But, the final decision will be left up to the district attorney.
Labels: business robbery, concealed carry permit, KS
Las Vegas, Nevada
From Las Vegas’ KVBC.com of January 22, 2007
Homeowner shoots would-be burglarFrom the Las Vegas Review Journal of January 24, 2007
A local homeowner shoots and kills a possible burglar. Metro says it happened around 9:30 Sunday night, at a home near Vegas and Buffalo.
Police say a person called 911 saying several men were trying to break in through a window. That's when police say the homeowner fired a gun several times. One of the burglars died at the scene.
The others ran away, but police were able to arrest a 20 year old man. Matthew Carpenter faces attempted burglary charges.
The homeowner was not arrested. The District Attorney will decide if he acted in self defense or if charges should be filed.
Father who killed would-be teen intruder feared for family's safety
Raymond Hill's 12-year-old daughter shook him awake with news no father wants to hear: Someone was trying to break into their house.
It was Sunday about 9:30 p.m. The 34-year-old father reached into his night stand and pulled out his .40 caliber handgun, loaded it and went downstairs, according to a Metropolitan Police Department report.
While walking downstairs, he saw through a window two people in the backyard of his house on the 1600 block of Night Breeze Drive, near Buffalo and Vegas drives. Someone tried to open his locked back door. He waited and saw one of the suspects taking off a screen from his rear window, police said.
Hill then took aim and fired through the window, police said. One person fled from the backyard, but the other didn't. Hill shot 15-year-old Damien Clary through the head, killing him, authorities said.
Police found the teen's body just outside Hill's rear window. Officers also caught a second suspect, Matthew Tyler Carpenter, 20, who was biking away from the house after the shooting, police said. Hill's wife identified Carpenter as one of the men she saw in the backyard, police said.
Authorities booked Carpenter into the Clark County Detention Center on charges of burglary and conspiracy to commit burglary. Detectives interviewed Carpenter, who told them that he and two others went to the house intending to break in, police said. Carpenter thought the house was empty, police said.
Carpenter also admitted to smoking marijuana and methamphetamine and drinking two shots of alcohol, police said.
Police didn't arrest Hill, who told them he was "fearing for the safety of his family and himself," police said. Once they've completed their investigation, police will forward their findings to the Clark County District Attorney's office, which will decide whether charges are filed against the homeowner.
State law defines justifiable homicide as a person killing someone as they're trying to commit a felony in his presence or in a dwelling.
A neighbor, Lorenzo Hernandez, 41, said he had heard of at least one burglary on Night Breeze since the summer, but didn't believe crime was rampant in the area.
He added that he too owned a gun and supported his neighbor's decision to shoot the would-be intruder.
"I think if someone was in my backyard, I'm likely to do the same thing," he said.
Labels: NV, residence burglary
1/21/07
Hall County, Georgia
From Atlanta’s 11Alive.com of January 21, 2007
Overnight Home Invasion Turns Deadly
One man is dead following an early Saturday morning home invasion in Hall County.
The incident happened just after 12:00 a.m. Sunday in the 4000 block of Winder Highway.
Police said the suspect tried to break into the home and that's when gunshots were exchanged between him and the home owner.
The suspect was hit several times and died at the scene.
Police said no charges will be filed.
Labels: GA, home invasion
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
From Oklahoma City's NewsChannel10.com of January 21, 2007
Security guard shoots man at business
A suspected burglar is hospitalized this morning after being shot by a security guard at an Oklahoma City business.
Police say the man broke into the W-and-W Steel Building near Reno and Pennsylvania Avenue about 6:15 this morning. That's when he got into a struggle with a security guard, who shot the intruder in the neck.
Sergeant Mike Klicka says the suspect's wounds don't appear to be life-threatening, but he was taken to a local hospital. The security guard cut his hand during the struggle, but Klicka says his wounds are also minor.
Police didn't release the identities of those involved.
Labels: business burglary, OK
Schnectady, New York
From the Albany Times-Union of January 21, 2007
Fear sparked deadly Schenectady shootoutFrom the Albany Times-Union of January 20, 2007
When two men broke into family's home, one of the intruders ended up dead, the other wounded
Ralph Schulenburg Sr. feared if he didn't take action, the two armed intruders would kill everyone inside his Division Street home.
The pair, he said, made no attempt to hide their faces, and one of them even boldly gave his name as ``Charlie'' when one of Schulenburg's sons asked.
``I wasn't about to just sit there,'' Schulenburg, 50, said Saturday as he recounted the events that played out inside 421 Division St. on Friday afternoon.
But he said it was his son, Ralph Schulenburg Jr., 23, who grabbed an old Mauser rifle and shot the intruders during a fierce gunbattle.
Aaron Peavy, 21, of Albany, was shot in the heart and killed. His alleged accomplice, Charles E. Little III, 20, of Troy, was shot in the left hand and lost at least one finger. It was the fourth time since early December that alleged intruders have been shot inside homes they targeted in Schenectady.
Little was arrested at 2 p.m. Saturday and charged with felony burglary. He was expected to be arraigned on the charge and held without bail in Schenectady County Jail.
…
Ralph and Kimberly Schulenburg said police told them they didn't do anything wrong.
But the couple say they are tired of the constant threats and harassment.
``I'm selling my house and moving from here,'' said Ralph Sr..
Resident shoots intruders
Man killed, another hurt in 4th recent home invasion incident in Schenectady
A man was killed Friday and his alleged accomplice wounded after they entered a city home at gunpoint and were shot by a resident, marking the fourth time in the past two months would-be victims have shot intruders, authorities said.
Someone at 421 Division St. let the armed men in after one of them flashed a handgun from the outside, police said.
A shot rang out, prompting a relative in an upstairs apartment to descend downstairs toting a rifle, authorities said.
The gunman shot one of the two intruders, killing him, and hit the other person in the left hand, police said. Investigators swarmed to the scene of the city's first homicide of the year after receiving a call at 3:39 p.m. Friday.
…
The incident was the fourth time since early December that alleged intruders in Schenectady were shot.
Two alleged burglars were shot inside a Prospect Street home on Jan 10. Police have said they were among four Brooklyn men seeking revenge for a slashing in Albany last month. One of the men was critically injured.
And earlier this week, a homeowner armed with a rifle shot an intruder who police say entered his Park Avenue home with a stun gun, authorities said.
And in December, Harry T. Glenn fatally shot one man and wounded another person who police say hatched a plan to rob him of drugs and money from his first-floor apartment at 1060 Raymond Street. He fled and was collared about a month later by federal marshals in Massachusetts.
Glenn, who is being held at Schenectady County Jail, faces second-degree murder charges. Authorities say he used a .45-caliber handgun to shoot Richard DeGroat, 39, in the head and Bertram Payne, 20, in the hand.
Labels: home invasion, NY
1/20/07
New Orleans, Louisiana
From the New Orleans Times-Picayune of January 20, 2007
Musician acquitted of shooting rival
Jury agrees with his self-defense claim
An Orleans Parish jury on Friday acquitted a musician charged with the attempted murder of a rival jazz band member during a street brawl and shootout in 2003.
The jury accepted the self-defense claim of Lawrence Ketchens, 43, a tuba player with Doreen's Jazz New Orleans band, who shot Rebirth Brass Band drummer Derrick Tabb, 31, on a 7th Ward street during a clash that began earlier that day at a funeral.
Ketchens testified at criminal district court that he was merely protecting himself and his wife, Doreen Ketchens, whom Tabb had beat to the ground with an umbrella during the skirmish.
The fight on May 20, 2003, quickly turned into gunplay. Ketchens pulled his .25-caliber Raven handgun from his pocket while a friend of Tabb's, Walter Kimble, raced to a truck to find a .40-caliber gun -- a weapon that is standard issue for New Orleans police officers.
Kimble later told police that he blasted at Ketchens in defense of Tabb. Ketchens rolled underneath a parked pickup truck to escape the gunfire and quickly drove off in his van.
When the dust settled, both sides were bloody from injuries. Ketchens suffered a gunshot wound to the thigh and Tabb had two .25-caliber wounds in his upper shoulder. But police arrested only Ketchens for attempted murder of Tabb and his mother, Vana Acker, 51, who was also caught up in the violence. Kimble was never charged.
At this week's three-day trial before Judge Darryl Derbigny, Ketchens said he feared for his wife's life as Tabb threw his large frame at her on the neutral ground.
"You gotta do what you gotta do," defense attorney Thomas Calogero said during his closing argument. "Luckily, he had a small-caliber weapon, little bitty bullets. He's not going to murder anyone with that little pea shooter. "
Calogero said Tabb was "a 6-foot-4, 250-pound man who viciously" attacked Doreen Ketchens before her husband stepped to her defense.
"He ought to thank Lawrence Ketchens for showing restraint," Calogero said of Tabb. "Sure, it got out of hand. Derrick Tabb got out of hand and beat a woman to the ground."
(More)
Labels: altercation, LA
1/19/07
St. Petersburg, Florida
From Tampa’s BayNews9.com of January 19, 2007
Two men won't face charges in Wal-Mart shooting spree
Two men who returned fire in a Wal-Mart parking lot gun battle last week won't face any charges, according to St. Petersburg police.
The men were shot at in the parking lot of the Wal-Mart at at 3501 34th St. S. in St. Petersburg by Joseph G. Williams, according to police.
Williams, 21, who received a gunshot wound to his foot during the incident, has been charged with three counts of attempted murder, violation of a domestic violence injunction and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Williams was scheduled to have surgery Friday for his foot wound.
Even though the other two men involved in the incident do not have permits to carry weapons, they will not face charges because they acted in self defense. Police said the men are cooperating with the investigation.
Police said the shooting was the result of a long standing feud between the men, and not a gang dispute.
1/17/07
Kansas City, Missouri
From TheKansasCityChannel of January 17, 2007
Night Clerk Goes After 3 Armed Robbers
A convenience store clerk at the Front Street Valero gas station went after three robbers just after a holdup early Wednesday morning, KMBC's Brenda Washington reported.
A 35-year-old night clerk was on duty.
"They jumped over the counter, pointed a gun, took money and one grabbed some soda pop," manager Albert Jiwan said.
KMBC's Brenda Washington reported that the robbers also forced the clerk to open a second cash register.
"But he just could not open it in time," Jiwan said.
After the robbers took off, the clerk grabbed a gun from under the counter and went outside to try to get the license plate number on the robbers' car.
"They saw him coming out, shot at him. He fired back," Jiwan said.
The clerk was not hurt. He told the police he was able to shoot out a rear passenger window on the car.
No arrests have been made. But Jiwan hopes images from the surveillance tape will help catch them.
"The sooner we catch them, the better for the community," Jiwan said.
Labels: business robbery, MO
Daytona Beach, Florida
From January 17, 2007 WKMG channel 6:
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- A man accused of breaking into a Daytona Beach home was shot by the homeowner Tuesday night, according to police.
Thomas Lockhart, 28, is in critical condition at Halifax Medical Center after being shot just after 10 p.m. at a house on Orange Avenue in Daytona Beach.
Police said they responded to a 911 call from Walter Watson, 70, whose house had already been burglarized three times this week, and found Lockhart suffering from a gunshot wound.
"This kid, who is known to the guy who's already filed three police reports, tells him he's going to kill him, and with that, the homeowner feels he has no other choice but to fire (his gun)," Daytona Beach Police Chief Michael Chitwood said.
Labels: assault, FL, home invasion
Madison, Tennessee
From the Nashville Tennessean of January 17, 2007
Suspect arrested after robbery attempt, gun battle in Madison market
A gun battle erupted inside a Madison-area convenience store last night when two men tried to rob the two clerks.
The co-owner of Discount Tobacco Store, 4610 Gallatin Pike, shot one of the two robbers in the hand when the two men entered with guns and demanded money, police said.
One of the suspects, Joshua Whitworth, 19, ran outside the store and fired several times at a man who was sitting inside a maroon Honda Accord that was parked outside, police said. He was hit by one of the bullets, police said.
Police believe Whitworth tried to kill the man in the car, "as he was now a witness to the robbery attempt,” Metro police Officer Paul Morgan Harris said in an affidavit.
Police found Whitworth two blocks away from the market with a bloody glove that had a bullet hole in it, Harris said in an affidavit.
Whitworth was arrested and charged with attempted criminal homicide and two counts of attempted aggravated robbery. He is being held in the Metro Jail in lieu of $650,000 bond, court records show.
Whitworth admitted to police that he was involved in the robbery, but said he was only a lookout, Harris said in an affidavit.
Metro police are looking for a second suspect, whose identity is not known, said Metro police Capt. David Imhof.
Labels: business robbery, TN
1/16/07
Cedar Key, Florida
From the Chieftan Citizen of January 16, 2007
Man who got shot in face is arrested for stalking
A Cedar Key man who was shot in the face Nov. 29 and hospitalized has been arrested by the Levy County Sheriff's Office on a charge of aggravated stalking.
Roger Frederick Bartell, 51, of 13450 S.W. 72nd Pl., has also been charged with battery and violation of a protective injunction against repeated violence, arrest reports show.
The Sheriff's Office reported at the end of November that a man had been shot in Cedar Key in a domestic incident, but they would not make details public as the subject was hospitalized and the investigation was ongoing with the help of the State Attorney's Office.
Now, officers allege that Bartell's injuries were the result of his stalking a woman and burglarizing her home with plans for an attack.
“On the morning of the incident, he secreted into the house and waited for her,” Sgt. Scott Tummond said. “She happened to be armed with a .38 pistol, and when he tried to grab her she brought the gun to action, firing once and striking him in the chin.”
Tummond said Bartell fell to the floor, while the woman called 911 and fled for her safety.
Deputies and police from Cedar Key responded, and Bartell was transported to a hospital for treatment, which reportedly included an operation for a severe throat injury.
Tummond said their investigation led them to determine that no charges should be filed against the victim, whose identity is being withheld in accordance with state law.
“It was pretty obvious he was where he wasn't supposed to be,” he said.
Tummond added that they had waited for more than a month to make the arrest because Bartell was hospitalized and on a feeding tube.
“There wasn't any sense in effecting an arrest,” he said. “We're a jail, not a hospital.”
Tummond said Bartell had posted a $60,000 bond and had been released from the jail, but he is on a home medical care program.
He added that the victim has since moved to a safe location.
Labels: assault, FL, home invasion, stalking
Springfield, Illinois
From the Springfield News-Leader of January 16, 2007
Man shoots at suspected vandal, police say
A man shot at a suspect who reportedly tried to break into his vehicle last night, Springfield police said.
A resident reported hearing something outside while at home before midnight at the 1400 block of West Nichols Street, Lt. Scott Levin said.
He discovered a male suspect trying to break into his vehicle with a screwdriver, Levin said. The resident pointed a shotgun at the suspect and ordered him to wait inside his house until police arrived, he said.
The suspect reportedly noticed a handgun inside the house and grabbed it.
“They kind of had a standoff there for a little bit,” Levin said.
The suspect eventually ran off, and pointed the handgun toward the resident as he fled, the lieutenant said. The resident thought he had left the handgun unloaded, and fired the shotgun at the suspect, he said.
“It was a birdshot load, basically. No injuries or anything like that were on the suspect,” Levin said.
Dogs helped police locate and arrest the suspect, who hid under a shed in the area, Levin said. The suspect may face a property damage charge.
The resident’s actions were reported and sent to a prosecutor for review, police said.
Labels: IL, street property theft
Columbia, South Carolina
From Columbia’s WIStv.com of January 15, 2007
Woman shoots carjacker in Two Notch Wal-Mart parking lot
A man and woman who were shopping at the Wal-Mart on Two Notch Road say a would-be carjacker was not only unsuccessful on Saturday - he is now suffering from a gunshot wound.
Harold Jeffcoat, 29, is the suspect. The victims say the man who tried to rob them came towards them as they were getting into their car and said, "Man, you know what time it is? Give me the keys!" Then they say Jeffcoat pushed his pistol into the man's stomach.
That's when the woman acted. She opened the passenger door and got her pistol from the glove box. She says she fired about five shots at the suspect, who ran away.
Officials say they found Jeffcoat at the Providence NE emergency room. He was there for a gunshot wound to the buttocks.
Jeffcoat is currently at the detention center on a $200,000 bond in this case, and is expected to face additional charges.
Labels: carjacking, SC
1/15/07
Wilmington, North Carolina
From Wilmington’s WECT.com of January 15, 2007
Late Night Shooting Leaves One Man Dead
A man is dead after a late night shooting on McRae Street in Wilmington. His family says the death was senseless.
Derrick "Dooby" Marshall, Jr. was shot to death after an apparent argument over a handgun. It happened on the 500 block of McRae Street in an abandoned building.
Friends and family of Marshall say the man who shot him was his cousin's husband.
Police say it was self defense, and no charges have been made against the shooter.
One eyewitness and close friend of Marshall's says he was an all around good guy.
An autopsy will be done later this weekend, and police say the case is still under investigation.
Labels: domestic dispute, NC
Harris County, Texas
From Houston’s KHOU.com of January 15, 2007
Bar regular may have shot, killed man in self-defense
A man was shot and killed by a bar patron late Sunday night in what may have been a case of self-defense.
According to Harris County officials, a man was apparently sneaking around the bar and at one point went through a back entrance only used by employees.
A regular patron saw the man and went to his truck where he had a pistol and kept an eye on him.
Police said that's when the suspect went over to the truck and pointed what may have been a gun at the patron, demanding money.
The patron pulled out and shot the suspect, who died at the scene.
The man was taken to the homicide detectives office to be interviewed.
Labels: street robbery, TX
Athens, Alabama
From Huntsville’s WAFF.com of January 14, 2007
Neighbor gives account of Athens shootingFrom the Decatur Daily News of January 16, 2007
The WAFF 48 Investigators are uncovering new information about a shooting that left one man dead.
It happened Saturday night on Scotland Drive in Athens just before six o'clock.
An autopsy will let detectives know how many times the victim was shot and should also help them determine if this shooting was in self defense.
The man police believe shot 20-year-old Kelvin Brown has not been charged at this time.
Sunday, The WAFF 48 Investigators returned to the scene and caught up with the man who heard the shots and discovered Brown had been injured.
Fred Houston was getting ready to go to church late Saturday afternoon.
Houston says, "I heard two to three shots."
He walked WAFF 48 Investigator step-by-step of what happened afterward.
When asked his reaction to hearing the gunshots Houston responds, "I mostly got upset."
"I came out the side door, coming around here, a friend of mine told me he had been shot so I came around here and watched him, he was laying... he was laying out in the area right here," he adds.
Backtrack to Saturday, Athens Police say two men, who according to friends knew each other, got into an argument.
When police pulled up they found 20-year-old Brown had been shot.
We've learned he had three wounds in all.
A man who lives on Scotland Drive, across the street from where brown was found, was questioned by investigators.
At this time, police have not filed any charges.
They are looking into the possibility of self-defense.
Shooting appears self-defense
Tragic news came to Glenn Brown on Saturday with a knock at his door.
A neighbor ran to Brown's home to tell him his 20-year-old son, Kelvin Lynn Brown, was lying shot nearby.
His son died from the wounds.
"I never imagined to hear news like that," Glenn Brown said Monday.
The unnamed man who shot and killed Kelvin Brown apparently was acting in self-defense, Athens police Capt. Marty Bruce said.
…
Bruce said Kelvin Brown was at the Scotland Drive resident's home, and the resident asked Brown to leave.
"They began arguing because Brown wouldn't leave," Bruce said.
Both men had weapons, Bruce said. The Scotland Drive resident had a 9 mm handgun and Brown a .25-caliber handgun. The shooting occurred in the driveway.
"Witnesses say Brown shot first," Bruce said. "Self-defense is a factor."
Brown did not hit the Scotland Drive resident, Bruce said.
…
Bruce said police will tell the grand jury what investigators uncovered about the shooting, and the grand jury will determine if the evidence warrants a charge against the Scotland Drive resident.
Labels: AL, altercation
1/13/07
Prattville, Alabama
From the January 13, 2007 Prattville Progress:
A man who was allegedly part of a two-man, home invasion robbery team saw his plans go awry when his victim shot him in the rump during the heist.
Two men knocked on Coleman Moody's kitchen door the night of Jan. 5 at his Forrester Drive home. Moody answered the door, and the two men forced their way inside, said Prattville Police Chief Alfred Wadsworth.
The men brandished a weapon and demanded money and the keys to Moody's car, a Ford Taurus. Moody complied.
But while the men were getting in the car, Moody slammed his kitchen door, locked it, and went to fetch a gun. He then confronted the two men.
"He told them to throw down the car keys and get on the ground," said Wadsworth.
Instead, the men ran. Moody fired two shots in that direction, hitting one of the men in the rear end.
Police have identified both men. Police have yet to publicly identify the alleged robber who was shot. He remains hospitalized for treatment of his wounds.
Police arrested his alleged partner, William Franklin Mann, 22. Mann gave police an address of 111 Spring Valley Drive in Prattville, but Wadsworth said based on information from investigators from the Elmore County Sheriff's Department, who assisted in the investigation, it appears the men live in Eclectic.
"The Elmore County Sheriff's Department developed some leads and called our investigators, which led to an arrest and pending arrests," said Wadsworth.
No charges are expected to be filed against Moody, Wadsworth said.
"I don't anticipate any," said Wadsworth. "It was those guys' actions that caused their problems. And I don't think they'll go back to that house."
The attempted robbery of Moody's home may not be the only concern for the hospitalized man, said Wadsworth. Police have warrants on the man relating to the robbery of a truck driver and another man Jan. 4.
Labels: AL, home invasion, residence robbery
Warner Robins, Georgia
From the Macon Telegraph of January 13, 2007
Burglary suspects arrested at Warner Robins car wash
A Warner Robins man was arrested Thursday at a car wash while vacuuming up broken glass from a window that had been shot out three hours earlier by a Bleckley County homeowner who thwarted a burglary in progress, authorities said.
Keith Michael Waugh, 27, was charged with breaking into the home just after noon Thursday, said Houston County sheriff's Sgt. Ronnie Harlowe.
The burglar fled in a silver Honda Accord, the victim reported. A car matching the description was spotted at a car wash on Moody Road in Warner Robins by Houston County sheriff's Lt. Jon Holland.
Inside the car were stolen financial documents belonging to the Bleckley County resident as well as stolen computers, jewelry, guns, cameras and cash from burglaries in Houston County, Harlowe said.
…
The Bleckley County man who shot at the burglars was not injured. He had arrived home to find an unknown car with a Houston County license plate parked in his driveway and some of his personal financial information in the open trunk, Harlowe said.
The homeowner went around to the back of the house and the intruder ran out the front, Harlowe said. The homeowner fired at the fleeing burglar, shattering the driver's side window, the investigator said.
Area police were alerted by radio to look for the car, which Holland spotted at the car wash, Harlowe said.
Labels: GA, residence burglary
Cottondale, Alabama
From TuscaloosaNews.com of January 12, 2007
Tuscaloosa's First Homicide of 2007
Tuscaloosa County Homicide Detectives are investigating the city’s first homicide of the year.
It happened Thursday night around 11:00pm at the Old Colony trailer park on Spring Drive in Cottondale. Homicide investigators say a 31-year-old man entered a home and assaulted people inside the trailer. Shortly after, one person inside the trailer shot the suspect.
Homicide investigators say that so far no charges have been filed in the case. “It appears that the deceased was breaking into [the] residence and was assaulting the two males in the residence when he was shot, so there is a self defense issue”, says Lt. Lloyd Baker of Tuscaloosa County Homicide. “We will be presenting this case to the grand jury.”
The man who shot the victim was transported to DCH, there was no word on his condition at the time of this article’s posting.
Labels: AL, assault, home invasion
Orange Mound, Tennessee
From the Memphis Commercial Appeal of January 13, 2007
Man in wheelchair shoots intruderFrom Memphis’ WMCstations.com of January 13, 2007
An elderly wheelchair-bound man shot and critically wounded an intruder at his Orange Mound home Friday afternoon, Memphis police said.
Officers were called about 2 p.m. to the 2300 block of Zanone, where the unidentified homeowner "apparently heard a crash as if someone was coming in through the window and saw a male subject he did not know," said Det. Monique Martin.
The homeowner fired two shots and struck the home invasion suspect at least once. The wounded intruder was transported to the Regional Medical Center at Memphis in critical condition, Martin said.
84-year-old homeowner shoots intruder
Memphis police are investigating a home invasion that ended in a shooting.
Police say 84-year-old Willie Hancox called 911 around two Friday afternoon to say that he had shot an intruder.
Hancox says he fired two shots, hitting an intruder twice in the head.
Hancox says he is sick of the crime in his community.
"He said if they come in the door, I'm not gonna let them kill me and he meant that," says neighbor, Dorothy Dickerson.
Dickerson lives across the street and looks after Hancox.
Dickerson adds, "I say God is good, cause they had no business in there, and whoever did that got what they deserved. And, I say it in front of they face, not behind they back and I mean it."
Dickerson's sentiment is shared by most neighbors.
"He did the right thing," says neighbor, Markel Dickerson. "People that's law abiding people is getting tired of being pushed around by the thugs and thieves and dope dealers."
That's why Mr. Hancox had a gun, one his sons recently tried to take from him.
"We came over here that Saturday morning he said, hey, where's my gun, I need it back. I told him dad, you dont' really need a gun in this house." says Jake Hancox.
Jake Hancox says after speaking with his brother, the two decided to give the gun back to their father.
Now, both brothers are glad they listened. Jake Hancox says that the situation could have easily ended the other way around.
"Maybe somebody looks at the situation here and they might not do it," says Hancox.
It's a message homeowners hope criminals hear as loud and clear as a gunshot.
The intruder is listed in critical condition.
Labels: home invasion, senior, TN
1/12/07
North Las Vegas, Nevada
From Las Vegas’ KVBC.com of January 12, 2007
N. Las Vegas store owner shoots robber
A North Las Vegas furniture store became the scene of a deadly shooting Thursday night when the store owner shot the person trying to rob him. It happened at Corona Furniture on Civic Center Drive near Lake Mead.
Police say the owner was waiting for a late night delivery when he heard a suspicious knock at the back door. He armed himself, and when he went to the back, the robber lunged at him.
The owner started shooting, hitting the robber who later died at UMC. Right now, this appears to be a case of self-defense, and there are no charges against the store owner.
Labels: business robbery, NV
Fort Worth, Texas
From the Fort Worth Star-Telegram of January 12, 2007
Home intruder shot dead
A 22-year-old man was fatally shot early Wednesday after he forced his way into his ex-girlfriend's house and started kicking in the door of the bedroom where she and her boyfriend were sleeping, police said.
Police said the woman's boyfriend, 29, grabbed a handgun and started firing, hitting Sammien Chopp once in the left chest as he pushed into the room.
"It appears to be self-defense, but we will confer with the district attorney's office to get a final determination," said homicide Sgt. J.D. Thornton
After the shooting, police said, Chopp got into a 1990 white Jaguar and tried to drive to a hospital.
Shortly before 8:30 a.m., a patrol officer saw the Jaguar driving erratically along the northbound service road of Interstate 35W just south of Berry Street. When it stopped in a traffic lane, Thornton said, the officer got out of his patrol car, put the Jaguar in park and discovered that the driver had been shot.
An ambulance took Chopp to John Peter Smith hospital, where he died at 9:14 a.m.
…
According to court records, Chopp has several convictions for drugs and one for evading arrest. At the time of his death, he was awaiting trial on two drug charges, one for unlawful firearm possession, one for resisting arrest and one for assault causing bodily injury.
Labels: altercation, home invasion, TX
1/11/07
Mesa, Arizona
From the Arizona Republic of January 11, 2007
Homeowner holds intruder till police arrive
A Mesa homeowner kept an intruder at bay early Wednesday morning after the man jumped into the homeowner's yard, police records show.
Police said Richard Anthony Avila, 38, of Mesa jumped into a yard in the 200 block of South Allen just after 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, but was confronted by the homeowner, who had a gun.
"Avila proceeded to push past the homeowner to gain entry into the residence," police reported.
The homeowner grabbed Avila by the throat and pushed him out of the house and onto the ground, where the he held him until police arrived, records show.
Police reported the homeowner did not know Avila.
Avila was arrested and booked into jail on suspicion of criminal trespassing.
Labels: AZ, home invasion
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
From Lancaster’s WGAL.com of January 11, 2007
Police: 19-Year-Old Dead, 20-Year-Old Critical In Triple ShootingThe original article has been updated and replaced with the following:
A home invasion turned into a triple shooting that left one person dead in Harrisburg overnight, according to Mayor Stephen Reed's office.
Two armed men broke into an apartment house on the 1900 block of State Street around midnight and demanded drugs or money, according to officials. A fight broke out and gunshots were fired.
One of the intruders, Jason Haywood, 19, of Susquehanna Township, was killed, according to Reed's office. Another intruder, William Kelly, of the 1800 block of Briggs Street, was shot in the abdomen and is in critical condition, according to the mayor's office. The resident of the home, who is 23, was hit in the shoulder.
The Mayor said police have determined that Haywood and Kelly either shot each other during the struggle with the 23-year old male resident, or that errant gunfire during the struggle struck the pair.
The mayor's office said earlier reports that there was a third gunman, who got away in a white Neon, turned out to be false.
Police have recovered the weapons. Reed said that no charges are likely to be filed against the male resident who fought off his attackers as it is considered justifiable self-defense.
From Lancaster’s WGAL.com of January 12, 2007
Police: Robbers May Have Accidentally Shot Each Other
A home invasion turned into a triple shooting that left one person dead in Harrisburg late Wednesday night, according to Mayor Stephen Reed's office.
One of the intruders, Jason Hayward, 18, of Susquehanna Township, was killed, according to Reed's office. Another intruder, William Kelly, of the 1800 block of Briggs Street, was shot in the abdomen and is in critical condition, according to the mayor's office. The resident of the home, who is 23, was hit in the shoulder.
The Mayor said police have determined that Hayward and Kelly either shot each other during the struggle with the 23-year old male resident, or that errant gunfire during the struggle struck the pair.
The mayor's office said earlier reports that there was a third gunman, who got away in a white Neon, turned out to be false.
Police have recovered the weapons. Reed said that no charges are likely to be filed against the male resident who fought off his attackers as it is considered justifiable self-defense.
(More)
Labels: defender shot, home invasion, PA, residence robbery
Shreveport, Louisiana
From Shreveport’s KSLA.com of January 11, 2007
Police: Brothers Burglarize Home; Both Shot, One KilledFrom Shreveport’s KSLA.com of January 11, 2007
A pair of brothers looking for some quick cash were shot multiple times by the people they were trying to victimize, according to Shreveport police detectives.
Shots rang out in the 500 block of Stoner avenue around 11:00 p. m. Wednesday. Police say the brothers were shot multiple times by Emmanuel Henery after breaking into his home.
One brother died at LSU Hospital, the other was in surgery as of 3:45 a. m. Thursday.
When he is released police plan to charge him with one count of armed robbery, and one count of armed robbery with a firearm.
Police are withholding the brother's names until their family can be told what happened.
Relatives of Robbery Suspects Speak Out
Wednesday night Shreveport Police responded to a shooting. "It's kind of sketchy as to what happened inside, the resident states there are two men down inside the residence," said Shreveport Detective Micheal McConnell. Twenty-four year old Leonard Ellison was killed... His brother... 20 year old Jeremy Ellison - shot six times and taken to LSU Hospital. The homeowner tells police he was being robbed. He hasn't been arrested. "At this particular time it doesn't look like that's going to happen," said Kacee Hargrave with the Shreveport Police Department. "It wasn't that crucial to take his life, true enough...he knew who they was, because he notified their voices," said cousin of Jeremy and Leonard, Denise Ellison. Family and friends say they've been denied access to him, police say that's because he's in custody. And while relatives concede the shooting of Jeremy and Leonard might have been self defense.... they say there's more to the story. "Supposedly to have told them there was a dude up there with a lot of money, and after she told them she went and told pop, two dudes at the back of the house, fixing to run up in there, so I feel like it was a set up," said Denise." Detectives look at all angles so if that's what the victim's family members are saying I'm sure that word will get back to the detectives and they'll look into whatever that allegation is," said Hargrave. The scene of the shooting was very busy, several people were in the home during the incident, and several shots were fired, so detectives will have plenty of evidence to sort out.
Labels: LA, residence burglary
Lake Charles, Louisiana
From Lake Charles’ KPLCtv.com of January 10, 2007
DNA Backlog(More)
Lake Charles resident Nicholas Perioux said, "I probably had about 10, maybe 15 bullets shot at me." Perioux was talking about the night he was attacked at Pat's of Henderson restaurant in Lake Charles back in December of 2004.
When two robbers opened fire, Nicholas grabed a gun in self defense and shot one of the criminals in the head. They both got away, but not before one of them left behind some DNA evidence. Lake Charles Police Chief Don Dixon said, "It was sent to a lab in Shreveport." And that is where the evidence sat trapped in a back log. Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Tony Mancuso said, "You can see in this case, I want to say it almost took a year to get an answer back." While DNA testing is performed locally, area labs do not have access to the national DNA database. It is that same national database that fingered 31 year old Jerome Montrell Thomas of Baton Rouge as the man that pulled the trigger.
Labels: business robbery, LA
1/10/07
Dallas, Texas
From Dallas’ NBC5i.com of January 10, 2007
Store Owner Shoots Thief, Police Say
A Dallas jewelry store shot a man trying to rob his store, police said.
Police said the owner of Ralph Austin Jewelers in the 1900 block of Skillman Street noticed a man trying to run out of the store with a $5,000 ring. The owner warned the man that he would shoot if he didn’t stop. He then followed the man out of the store and shot him.
The man police said robbed the store fell to the ground, then got up and jumped into a car with two other people in it and drove off.
Labels: business robbery, TX
Lafollette, Tennessee
From January 10, 2007 WVLT channel 8:
Lafollette, Campbell County (WVLT) - They didn't get quite what they were expecting, after Campbell County authorities say two men tried to rob a home in Lafollette.
Police say Paul Lee Bourff and Robert Wayne Evans were attempting to rob the home when homeowner, Charles Green, shot Bourff in the chest.
The two suspects ran to a neighbor's home where Bourff was transported to St. Mary's and then to UT Medical Center, where he is listed in stable condition.
Evans was taken into custody.
Charges are pending against both men.
Labels: home invasion, residence robbery, TN
Tampa, Florida
From Tampa’s tbo.com of January 10, 2007
Dispute At Gas Station Leads To Fatal Shooting
Police are investigating whether a fatal shooting at a gas station is a case of self defense.
Police say the shooter, identified as Rodney Rivera, told them a man got out of a black Honda Civic at the Stop and Pick gas station, 1815 W. Waters Avenue, about 9 p.m. Tuesday and tried to kill him.
"It sounds like the victim was making some crazy accusations," said Tampa Police Lt. Jill Kwiatkowski.
The man twice slammed a car door on Rivera's leg, according to police, and may have tried to stab him. After failing to push the attacker away, Rivera said, he shot the man once in the torso.
Rivera dialed 911 and remained at the scene.
Police have identified the victim as 24-year-old Eric Suarez, Jr. He was pronounced dead at St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa.
No charges have been filed.
This is the fourth homicide of the new year, according to Tampa police. Detectives are treating this as a manslaughter, not a murder, investigation.
New Orleans, Louisiana
From the New Orleans Times-Picayune of January 10, 2007
Resident shoots burglary suspectFrom the New Orleans Times-Picayune of January 11, 2007
He saw man leaving his FEMA trailer
A man, returning to his FEMA trailer in eastern New Orleans, shot a suspected burglar as he left the temporary home.
The burglar, who was not identified, remained hospitalized in critical condition Tuesday night.
Police said no charges would be filed against the resident.
According to police, the resident returned to his home Tuesday in the 6700 block of Deanne Street, near Babylon Street, at about 8 p.m. and found a vehicle he did not recognize parked at his FEMA trailer. Suspicious, he removed his gun from his truck, then saw a man leaving the trailer. The resident told police the man made a "threatening movement" and he shot him.
Police did not find a gun on the wounded man.
Police did not know if the resident had a permit for his gun.
Burglary suspect dies of gunshot wounds(More)
A Metairie man who was shot leaving a FEMA trailer in eastern New Orleans that he is suspected of burglarizing died early Thursday, police and the coroner's office said.
Ryan Smythe, 20, died of multiple gunshot wounds at a local hospital about 4 a.m., said John Gagliano, chief investigator for the Orleans Parish coroner's office.
From the New Orleans Times-Picayune of January 13, 2007
Victim's cohort held in homicide
A 26-year-old man has been arrested on a murder charge in an incident in which his alleged accomplice in an eastern New Orleans trailer break-in Tuesday night was shot to death by the trailer resident, police said.
Randy Albert, whose address was not provided by police, was arrested Wednesday night and booked with first-degree murder, police spokesman Officer Garry Flot said Friday. He is suspected of being the getaway driver in the burglary.
Police said Albert and Ryan Smythe, 20, burglarized a FEMA trailer in the 6700 block of Deanne Street Tuesday about 8 p.m. The 29-year-old resident returned as Smythe was leaving the trailer and fatally shot him. Albert fled in the getaway car, according to police, but was arrested the following night.
Smythe died of multiple gunshot wounds at a local hospital Wednesday about 4 a.m.
Police cleared the resident, whose name wasn't released, declaring his act a justifiable homicide.
Though Albert didn't fire the shot that killed Smythe of Metairie, he was booked with murder under a provision of the law that holds him culpable for the death because it happened while he was in the process of committing a felony, police said.
Labels: LA, residence burglary
1/9/07
West Gables, Florida
From the January 9, 2007 Miami Herald:
Liquor store owner Pedro Agudelo fights hard to protect his West Gables business.
Outside, a handful of surveillance cameras are in plain sight. Inside, Agudelo keeps a loaded gun handy.
He used it tonight, shooting dead a would-be robber.
And it's not the first time he's shot someone trying to steal from his store.
On a weekend afternoon in 2001, Agudelo opened fire on a gunman just outside LeJeune Liquors, 930 SW 42nd Ave. The would-be robber, who was never named by police, survived and Agudelo never faced any charges.
Agudelo said at the time: ``I'm just a working guy, a victim of a crime, and I fought back, and that's all.''
About an hour before closing time tonight, Agudelo, 63, fought back again when a man walked into his store, pulled out his gun and demanded cash. Agudelo opened up the cash register, but instead of handing over the money, he pulled out a gun from behind the counter, Miami-Dade police said.
Agudelo then called 911, but the would-be robber was dead at the scene. Police have not released the identity of the dead man or said how many times he was shot.
Florida's new Stand Your Ground'' law allows anyone who feels threatened to shoot -- even if they don't see a gun.
''It's self-defense. He's not going to be charged,'' said Miami-Dade Det. Roy Rutland, a police spokesman.
Labels: business robbery, FL
Dalton, Georgia
From the January 9, 2007 Chattanoogan:
Bradley County Sheriff’s detectives have charged a Dalton, Ga., man as an accomplice in the theft of used auto parts from Dalton Pike Motors last Thursday.
Another man caught stealing auto parts was shot and killed by a man who lives on the property.
Investigation of the incident revealed Randy Osborn, 43, of Dalton was removing auto parts from the business when barking dogs alerted Rick Powers, officials said.
He confronted Osborn, who he said came toward him with a knife so he fired a .22 caliber rifle. Osborn was pronounced dead at the scene.
Michael David Hagan, 48, of Dalton went to the Dalton Police Department the next day to report his involvement in the incident, it was stated.
Labels: business burglary, GA
Charlotte, North Carolina
From January 9, 2007 WSOC channel 9:
Toddler Scares Off Would-Be Robbers In Northwest Charlotte
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A group of men tried to break-into a home in northwest Charlotte Monday morning, but a toddler spotted them and helped scare them away.
It Happened On Long Creek Parkway, off Bellhaven Boulevard in the "Woods At Coulwood" community.
Two men threw a brick into a back window and broke inside the house. The victims say their three friends were waiting outside.
A 3-year-old inside spotted the intruders and ran for her father.
He grabbed a gun and scared off the masked burglars. He didn't want to speak on camera, but told us all the burglars looked young, and may have been teenagers.
Police looked for them, but never caught up with them.
Neighbors like Diana Lopez are worried their homes could be targeted next, "Especially because there's kids in the house, and sometimes they stay with the babysitter, so that's really scary."
One of the burglars fired a shot at the home, but didn't hit anyone.
Labels: NC, residence burglary
1/8/07
Clearwater, Florida
From TampaBays10.com of January 8, 2007
Burglar, 16, shot during burglary
A 16-year-old Clearwater youth was shot at least once after he broke into a north Clearwater home Sunday night. The teen - whose identity has not yet been established, was shot by a man who lives in the house which was being burglarized.
According to Clearwater Police Department Criminal Investigations Detectives, the juvenile and another burglar forced their way into a home at 1186 Palmetto Street at 9:30 Sunday night, and one of the burglars fired at least two shots inside the house, hitting no one.
But a resident of the home, 35-year-old Robert Cason, retrieved a handgun from inside the residence and returned fire.
The two burglars ran from the home, and a short time later, Clearwater Police Patrol Officers found a 16-year-old in the area, wounded in the abdomen.
The youth was treated at the scene by Clearwater Fire Department paramedics before being flown to Bayfront Medical Center Hospital's trauma center. His injuries are said to not be life-threatening.
Police are searching for the second burglar; the investigation continues.
Labels: FL, minor offender, residence burglary
1/6/07
North Las Vegas, Nevada
From the January 6, 2007 Las Vegas Review-Journal:
A convenience store manager shot and killed a robbery suspect and injured another Friday after the men entered his North Las Vegas store and took the manager and several customers hostage.
The two suspects held up the American Mini Market at 2564 Las Vegas Blvd. North on Friday afternoon, North Las Vegas police said. Then, the robbery suspects bound the store manager and several customers using zip ties and tried to rob them, police said.
The manager, whose name was not released, escaped from the ties and retrieved a gun stashed inside the store. Shortly after 2 p.m., the manager exchanged "a bunch" of shots with the suspects, North Las Vegas police spokesman Tim Bedwell said.
Both of the suspects were hit with gunfire.
One of suspects stumbled out of the store and died in the parking lot, Bedwell said. The other, whose name also was not released, was hit in the lower extremities and fled on foot, leaving a trail of blood, he said.
The suspect was caught by police and taken to University Medical Center, where he was treated for injuries that were not life-threatening, Bedwell said. Police said the man could be charged with robbery and murder once he recovers from his wounds. Under Nevada law, a suspect in a felony crime in which a person dies can be charged with murder even if their actions didn't directly cause the death.
No one else was injured in the shooting.
"This is how we like these incidents to end up," Bedwell said.
The customers called the manager a hero.
"He saved us all," said 27-year-old Kevin Aden, who was in the store when the suspects came in.
Aden said that he and the other people in the store were tied up for about 10 to 15 minutes in the back room as the suspects robbed them and the store.
Labels: business robbery, hostage, NV
Wilmington, Delaware
From January 5, 2007 WECT channel 6:
WILMINGTON -- A Wilmington man is recovering from a gun shot wound to his ankle. Police say he was shot after exchanging gun fire with a man who tried to rob him.
Police say 26-year-old Matt Hearn was getting out of this truck, when a man pulled out a gun and demanded all his money.
Police say Hearn gave the man his wallet, but no money was inside, so the robber demanded Hearn drive him to the ATM.
That's when Hearn went to the other side of his Ford Ranger, pretended to go through his bag looking for his keys, but instead pulled out a gun.
Police say the robber fired at Hearn, and Hearn fired back. When police arrived on the scene, the robber was gone.
Labels: DE, street robbery
Anchorage, Alaska
From the Anchorage Daily News of January 6, 2007
Man and Mr. Shotgun surprise burglar
ARMY VETERAN: One day after a break-in, victim lies in wait and collars suspect.
Don't mess with a retired military man -- especially one who takes it personally and gets out a shotgun when you break into his home.
Richard Noren, a seemingly mild-mannered ex-Army soldier and current Junior ROTC teacher, decided he wouldn't rely on the police after bandits broke down a door of his Eagle River home and stole thousands of dollars of his stuff while he was out of town.
Summoned by his daughter, Noren rushed back from his Seward vacation, parked his car far away from his house, shut off the lights, hid the dogs and then lay in wait, sitting on the living-room couch with a 20-gauge shotgun in his lap, for the burglars to return.
They did, just as he figured, and Noren grabbed the man who tried to come in the front door by the neck and held him at bay until police arrived.
Police arrested Tracy Randall, a 32-year-old on probation with a long rap sheet, on burglary charges.
"It's disheartening. Your privacy has been invaded," Noren said in an interview Friday. "I wouldn't encourage anybody to just grab a weapon if they don't feel comfortable doing it."
Noren's crime fighting has Anchorage police applauding his self-reliance but warning others not to follow in his footsteps.
"Sometimes you need to take steps to protect yourself," Anchorage police burglary Sgt. Ron Tidler said. "I'm not advocating go grab a gun and stick it in the ear of anybody knocking at your door by any means. ... But people should take reasonable measures to protect themselves -- whatever they deem reasonable."
Noren, 56, is happy with his do-it-yourself stakeout.
"There has to be vigilance in us or we will all be victims forever."
(More)
Labels: AK, residence burglary
1/5/07
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
From TheMilwaukeeChannel.com of January 5, 2007
Police: Delivery Driver Shoots Teen Trying To Rob HimUpdated 2/1/07
Teen's Injuries Not Life-Threatening
A Milwaukee pizza delivery man shot a 16-year-old who tried to rob him, according to Milwaukee police.
It happened at 8:30 p.m. Thursday near 22nd and Hadley streets on the city's north side.
The delivery driver worked for Mona Lisa Pizza.
The delivery driver's case has been referred to the district attorney's office, which is standard procedure, but it appears he was protecting himself, 12 News reporter Brenday Conway said.
Police said the 16-year-old armed suspect tried to rob the delivery driver and instead of giving the boy money, the man pulled out a gun and fired.
The boy was shot three times in the stomach, according to police.
The injuries are not considered life-threatening.
Last summer, a Milwaukee pizza delivery driver shot a teenage boy who tried to hold him up. That teenager also lived. The delivery driver was not criminally charged.
Labels: pizza delivery driver, street robbery, WI
Dublin, New Hampshire
From the Boston Globe of January 5, 2007
Would-be robber loses pants at gunpoint
A would-be thief found himself foiled, under gunfire -- and without pants.
Police said a homeowner discovered an intruder one night last week. The homeowner pulled a gun, fired what police described as warning shots, and told the intruder to shed his pants and shoes.
The two scuffled and burglar ran from the home, barefoot and pantless.
"I believe his thinking was that by taking away the suspect's pants, it would slow him down or prevent him from trying to get away, or make it easier for us to find him if he did get away," New Hampshire State Police Sgt. Christopher Aucoin said.
The homeowner called police, who swarmed the area with search dogs. Police are still looking for the man, and it's not clear if anything was stolen.
The homeowner wasn't hurt.
Daytona Beach, Florida
From Orlando’s WFTV.com of January 5, 2007
Shotgun-Wielding Man Comes To Neighbor's Rescue
The tables were turned on two men, who broke into a Daytona Beach apartment, when a neighbor with a shotgun came to the rescue.
Two Daytona Beach burglars were surprised when residents of the apartment they were breaking into came home, and those residents weren't going to let the thieves get away.
"We're from Tennessee. When we see someone we don't know, we get the shotgun," said eyewitness Miles Dellavecchia.
Call it a little bit of southern justice. When Kyle Winkler came home to his Orange Avenue apartment, he said he saw two people, a man and a teenager, in his apartment. They didn't belong there, so he confronted them and things got ugly fast.
"Tried to shove me over the rail of the second floor. Fight all the way down the stairs," Winkler said.
Luckily, Winkler has a neighbor like Dellavecchia, who not only came running, but came armed.
"I heard my neighbor, Kyle, the big guy, hollering from upstairs, so I took off running up the stairs," Dellavecchia said.
The two suspects tried to run, but when Dellavecchia and his shotgun appeared, the jig was up.
"They didn't move when they saw that thing, that's for sure," Winker said.
The suspects were held until police got there. Winkler and Dellavecchia even zip-tied their wrists.
Winkler said he has had friends robbed in the area and he wasn't going to let the two get away.
"I didn't know what was going to happen, had a gun or a knife. I didn't want them to run off with anything I own," he said.
Labels: FL
Red Bird, Texas
A weird one--the bad guy steals a gun from one victim--the second victim takes the gun away from the bad guy, and beats him senseless with it. From January 5, 2007 WFAA channel 8:
A Red Bird-area homeowner turned the tables on a gun-toting burglar Wednesday night, taking the weapon away from him and beating him up with it.
The suspect, identified by police as 21-year-old Marquis D. Anderson, ended up in a local hospital.
"When the police got him, he wasn't able to talk," said Steven Flowers, a neighbor whose home was also burglarized. "He got beat bad. I wish it had been me [who delivered the beating]. I would have done the same thing."
Mr. Flowers, who lives on Greenspan Avenue near Interstate 35E and Camp Wisdom Road, arrived home shortly after 6 p.m. to find that his home had been burglarized. The burglar had kicked in a rear door and stolen jewelry and a handgun.
"I noticed the lights on in my house," said Mr. Flowers, who has lived there about eight years. "I could see a silhouette, peeking out of the window of my den. I left and called 911."
Police records show that the suspect fled that home and broke into a neighboring home in the 7600 block of Woodspan Drive. That homeowner, Prentice McKinney, arrived home to find his front bedroom light on, his front window busted out and a man looking out the window at him, records state.
Mr. Flowers said that Mr. McKinney went into the home through the window and confronted the burglar. Police said the suspect fired a shot at Mr. McKinney, but it hit a wall instead.
"He said by the time the guy realized he was in the house, he had already pounced on him and beat him up pretty bad," Mr. Flowers said. "He can't remember how he got the gun from him. He said he just had so much adrenaline pumping, he just kind of lost it."
The burglar had tried to steal two handguns and jewelry from that home, a report said.
When police arrived, they found the unconscious burglar in a pool of blood on the hallway floor.
Labels: residence burglary, TX
Bly, Oregon
From January 3, 2007 KGW channel 8:
BLY, Ore. (AP) -- A homeowner in the southern Oregon town of Bly shot and killed two young cougars after he returned home and found them in his woodshed.
The man found his pet cat had been killed before he flushed the cougars out of the woodshed.
He tracked the animals and cornered them on a neighboring lot. But the homeowner called 911 to get permission to shoot the cougars.
Tulsa, Oklahoma
From TulsaWorld.com of January 5, 2007
Tulsan thwarts home burglary; 2 men arrested
A Tulsa man held two possible burglars at gunpoint early Thursday and then shot out one of their car tires when they drove toward him, police said.
When the resident encountered the men outside his home in the 8300 block of South Delaware Place, he demanded that they stay until police arrived.
Instead, they got in a car and drove toward the armed man, who then fired twice, striking the car's left front tire, Officer Jason Willingham said.
Police then arrived and took the two men into custody.
Dustin M. Furra, 21, and Daniel E. Miller, 20, were arrested on one complaint each of attempted first-degree burglary. Furra is also held on complaints of assault with a deadly weapon and driving without insurance.
Officers found that the zip tie securing the homeowner's back gate had been broken and that a back window screen had been removed, reports show. Two screwdrivers and a flashlight were found with the men, the report states.
The resident became aware of the intrusion about 12:50 a.m. when a neighbor called to tell him she had seen two men walk into his backyard, Willingham said. He tripped his home's panic alarm and armed himself with a 9 mm handgun before walking outside and confronting the men.
A "Stand Your Ground" bill, signed into law during the last legislative session, allows people to use deadly force to protect themselves even if they are not inside their homes.
Furra was in the Tulsa Jail in lieu of $45,300 bail Thursday evening, and Miller was being held in lieu of $20,000 bail.
Labels: OK, residence burglary
Wilmington, Delaware
From Philadelphia’s 6ABC.com of January 5, 2007
Man Released After Fatal Shooting of Teen
New Castle County Police had taken a man into custody after the fatal shooting a 17-year-old boy in a parking lot at the Canby Park Apartments, just outside the Wilmington city limits near Elsmere.
New Castle County Police say the 35-year-old man is a security guard and a licensed gun carrier, who was allegedly walking his dog when he was jumped by a group of teens. The man claims he fatally shot one of the three teens in self-defense, and has since been released by investigators.
Police say the boy was found shot in the upper body about 10 last night in the 500 block of Homestead Road. Paramedics say he died on the way to the hospital.
The name of the victim has not been released.
Labels: assault, concealed carry permit, DE
Beaumont, Texas
From Tyler’s KLTV.com of January 5, 2007
Grand jury declines to indict man accused in Beaumont deaths
A 41-year-old Beaumont man who had been held in the shooting deaths of two teenagers is free.
Manuel Garcia was released from a Jefferson County jail yesterday after a grand jury investigating the November shootings declined to return an indictment.
Assistant District Attorney Ramon Rodriguez says he believed the grand jury felt the shooting was in self-defense.
Garcia had been charged by police with capital murder in the deaths of two teens who had been in an argument with his son and who had come to the Garcia home to confront the boy.
Labels: altercation, TX
1/4/07
Memphis, Tennessee
From the Memphis Commercial Appeal of January 4, 2007
Armored car courier shoots holdup man
An armored car courier shot and seriously wounded a would-be robber this morning at a Whitehaven gas station.
The courier was leaving the Mapco at 979 Brooks at about 8:30 when a robber, possibly armed with a pistol, began spraying him with tear gas or some chemical agent, according to C.M. Sturgis, a supervisory FBI agent with the Safe Streets Task Force.
The Loomis Fargo & Co. courier drew his pistol and fired twice, striking the robber in the lower torso.
The suspect jumped into a white Ford Crown Victoria with at least one man inside.
He did not have the money bag.
Police later found the suspect lying in the street at Ridge Road and Wagon Trail Lane, south of Raines Road and west of Weaver Road.
He had been stripped of his clothing and dumped out of the car by his associates.
The suspect was taken to the Regional Medical Center at Memphis.
Labels: street robbery, TN
Bradley County, Tennessee
From Chattanooga’sWDEF.com of January 4, 2007
Intruder Shot at Bradley County Business
A Bradley County businessman encounters an intruder in his store on Dalton Pike about three this morning,
Now Bradley County deputies and the District Attorney's Office investigate the shooting death of the intruder.
It happened at Dalton Pike Motors.
Sheriff Tim Gobble says the shooting may have been in self defense.
When deputies arrived, they found the male intruder dead from a gunshot wound.
Investigators have not released the names of those involved in the shooting.
Labels: TN
1/3/07
Fort Wayne, Indiana
From Fort Wayne’s IndianaNewsCenter.com of January 3, 2007
Slain Pizza Store Employee Had a Gun During Deadly HoldupThe Good Guys don’t always win.
Indiana's News Center has learned that the Fort Wayne pizza store employee who was shot and killed on the job over the weekend had a gun at the time of the robbery.
The information comes as police are asking the public for leads in the unsolved crime.
We found out the victim was armed from police sources and Rick Harkelroad, the owner of the Tasty Pizza store on Fairfield Avenue where the shooting took place.
23-year old Chad Brunson, the night manager, was shot in the head early Sunday, after two black men with their faces covered burst in and demanded cash.
A police source said Brunson pulled out a gun during the holdup, and that when officers responded, they found Brunson on the floor with gun in hand.
That source said the gun had the safety on.
…
Indiana's News Center has learned that Brunson had pulled a gun on a would-be robber during a hold-up attempt back in April.
The store's owner told him after that to leave the gun at home, but on Sunday morning he had one when police found him dead.
Labels: business robbery, defender killed, IN
Orrum, North Carolina
From the Lumberton Robesonian of January 3, 2007
Ex-trooper kills assailant
A retired trooper with the state Highway Patrol says he was acting in self-defense when he shot and killed the boyfriend of a family friend on New Year's Day, according to a sheriff's detective.
Robert “Sonny” Moore, 63, killed 24-year-old Travis Worriax with a single shot to his torso, according to sheriff's Detective Lt. Ricky Britt. Moore, who retired as a state Highway Patrol trooper in 1994, could not be reached this morning for comment.
“Basically, it will probably be a self-defense case,” Britt said. “We're still waiting on the autopsy before it's completely ruled self-defense.”
According to Britt, Moore suffered cuts to his left arm and his left ear during a confrontation that occurred about 10:30 a.m. Monday on Princess Ann Road. He was treated and released from Southeastern Regional Medical Center after receiving a total of 18 stitches, Britt said.
Britt said Moore told investigators the following story:
On New Year's Eve, Moore received a telephone call from Lydia Walters, who complained that she was having an argument with her boyfriend, Worriax. Moore said that Walters told him they had both been drinking alcohol and that Worriax had left the home after she had asked him to do so.
The next day, Moore went to the home at 1024 Princess Ann Road to check on Walters and was confronted by Worriax.
“When he walked around the trailer, Travis jumped out at him and cut him several times with a butcher knife,” Britt said.
Moore, who traps beavers and carries a handgun strapped to his side, used the .38-caliber revolver to shoot Walters during what Britt called a “tussle.”
“Sonny said he thought he'd missed him because the boy took off running about 75 yards toward the highway” before he collapsed, Britt said.
Britt said the case will be reviewed by District Attorney Johnson Britt to see if any charges are warranted. An autopsy will be performed at the state Medical Examiner's Office in Chapel Hill.
Walters, 30, was inside the mobile home with her baby when Worriax was killed. Britt said that Worriax is not the father of the child.
“You don't ever know what would have happened if he didn't have that gun,” Britt said. “He's 63 years old and he just had hip replacement.”
Tucson, Arizona
From the Tucson Citizen of January 3, 2007
1 fatally shot, 1 wounded in home invasion; 2 arrested
One home robbery suspect was killed and another critically wounded when six men burst into a Southwest Side home Tuesday night, sheriff's deputies say.
As the suspects yelled for people in the home to get on the floor, a man in a back bedroom locked his door and loaded his shotgun, Sgt. James Ogden said in a news statement released late this morning.
The statement gave this account:
One of the armed intruders kicked open the locked bedroom door and the resident fired a blast from the shotgun, critically wounding the intruder.
When another intruder appeared in the open bedroom doorway, the resident fired again, this time fatally. The other intruders then picked up the wounded man and fled.
A woman, two other men and a 9-year-old were in the home when the gunmen burst in about 10:40 p.m.
About five minutes after arriving at the invaded home in the 5000 block of West Valencia Road, deputies got word of a shooting victim in a house in the 5000 block of West Corona Road, about a half mile south of the crime scene.
Deputies went there and found a gunshot victim and four other men.
Deputies detained and questioned the men, releasing two and booking two others into the Pima County Jail on suspicion of first-degree murder under the state's felony murder law. That law allows a person to be charged with murder if someone dies during the commission of certain felonies, such as robbery, even if the suspect was not the killer.
Arrested were Philip Valencia, 28, of the 800 block of West Calle Ventura, and Robert Escobedo, 25, of the 1400 block of West Sonora Street. The wounded man was not immediately arrested.
Neither the names of those in the invaded home nor that of the dead man were released.
Labels: AZ, home invasion, residence robbery
Topeka, Kansas
From the January 3, 2007 Topeka Capital-Journal:
A 21-year-old man who was shot by a clerk during a weekend robbery attempt at a central Topeka convenience store remained in a local hospital Tuesday night, police said.
The man, identified by police as Arthur L. Crane III, was wounded at about 7:15 p.m. Saturday at the Smokers and Convenience Store, 1237 S.W. Huntoon.
Authorities on Saturday night indicated Crane had been shot in the abdomen. Information on his condition wasn't being released Tuesday night by Stormont-Vail Regional Health Care officials.
Maj. John Sidwell, Topeka Police Department spokesman, said Crane entered the business and held the clerk at knifepoint, demanding cash from the register.
Crane then stood in front of the clerk and put his hand toward his hip, Sidwell said.
The clerk, believing he was about to be shot, drew his own gun and fired at Crane, Sidwell said. The clerk wasn't sure if anyone was hit as a result of the gunfire.
Crane fled the scene and about 45 minutes later went to Stormont-Vail, authorities said.
Labels: business robbery, KS
Dublin, New Hampshire
From the January 1, 2007 Manchester, New Hampshire Union-Leader:
Dublin officers responded to a reported burglary around 9:30 p.m. Saturday. Letourneau said an armed homeowner on Lower Jaffrey Road confronted a male burglar. No items were stolen.
Labels: NH, residence burglary
Will County, Illinois
From the Joliet Herald News of January 3, 2007
Police: Local man shot by homeowner
ALLEGED BREAK-IN
A homeowner shot an intruder early Sunday, police said.
Will County Sheriff's spokesman Pat Barry said deputies were called just after 3 a.m. to a break-in to a house in the 18000 block of Manhattan Road.
"Deputies arrived and learned a woman had fallen asleep in the living room and was woken up after hearing noises and seeing a figure near the entryway of the living room," Barry said.
The woman woke her husband, who went to the front door and told deputies he saw an SUV he didn't recognize parked in the driveway.
The vehicle started up and drove away and the man reportedly retrieved a handgun from an upstairs bedroom and began to search the house.
"He went out to an attached garage and saw the service door was open," Barry said. "He went out into the yard and came around the corner to see a man wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans crouched against the wall. He was so startled (at seeing someone) that the gun went off."
The man allegedly ran after the shot was fired, and the homeowner said he saw him get into an SUV parked on Manhattan Road. The man told investigators he did not see the intruder's face before he ran away and did not see if the shot he had fired hit the suspect.
Barry said nothing was reported missing from the house. The couple and their teenage daughter, who had been sleeping upstairs, were unharmed.
The homeowner has a valid firearm owner's identification card.
Barry said detectives saw mud had been tracked into the house from the garage area and there were signs someone had been walking around outside the home.
Police asked other local agencies to report any gunshot wounds. The Manhattan Fire Department called them a short time later.
Paramedics had been dispatched to 18427 Breen Road in Elwood to treat a man with a bullet wound to his left shoulder.
The gunshot victim, who lives at that address, 19-year-old Neil Severson, told investigators he had been shot while in Preston Heights that evening, but would not elaborate.
Severson was taken to Silver Cross Hospital where he was treated for injuries that were not life-threatening.
Barry said police are confident ballistic tests will show Severson was shot while trespassing at the house on Manhattan Road.
"Detectives told the family about Severson," Barry said. "They are familiar with him, but he did not have permission to be on the property."
Barry said the case will be presented to the state's attorney's office later this week and likely will result in charges against Severson.
"At this time, all indications are that the homeowner did not do anything illegal," Barry said.
Deland, Florida
From the Daytona Beach News Journal of January 3, 2007
Police: Man may have died over backpack
DeLand police are investigating whether a homeless man found dead was shot by a resident from whom he demanded his backpack, police said.
The man was found dead in a kneeling position in the backyard of 236 E. Voorhis Ave. at 3 p.m. on Saturday, a police report states.
On Friday, Drew Munro, who lives at 234 E. Voorhis Ave., told police a Hispanic male calling himself "Tito" banged on his rear door accusing him of stealing Tito's backpack. Munro said he found the backpack on the front fence of his property, the report said.
A verbal confrontation started and "Tito" pulled out a knife, according to Munro, the report said. Munro said he fired twice at "Tito" with his .22-caliber pistol. Munro told police he fired low and did not believe he hit the man, police said. Munro said the man ran through a building into the woods, the report shows.
The man was found dead behind the home, the report states.
Los Lunas, New Mexico
From Albuquerque’s KOBtv.com of January 2, 2007
Car theft ends with two hospitalizedFrom the KRQE.com of January 2, 2007
The attempted theft of a car in Los Lunas Tuesday morning ended with a seven mile car chase and two men in the hospital.
Officials say that a homeowner heard his son’s Cadillac running outside the house and ran outdoors to stop the man in the car from leaving.
According to police, the man in the car then used the car to pin the other man against a fence. The homeowner responded by firing a shot through the windshield, striking the suspect once.
The homeowner pursued the stolen car for seven miles until it ended up crashed in a ditch. The suspect fled to a local volunteer fire department where he collapsed.
Both the homeowner and the suspect were taken to University of New Mexico Hospital with non life-threatening injuries.
Charges against the alleged car thief are pending. Officials need to consult with the Valencia County district attorney before determining what, if any, charges will be filed against the homeowner.
Pinned man shoots alleged car thief
The getaway went all wrong for an alleged car thief in Valencia County this morning when he fled with a Cadillac and a gunshot wound.
Police say the alleged thief pinned the homeowner with the car he was trying to steal, but got shot himself in the process.
This morning a Tomé homeowner woke up to see his son's car being stolen out of the family's driveway. He armed himself and ran out to make it clear this was not going to be an easy steal.
The suspected thief drove the Cadillac he was trying to steal toward the homeowner pinning him against a fence. The homeowner retaliated by firing one shot.
That shot hit the suspect, but he fled the scene in the Cadillac with the homeowner following him for seven miles.
“When he went out, he was pinned by that vehicle against the fence,” New Mexico State Police Sgt. Robert Miller said. “There were shots fired by the victim.
“At that point they continued on a small pursuit.”
But before the homeowner caught up, the alleged thief crashed and abandoned the Caddy. While bleeding from his wound, he stumbled and fell in front of a commuter driving to work who happened to be behind him.
The commuter thought he hit the suspect with his truck, ran out alarmed and then realized the bleeding man had been shot. He then called 911.
The suspect remains at UNM hospital with a gunshot wound, but police said it is not life-threatening.
The father was also taken to UNM Hospital but treated and released.
Labels: NM, street property theft
1/2/07
New Orleans, Louisiana
From the December 31, 2006 New Orleans Times-Picayune:
Bar owner Frank Barrera acted quickly and quietly when he spotted two men pulling out pistols as they entered his newly opened Mid-City business Saturday about 2 a.m.
Pulling an armed security guard behind a wall next to the bar, Barrera waited a few moments as one of the men grabbed a patron and dragged him behind the bar, and moved toward Barrera's wife, Maria, who had been counting money near the cash register. As the bar customer wriggled free, the guard fired a shot into the robber's torso, dropping him on the spot.
"That's the best thing we had to do. I had seen the guys walking in, and that was good. So we got ready," said Barrera, who opened his La Finca Home Plate Inn at 542 S. Jefferson Davis Parkway six weeks ago. "It's very hard to explain because it was so fast and happened in maybe 30 or 40 seconds. It's very scary." He said his wife of 19 years "almost got shot in the head."
The 22-year-old wounded suspect died at the scene after taking a pounding from debris thrown onto him by people in the bar, while his companion disappeared on foot, according to witnesses and a bar videotape. Police haven't yet released the dead man's name, but said he is from New Orleans.
Police and business people in some New Orleans neighborhoods have struggled in recent weeks to cope with armed bar robberies. It wasn't known if suspects involved in Saturday's incident will be linked to other incidents that have terrorized patrons and bartenders.
Barrera, 54, said he had operated a nearby restaurant for 30 years before Katrina and worked for months to open the new business, but knew he would need a guard and security cameras to protect his customers in a post-Katrina climate.
According to witness and the New Orleans Police Department, the gunman behind the bar was shot once in the left torso by a former criminal sheriff's deputy working a security detail.
...
The Police Department classified the shooting as a justifiable homicide and filed no charges against the guard, but Richardson said the district attorney's office will review the incident. The department wouldn't immediately identify the guard.
Labels: business robbery, LA
Ryland Heights, Kentucky
From the Lexington Herald Leader of January 2, 2007
(Scroll down)
MAN NOT CHARGED IN SLAYINGFrom CincyPost.com of March 28, 2007
A Kenton County man who allegedly shot his neighbor to death Saturday night has not been charged, but an investigation is continuing. Robert T. Pierson, 47, allegedly shot and killed Glenn T. Miller, 53, shortly after 7 p.m. Saturday near Pierson's home on Steep Creek Road, said a news release from the Kenton County police department. Police said Pierson told them that he went outside with a semi-automatic rifle to investigate someone with a flashlight walking in a creek bed beside his house. The person turned out to be Miller, a neighbor. Pierson said he confronted Miller about what he was doing, and an argument ensued "over ownership of the property and dogs running at large." Police said Pierson told them that Miller pointed a handgun at him during the argument, and Pierson fired "several times in self-defense, striking Mr. Miller in the torso." Pierson then called 911. Police found Miller, who had been shot at least twice, dead in the creek bed with a revolver beside him. Pierson told police that dogs had been killing his cats, and that he had shot and killed one of Miller's dogs earlier Saturday. A dead dog was found near Miller's body, but police said Pierson told them it was not Miller's
Man cleared in fatal shooting of neighbor
A Ryland Heights man has been cleared of any criminal wrongdoing related to his fatal shooting of a neighbor who he said trespassed onto his property and threatened him with a gun.
A Kenton County grand jury heard the case Tuesday and issued no indictments against Robert T. Pierson for the Dec. 30 shooting of Glenn T. Miller, said Commonwealth Attorney Rob Sanders.
Miller "confronted the homeowner on the homeowner's property, after dark, with a handgun," Sanders said. "He confronted Mr. Pierson ... who subsequently fired several rounds from a semi-automatic rifle."
Miller, 53, died near a creek bed after being shot twice in the chest, Kenton County police said. A handgun was found beside him, police said.
They said Pierson called them after the shooting and told them what happened. He said he fired his rifle in self defense. Sanders said his story remained constant over several tellings, and physical evidence backed up what he said.
The state's new law allowing homeowners and landowners more leeway in using deadly force against trespassers also helped guide his presentation of the case and likely impacted the grand jury's deliberations, Sanders said. Pierson was never charged with any crime, he said.
"It was basically a death investigation, and the grand jury decided that no charges were appropriate," he said.
Pierson called police about 7:15 p.m. and told them he had seen someone walking in a creek bed on his land, carrying a flashlight. He grabbed his semi-automatic rifle to investigate, police said he told them. When he reached the creek, he confronted Miller, and an argument started over who owned the property. Pierson told police that during the verbal altercation, Miller pointed a handgun at him several times, and he responded by shooting Miller with the rifle.
Pierson told police the two also argued over dogs running loose, and Pierson said he had shot one of Miller's dogs earlier that day. Pierson said the dogs were killing his cats, police said.
Labels: altercation, KY
1/1/07
Rogers, Arkansas
From the Benton Daily Record of January 1, 2007,
Rogers woman shoots intruder
Jodi Qasem remained shaken Sunday afternoon after an early morning ordeal that ended in her shooting an intruder.
The last time Qasem, of 1819 Beth Drive in Rogers, remembers looking at the clock Sunday morning, it was 5: 15 a. m. She soon heard a door open somewhere in the home and thought it odd. She was expecting her husband to come home from work sometime in the near future, but not that early.
“ The next thing I knew, (a man ) was in my bedroom, ” she said with a slight tremor in her voice.
She chased the man through the house and eventually out of the house. As she ran outside to make sure he was gone, the unidentified man grabbed her. Qasem had her new. 22- caliber handgun in her hand and she shot the man.
“ It was pointed at his belly, ” she said. “ I saw the muzzle flash. ”
Qasem said she that during the incident she yelled at the man several times, but he never said a word, including when he was shot. The man stumbled and fled.
“ I ran back in and called 911, ” she said. “(Police ) were here in 30 seconds. ”
Qasem bought the gun shortly after she found a peeping tom peering in her windows. She said the peeping tom had the same build as the intruder, but she didn’t know if they are the same person. She said she could tell he was wearing a hooded shirt and that he was probably white or Hispanic — definitely not African-American.
Qasem said she is concerned because the man hasn’t been found.
“ I want him caught, ” she said Sunday afternoon.
Rogers Police Sgt. Kelly Cradduck said the call to the Rogers Police Department came in at 5: 58 a. m.
“ She had a right to defend her home, ” he said.
Licenses are not required to keep a gun in the home. The only requirements are that the owner be at least 21 years old, not a convicted felon and must be a U. S. citizen. Qasem said she is an avid hunter and is used to handling.
Labels: AR, assault, home invasion
