11/4/09
Orange County, Florida
From November 3, 2009 WFTV channel 9:
The hotel's security camera caught the clerk in action, facing down an armed robber.
Just before midnight, a man with a black t-shirt over his face pulled a pistol and demanded cash. But less than 20 seconds into the holdup, the clerk grabbed the bandit's gun and shot at him. He missed and the suspect got away with the money, but police say he left behind plenty of evidence.
Labels: business robbery, defender's gun taken away and used against him, FL
Hudson, Florida
From the October 28, 2009 St. Petersburg Times:
NEW PORT RICHEY — Under Florida's "stand your ground" law, a jury this week acquitted a Hudson man who shot his neighbor.
Anthony Boglino of 18252 Thomas Blvd. was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and faced 25 years to life in prison if convicted, said his defense attorney, Chris Frey.
Authorities said Boglino, 64, fired one shot at his neighbor, Haigh Frank Kopoain, late on May 13, 2008. Both men were in the yard of another neighbor when they got into an argument.
Boglino testified that he felt threatened when Kopoain, then 36, became angry, charged at him and yelled at him to leave the property, Frey said. Boglino has arthritis in his hands and couldn't defend himself.
Boglino pulled a 22-caliber revolver from his pocket to protect himself, Frey said. When Kopoain charged again, Boglino fired at his abdomen.
Labels: altercation, FL
Port Charlotte, Florida
From the October 27, 2009 Sarasota Herald-Tribune:
PORT CHARLOTTE - Two men, armed with a knife and a tire iron, reportedly forced their way inside a Port Charlotte home Saturday night, only to find the occupants had guns.
The botched home invasion robbery ended quickly when one of the suspects sustained a nonfatal gunshot wound to the stomach, according to the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office.
Authorities have arrested one man and intend to charge the other upon his release from a Fort Myers-area hospital in connection to the attempted robbery at the 21000 block of Beaverton Avenue.
The incident occurred around 10 p.m. at the home of Peter L. Gilmore, 69, and his 25-year-old son, James S. McGlone.
Two men, later identified as Keith Sowers, 32, of Punta Gorda, and Port Charlotte resident Joshua Eugene Becerril, 29, wearing stockings over their faces, kicked open the front door, deputies said.
Becerril reportedly held Gilmore at knifepoint. McGlone ran into his father's bedroom, where Gilmore kept several guns, and was chased by Sowers, toting a tire iron.
Sowers allegedly hit McGlone over the head with the tire iron before being shot in the stomach.
Labels: FL, home invasion
Goldenrod, Florida
From October 24, 2009 central Florida channel 13:
GOLDENROD -- A home invasion ended with one of the suspects dead and several others injured early Saturday morning.
Seminole County deputies said two men returned to a home on Fernbrook Way, when witnesses said the two were confronted by armed suspects who forced their way inside and opened fire.
That, deputies said, was when one of the victims grabbed a gun and started shooting back.
When deputies arrived, they found Maurice Thomas collapsed in the street. He was rushed to Orlando Regional Medical Center, but he did not survive.
Three other people were shot, but officials said they were expected to be OK.
A second suspect was found in a nearby wooded area, and faces charges.
Officials said, Mack Brooks, one of the victims found in the home, was also shot during a previous home invasion in Orange County.
Labels: defender shot, FL, home invasion
10/14/09
Orange County, Florida
From October 14, 2009 WFTV channel 9:
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- An Orange County man caught two burglars breaking into his house, so he pulled out his gun and shot them both Tuesday night. One of the burglars was killed and the other is in critical condition.
The deceased burglar was identified as 17-year-old Brandon Martinez.Deputies say the owner of the house on Rubens Court (see map) won't be arrested. They say he did nothing wrong.
The homeowner, along with his brother and son, had just gotten home from work when he confronted the burglars Tuesday night. They had already ransacked his house and even tried to get into a safe. Anthony Julien, 50, insists he had no choice but to take action.
“The way I look at it is like they invade my privacy and I was scared when I come in, so I defended, you know, my property,” he said (watch interview).
Julien took Eyewitness News step-by-step on what happened when he confronted the two burglars in his house.“I come in. I look to my left, one this way, one here. I had my gun like this and he was there, so I come in like that. When I come in, he run this way and he point his gun at me, then I go down and I 'pow,'" Julien described. “I keep on walking to him, walking to him, walking to him, he get up and I 'pow’ and I leave him."
Julien then focused on a second man in another bedroom.
“He run up from here, coming out to me, when come out, ’Pow!’ He fell to the ground there,” Julien said.
When Julien went outside to call 911, somehow one of the suspects was able to run away, but he didn't get far. Jonathan Rodriguez, 25, collapsed in the driveway of a home one street behind Julien's house.
Rodriguez was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center and was treated for at least one gunshot wound. It doesn't appear that Martinez or Rodriguez had serious criminal records.
Anthony Julien drives an ice cream truck for a living and says he's always keeps a gun with him for protection.
Labels: FL, residence burglary
10/13/09
Lee County, Florida
From the Naples News of October 12, 2009
Bear shot at after it tries to break into Lee County home
A bear was shot at by a Buckingham man Sunday night after the critter tried to get inside his house three times, state wildlife authorities said.
The bear tried first to go in a back door and left. It then tried the garage, left the area and came back again at the front door, said Gary Morse, a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesman. Each time, the family called 911 during the events that took place between 9 and 9:30 p.m.
Fish and Wildlife Lt. Michael Frantz filed a report stating that the man, who lives in the 6100 block of Higgins Boulevard, fired three rounds at the bear, which fled into the woods.
No trace of the bear has been found. Lee County Sheriff’s Office deputies and wildlife officials could not find a blood trail and do not believe the bear was shot. The man does not face criminal charges for firing at the bear, Morse said.
The bear, estimated to be about 6 feet and weighing roughly 200 pounds, may be the same bear seen trying to get into a Fort Myers Shores house and Dumpster diving in the area. And it could be the same bear that was spotted eating pet food near a farm in North Fort Myers recently.
“The problem is going to get worse unless the community at-large secures garbage,” Morse said.
Some ways to reduce human-bear encounters is to use bungee cords to secure trash can lids, or keep garbage cans inside a shed or fenced-in area. Wildlife officials say pet food should never be kept outside and that bird feeders need to be placed in an area where bears cannot reach. Bear-resistant containers also are available.
If anyone sees a bear Dumpster diving, getting into trash or showing aggressive behavior, call the wildlife alert hotline at 800-404-FWCC
10/12/09
Polk County, Florida
From ABC Action News of October 12, 2009
Polk man shoots shotgun-wielding robber
The Polk County Sheriff's Office says the victim of a would-be armed robbery shot one of his attackers on Sunday.
Johnny Preston told deputies he was in the front yard of his Lakeland home preparing his cargo van for work around 6 p.m. He spotted two men in a red 4-door Mazda driving by slowly, staring at him.
Preston became suspicious and retrieved his .38 caliber Smith & Wesson revolver from inside the van and wrote down the Mazda's vehicle tag number.
He went back to preparing his van. Moments later, he looked up and was staring down the barrel of a shotgun. The two men, who were wearing t-shirts over their faces, demanded his wallet.
Preston said he pushed the barrel of the shotgun away with one hand and fired his handgun with the other, hitting the armed suspect in the torso.
The suspect, identified as Michael Darnell Richardson of Lakeland, drove himself to Plant City Hospital where he was treated and arrested.
The other other suspect, identified as Mario Ford of Plant City, fled on foot, and was found hiding under a parked car.
Preston was not injured.
Labels: FL, street robbery
9/30/09
Jacksonville, Florida
From September 30, 2009 Jacksonville channel 4:
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Police said one of two men who tried to steal a pickup truck from a group of people gathered outside a Murray Hill home was shot several times by a homeowner and his friend.
Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Lt. Larry Schmitt said when police arrived at the 3000 block of College Street, they found a man shot multiple times.
According to the police report, Keith Loftin was outside the home with some friends shortly after 2 a.m. when two men asked for a ride in Loftin's truck. Loftin said one of the men pulled a gun on them and forced Loftin into his truck. Loftin told officers that his friend, Barry Smith, ran into the house and returned with a gun and Loftin pulled his own gun from inside the truck.
Police said both Loftin and Smith fired at one of the men, striking him multiple times.
The man shot, identified as Jamel Mobley, 21, of St. Marys, Ga., was taken to Shands-Jacksonville Medical Center and was in stable condition. Police said the second man took off. Police were still looking for him, but they have only a vague description.
The shooting was still under investigation and no charges have been filed. Schmitt said it appeared both the citizens had the guns legally and that it appeared the shooting was in self-defense.
Labels: carjacking, FL, kidnapping, street robbery
9/20/09
Lake Worth, Florida
From the CBS 12 of September 17, 2009
Naked 91-year-old holds burglar at gunpoint
This next homeowner is a force to be reckoned with. He's 91, he was buck naked, but he and his dog decided to go after a would be burglar. He held the man at gunpoint until police arrived. Deputies say they found the would be burglar on the back porch by the pool drunk and trembling, probably not how he thought it would all go down. He got more than he bargained for when he decided to mess with this elderly man and his trusty rottweiler mix. 91-year-old Robert Thompson and his 5-year-old dog Rett tag-teamed a thug trying to break into their Lake Worth home Friday night.
Thompson said, "I think the guy was scared to death, he was screaming."
Thompson jumped out of bed, totally naked he went to go check things out with Rett by his side.
He said, "I started to let him out the door and he was so anxious he got caught in the door."
According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office 26-year-old Jose Pascual was the man on the porch. Rett pinned Pascual, but this purple heart World War Two Veteran wanted back-up.
Thompson said, "I went in and got my cell phone and dialed 911 and got my gun."
Thompson says Pascual was coming toward him so he fired a shot. Authorities say he held the drunk intruder at gunpoint until deputies arrived, but he's giving his best bud Rett all the credit for the happy ending.
He said, "He's the hero."
Pascual was arrested, Thompson was taken to the hospital. One of the shots he fired ricocheted giving him a minor battle wound. He hopes the bad guys learned a lesson about messing the boys at 504 North C Street.
"If anyone violates my home they better be careful, that's all I got to say," said Thompson.
Thompson tells us that he has been living alone since his wife passed away 10 years ago, and that having Rett around makes life easier. The suspect in this case is facing burglary charges
Labels: FL, home invasion, intoxication, senior
9/16/09
Titusville, Florida
From the Central Florida News of September 16, 2009
Burglars Held Up By Homeowners
Two burglars attempting to steal a car from a Brevard County home were held at gunpoint by the homeowners.
Matthew Clark, 20, and Justin Sheppard, 19, are facing several charges including burglary and grand theft.
Authorities say the pair was burglarizing a home near Titusville on Karen Drive when the homeowners confronted them with a 12-gauge shotgun.
The woman and her son held the two until police arrived.
Clark and Sheppard are now being held on $5,000 bonds.
Labels: female, FL, street property theft
Wellington, Florida
From WPTV of September 11, 2009
Homeowner who shot intruder identified
The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office is investigating a late night shooting at a residence in the 1400 block of The 12th Fairway.
A homeowner claims that two suspects broke into his residence just before 11:00 p.m. Thursday. One of the alleged intruders was shot during a struggle.
The person who was shot ran away but later turned up at nearby Wellington Regional Medical Center. He was then transferred to the Delray Medical Center, where his condition is not known.
The second suspect also fled, but remains at large despite a ground and air search.
Friday afternoon the sheriff's office identified the homeowner as Jonathan A. Babilonia.
Labels: FL, home invasion
Lithonia, Florida
From CBS Atlanta of September 10, 2009
Lithonia Burglar Shot In Buttocks
A burglar who broke into a Lithonia home was shot in the buttocks by the homeowner, police said.
The burglary happened at about 11:30 a.m. at the home on Gadwell Circle.
The intruder was taken to a hospital with moderate injuries, police said. The intruder’s name was not released.
Investigators said no charges are expected to be filed against the homeowner, who was not identified by police.
Ormond Beach, Florida
From the Central Florida News of September 14, 2009
Homeowner Shoots Armed Robbery Suspects
Two attempted armed robbery suspects were hospitalized with multiple gunshot wounds after the man police said they tried to rob shot them.
According to police, Christopher Young, 38, and William Bell, 31, went into the home of Dane Rollins, 34, early Sunday morning armed with handguns.
Police said after the suspects stole cash, Rollins grabbed his shotgun and went after them.
The two suspects fled, but police said they later found them with several gunshot wounds. The men were taken to Halifax Medical Center.
Rollins was not hurt.
Police said shocked neighbors witnessed the entire gunfight.
“‘Boom, boom, boom!’ Then I came outside and hear a neighbor yelling to get out of the house,” said neighbor Jonathan Smith.
A third suspect, Brandy Lee Harris, 28, was also arrested Sunday, but police did not say how she was involved.
Labels: FL, residence robbery
9/8/09
Orange County, Florida
From September 8, 2009 WFTV channel 9:
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- An Orange County homeowner says he shot a man in self defense late Monday night.
The man told deputies he came home just before 11:00pm Monday night and found another man in his home on Faculty Drive.
He says the man hit him in the head with a pipe and stabbed him. The homeowner then got his gun and shot the man.
Labels: FL, home invasion
9/3/09
Tampa, Florida
From the September 2, 2009 St. Petersburg Times:
TAMPA — Charles Podany wanted to protect his neighborhood from speeders.
On Feb. 29, 2008, he bicycled through Thonotosassa's Bay Hills Circle community and asked a fast-driving man in a pickup truck to slow down.
The encounter turned deadly after the driver's drunken friend began beating Podany, 49. As Casey Landes, 24, landed on top of Podany and readied his fist to strike again, Podany shot him in the head with a .40-caliber Glock.
Hillsborough Circuit Judge Robert Foster agreed Tuesday to toss out Podany's manslaughter charge after his attorneys argued Podany fired in self-defense under Florida's "stand-your-ground" law and deserved immunity from prosecution. The law allows people to meet force with force when they feel threatened.
Defense attorney Stephen Romine said Podany's case met the stand-your-ground test: Podany wasn't engaged in unlawful activity; he had a right to be there; and if he hadn't acted, he may have been seriously injured or killed.
Foster heard testimony on the defense motion two weeks ago, including from Evin Aguayo, the pickup driver and Landes' best friend.
Aguayo, 21, told investigators that Landes was the aggressor in the confrontation and that Podany never hit back.
"You never saw (Mr. Podany) take a swing at him?" a sheriff's detective asked Aguayo.
"Never," Aguayo responded, adding, "Not one time. Not one single swing."
Romine included those excerpts of Aguayo's statements to detectives in his motion to dismiss.
Before the deadly altercation, Aguayo said Podany approached him about speeding through the neighborhood.
"I said, 'Well, I'm sorry sir. We won't do it again. Forgive me,' " Aguayo told detectives.
As Podany peddled away on his bike, Landes appeared and began yelling at him. Aguayo said he tried to stop his friend. "Man forget about it," he told him.
"It wasn't even a fight, it was one-sided," Aguayo said.
Podany is 5 feet 8 and weighs 180 pounds. Landes was 6 feet 1 and weighed 192 pounds.
"He's outsized, outmuscled," Romine said. "It's not going to be a fair fight in any capacity and the guy is just relentless trying to beat him."
Aguayo told deputies his friend thought it was "cool to beat up an old man."
Labels: altercation, FL
Lake Worth, Florida
From the August 10, 2009 South Florida Sun-Sentinel:
LAKE WORTH - No one was injured when a shotgun was fired during a home-invasion robbery in which the victims fought back and managed to wrest away one of the guns early today, according to the Palm Beach Sheriff's Office.
The home invasion and scuffle involved three robbers and seven unidentified residents in a home west of Lake Worth.
Three of the residents had just arrived home from a nightclub in the 1400 block of Hillcrest Drive shortly after 2 a.m. when three suspects emerged from the back yard. One of the men was brandishing a shotgun and the other a silver handgun.
The suspects pistol whipped one of the victims and forced him to stay down, the Sheriff's Office said. But that victim was able to get away.
The suspects then barged into the home, where another four people slept, and confronted another one of the club-goers for money. When he declared he had none, they instead took his cell phone, watch and 32-inch gold necklace, Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Teri Barbera said.
The suspects then woke up one of the sleeping residents who fought for control of the shotgun. It fired, lodging pellets into a bedroom wall, Barbera said.
Meanwhile, as the two other suspects went around the house screaming "where is the money at?", one of the victims was able to grab the handgun. Also, another victim managed to get an 8-inch knife and began chasing the suspects.
That victim may have cut one of the suspects, Barbera said. At that point, the suspects left the house and headed south on Hillcrest Drive possibly in a four-door, blue, older model Toyota or Honda.
The suspects' faces were partially covered with black bandanas. The investigation continues.
Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, FL, home invasion
Springfield, Florida
From the August 25, 2009 Jacksonville Florida Times-Union:
The man fatally shot by a Springfield bartender this morning was threatening people inside with a nailer that closely resembled a firearm, police said this afternoon.
Police said John L. Lee, 20, walked into the Shantytown Pub shortly before 12:30 a.m. wearing black clothing and waving what appeared to be a firearm at a bartender and patrons. The unidentified bartender, who police also said was the manager, thought the bar was being robbed, pulled out a handgun and shot Lee repeatedly.
Lee, of the 1400 block of Cleveland Street, was taken to Shands Jacksonville hospital and pronounced dead. Investigators later determined Lee was carrying a .22-caliber shot tool/nail driver "which clearly resembles a firearm," a Sheriff's Office news release said.
Neither the bartender nor a handful of patrons at the bar at 22 W. Sixth St. were injured. No charges have been filed against the bartender, who has been identified by a co-worker and patrons as Tex. Ian Ranne, co-owner of the bar, declined to comment.
Assistant State Attorney Jeff Moody said Lee came into the bar carrying what appeared to be a firearm, "which caused the employee of the bar to fear for his life and the lives of the patrons." Moody said investigators continue to review evidence to determine whether the shooting was justified.
Court records show that Lee pleaded guilty to dealing in stolen property last month and was sentenced to 12 months of probation. He also was convicted of trespassing earlier this year and received nine months of probation in a domestic battery case in 2008.
Labels: altercation, FL
8/18/09
Lake City, Florida
From the August 18, 2009 Gainesville (Fla.) Sun:
A Hollywood, Fla., man, who died over the weekend after he was shot earlier in the week, apparently had been trying to rob another man when he was fatally injured, Lake City police reported.
Lenoris Owens, 27, was found semiconscious and bleeding shortly before 10 p.m. on Aug. 12 near the intersection of Congress and Saint Clair streets, according to the Lake City Police Department. He died Saturday. Police described Owens' injuries as a gunshot wound to the head.
Investigators now believe Owens was trying to rob a Lake City man when he was wounded. The two had struggled over the weapon when the other man, Oteger Greene, 24, got the gun and fired twice, hitting Owens once, according to officers.
Initially, police identified Greene as a person of interest in the case.
But officers now think Greene was trying to protect himself, Capt. Rudolph Davis said.
"The evidence points that he was defending himself," he said.
Labels: FL, street robbery
8/14/09
Miami, Florida
From the Miami News Times of August 4, 2009
South Florida Store Clerks Go Vigilante
It was pouring rain just after 1 p.m. Monday, July 20, when a man burst into a Honduran grocery store on NW 36th Street in Miami. A shirt was wrapped around his face as he gripped a black semiautomatic handgun. Twenty-year-old Charles Bell shoved the pistol into the face of a manager behind the counter. Then he demanded the contents of the cash register and cartons of cigarettes in a plastic bag.
Next he began herding customers to the back of the small market.
But when he returned to the counter to collect his loot, a short, well-built 24-year-old manager named Valentin Fiallos pointed a .38 and squeezed the trigger. As Bell scampered from the store, he turned and shot back several times. Fiallos, shielding himself, squeezed off several more rounds.
The would-be robber missed every time, but the manager's aim was true. Bell burst out of the store and ran several steps before flopping onto the wet asphalt. A bullet to the chest killed him.
Cops termed it "justifiable homicide." The ruling is backed up by former Gov. Jeb Bush's 2005 "Stand Your Ground" law, which offers wide-ranging legal protection to violent-crime victims who open fire on their aggressors before trying to make peace.
(Much More)
Labels: business robbery, FL
8/13/09
Palm Bay, Florida
From Florida Today of August 7, 2009
Palm Bay homeowner fights off two would-be robbers
Police continue their search for two armed men who they say pretended to have car trouble before being rebuffed by a resident in an apparent robbery attempt.
The botched hold-up happened late Tuesday night along the 500 block of Windswept Avenue. Police said the two men pulled up to the home and told the resident that they were having car trouble, said Yvonne Martinez, spokeswoman for the Palm Bay Police Department.
“They told him their car overheated. He went inside to get a bucket of water and that’s when they pulled a gun on him,” Martinez said.
The resident dropped the bucket then grabbed for the gun, struggling with the men in the front yard for several moments, officials said. Police said the resident overwhelmed the two men, tossed the weapon back at them and ran inside to get his own shotgun.
The two men ran back to their car and drove off in an unknown direction, police said.
“Nothing was stolen,” Martinez said.
It was not immediately known if the two armed men targeted the resident or acted randomly.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to call police at 952-3456.
Ft. Pierce, Florida
From WPBF of August 12, 2009
Fort Pierce Man Shoots Intruder Who Climbed In Window
Police said a Fort Pierce resident shot a man who climbed in through a bedroom window of the home.
Carlos Contreras was arrested Wednesday after he checked himself in to a Port St. Lucie medical facility to be treated for what he claimed was a stab wound from a screwdriver.
Fort Pierce police said Contreras was the same man who tried to burglarize Bulmaro Aguilar's home earlier that morning.
Officers were called to home on South 25th Street after Aguilar reported that he shot an intruder.
Aguilar told police that while he was at home, Contreras knocked on his door, but Aguilar didn't answer. Aguilar said Contreras climbed in through a bedroom window a few minutes later, so Aguilar got a gun from his brother's bedroom and shot him.
Police said Contreras fled after being shot.
Labels: FL, home invasion
7/29/09
Orange County, Florida
From WFTV of July 25, 2009
Would-Be Robber Shot and Killed
Orange County Sheriff's deputies say a robbery victim turned the tables on two robbery suspects.
“I was in my bedroom sleeping and all of a sudden I heard a pow, pow, pow,” said eyewitness Barry Quintin.
Deputies say Miguel Jimenez was walking into his apartment at Villa Tuscany near Ocoee when 18-year-old Andri Benjamin ran up, put a gun in his face and tried to rob him.
But Jimenez was carrying a loaded revolver and a concealed weapons permit to go along with it.
He pulled his gun out and shot Benjamin several times, killing him.
Neighbor Barry Quintin says his roommate opened their front door moments after the shooting.
“We saw the person laying down on the ground and I was like shut the damn door, and he's like, he's bleeding, and I'm like shut the door and call 911,” said Quintin.
Deputies rushed to the scene while Jimenez was holding the second suspect at gunpoint.
Now there are questions about the safety at the apartment complex.
“Villa Tuscany has to beef up their security because we don't have any security here. The only security we have is the gates up front and obviously that's not good enough, said resident Harvey Vives.
Quintin says he understands his neighbor was just protecting himself.
But he wishes it didn't have to come to such a violent and deadly ending.
“It's just a little too much.”
Labels: concealed carry permit, FL, street robbery
7/26/09
Miami, Florida
From the Florida Sun Sentinel of July 25, 2009
Brinks security guard fatally shot a would-be robber in Miami, witnesses say
A Brinks security guard shot and killed a would-be robber who attacked him while he was making a routine stop at a South Miami-Dade health clinic Friday, according to witnesses.
After the 2 p.m. shooting outside the Doris Ison Health Center, 10300 SW 216th St., Miami-Dade police arrested two other suspects after a search of surrounding neighborhoods.
Miami-Dade police have not identified the dead man. Those arrested also were not identified.
"According to investigators, shots were fired when three subjects, armed with firearms, attempted to rob an armored truck crew making a pick up or delivery at the health center located at 10300 SW 216th Street,'' a Miami-Dade police statement said late Friday.
One employee of the health center, who did not want to be identified, told The Miami Herald that the shooting took place after the apparent robber attacked the Brinks security guard. The guard, said the witness, then shot the man outside the health center, which remained under lockdown for hours as police officers swarmed the area in search of the other suspects.
Miami Herald news partner WFOR-CBS 4 reported that police found the other suspects less than a mile away at the Cutler Creek Town Homes.
They reported that police officers went house to house and then surrounded one home.
Much of the area surrounding the health clinic and the neighborhood near the townhomes was swarming with police officers following the shooting.
La Petite Academy, a day care center on 216th Street in Cutler Bay, was placed on lockdown for hours, with parents not allowed to pick up their children, the station reported.
Labels: FL, private security, street robbery
7/22/09
Bristol, Florida
From the July 20, 2009 Tallahassee Democrat:
BRISTOL —Bradley Harvell, 82, closed the Slip N’ Slide bar that is connected to his house on County Road 333 around 8 p.m. Sunday and walked inside his house an hour later. He ate some dinner dropped off by a neighbor and then went to bed.Harvell said a short time later, he heard a knock at the door.
“There were two knocks at my door,” Harvell said. “I didn’t get up when I heard the first one. But I decided to go see who it was on the second knock.”
As Harvell cracked the door open to take a peek outside, a man dressed in a black T-shirt, black jeans with a blue bandanna covering his mouth, forced his way inside.
Harvell said the man, later identified as Octavius Barnes, 24, of Sanford, Fla., shot him with a stun gun, causing Harvell to fall back on his bed. The intruder then pulled out what appeared to be a black pistol and demanded money.
Harvell pulled out his money clip and gave the robber half of the cash. When pressed to give more, Harvell said he turned it all over.
But Harvell then reached for his .357 magnum among a pile of papers on the floor next to his bed and shot Barnes near the stomach. Barnes fell over on the TV, knocking it onto Harvell, who fired another round, striking Barnes in the head.
“I did what I did to try and save myself,” Harvell said Monday afternoon, after spending the night with his sister in Bristol. “I’m 82-years-old. I’ve made it this far, and I want to keep on living.”
The call came in about 9:20 p.m., according to the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office. When a deputy arrived, with her weapon drawn, Harvell said he told her, “There’s no need for the gun. I don’t think he’s going to get up and do anything else.”
Labels: FL, home invasion, senior
7/8/09
Jacksonville, Florida
From WJXT of July 8, 2009
Man Shoots Intruder In Self-Defense
William West was asleep in his bed when he got an unusual call from his neighbor at 4:30 in the morning.
"I called him back, and he was like, 'Somebody in your house right now. How asleep is you? They in your house right now," West's neighbor said.
That's when West said he got up and armed himself with a 12-gauge shotgun, taking matters into his own hands.
"I didn't really have time to think, you know what I'm saying," West said. "Didn't have time to think to be scared or not. I just know I had to try to protect myself. That's it."
West said he shot the intruder who was later identified as 25-year-old Gerald Wright.
According to the arrest report, Wright came in through West's window armed with a silver handgun and was standing in his living room.
"I couldn't really see because I wear glasses, so I just shot because I had buck shots, and I know they would spread," West said.
According to the report, Wright was able to climb back out and run a couple blocks away, where he was found lying on the ground near the dorms at Edward Waters College.
Five days later, you can still see a trail of blood from the suspect leading from the window down the stairwell.
"I was trying to protect myself," West said. "That's all."
This marks the third incident in the last couple of weeks where victims are no longer waiting for police and instead utilizing Florida's stand-your-ground law.
The law gives victims the right to use deadly force in self-defense situations.
"I don't think it should have to come down to this," West said. "I really don't."
Labels: FL, home invasion
6/29/09
Summerfield, Florida
From the Ocala Star-Banner of June 26, 2009
Jewelry store manager fires shot at fleeing thief
Afer her father's store, Bob's Coins & Jewelry, was burglarized twice, and after hearing about jewelry stores being robbed recently in Ocala, Vickie Buxton decided to take precautions.
Buxton, general manager at the store, took concealed weapons classes and armed herself with guns she keeps at the business in case she encounters an intruder.
She did not have to wait long.
While working at the store, at 17860 S.E. 109th Ave., Suite 621, on Thursday, Buxton shot at a thief after the man entered the building with a hammer, broke a glass case and escaped with an official Vatican Treasury gold medallion worth $20,000.
"I hit the back of the truck," Buxton said, describing a bluish-purple sports utility vehicle she said the robber got into.
She said before the robber entered the store, "The vehicle sat in front for several minutes, and then it drove around the parking lot some more."
Then, she said, the suspect approached the business and pulled a bandana up to his face.
"I yell, 'Gun!,' meaning my employees know I'm going for the gun," she said.
As the robber entered the store, Buxton said she told him, "I'm going to shoot."
The man ignored her and smashed a display glass that contained coins.
Buxton tried to fire a .380-caliber handgun, but the weapon misfired.
The robber grabbed the medallion and as he was heading out the door, Buxton again tried to fire the gun, but it misfired a second time.
Buxton successfully fired a third shot, which struck the back of the SUV.
"He dropped the medallion on the ground. He then picked it up, and got in the truck," she said.
Capt. Tommy Bibb said detectives are looking for the suspect, described as a white male approximately 6-foot tall, of medium build, who was wearing a white jacket or long-sleeved shirt and camouflage short pants.
Bibb said he also wants jewelry store owners to be aware of their surroundings and be mindful of anyone who appears to be suspicious. He said the vehicle in Thursday's robbery did not have a tag.
Labels: business robbery, female, FL
6/20/09
Altamonte Springs, Florida
From June 19, 2009 Central Florida channel 13:
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS -- A masked suspect was shot and killed outside an Altamonte Springs home.
Deputies arrived on the scene just before 4 a.m. Friday on the 300 block of Magnolia Street just off of Ronald Regan Boulevard.
A woman woke up when she heard someone trying to kick in the door of her home. Seminole County Sheriff's deputies say that's when her husband went to the door and shot twice at Donald Salaam. Salaam, 21, was hit once in the chest.
The wife was on the phone with a 911 dispatcher when the shots were fired.
Investigators say it appears the homeowner was justified.
“Our homeowner didn't have an obligation to retreat. He is able to protect his property," said Lt. James Clark, of the Seminole County Sheriff's Office. "The questions we’re trying to answer: If he was in fear for his life and the life of his wife. If he was, he would be justified in this shooting.”
Detectives are trying to determine if Salaam acted alone.
Seminole County deputies say Salaam has an extensive criminal history involving drugs, fleeing/eluding law enforcement. He was also investigated for a previous armed robbery.
Labels: FL, home invasion
6/11/09
Bradenton, Florida
From the Tampa Bay Online of June 1, 2009
Homeowner shoots would-be intruder
A homeowner confronted a pistol-wielding, bandana-wearing man at his front door, wrestled the weapon away and shot the would-be intruder late Saturday, deputies said.
The Manatee County Sheriff's Office said Christopher Mullins, 23, answered the door at his Bradenton home about 11 p.m. Saturday and found Tron Calloway, 26, on the doorstep.
The two struggled over Calloway's gun and Calloway fired several shots, wounding Mullins, the sheriff's office said. Mullins got control of the weapon and shot Calloway.
Mullins was treated and released from Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petesrburg, the sheriff's office said.
Calloway was taken to Tampa General Hospital, where he is listed in critical but stable condition.
No charges have been filed and the investigation is continuing.
Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, defender shot, FL, residence robbery
Sarasota, Florida
From June 11, 2009 WWSB channel 7:
SARASOTA, FL. - A juvenile attempting to rob a Sarasota man by gunpoint ends up being shot by the victim.
According to the Sarasota Police Department, officers responded to the 3900 block of N. Rilma Avenue early Thursday in reference to an armed robbery.
Once on scene it was determined that the victim, 54-year-old Elliot Firby, had been followed home from the area of University and U.S. 301 by a black full-sized pickup truck.
While Firby was attempting to unlock the fence surrounding his residence the pickup truck pulled in front of his driveway. As the pickup truck came to a stop a single black male exited the vehicle's passenger door armed with a shotgun. The black male ordered the victim to the ground.
As Firby was kneeling down with his hands over his head the suspect began fumbling with the shotgun. At this point Firby reached into his pocket retrieved his personal firearm and shot at the suspect twice. Firby has a valid concealed weapons permit.
According to Firby, the suspect was struck once in the abdomen. The suspect dropped the shotgun and a t-shirt in the victim's yard, jumped into the passenger side of the pickup truck and fled the area.
A short time later a juvenile was dropped off by a black full sized pickup truck at the Sarasota Memorial Hospital with a single bullet wound to his abdomen. The pickup truck and it's driver did not remain at the hospital. The truck was later located at the suspect's residence, it was towed for processing to the Sarasota Police Department.
Labels: FL, minor offender, street robbery
6/10/09
Ocala, Florida
From the Ocala Star-Banner of June 4, 2009
Burglar chased off by shotgun-wielding homeowner
An unemployed man who reportedly sneaked into a home shortly after 1 a.m. Thursday was chased away by a shotgun-wielding homeowner.
According to officials, Stephen Cody Hand, 18, was later arrested and charged with occupied burglary.
The victim, Harold D. Chick, told officials that he and his wife and daughter were watching television in his bedroom when the women fell asleep. Chick said he had just closed his eyes when he heard the television shut off.
He said he opened his eyes and saw a white man, about 5-foot-7, with dark hair, wearing a white tank top and plaid shorts, standing in the room. Chick said he grabbed his shotgun, which was nearby, and the intruder slowly walked out of the home.
"He was standing there at the foot of the bed, and I was wondering who the hell is standing there," said Chick, 67, in an interview with the Star-Banner.
Chick told deputies the man may have silently entered the home through the unlocked front door. The door was left unsecured so his other daughter, who was visiting a friend, could come in. Chick told the Star-Banner the door is normally secured, but because his daughter did not want to disturb her mother, who is a nurse, he left the door unlocked.
Nothing was taken from the home, located in the 3400 block of Southwest 90th Street, officials said.
Deputies were called and a perimeter was set up. During their search, deputies spotted a man wearing plaid shorts, but no shirt, who fit the description of the man they were looking for.
Authorities brought Chick to the location, where he identified Hand as the man who was inside his home.
Asked by deputies where he was coming from, Hand told them he was sleeping and had been at home all night. Asked about fresh shoe prints in the dirt, he said he was walking down the road.
Officials then arrested him.
And though Hand is in the Marion County Jail, the incident has left Chick searching for answers.
"I would like to know what was he up to. What was he going to do? I don't know if he had a weapon," Chick said.
Hand declined an interview request.
Labels: FL, home invasion
5/16/09
Tampa, Florida
From May 15, 2009 Tampa ABC affiliate:
TAMPA, FL -- A Tampa woman refused to be a carjacking victim when she was approached by an armed man who jumped into her car on Thursday.
The woman, who only wants to be identified as Adrianna, pulled out her own gun. "I just leaned forward and punched him in the forehead with my gun," she said. The man "screamed like a girl and almost dropped his gun" as he ran away, she added.
Tampa Police have arrested one suspect so far in what they see as a pattern of carjackings. A-Keem Carr was arrested on related charges, but two others are believed to be preying on motorists in the Westshore area.
Labels: carjacking, concealed carry permit, female, FL
5/14/09
St. Petersberg, Florida
From Tampa Bay Online of May 11, 2009
Police: St. Pete homeowner with shotgun confronts burglar
A homeowner confronted a burglar this morning, smashing the intruder across the face with the butt end of a shotgun, St. Petersburg police said.
The burglar, identified by police as Justin Masse, 22, at first fled, then turned around and started toward homeowner Michael Lowry, a U.S. Navy veteran, police said. That's when Lowry fired a shell in the ground, and Masse ran off, police said.
A newspaper delivery person spotted Masse unconscious two blocks away in a front yard, police said. Masse received stitches and was eventually transported to the Pinellas County Jail on a charge of residential burglary, police said.
The attempted break-in occurred about 4 a.m. at Lowry's home, in the 5000 block of Second Avenue South, police said. Lowry spotted Masse in his detached garage and confronted Masse with the 12-gauge shotgun.
During a fight that followed, Masse was struck in the face with the butt of the weapon, apparently considered continuing the struggle and then ran off before falling unconscious, police said.
Labels: FL, residence burglary
Ocala, Florida
From the Star-Banner of April 30, 2009
Deputies: Armed homeowner stops burglary
Sheriff’s deputies say a 25-year-old Summerfield man accused of burglarizing a home didn’t get very far, as the homeowner retrieved his .45-caliber handgun and held the man at gunpoint until they arrived.
Calvin Crews told deputies on Wednesday he was at his residence in the 10000 block of Southeast 108th Terrace Road when he heard someone calling his name. Crews said he looked outside and saw 25-year-old James Lazarus Wayne Day running toward a truck, according to a Marion County Sheriff’s Office report.
Crews said he got his gun and returned to the window. He said Day drove the truck up to the front porch, ran inside the home, went to a bedroom and removed a five-gallon jug that was filled with about $600 in change.
Crews then held the man at gunpoint and called deputies, according to the report. When they arrived, Crews came out of the home with his gun and told authorities what had happened.
Entering the home, deputies found Day kneeling on the floor next to the five-gallon jug of change. Day told them he went to Crews’ home to ask for a job. He said he had just stuck his head in the door when Crews pulled a gun on him.
Officials said Day used to work for Crews.
Day was then arrested and taken to the Marion County Jail where he was charged with residential burglary and grand theft.
Labels: FL, residence burglary
4/28/09
Polk County, Florida
From the Central Florida News of April 28, 2009
Robbery Suspect Dies After Being Shot By Property Owner
A Polk County man shot at two robbery suspects Tuesday morning when he thought they were going to run him down.
One of the suspects was hit in the head and died, and the other is still at large.
The incident happened near a citrus grove on Rifle Range Road in the Wahneta area of Winter Haven.
Property owner Jamie Jones heard a commotion outside while working inside his shed just before dawn.
Jones told detectives a man and woman were driving away in his Land Rover. He said after they saw him, they tried to run him over.
Fearing for his life, Jones pulled the trigger.
One of the bullets hit 21-year-old Nikki McCormick in the head. While she lay bleeding in the passenger seat, the male suspect fled on foot.
McCormick was rushed to the hospital where she later died.
Detectives aren't sure if the male suspect was hit. The property owner last saw him limping down a nearby street.
The Polk County Sheriff's Office searched for him by air and ground for hours but did not locate him. The sheriff's office hasn't been able to identify him.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd says Jones likely won't face charges, and he offers a warning to other would-be robbers.
"The word to the criminal is first -- quit being a criminal, quit stealing," Judd said. "But if you're breaking into someone's house, the homeowner is very likely to shoot you."
Labels: assault, FL, trespassing
4/23/09
Lakeland, Florida
From The Ledger of April 23, 2009
Homeowner Cleared in Shooting
Prosecutors have concluded a Lake Wales security guard who shot a man who was breaking into his home was justified in using deadly force.
Assistant State Attorney Robert Antonello wrote a letter with his findings about the March 18, nonfatal shooting to the Lake Wales Police Department.
In the letter released Thursday, Antonello said William Cornwell, a hospital security guard, was protecting himself and his young children.
Cornwell arrived at his Grove Avenue home just before 7 a.m. His wife left for work, and he was alone with his 3 1/2-month-old son and 3 1/2-year-old daughter.
A noise awoke him from his sleep and, armed with a semi-automatic pistol, he went to find out what was happening, Antonello wrote.
Cornwell came "face-to-face" in the hallway of his home with Michael Collins who swung a crowbar at Cornwell's head. Cornwell chased Collins out the back door and fired two shots, Antonello wrote.
Collins ran to his vehicle parked in the house's driveway, Antonello wrote. Cornwell ran back through his house, out the front door, and "instinctively opened fire on the vehicle (at the tires and body) in an attempt to disable it and prevent the intruder from leaving."
Collins drove about 200 feet up the road to an orange grove where his vehicle overturned, and he was captured.
Lake Wales police say Collins, 45, was struck in the head and left arm by the gunfire, but survived.
Collins was flown to Lakeland Regional Medical Center for treatment.
He is charged with armed burglary and possession of burglary tools. He remains in the Polk County Jail and is being held without bail on the burglary charge.
Labels: FL, home invasion
4/17/09
Palm City, Florida
From WPBF of April 16, 2009
Palm City Woman Shot In Home Shoots Suspect
A Palm City woman was shot Thursday morning during a home invasion, but she was also able to shoot the suspect, who fled and was apprehended a short time later, neighbors and authorities said.
The incident occurred at a home in the 1500 block of Southwest Crossings Circle shortly before 9 a.m.
Neighbors said they heard a loud noise and came outside to find Linda Schultz, who turned 47 earlier this month, bleeding from a gunshot wound. She was airlifted to St. Mary's Medical Center, but her condition was not immediately available.
According to the Martin County Sheriff's Office, Christopher Reber was arrested in connection with the crime. Deputies located him in a room at the Suburban Lodge in Stuart after one of his family members told them where he was shortly after 10 a.m.
Reber, 23, suffered a gunshot wound and was also airlifted to St. Mary's Medical Center.
Neighbors said Schultz came running out of her home carrying the suspect's gun.
"She was trying to describe to the police what had happened and what the gentleman looked like, what he was driving and that she had shot him," neighbor Linda Smyth told WPBF News 25. "She knew she shot him."
Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, defender shot, female, FL, home invasion
4/16/09
Winter Haven, Florida
From the News Chief of April 14, 2009
Wife shoots husband in self-defense, Winter Haven police say
A local woman's act of self-defense might have saved her life and the lives of four family members, the Winter Haven Police Department reported.
According to police, a Winter Haven man who threatened early Tuesday to shoot and kill members of his family instead was shot by his wife.
The man, 34-year-old Troy A. Christoff, was treated for multiple gunshot wounds at Lakeland Regional Medical Center, according to a police report. He was charged with five counts of attempted first-degree murder with a firearm and, after being released from the hospital under police custody, was booked without bond into the Polk County Jail in Bartow.
According to the report, Winter Haven police responded around 4 a.m. Tuesday to a reported shooting at 1121 Seventh St., S.W., the home of Troy and Dawn Christoff. When they arrived, police discovered that Troy Christoff had been shot multiple times with a 9mm handgun. The shooter was identified as his wife, 35-year-old Dawn Christoff.
Witness statements and an examination of physical evidence indicate that Troy Christoff intended to shoot several members of his family who lived with him, according to the police report. Prior to the shooting, he had armed himself with a handgun and begun to load the weapon, stating which member of his family each bullet was intended for.
When the handgun was loaded, Troy Christoff raised the weapon and pointed it at his wife, according to the report. The wife, who had armed herself with another handgun to protect herself and other family members, fired multiple shots at her husband, striking him several times.
Troy Christoff was airlifted to the Lakeland hospital to be treated for his gunshot wounds.
According to Polk County Jail records, Troy Christoff has been arrested on four previous occasions going back to July 2004. Past charges included battery, disorderly intoxication, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possession of methamphetamine, possession of cannabis, driving under the influence and violation of parole.
Police considered the shooting to be an act of self-defense, but detectives are still investigating, according to the report. Anyone with information to add is asked to call Detective Steve Rusich at 863-291-5304.
Labels: domestic dispute, female, FL
4/9/09
Palm Coast, Florida
From the News-Journal Online of April 9, 2009
Gunfight breaks out during attempted robbery
A gunfight broke out in a Palm Coast neighborhood early today during an attempted robbery.
Gunfire erupted when a man armed with a silver handgun attempted to rob a man who had just returned home on Folcroft Lane after purchasing a prescription at a local pharmacy, Flagler County Sheriff’s Office investigators said. They are still looking for the gunman.
The resident had just returned from a Walgreens store on Palm Coast Parkway at 1:11 a.m. with his medications. As he was getting out of his car, deputies said the gunman rushed into the garage and demanded the drugs.
In an attempt to scare off the intruder, the man said he yelled as loud as he could. Instead of fleeing, the intruder took a shot at him., deputies said.
The resident wasn’t hit but quickly retrieved his own handgun and began shooting back at his assailant.
Nobody was hurt, although a car parked in the neighbor’s driveway was hit with one of the rounds, according to a news release.
"We need to identify this individual and get him off the streets," said Sheriff Donald Fleming.
The intruder is described as a black male, 5-foot-7, wearing a white shirt and dark pants. He fled the area in a green Dodge Caravan, deputies said.
Anyone with information is being asked to call the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office at 386-313-4911 or CrimeStoppers at 1-888-277-TIPS (8477).
Labels: FL, street robbery
4/1/09
Orlando, Florida
From the Orlando Sentinel of April 1, 2009
Orange Blossom Trail pharmacist kills armed robber
A pharmacist shot an armed robber dead Tuesday at a drugstore off South Orange Blossom Trail, the Orange County Sheriff's Office said.
It was at least the fourth time this year that a robber was killed at a Central Florida business and was the second drugstore holdup that ended in death.
The shooting happened about 5:15 p.m. at JR Pharmacy, 2160 Whispering Lakes Blvd.
The man came into the shop with a handgun and, after a brief confrontation, was shot to death, sheriff's spokesman Jim Solomons said. Investigators would not release names, where the body was found or what the man tried to steal.
The drugstore caters to the heavily Hispanic clientele in the neighborhood, customer Evette Luciano said.
"They're very honest people," she said of the owners.
"They go out of their way to help the customers," said her twin sister, Jeanette Luciano, who also lives nearby.
Evette Luciano said she spoke to one of the partner's wives and was told that the shooting happened in the front of the store while two owners were in the back. The worker who did the shooting formerly worked across the street at Walgreens, customers said.
Several customers said they thought three partners owned the store, including the man who shot the robber.
But corporate documents show only two names. Neither man was the shooter, Evette Luciano said. Reached at home, Joshua Adedoyin and Rojer Tewari would not comment. They are listed on documents as "managing members" of the business.
There was another armed robbery at JR Pharmacy in April 2007, Solomons said. There are no laws preventing people from defending themselves with guns at home or at work.
"The Legislature has empowered people to protect themselves," said sheriff's Cmdr. Paul "Spike" Hopkins. "People are tired of being victims."
There have been 25 calls to law enforcement from JR Pharmacy since 2003, but most were routine, Solomons said. Details were not immediately available, and it's not clear when the shop opened.
On Feb. 7, a security guard shot and killed an armed robber at The Medicine Shoppe in New Smyrna Beach. Investigators said the guard, a retired law-enforcement officer, was justified. The robber had pointed a gun at a pharmacist and demanded oxycodone pills.
In January, a customer at a carwash on South Orange Blossom Trail shot a suspected robber dead. The same week, a customer shot to death a man who police said was trying to rob a Kangaroo Express in Ocoee.
Labels: business robbery, FL
3/24/09
Miami, Florida
From the Miami Herald of March 24, 2009
1 dead, one injured in Miami Burger King shooting
One man was killed and another seriously wounded in a shootout inside a Miami Burger King on Tuesday, officials said.
Police said a man wearing a ski mask walked into the store at Biscayne Boulevard and 54th Street and demanded money from a clerk.
A customer, who has a concealed weapons permit, pulled a gun, said Officer Jeff Giordano, a Miami police spokesman.
The customer and robber exchanged fire.
The robber was shot dead at the scene.
The customer, who had several gunshot wounds, was taken to Ryder Trauma Center in serious but stable condition, said Lt. Ignatius Carroll, a Miami Fire Rescue spokesman.
At about 4 p.m., officials got several 911 calls reporting people shot inside the Burger King.
Labels: business robbery, concealed carry permit, defender shot, FL
3/20/09
Naples, Florida
From the Naples News of March 20, 2009
Burglar shot and killed in North Naples, authorities say
Collier County deputies are investigating an apparent burglary in progress that turned deadly this morning in North Naples.
Witnesses say a resident of 91 Willoughby Drive confronted a suspect who was on his property shortly after 4 a.m. and shot him. The suspect died, according to reports.
The burglar did not enter the home. The homeowner caught him exiting the family camper which was parked in the driveway, according to a Collier County Sheriff’s spokeswoman. The burglary suspect then lunged at the homeowner and that’s when the owner shot the suspect.
(More)
Labels: FL, trespassing
3/19/09
Tampa, Florida
From the Tampa Bay Online of March 18, 2009
Armed Homeowner Drives Away Intruder, Police Say
A Tampa man faces felony armed burglary charges after a home invasion in Lake Wales this morning.
Police said two children, ages 3 and 3 months, were inside the home at 1261 Grove Ave. about 10:30 a.m. when a burglar pried open a rear sliding glass door with a crowbar. The startled homeowner fired off seven rounds from a .380 handgun.
"It's a disturbing scene especially with children inside. I know the homeowner is shaken up right now," said Lake Wales Assistant Police Chief Christopher Velasquez.
The bullets hit the suspect, 45-year-old Michael Collins, in the head and arm, police said. Collins had parked his van in the home's driveway and tried to drive away but crashed a couple hundred feet away in an orange grove, they added.
Officers apprehended Collins, who was airlifted to Lakeland Regional Hospital for treatment for his injuries. He is expected to recover.
Collins is charged with first-degree felony armed burglary and possession of burglary tools.
Detectives said the homeowner did not know Collins prior to the home invasion.
Neighbor Luis Hernandez praised the homeowner for taking swift action to protect his family.
"We're glad because he's not going to come back here," Hernandez said.
Labels: FL, home invasion
3/7/09
Orlando, Florida
From the Orlando Sentinel of March 7, 2009
Shooting death ruled self-defenseFrom the March 6, 2009 Orlando Sentinel:
A deadly shooting in an Orange County neighborhood was determined to be self-defense, records released Friday show. Investigators say the shooter, 35-year-old Willie Busby, was cooperative during the investigation and was acting in self-defense when he shot a man on his mother's property Thursday afternoon. After the shooting, Busby ran into a patch of woods near the home at 1372 Clarcona Road near Apopka. Deputies responded to the shooting before 3p.m. and found Robert Howard, 22, dead.
A deadly shooting in an Orange County neighborhood was determined to be self-defense, according to information released this morning.
Investigators say the shooter, 35-year-old Willie Busby, was cooperative during the investigation and was acting in self-defense when he shot a man on his mother's property Thursday afternoon. After the shooting, Busby ran into a patch of woods near the home at 1372 Claracona Road near Apopka.
Deputies responded to the shooting around 2:57 p.m. and found 22-year-old Robert Howard dead. An arrest warrant had recently been issued for Howard's arrest in connection to an armed burglary case. Howard is alleged to have stolen an AK-47 assault rifle, an AR-15 assault rifle, a .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun and two shotguns. It's unclear where that burglary took place.
Howard has a long criminal history that includes arrests for trespassing, loitering and several separate arrests for drug possession and intent to distribute charges. His most recent arrest was in November for trespassing.
Labels: FL, trespassing
2/25/09
Tallahassee, Florida
From the Tallahassee Democrat of February 25, 2009
Homeowner foils burglary attempt in NW Tallahassee
A resident on the 2100 block of Padlock Place heard what appeared to be someone breaking into their home earlier this morning. According to the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, the homeowner stated a burglar was attempting to break the glass on a window.
“There have been several burglaries in this area in recent weeks,” said Sgt. Tony Drzewiecki, spokesman for the Sheriff’s Office said about northwest Tallahassee. “We don’t know if this is related to those recent burglaries; however, we have uniformed deputies in the area now and we are working on any leads.”
Drzewiecki said the resident, armed with a shotgun, investigated. Upon finding an unknown person breaking into the home, the owner fired a shot, which missed, and the suspect fled.
Padlock Place is tucked away next to the Lake Talquin State Recreation Area and about a mile from Maddox Road.
No one was hurt in the incident, and deputies are searching for the persons responsible for the break in.
Anyone who notices anything suspicious or has information about the spate of burglaries in the area has been encouraged to call the Leon County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 922-3300 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 574-8477.
Labels: FL, home invasion
Tampa Bay, Florida
From Tampa Tribune of February 25, 2009
Armed Clerk Foils Robbery Attempt
Two men wearing ski masks and gloves walked into the Friendly Meat 'N Grocery store Monday evening planning to rob the business, according to Tampa police.
But when one of the men pointed a pistol at Mohammed Abu Sayed, the clerk grabbed a pistol of his own, police say.
The would-be robbers ran out but fired a shot back toward the store, shattering a window. The men drove from the scene in a dark-colored sport utility vehicle, police say.
Police did not have additional descriptions of the suspects.
Sayed, 49, was not hurt during the attempted robbery, which happened about 9 p.m. at 1910 N. 34th St.
Labels: business robbery, FL
2/23/09
Naples, Florida
From the Naples News of February 18, 2009
Estates homeowner fires gun at attempted robbery suspects
Collier County sheriff’s deputies are on the lookout for three men in a light blue minivan who they say attempted a home invasion Wednesday night in Golden Gate Estates, but fled when the homeowner shot at them.
Around 8:51 p.m. the three men attempted to enter a home in the 3600 block of 36th Avenue Southeast off Everglades Boulevard, Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Karie Partington said.
The homeowner saw a light blue minivan pull up in the back yard.
"She gets a shotgun and fires two rounds of birdshot at the van," Partington said.
It is unclear if any of the three men, who were described as Hispanic, were shot, authorities said. Deputies, dogs and a Sheriff’s Office helicopter were all searching for a minivan with damage.
Labels: female, FL, trespassing
2/19/09
Waynesville, Florida
From the February 5, 2009 Florida Times-Union:
A Brantley County jury acquitted a woman of murder and related charges Wednesday in the shooting death of her husband last year.
Teresa McKinney, 47, of Waynesville was found not guilty of malice murder, felony murder and four counts of aggravated assault in the death of Jeffrey McKinney, 45. He was shot in the head with a .22-caliber rifle on Feb. 27 at their home and died a month later.
Jurors deliberated 90 minutes before acquitting her in the death that her attorney, John Thigpen, argued was "justifiable homicide."
"He beat her to pieces, just black and blue," Thigpen told the Times-Union after the verdict. "He beat her like she was a borrowed mule. She acted in self-defense, and it was justifiable homicide."
McKinney, a retired school bus driver, testified she shot her husband after he repeatedly hit her in the head with a broomstick in an attack that began when he started cursing and verbally abusing her. After beating her, he left the house and she locked him out. Mc-Kinney told jurors she warned him that if he returned, she would kill him.
She said he came back and smashed in a window with a bicycle in an effort to force his way into the home.
McKinney said she feared for her life, so she fired several shots with a .30-06 rifle, .410-gauge shotgun and a .22-caliber rifle in an effort to scare him away. She said she didn't aim at him or try to kill her husband, an electrician.
When he was shot, she called 911 for help. He was found wounded in the yard.
Labels: domestic abuse, FL
Wellington, Florida
From the February 16, 2009 South Florida Sun-Sentinel:
WELLINGTON - One man is dead and a couple is left shaken after a home-invasion robbery turned deadly early Monday.
The intruder wound up dead after he was shot by Heath Miller, 34, a popular music teacher at Howell L. Watkins MIddle School. The dead man is identified as Robert Rishard Tomlin, 22.
According to Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office spokesman Pete Palenzuela, Tomlin entered the home Miller was renting through a back sliding-glass door at about at approximately 1:50 a.m. Miller told authorities he saw the silhouette of an individual with a handgun coming through the bedroom door and fired.
Miller and his wife Mirelle were quite shaken and were staying with his parents, said his mother Harma Miller, a former Belle Glade mayor who served for 14 years as a city commissioner.
...
Miller had concealed weapons permits from 1999 to 2003, according to records, which are no longer public.
Labels: concealed carry permit, FL, residence burglary
2/8/09
Bradenton, Florida
From the Publication of February 3, 2009
Local prep athletes face murder charges
Two high school football players have been arrested on charges they killed a 55-year-old woman during a botched home invasion robbery. One of the teenagers is paralyzed after one of the robbery victims shot back, according to the Bradenton Police Department.
Detectives arrested Palmetto High School students Ta Heem Blake, 17, a former running back for the school, and Marquis Sanders, 18, who transferred from Bayshore High School. They face charges in the shooting death of Maria Lerma early Sunday, Bradenton Police Deputy Chief William Tokajer said.
Blake and Sanders are accused of barging into Lerma’s home in the 900 block of 25th Street East just before 6 a.m. Sunday in a robbery attempt.
The teens found Lerma and two men in the home when they entered, and Blake opened fire with an SKS rifle, according to Tokajer. Detectives say he killed Lerma, and shot one of the men in the house in the arm.
Sanders had a pistol in his hand but did not fire, according to Tokajer.
The teens did not count on one of the men in the home pulling his own gun, firing and hitting Blake. Police officers and emergency personnel found Blake shot in the driveway.
Sanders escaped but Blake’s injuries left him paralyzed with a severed spine. Tokajer said detectives have obtained an arrest warrant for Blake on a murder charge, and Pinellas County deputies were expected to serve Blake at Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg on Monday night.
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office would not confirm Monday night if Blake had been served because he is a minor.
(More)
Labels: FL, home invasion, minor offender
New Symrna Beach, Florida
From MSNBC of February 8, 2009
Would-Be Robber Shot, Killed In New Smyrna Beach
A would-be robber was shot and killed Saturday morning in New Smyrna Beach as a store owner was opening up his shop.
The robber was shot twice in the chest by a security guard at the Medicine Shoppe pharmacy Saturday at 10:15 a.m.
Police said the masked robber entered the store at 653 N. Dixie Freeway, put a gun to the head of the pharmacist and demanded drugs.
That's when the man with the gun was shot and killed by the security guard.
Neighboring store owners said the Medicine Shoppe had heard rumors lately that they were going to be held up, and as a result had hired the security guard.
"It was kind of chaotic," said neighboring store owner Julie Mokas. "Everyone was peeking out their doors. No one knew what was going on."
According to neighboring shop owners, the security guard is a retired sheriff's deputy who is related to an employee of the Medicine Shoppe. However, police would not confirm that.
"They were tipped off that somebody was gonna rob them, and they had an undercover cop sitting in there," Mokas said.
The shooting is being investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the state attorney's office but police appear to support the guard's actions.
"The security guard did what he had to do, and he protected the pharmacist," said New Smyrna Beach police Sgt. Michael Brouillette.
The pharmacist and one clerk, who were in the store at the time of the hold-up, were not harmed.
The store had been held up twice before. It was robbed in May 2006 and April 2007. Both were armed hold-ups with suspects looking for drugs. Police have not yet released the name of the victim or of the security guard involved in the shooting.
Labels: business robbery, FL, private security
1/10/09
Orlando, Florida
From WESH of January 9, 2009
Police: Man Shoots, Kills Armed Robber At Car Wash
A car wash customer in Orange County shot and killed a man he said was trying to rob him on Friday.
The shooting happened at Mr. Big's Super Car Wash off Orange Blossom Trail.
"During this attempted robbery, the victim, who holds a concealed weapons permit, pulled out his weapon and fired shots into the bad guy," said Orange County Sheriff's Office Commander Paul Hopkins.
The alleged robber was shot in a car wash stall. He ran about 50 feet and fell near some orange cones.
Hopkins said the shooter was washing his car when two men approached him. He said one had a sawed-off shotgun.
Hopkins said that modus operandi fits a series of recent holdups.
"We've responded to about five robberies in the last week where these have been similar types of events, the sawed-off shotguns," Hopkins said.
Hopkins said the most recent shooting at the car wash appears to be similar to an incident in Ocoee, where a man shot a robber who was beating a store clerk.
"For the bad guys out there, you never know who you're dealing with," Hopkins said. "When you go out to commit this crime, you might be the one who's lying dead in the parking lot."
Investigators said there were two suspects. One died in the parking lot and the other is still on the run.
Labels: concealed carry permit, FL, street robbery
1/7/09
West Park, Florida
From Florida Today of December 26, 2008
West Park homeowner kills robber
An armed robber who held a West Park man at gunpoint outside his home early this morning was killed when his victim pulled out a gun and fired first, the Broward County Sheriff's Office said.
Brian Kelley, 22, was returning to his apartment in the 4100 block of Southwest 19th Street about 4:39 a.m. when he said Kenneth Nelson, 42, came up from behind him and put a gun to his head, according to sheriff’s office spokesman Mike Jachles.
Kelley pulled out his own handgun and fired, striking and killing Nelson, of Hollywood.
Homicides detectives questioned Kelley after the shooting but did not take him into custody. Kelley acted in self-defense, investigators believe, but the sheriff’s office will present the case to the Broward State Attorney's Office for review.
Labels: FL, street robbery
1/6/09
Ocoee, Florida
From WFTV of January 6, 2009
Customer Describes Fatal Shooting Of Robbery Suspect
An eyewitness saw a robber brutally beating a store clerk in Ocoee, so he pulled a gun out of his car at the Kangaroo gas station on Franklin Street and fatally shot the robber.
That witness talked to Eyewitness News about his decision to pull the trigger and said he'd shoot that robber again if he had to.
He's a regular at the store and said he was coming to buy some cigarettes when he heard the clerk screaming. He told Eyewitness News he not only grabbed his cell phone to call 911, but also pulled a loaded handgun out of his car.
"I opened up, popped that out," Chris told Eyewitness News on Tuesday, about 12 hours after the incident.
Eyewitness News agreed to only use his first name, because he's afraid of retaliation, but he showed exactly what he did when he heard the clerk at the Ocoee store being attacked Monday around 11:00pm.
"I pull up like this and said, 'Stop,' and, as he came up, I came straight up, fired, 'Pop, pop,' two shots," Chris said.
Those shots hit and killed 40-year-old Freddie Carson. Public records show he has a rap sheet going back to 1987, including charges like battery and burglary.
"I'm upset. I mean, trust me. I'm not happy about taking a man's life," Chris said.
Police said they're still investigating whether Chris will face any charges by coming to the rescue with a gun. Eyewitness News learned he was been convicted of misdemeanor marijuana possession in 2005 and was re-arrested in 2007 for a probation violation.
"I don't do that no more," Chris told Eyewitness News. "You learn your lesson."
This time, the 26-year-old says he was within his rights when he took his gun out of his car to stop a robbery in progress.
"I was not going to sit there and watch a friend get beat to death. Would I do it again? I'm upset, but, yes, I would do it again," he said.
The store clerk was transported to Health Central Hospital with head injuries, but details on her condition were not released.
Investigators are also looking into whether or not there may have been a second robbery suspect who fled the scene.
**Addendum**
Chris did not have a concealed weapons permit, but he was protected by two other laws that allow drivers to carry guns in their cars and allow gun owners to start shooting if they witness a violent felony.
(More)
Labels: assault, business robbery, FL
Pembroke Pines, Florida
From MSNBC of December 30, 2008
Police: Convenience Store Clerk Shoots Would-Be Robber
A convenience store clerk in Pembroke Pines gunned down a pair of would-be robbers inside his own store.
According to detectives, four men rushed into the store on the 7700 block of Johnson Street Monday night and one of the men pointed a gun at the clerk demanding cash.
That's when authorities said the clerk ducked for cover under the counter, and unleashed a hail of bullets.
Officers were able to arrest one of the men who was struck in the leg by the clerk's bullet. He is expected to make a full recovery.
Witnesses said the other men were able to get away in what appeared to be a black 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix.
Anyone with information is asked to call Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.
Labels: business robbery, FL
12/27/08
Orlando, Florida
From December 25, 2008 WESH:
ORLANDO, Fla. - Police continue to search for two men who tried to grab a woman’s purse as she walked toward the Fashion Square Mall on Tuesday.A third man was shot and arrested, apparently by a bystander who saw the robbery, police said Wednesday. Willie Keys-Fairclough, 29, who is hospitalized with minor injuries, was arrested in connection with the incident.
The incident began about 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday when the woman got off a LYNX bus and walked to an ATM to check her balance. She then continued toward the mall.
“She felt people come up to her, maybe one, maybe two,” Sgt. Barb Jones of the Orlando Police Department said. “They tried to grab her purse...She resisted. She started yelling, that's when everything started unfolding."One shopper, who saw the men with guns, got his own.
“You had a citizen engage the suspects,” Jones said Wednesday. “There were some rounds fired."
The suspects ran across the street, and police said they found one man hiding behind a dumpster. The man had been shot in the leg but didn't know it.
The man, later identified by police as Keys-Fairclough, is charged with armed robbery and aggravated assault with a gun. Two other suspects remain on the run.
Labels: FL, street robbery
Deltona, Florida
From December 15, 2008 WFTV channel 9:
DELTONA -- Bullets went flying in Deltona early Sunday morning, after the victim of a chaotic home invasion fought back, apparently shooting one of the suspect's in his groin as he fled the crime scene.
It started just before 1:00am, when three men burst into Julio Blanco's home on Lackland Drive and forced him, his mother and girlfriend to the ground and robbed them. Volusia County sheriff's deputies said the suspects pistol-whipped Blanco and grabbed a safe, loaded it into their dark Ford Explorer and took off.
During the escape, the suspects and Blanco started firing shots back and forth in the middle of the neighborhood. The other victims and neighbors called 911 and Sgt. Thomas Dane quickly spotted the vehicle and initiated a pursuit. Deputies said the suspects crashed within two minutes and the vehicle rolled over and came to rest at Ft. Smith Boluevard and Outrigger Drive.
Deputies found four people in the vehicle. Suspected driver, 17-year-old Brandon Prather, was transported by ambulance to Orange City's Florida Hospital Fish Memorial and released. The passengers, 30-year-old Adam Salgado, and two teen girls were taken into custody for questioning.
A third scene emerged at 1:30am, when deputies received a 911 call reporting a man suffering from a gunshot in a front yard on the 2100 block of Puerto Rico Drive. Deputies identified him as Patrick Lauby, 33, and determined he suffered the gunshot wound during the course of the robbery he was involved in.
Deputies weren't sure if Lauby accidently shot himself during his escape or if Blanco hit him during the gun fight. Lauby was airlifted by Sheriff's helicopter to Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach.
Deputies questioned all five suspects before determining what charges to file. So far, they've charged Prather with home invasion with a firearm, aggravated battery and fleeing and eluding. They believe Prather is the suspect who pistol-whipped Blanco.
As of last check, Lauby was still at Halifax Health Medical Center being treated for his non life-threatening gunshot wound. He is being charged with home invasion and aggravated assault.
Adam Salgado, 30, was also charged with home invasion.
Labels: FL, home invasion
12/25/08
Ocoee, Florida
From the Orlando Sentinel of December 25, 2008
Ocoee man, 91, shoots at, repels home invaders who threatened his wife
Charles Johnson is a man of his word.
On Oct. 4, 1936, then 19, Johnson promised to love and protect his bride, Berlie Mae.
On Tuesday, he did.
Now 91, he scared off two home invaders with his 38-caliber revolver when the men threatened his wife of 72 years at their home east of Ocoee.
"I was going to kill him either way," the retired jack-of-all-trades said Wednesday. "She's all I've got to live for . . . Why would I want to live?"
Terror erupted in the Johnsons' heavily barred house on Lake Stanley Road shortly after 4 p.m. Tuesday as the couple watched TV news. She was sitting in her wheelchair. He was sitting nearby on the sofa.
That's when a stranger stepped through the back door.
"What are you doing? What are you doing?" Berlie Mae Johnson, 90, remembered asking as the man stepped on her shiny-clean tile floor. "By then, he had the gun to my head. I don't know what all I said."
The man ordered the couple: "Be quiet. Don't say a word. Don't move."
Overcome by shock and fear, Berlie Mae Johnson said she couldn't move as a second man wearing a stocking over his face started to come through a sliding-glass door from the backyard.
"It's terrible. You don't know what [they're] going to do. You expect at any moment . . ." she said, her voice breaking. "I can't hold up. My nerves are shot. He'd probably have killed me."
But the love of her life was ready.
Her husband, who goes by Johnny, had his stainless-steel Police Special revolver tucked under a cushion on the sofa. He has been protective, she said, ever since they met at a Church of God service in Cocoa during the Great Depression.
"You don't think, man. You do what you have to do," Johnson said of how he grabbed his revolver as the second intruder entered. "He saw the gun and, boy, he was gone."
Shifting his aim, Johnson fired at the man still holding a gun to his wife's head.
"I shot as plain in his middle as I could have," said Johnson, describing how the man jumped and ran out the door. "I think I missed."
Orange County deputy sheriffs began arriving within three minutes of Johnson's 911 call. The response was delayed slightly because the home invaders tore out the Johnsons' telephone, so Johnson had to walk next door to call for help.
A K-9 tracked the home invaders' scent until it disappeared through a neighborhood on the south shore of Lake Stanley. Local hospital emergency rooms were notified to be on the lookout for a man suffering from an unexplained bullet wound.
Johnson bought his revolver for protection decades ago. A former citrus grove manager and plumber, Johnson said, "I'm still active. I still garden. We want to get a message out to other people. Be prepared. Keep your doors locked. And be alert."
His wife added, "And have a gun ready."
The Johnsons weren't worried that the home invaders might return.
"If he comes back he'll be sorry," Johnson said. "I'm ready for him."
Labels: FL, home invasion, senior
12/22/08
Miami-Dade, Florida
From CBS4 of December 22, 2008
Man Uses Would-Be Robber's Gun To Defend Himself
Miami-Dade Police say a resident turned the tables on three home invaders who tried to rob him in Southwest Miami-Dade Monday night.
Out of the three armed men that tried robbing the man, police say one ended up hurt and was dropped off by the other two accomplices at Jackson South Hospital.
They say three Latin males with thin builds attempted to rob the man at Southwest 152nd Street and 93rd Avenue, but they got into a struggle with him instead. The victim was somehow able to get the gun and shot at one of the would-be robbers, critically injuring him.
Police say they fled in a blue or green Chevrolet Astro van, which they used to drop off the injured man at the hospital before taking off.
The man in the house only suffered a bump to his head.
Police are looking for the other two men involved.
Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, FL, home invasion
12/18/08
Orange City, Florida
From the News-Journal of December 13, 2008
Armed homeowner runs off burglars
Two masked, armed men broke into an Orange City house but fled empty-handed after the homeowner went after them with his own handgun, officials said Friday.
The 36-year-old husband and his wife, 37, whom officials did not identify, were watching television in their bedroom at their Cedar Avenue home when they heard a loud crash in another part of the house at 9:45 p.m. Thursday. When they investigated, they were met by two armed men in their kitchen, Volusia County sheriff's spokesman Brandon Haught said.
The couple ran back to their bedroom where the husband grabbed a handgun and went after the armed men, who then bolted through the front door, Haught said.
No one was injured in the incident, Haught said.
Labels: FL, home invasion
Manatee, Florida
From the Bradenton Herald of December 18, 2008
Man reports shooting intruder
A Bradenton man reported shooting a man who came into his house and put a gun to his girlfriend’s head early this morning, according to a Manatee County Sheriff’s Office report.
The 52-year-old homeowner said his girlfriend, 47, opened the door to their home, in the 6500 block of Wellesley Drive, just before 2 a.m. this morning. The girlfriend told deputies a man at the door tried to push his way in, while a second man with a gun got into the house and put a gun to her head, according to sheriff reports.
The boyfriend said he came back from getting a gun and opened fire on the gunman when he saw the gun to his girlfriend’s head. The boyfriend, who claimed his shot hit the gunman, said he only saw one person in his house, while the girlfriend said two men were there.
Sarasota authorities later reported to Manatee detectives that a gunshot victim had checked into a hospital there. Manatee detectives have interviewed the man, who had a gunshot wound to the hand, but have not confirmed whether he was the man involved in the Manatee shooting. No arrests have yet been made.
Labels: FL, home invasion
12/11/08
St. Petersburg, Florida
From the Tampa Bay Online of December 7, 2008
St. Pete Storeowner Chases, Shoots At Armed Robbers
When John Silva opened his St. Petersburg variety store about 9 a.m. Sunday, he brought Gertrude with him.
Gertrude, he says, was his grandfather's .22 caliber Sentinel Arms revolver. Silva's other gun, Betsy – a .380 caliber semiautomatic pistol – was taken by St. Petersburg Police Saturday as evidence.
Two men came in to John's Variety, 208 4th St. N., at about 8 p.m. Saturday, says Silva. Their faces were covered with something resembling a ninja mask, he says.
They pointed what looked like a .45 caliber handgun at him.
"They told me and a customer to 'get on the floor, give me your money,'" says Silva on the phone while tending to a customer looking for Tylenol. "I moved as if going down on the floor, reached for my gun, stood back up with the .380 in my hands and they ran like jackrabbits."
Silva, 53, says he followed the men out of the store.
"I let three rounds go," he says. "Unfortunately, I missed them."
Not long after Silva chased the would-be robbers, St. Petersburg police arrested two men they say tried to rob the store.
One, Benjamin Roland Jones, 19, 934 10th Ave. S., was picked up on Central Avenue.
The other, Cory Jay Smith 21, was found hiding in a nearby lake and received a minor bite from a police K-9 dog, police said.
Smith, 985 Melrose Ave. S., is being held in the Pinellas County Jail on a bond of $50,000.
A former cook aboard the submarine U.S.S. Andrew Jackson and, more recently, a Merchant Marine, Silva says his actions were partly the result of his military training, partly instinctual.
"I was taught how to use a gun in the Merchant Marines," he says. "Just how to use and shoot a gun, what to do if we get pirates on board. Nothing like what I had to deal with last night, close, face-to-face contact. I don't consider myself tough. But I can handle myself. I used to be a bouncer."
When the two men pointed a gun at him, Silva says he just reacted.
"I wasn't thinking," he says. "But you ain't getting my money. I instinctively grabbed the gun which I call Betsy. A girl's name, an appropriate name as far as I am concerned."
Gertrude, he says, may be old, but still works.
"It used to be my grandfather's gun, from when he was the harbor master for Provincetown, Mass.," he says.
Silva says he was hoping the guys he shot at were connected to other recent armed robberies in St. Petersburg.
"This would have stopped them and they could go to jail for a long freaking time," he says.
However, after questioning the two men, police say they do not appear to be connected with recent armed robberies that left two brothers – owners of different stores - wounded.
...
Silva says there was no question about opening up his store after the robbery.
"I had no second thoughts," he says. "I just brought another gun from home."
Labels: business robbery, FL
Brevard County, Florida
From WFTV of December 8, 2008
Pizza Man Attacked, Shoots At Attempted Robbers
Titusville Police were searching for a group of robbers who attacked a Dominos Pizza delivery man late Saturday night. The attackers hit Jerry Johnson in the face with a brick, but he scared them off when he pulled out a gun and started shooting.
Johnson said he normally leaves his gun in the car, but when he pulled up to the home on Parkland Street, he knew something was wrong.
"When I pulled up I noticed it was dark. I've been doing this for ten years and this looked fishy so I put my gun in me," he said.
Police dogs searched the area, but didn't find the suspects. A Dominos Pizza manager told Eyewitness News that it's against company policy for employees to carry firearms and doesn't know if Johnson will get in trouble for defending himself.
Labels: FL, pizza delivery driver
12/8/08
Lynn Haven, Florida
From the Northwest Florida Daily News of December 5, 2008
Woman shoots home invader through abdomen
Lynn Haven police were looking Friday for two suspects in a home invasion and attempted robbery.
Melissa Galarza, of 817 Bradford Circle, answered a knock on her door Thursday evening, and two white males charged into the home and demanded "the money," a Lynn Haven officer wrote in an incident report.
One of the men punched Galarza in the face twice and knocked her to the floor. The men covered her mouth to keep her from screaming and kept demanding the money, reports said.
While on the floor, Galarza remembered she had a gun within reach on the bottom shelf of her coffee table. She drew the weapon, and the two men backed off before charging at her again. Galarza said she fired in self-defense, and the men fled her home together, report said.
Galarza suffered minor injuries in the incident, officials said.
Galarza's bullet went through the abdomen of one of the suspects, 26-year-old Matthew Andrews, officials said.
Andrews went to a local hospital, where he was treated for his injuries. While at the hospital, Andrews was met by the Panama City Police Department and an investigator questioned him about the wound, said Capt. Mark Aviles.
Andrews told the investigator he was the victim of a robbery on 15th Street but that he did not want to file a police report and did not want to speak with officers further, Aviles said.
(More)
Labels: female, FL, home invasion
12/1/08
Tampa, Florida
From CBS4 of November 30, 2008
Crook Caught After Losing Gun During Robbery
An armed robbery suspect in Tampa learned a valuable lesson on his latest caper – hang onto your gun.
Armed with a pistol Jerome Haggins, 42, burst into a home Saturday evening and demanded the six men inside to lie on the ground, according to police. He then demanded they hand over their wallets and jewelry. Once he had the loot, Haggins reportedly told the men to take off their clothes; that's when he noticed one of the men was still wearing a bracelet.
The men told police Haggins put his gun on a table and then snatched the bracelet off the man's arm. While Haggins was taking the bracelet, police say another man grabbed the gun and turned the tables on Haggins. They then held him at gunpoint until police arrived.
Haggins faces multiple charges, including armed robbery.
Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, FL, home invasion, residence robbery
11/25/08
Miami, Florida
From NBC6 of November 17, 2008
Coral Springs Man Shot In Groin During Robbery Attempt
A Coral Springs man is recovering after being shot in the groin by a man demanding his wallet, police said.
Mark David Braun was confronted outside his home before dawn Monday, NBC 6 reported.
Braun said he went out for a pack of cigarettes, and as he was coming back home a stranger approached him with a gun and asked for his wallet.
He pushed the would-be robber's gun away, and then the robber saw Braun's gun and ran, but not before firing one shot, Braun said.
Braun was airlifted to North Broward Medical Center. His wife, who was home with their 3-year-old son, saw the shooter run away and get into a car.
Braun was released from the hospital a few hours after being shot.
Police are still searching for the shooter.
Labels: defender shot, FL, street robbery
Lantana, Florida
From CBS12 of November 21, 2008
Father Shoots Neighbor's Pit Bull
A local father shot and killed a neighbor's pit bull. The dog was loose and had followed a child into the dad's home.
Law enforcement says no one will face charges because of the incident-- not the father for shooting the dog in front of children, nor the pit bull's owner for letting the dog get out.
It happened in a quiet neighborhood west of Lantana, the dog shot in the driveway of the home of J.R. Martin. Martin declined comment.
But here's what the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office and Animal Control say happened. At least two girls were meeting at the Martin home for a ride to school. The pit bull followed one girl into the house and bit Martin's beagle. Martin first tried to scare away the pit bull with a BB gun, but the dog returned, reportedly growling at the children. Martin took out his .9 mm gun and shot the pit bull. The dog then ran down the street and died.
The shooting upset neighbor Ofelia Cravens. Prior to the shooting, Cravens said her daughter found the dog wandering down the street. Cravens said the pit bull was large, but friendly. Cravens said she and her daughter went up and down the street trying to find out who owned the dog. Cravens even put the dog in her garage for awhile.
"The next thing you hear is a shot," said Cravens. "And that was it. I'm very upset, because I could see if he was vicious dog. But he wasn't."
Cravens added, "I like J.R. And I respect him. But I sure as heck didn't know he had a gun."
Another neighbor tells CBS 12, there had to be a reason for Martin to take such an action.
Animal Control says the pit bull belonged to Fernando and Anna Flores, who live on another street. We were unable to reach the couple.
Brunswick, Florida
From the Florida Times-Union of November 20, 2008
Brunswick homeowner shoots burglary suspect
A homeowner shot an armed burglary suspect Wednesday morning after a break-in at a house in the Waverly Pines subdivision, police said.
Roderick Manigault, 20, was shot twice in the abdomen about 8:30 a.m. in a hallway of a neighbor's home in the 600 block of Mitscher Drive, Glynn County Police Chief Matt Doering said.
Manigault was in fair condition at Southeast Georgia Health System's Brunswick hospital, a medical center spokeswoman said.
Doering said investigators were taking out arrest warrants against Manigault. Police withheld the homeowner's name because the investigation indicates others might have been involved, he said.
"The preliminary investigation shows the homeowner acted properly in self-defense. We have no intention of filing charges against him," Doering said.
Doering would not say how many shots were fired.
Although the burglar was armed, he didn't fire at the homeowner, who was not injured. Police recovered a firearm when Manigault was found wounded in an acquaintance's home about three blocks away from the shooting scene, Doering said.
Doering said the shooting occurred during the second burglary in recent weeks at the home in which guns were stolen.
"The homeowner said he looked down the hallway and saw a burglar who was armed with a gun," Doering said.
After being shot, the burglar fled. Responding to a phone tip, police found Manigault wounded shortly after the shooting, Doering said.
Police recovered some stolen property after Manigault was found, Doering said.
Labels: FL, home invasion
10/31/08
Plantation, Florida
From the Miami Herald of November 1, 2008
Dog bites man; man shoots at dog
A Labrador mix had its tail nicked by a bullet after the dog attacked a man in a Plantation neighborhood on Wednesday, according to Plantation police.
The man had a concealed weapons permit, said police spokesman Detective Robert Rettig.
The confrontation happened shortly after 3 p.m. in the 10100 block of Southwest Third Street.
The man was walking down a driveway to the street when the dog attacked him, Rettig said.
So the man fired a shot at the dog, nicking its tail.
The man suffered a minor dog bite. The dog had an injured tail. Both are expected to recover.
Labels: animal, concealed carry permit, FL
10/24/08
Tampa, Florida
From Tampa Bay 10 of October 24, 2008
Hillsborough teacher shoots and kills intruder
A Hillsborough County middle school teacher shot and killed a burglar who burst into her home Friday morning.
Sheriff's deputies say 62-year-old Juanita Enzor was in her bedroom around 5 a.m. when a man kicked in the front door. Detectives say when the man confronted Enzor, she grabbed her gun and fired, shooting the man in the chest.
The bleeding, injured suspect then started attacking Enzor, but she managed to escape and run from her home.
Deputies arrived at the scene on Kirkland Drive and found the suspect dead inside.
Enzor was slightly injured in the attack. She is a 6th grade teacher at Memorial Middle School in Tampa.
The suspect has been identified as 40-year-old Mark C. Johnson.
Labels: female, FL, home invasion
10/23/08
Pensacola, Florida
From the WKRG of October 23, 2008
No Charges In Bingo Shooting
No charges will likely be filed against the manager of a Pensacola bingo hall who took the law into his own hands.
Escambia County Sheriff's deputies say Chad England shot and killed an armed robber who stormed into Beachside Bingo on Jackson Street in Pensacola.
Investigators say Alton Prewitt, 20, entered the bingo hall around 10pm Wednesday. According to witnesses, Prewitt demanded money and fired at least one shot in the ceiling before England grabbed his own gun and fired back.
Prewitt was pronounced dead on the scene. No one else in the bingo hall was hurt.
"It looks like a clear case of self defense," says Glenn Austin, spokesperson for the Escambia County Sheriff's Office. Austin says he believes England was within his rights to shoot the suspect. "He was defending himself and everyone else in the parlor," he says.
Florida has a law that allows residents to protect themselves when they are attacked. The state's "Stand Your Ground Law" makes it legal to use deadly force against an intruder.
Labels: business robbery, FL
10/17/08
Marion County, Florida
From October 15, 2008 Orlando channel 6:
MARION COUNTY, Fla. -- A homeowner apparently wrestled a gun away from a home invader Wednesday afternoon and shot the man, Marion County sheriff's deputies said.
Three males kicked in the door of a home on Pine Run Terrace in Marion County around 1:15 p.m. and beat two residents at gunpoint, deputies said.
The homeowner somehow retrieved the assailant's gun and shot him, according to the Marion County Sheriff's Office.
The culprits, including the one who was shot, then fled the home, deputies said.A short time later, a 19-year-old man identified as Latwain McLaren was dropped off at Munroe Regional Medical Center suffering from a gunshot wound, deputies said. He underwent surgery in critical condition, according to the sheriff's office.
Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, FL, home invasion
10/9/08
Orlando, Florida
From Fox News of October 9, 2008
Florida Man Shot Entering Home Mistaken as His Own
A 24-year-old Orlando man was shot twice after accidentally entering a neighbor's home, thinking it was his own.
The Orange County Sheriff's Office said James Conway was in stable condition Thursday. Deputies were called to a suspected burglary and found Conway moaning on the floor, saying he'd been shot in his own town house.
Investigators said 61-year-old Berty DeGuzman admitted firing at Conway. He said he thought he was being robbed.
Conway was alert, but allegedly told investigators he had been drinking.
Deputies did not immediately recommend charges against either man. In Florida, it is legal to use deadly force if a person feels they are being threatened by an intruder or attacker.
Labels: FL, home invasion, intoxication
9/18/08
Vero Beach, Florida
From the Treasure Coast Palm of September 19, 2008
Home invader fatally shot in Vero Beach
Last week Thomas Thompson II, 24, was charged with taking copper from a Home Depot store.
Early Thursday, the Vero Beach resident was fatally shot breaking into the home of a woman his pregnant girlfriend knew, said Indian River County sheriff's Detective Chris Cassinari.
Around 5:20 a.m. Thompson, armed with two knives, crawled through a window in a small home south of Vero Beach at the intersection of 47th Avenue and First Street Southwest.
A family dog awakened occupant Francis Hornsby, who found an armed man at the foot of her bed when she turned on a light.
Her screams woke her two sons, 19-year-old Austin Hornsby and 20-year-old Robert Hornsby. From what Cassinari surmises, Thompson apparently didn't know the sons were inside the home.
One son scuffled with Thompson. Finally, the other son, "in defense, fired a shotgun, killing the subject," said sheriff's Lt. Leroy Smith. Investigators haven't yet identified which son fired the shotgun.
Thompson was pronounced dead at the scene. His body was at the doorway to a porch. He is survived by a 3-year-old child, officers said.
The investigation is continuing. No charges have been filed in what sheriff's investigators consider a burglary.
"We are not sure what he (Thompson) was after," Cassinari said. So far, investigators said nothing unusual or of great value has been found in the home.
"We do not believe it was a personal vendetta," Cassinari said. "He was after something in the home. He did come there armed."
Neighbor Brandon Hughes said Austin Hornsby talked of someone breaking into the home two days ago. No report was filed.
"There has always been problems at that end of the street," said retiree Don Dupuis, who has lived a block away for 23 years.
Thompson, of the 2400 block of First Place, apparently walked a mile to the home where he was shot, Cassinari said.
Thompson was released Sunday from the Indian River County Jail under a $5,000 bail following his arrest Sept. 12 on a charge of grand theft. Authorities say he took $2,200 in copper wire from a Roseland Home Depot store.
Arrested with Thompson was Anna Stasia Martin, 22, who also was charged with grand theft. She lived with him in the 2400 block of First Place, reports show.
Anyone with more information about the fatal break-in should call the Indian River County Sheriff's Office at (772) 978-6124 or the Crime Stoppers at (800) 273-TIPS (8477).
Labels: FL, home invasion
9/14/08
Palm Beach, Florida
From the Palm Beach Post of September 14, 2008
Man defends family, kills suspect during liquor store robbery attempt
A man defended his family and father-in-law's liquor store Sunday night, shooting and killing a would-be armed robber, said sheriff's officials and family members.
Yamen Fattah stopped an armed man with a fatal shot shortly after 9 Sunday as he was confronted at the counter. He, his wife, Rema Fattah, and their 5-month-old child were behind the counter, brother-in-law Maher Masri said later Sunday night. He drove from Plantation after his brother-in-law's call saying, "I shot a guy."
The family was at A1A Discount Beverage just south of 10th Avenue North, on Military Trail in suburban Lake Worth, when a man with an semi-automatic pistol entered the store, said Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office spokesmen.
"It appears to me the clerk was as much in fear not only for himself, but for his family and child," Lt. Nick Vassalotti said.
The robber was pointing the gun at his wife and baby and swinging it around at all of them, when Fattah fired, Masri said. He had asked the robber to please leave them alone, he said.
The man's body could be seen lying inside the doorway, glass from the door shattered around him, as detectives interviewed the witnesses. The open sign blinked in red and blue neon.
"He defended himself and he defended his family," Masri said.
Masri said the store had been robbed before.
"We believe the employees of the store got the upper hand on him," Sgt. Rick McAfee said.
Both men had semi-automatic pistols, McAfee said. An autopsy was scheduled for Monday, he said. Although the case will be turned over to the State Attorney's Office, no charges are expected, McAfee said.
Labels: business robbery, FL
9/8/08
Oldsmar, Florida
From the September 8, 2008 Suncoast News:
OLDSMAR - After he was forced into the back seat of a car at gunpoint, kidnapping victim Gregory Longley saw his opportunity.
When one of the kidnappers - sitting next to Longley - put his gun on his lap to text-message someone, Longley grabbed the gun and killed him, according to the Pinellas sheriff's office. Longley also shot and wounded another kidnapper sitting in the front passenger seat, the sheriff's office said, and told the driver to stop the car.
A clearer picture of the Sunday night kidnapping and shooting – along with the names of those involved – was released this morning by the sheriff's office.
Longley, 20, of 7823 Bay Drive, Tampa, was kidnapped at the Aday Motel, 501 Bayview Blvd., Oldsmar, at about 11 p.m., Sgt. Jim Bordner said. The three suspects were looking for a man with whom there had been a dispute over stolen coins, but they kidnapped Longley instead, believing he could lead them to the man they were seeking, Bordner said.
Longley was forced into the back seat of a white 2000 Chevrolet Malibu at gunpoint, Bordner said. Sitting next to him was Javon Strange, 18, of 4717 N. Habana Ave., Apt 711, Tampa; in the front passenger seat was Juan Carlos Morales, 17, of 12510 Memorial Highway, Tampa; and driving was Abdusbasiyr A. Blake, 18, also of 12510 Memorial Highway, Bordner said.
Near the motel after the kidnapping, Strange laid his handgun in his lap to text-message someone, and Longley grabbed the firearm and fatally shot Strange, Bordner said. Then Longley shot and wounded Morales, Bordner said.
Longley then ordered Blake to stop the car, Bordner said. Longley got out of the car and called 911 to report what happened, the spokesman said, and Blake drove to a nearby McDonald's restaurant at 4085 Tampa Road.
Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, FL, kidnapping
9/6/08
Bay County, Florida
From September 3, 2008 WMBB channel 13:
The Bay County Sheriff’s Office arrested a man on counts of Burglary Monday night. The incident took place just down the street from the burglar’s own home.
Jimmy Miller was arrested at his residence on Blue Gill Drive, only a tenth of a mile away from the victim Bradley Hawthorne’s house, also on Blue Gill Drive.
Hawthorne told police he heard his wife’s car door slam while standing on his porch, and then saw someone running towards the back of his property. He says he went inside his residence to get a gun and says when he came back out the intruder was coming toward him making threats. Hawthorne then fired one shot in the direction of the subject. Police arrested Miller after he was identified as the intruder.
Bay County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Jeremy Mathis says this was well within Hawthorne’s rights of protecting himself and his possessions, especially according to a relatively new law.
Labels: FL, residence burglary
8/30/08
Miami Lakes, Florida
From NBC6 of August 25, 2008
Police: Woman Shoots At Men Trying To Break Into Car
Miami-Dade police said a woman opened fire on three men who were trying to break into a car in Miami Lakes early Thursday.
The three men were trying to break into a car outside a home near Northwest 57th Avenue north of the Palmetto Expressway at about 1:30 a.m., police said. Miami-Dade police said they think the men were trying to steal the car's stereo.
A man and a woman who were inside the home came outside. When the man got into a confrontation with the three men, the woman started firing a gun, police said. Neighbors said they heard between four and seven shots.
"These subjects came here to do a crime," said Bobby Williams of the Miami-Dade Police Department. "Once that crime was committed, the boyfriend came out to stop them or at least to talk to them. They attacked him, so she was in fear for her boyfriend's safety and herself."
Ilana Lopez was inside the home at the time of the shooting.
"If he was in my property, burglarizing one of our vehicles, she did what she had to do to protect it," Lopez said.
The three men took off in an SUV, which police said was stolen. Police stopped the suspects outside a nearby CVS store and arrested them.
One of the three men had been shot in the chest and was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital. He was in critical condition, NBC 6's Steve Litz reported.
The investigation continues. The suspects were expected to face charges.
Lopez said the car stereo was stolen once before, about three weeks ago.
"What can I say? I'm just tired of this going on around here," she said.
Florida's "Castle Doctrine" allows a potential victim to respond with deadly force if an intruder or criminal has intentions of death or great bodily harm, Litz reported. If the shooting is justified, the person will not be prosecuted.
Police said the shooting appeared to be justified, so the woman who fired the shots might not face charges.
The woman had no comment for reporters Thursday morning.
The names of those involved have not been released.
Labels: FL, street property theft
8/16/08
Miami Gardens, Florida
From NBC6 of August 16, 2008
2 Dead In Miami Gardens Game Store Shooting
A gun battle erupted in a store at a shopping mall in Miami Gardens that left two people dead and shoppers running for cover.
The Miami-Dade Police Department said three men entered the MultiVest Xtreme Video Games store on 183rd Street and Northwest Seventh Ave. Shortly after, a gun battle erupted between the manager, Corey Robinson, and one of the men, police said. Police said both the manager and one of the men had a weapon. Both men died at the scene, police said.
“The manager managed to shoot one of the subjects, who is now deceased, inside, and the manager was also shot,” Bobby Williams of the Miami-Dade Police Department said.
Michael Robinson’s son was killed in the incident. He said he is in shock.
“I never thought I would live to see the day that I would be burying one of my own children,” Robinson said.
Witnesses, including shopper David Durham, said they heard gunshots coming from store.
“As soon as we got here we heard ‘Bam bam,’ and that was it. People running and going nuts,” he said.
Workers in a pawn shop nearby the strip all said they keep their store doors closed at all times because they fear something may happen to the people in their store.
“There’s always loud noises and stuff,” Matt Furry of AAA Pawnshop said. “We heard a gunshot go off. We went out there, and we just saw some people laying on the ground.”
Police said the other two men fled the scene. One left on foot; the other in a car.
“We just left the hospital,” Corey Robinson’s sister, Qualyn Gibbs, said. “We couldn’t see him or anything because it’s a crime scene going on.”
Police said they are investigating the scene and looking for the other men.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.
Labels: business robbery, defender killed, FL
8/12/08
Pensacola, Florida
From NBC15 of August 11, 2008
Home Invader Dead: Two On The Run
Two suspects are on the run as deputies in Escambia County, Fla., continue their investigation into a weekend home invasion.
A man who was sleeping inside the home shot and killed one intruder and at first deputies said they were looking for only one other suspect. Now that investigators have had a chance to interview neighbors in the area, one eye-witness tells deputies she saw a man exit and run from the home and she says she saw a woman driving a car, presumably a get away car.
Investigators say when Rodney Allen Williams burst into the home, of former Navy sailor who was in the home with his girlfriend fired four times. William's died and deputies say he had two accomplices, a man and a woman, who are on the run. Lee Tyree says the two suspects will be charged with felony murder.
"You're participating in a crime," Tyree said. "The result of this crime was the death of another and they will be charged with causing the death because they committed the crime."
From the Pensacola News-Journal of August 10, 2008
Resident kills intruder
The resident living on Srant Drive who shot and killed an intruder Saturday afternoon will not be charged, said Glenn Austin, spokesman with the Escambia County Sheriffs Office.
At about 4:30 p.m., two men broke in through the side door of the West Pensacola home. At least one of the men was armed, Austin said.
The man living in the residence heard the disturbance and shot one of the suspects while the other one ran away.
The suspect who was shot, Rodney Allen Williams, 27, staggered out of the house and died, Austin said.
“He was an armed intruder who came in with a weapon. The homeowner saw the threat and defended himself,” Austin said. “When you’re threatened you have the right to defend yourself.”
According to Florida’s “Stand Your Ground Law,” homeowners are entitled to shoot a person who unlawfully and forcibly enters their home.
Officials are looking for another man connected to the break-in, Austin said, but could not provide a description of the man.
Kim Bragg lives five houses away from where the break-in occurred. She hopes this incident makes law enforcement pay attention to the crime in the area.
“Some of these homes have been broken into so many times it’s not even funny,” Bragg said.
The two men who broke into the home were dropped off by a woman driving a car, she said.
Bragg said she’s concerned about the safety of her neighborhood, made up of many children and seniors.
She doesn’t keep a gun at home because she has children but says that doesn’t stop her from encouraging neighbors to keep them.
“We’re going to have to start carrying baseball bats,” Bragg said. “If the police don’t help us, we’re going to be swinging first and asking questions later.”
Labels: FL, home invasion
8/11/08
Ormand Beach, Florida
From the News-Journal of August 10, 2008
Would-be pizza parlor robber flees in face of .357 magnum
The owner of a pizza parlor here shot at a would-be robber who came out of the bushes as the proprietor and an older relative were leaving the business, police said this morning.
Manny Manolas, 41, told police that he and Clary Manolas, 63, were closing up Manny's Pizza at 487 S. Nova Road at about 11:40 p.m. Sunday when a man wearing a towel or a T-shirt over his head emerged from the bushes near Manolas' car, according to a report. The stranger brandished a gun and said, "Give me the bag and your money," according to the report.
But Manolas wasn't about to surrender his cash and his receipts.
He pulled out his own weapon, a .357 magnum revolver, and shot at the man, who ran toward a furniture store nearby, the report shows.
Investigators are still looking for the suspect, described as a white male, between 18 and 25 years of age and about 170 pounds with a large circular tattoo -- possibly a sun -- on his right calf, police said.
Anyone with information, should call Ormond Beach police, 386-677-0731, or CrimeStoppers,1-888-277-TIPS (8477). Callers to Crime Stoppers remain anonymous and may be eligible for an award.
Labels: business robbery, FL
Oakland Park, Florida
From the Orlando Sentinel of August 2, 2008
Man shoots pit bull attacking his dog
A man shot a pit bull Friday. He says it got loose and attacked his dog.
The man, Anthony Dippolito, 49, will not be cited. The pit bull was euthanized at the owner's request, the Broward Sheriff's Office said.
The pit bull trotted into Dippolito's yard on Northeast 39th Street just before 8:15 a.m., Dippolito said.
He said he saw the pit bull's owner beating on the dog that had latched onto Crystal, Dippolito's 5-year-old mixed-breed boxer.
Dippolito said he picked up a 10-pound satellite dish and bashed the pit bull several times, but the dog shrugged it off.
He rushed into his bedroom and grabbed his .45-caliber handgun, then came back out and shot the pit bull in the rib cage.
Dippolito said he was relieved that his dog suffered only some gashes and a quarter-sized hole in her neck, but he's sorry that he had to resort to shooting its attacker.
It wasn't Dippolito's first pet attacked by a pit bull, he said. In 2007, his cat was torn apart by a pack of pit bulls.
8/7/08
Clearwater, Florida
From ABC Action News of August 5, 2008
Clearwater homeowner shoots intruder
A suspected home intruder was taken to the hospital early Tuesday morning, after police say he was shot by a homeowner.
Police say the homeowner awoke to noise coming from the garage of his home on Pennsylvania Avenue. The homeowner went to check it out, found the intruder and shot him.
That man was taken to Bayfront Medical Center for treatment. Police have not said how badly he was injured.
Labels: FL, trespassing
8/4/08
Jacksonville, Florida
From the Jacksonville Times-Union of August 4, 2008
Robber in critical condition after being shot by Jacksonville handyman
A man working on a home just north of Springfield this afternoon shot an armed man who tried to rob him, said Sgt. Derrick Lewis of the Sheriff’s Office.
The shooting occurred about 1:15 p.m. on West 24th Street near North Pearl Street. Police said a man armed with a gun approached the man working on a house and the worker, who was also armed, opened fire. The wounded man fled south on Pearl Street and collapsed outside a music store at West 23rd Street, a witness said.
The wounded man was taken to Shands Jacksonville hospital and listed in critical condition, Lewis said. The worker is being questioned by police, but has not been charged. Their identities have not been released. Police recovered both guns, Lewis said.
Lewis said the worker carried a gun because of his concerns about crime in the area, where shootings and drug deals are common.
A woman walking in the area said she heard about six shots and then saw a bloodied man run and collapse. She said she heard the worker say he shot the man after the man pulled a gun on him.
“He said, ‘He tried to rob me,’” the woman said.
The shooting occurred near the same intersection where a man was killed about two weeks ago after being struck by a police car that was on its way to a shots fired call.
Labels: FL, street robbery
7/31/08
Tallahassee, Florida
From the Tallahassee Democrat of July 30, 2008
Crawfordville business owner defended himself from would-be robbers
Two men tried to rob the owner of a Crawfordville business earlier this week, but the owner pulled out his gun and scared the would-be robbers away.
It happened about 7:45 p.m. Saturday at Premier Motorcar Gallery, 1468 Crawfordville Highway, according to the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office.
The owner was exiting the front door of the business carrying a small bank bag and had turned around to lock it when one of the men ran up and hit him in the head with a 2-by-6 board.
The owner fell to the ground but was able to get a handgun out of his rear waistband and point it at the robber. Another man was running toward them, but the two turned around and ran to a waiting car when they saw the owner was armed.
The car was described as brown in color, 1984-1986, four-door Chevy Caprice with a lift-kit similar to the photo to the right. The car had 22- to 24-inch chrome rims with wide white walls and an aftermarket chrome grill kit.
The first would-be robber was described as a clean-shaven black man, 18-22 years old, 6 feet, with a thin build and short hair. He had a small notch shaved into his right eyebrow. He was wearing a long-sleeved blue FUBU shirt and Paco jeans.
Only a vague description was available for the second would-be robber.
Anyone with information can call Sgt. Scott DelBeato at 926-0878.
Labels: business robbery, FL, street robbery
7/30/08
Port St. Lucie, Florida
From the Publication of July 30, 2008
Port St. Lucie homeowner shoots man through kitchen windowF
A Port St. Lucie resident shot a man trying to break into his Northeast Floresta Drive home through the kitchen window Tuesday afternoon, and the bleeding man jumped into his car and drove it into a utility pole, police said.
The injured man was later airlifted to St. Mary's Hospital in West Palm Beach, said Port St. Lucie Police spokesman Officer Robert Vega.
Police are not identifying those involved and no charges have been filed. The condition of the man who was shot wasn't available Tuesday night.
Curious neighbors crowded around the crime scene that was sectioned off with yellow police tape to see what the police cars were doing in their neighborhood. Those questioned did not witness anything and did not know the homeowner.
The shooting occurred around 2 p.m., when the resident, a family friend, the man's two young daughters and niece were in the house at 242 Northeast Floresta Drive.
When the doorbell rang, the family friend went to the front door and saw a man she didn't recognize. She alerted the resident, who was asleep in the back bedroom. After he told her he wasn't expecting anyone, he picked up his gun from his nightstand next to his bed and went to look out the front window, Vega said.
There, the resident saw the man jump his fence leading into his backyard. He said he did not know the man, Vega said.
When the resident took the three girls to a back bedroom, he said he heard the back sliding glass door shaking violently and saw the man shaking it, investigators said. When the man tried to open the kitchen window, the resident shot him, Vega said.
Police said they have no reason to believe the man knew anyone inside the house. The resident told police he called 911 when he saw the man run.
Vega said if someone enters your home, whether it's legal to shoot that person depends on the circumstances.
"I think certain situations would justify it," he said. "Whether or not this is one of those cases, we don't know."
Police on Tuesday night were still piecing together what happened
Vega said he believes the resident really thought he was being robbed, and that he will claim self-defense in the shooting.
There was an ambulance at the crime scene, which Vega said was there to check on the resident after his traumatic situation. He said the girls were pretty shaken up, but they were OK and were speaking with a victims' rights advocate.
Labels: FL, home invasion
7/23/08
Ocala, Florida
From the Star-Banner of July 23, 2008
Home invasion suspect shot, killed by resident; four others arrested
One of two men who forced their way into a Williston-area home early Wednesday was shot to death by one of the home’s occupants, a shooting that authorities described as self-defense.
The second suspected intruder, along with three alleged accomplices, are in jail after an investigation by Marion County sheriff’s deputies of the attempted home invasion robbery.
Investigators said the home invasion occurred about 2:30 a.m. at the home Roger Dan Garrison, 49, in the 19000 block of Northwest County Road 335.
Two of the suspects, Jonathan Gaal, 19, of Ocala, and Brian Bond, 19, of Summerfield, forced their way inside as three alleged accomplices awaited nearby in a car. According to sheriff’s investigators, Garrison’s brother, Martin Randy Garrison, 54, was asleep on a couch in the living room and had a .25-caliber handgun under the couch. When Gaal pointed a handgun at Martin Garrison, the older man fired three shots at Gaal at point-blank range.
Gaal ran out of the home, but collapsed and died in the front yard.
“I thought it was all a bad dream,” said Roger Garrison later Wednesday, as he cleaned up the house. “I didn’t know what their intentions were. It was scary.”
He said he first realized something was amiss when he heard his dog barking. “We have an American bulldog that stays in the house,” Garrison said. “When Gus barks, somebody is here.”
Garrison went into his living room and saw two men dressed in black with their faces covered, according to the Sheriff’s Office report.
He said he was told to get down on the floor by one of the robbers. At that point, he heard gunshots.
“Boom, boom, boom,” Roger Garrison remembered. “Then I see them running out the back door, and I ran and locked it. I didn’t know if my brother was shot or if they were.
“My brother is still real upset about it. We’ve never been through anything like that before. Robberies are something you hear about, but you never want to go through one. I know that now.”
When deputies arrived, they found Gaal in the yard of the residence with a gun in his hand. Sheriff’s spokeswoman Jennifer Fisher said that Garrison is not facing any immediate charges because he acted in self-defense.
Fisher said that investigators recovered Gaal’s cell phone and answered it when calls came in. That led investigators to the four suspects, who Fisher said cooperated with investigators and gave statements.
“They came in believing that they were just part of a burglary,” Fisher said. “They had no idea about the homicide or that Gaal had died.”
Gaal was the nephew of Jackie Bellomy Jr., 48, of Williston, who investigators believe helped Gaal and Bond get into the home. Wednesday afternoon, sheriff’s officials arrested Bellomy Jr., Bond, Albert Rodriguez, 21, of Belleview, and Richard Bellomy, 24, of Williston, another nephew, for second-degree murder and armed home invasion.
“After hours of questioning all persons involved, detectives were able to piece together a tangled plot to rob the residence in Williston,” Fisher said in a news release. “The Florida State Statute states any person involved in a felony that results in a death can be charged with felony murder.”
Gaal, who lived at 5071 S.E. 70th Loop in Ocala, was released from the Marion County Jail on July 9, after serving about a six-month term for marijuana possession with the intent to sell and for violating his probation from an earlier battery arrest.
The other four suspects were taken to the Marion County Jail.
Labels: FL, home invasion
7/21/08
Miami-Dade, Florida
From NBC6 of July 20, 2008
Would-Be Burglar Shot
A homeowner shot a would-be burglar in Southwest Miami-Dade on Sunday, police said.
Police said the man shot was one of two thieves who tried to burglarize a house in the 2400 block of 117th Avenue about 2 a.m.
He was taken to the hospital, where he was listed in stable condition. The second man apparently got away.
Neighbors said the house, which sits on the side of the street nearest the interstate, has been hit by thieves before.
Police said two children, ages 5 and 9, were inside the house when the culprits tried to break in.
No charges had been filed against the homeowner Sunday.
Labels: FL, residence burglary
7/18/08
St. Petersburg, Florida
From Tampa Bay 10 of July 18, 2008
St. Pete resident shoots burglar during break-in
St. Pete police say a burglary suspect was shot and killed during a break-in.
Investigators says the resident arrived at his home at 1018 22nd Ave. S. at 12:28pm only to be confronted by a masked man armed with a gun.
The resident fought with the intruder and during the scuffle, the suspect's gun fell to the floor.
That's when detectives say the resident picked up the gun and shot and killed the intruder.
The names of the victim and the suspect have not yet been released.
From the St. Petersburg Times of July 19, 2008
Man kills burglar in his apartment
A masked intruder was shot dead with his own gun Friday after a struggle with the man whose apartment he was burglarizing, police said.
Jack Donaldson, 27, arrived home about noon to find the burglar inside, armed with a semiautomatic handgun. A struggle ensued, and the burglar dropped the gun.
Donaldson picked it up and shot him dead.
He then saw another man running away from his apartment, located on the west side of a duplex at 1018 22nd Ave. S.
He fired at least once, but apparently missed. He then called police. Donaldson could not provide a detailed description, saying only that the man was wearing all black, police said.
When police arrived at Donaldson's apartment they found the body of Lajuan Dandy, 39, still wearing a cloth mask and gloves, said police spokesman Bill Proffitt.
Dandy, whose last known address is 650 60th Ave. S, has a long criminal history including charges for aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer and drug possession.
Police aren't sure if anything was taken.
Detective J. De Luca said police will refer the case to prosecutors but probably will not recommend criminal charges.
"It appears to be more of a self-defense," De Luca said.
Police shut down part of 22nd Avenue S during the investigation. Spectators surrounded yellow crime scene tape as word spread about what happened inside the duplex.
"Who's to say they won't hit you?" asked Vincent Jackson, 42, who said he lives about a block away. "It could have happened to anyone. You can never say."
Cecilia Williams said she likes the neighborhood and feels safe despite the shooting. She's raising four children down the street from the duplex.
She hears gunfire and sees suspicious activity sometimes but knows the neighbors on her street are good people, she said.
"It's terrible when anybody dies," she said, adding she also sympathizes with Donaldson. "I wouldn't want to walk into my house and see somebody in my house."
Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, FL, home invasion
7/10/08
Ocala, Florida
From Ocalca.com of July 10, 2008
Woman, .357 blazing, chases intruders from home
Firing a .357-caliber handgun until it was empty, an Ocala woman chased two intruders from her home in the 3800 block of Southeast 68th Street on Wednesday morning.
Later Wednesday, Marion County sheriff's detectives had one home invasion suspect in custody and were looking for the second. Aaron Scott Beardsley, 25, was charged with armed home invasion robbery. Deputies were still looking for a heavy-set Hispanic male, about 6-foot-1 or 6-feet-2, who was wearing black shorts at the time, a dark T-shirt and a bandana.
Sheriff's Detective Art King, in his report, gave the following account of the crime:
Shortly after 8 a.m. Wednesday, 29-year-old Jennifer Ann Hunley; her 27-year-old boyfriend, Michael Joseph Nash; and Hunley's 11-year-old daughter were inside their home when two men entered through the garage door. Nash, who was coming out of a bathroom at the time, saw one of the intruders holding a nail gun near the television set in the living room.
The man demanded money. At the same time Nash saw that the second suspect, armed with a handgun, was also in the living room. The one with the nail gun hit Nash on the head, and when he fell down both men began beating him.
Hunley came into the living room, saw what was happening, returned to her bedroom for a .357-caliber handgun and fired a warning shot into the ceiling.
The intruder with the nail gun ran outside, while the other one ran into a nearby bedroom. He then pointed his weapon, believed to be a small-caliber handgun, and fired at least one shot at Hunley.
Then Hunley, who is 5-foot-3, emptied her handgun, firing four shots at the intruder. The gunman ran out the front door. Neither Hunley nor her daughter were hurt during the exchange of gunfire.
Afterward, sheriff's deputies received calls indicating that the wife of one of the suspects may have driven the getaway vehicle.
And Nash told Detective King that his sister believed Beardsley was responsible for the home invasion because she had had a conversation with him the day before about previous drug activity at her brother's home
King reported that Nash pulled up a picture of Beardsley on the Internet and recognized him as one of the the intruders.
Deputies later found Beardsley and his wife, who is pregnant, and brought them in for an interview. Beardsley said he was innocent, but his wife reportedly told a different story.
She told King that she dropped her husband off close to the Southeast 68th Street address and waited about 20 minutes for him, according to King's report. She said her husband was sweating when he returned to the vehicle. The woman said she didn't ask any questions about what he did or where he went.
Beardsley was then arrested and charged with armed home invasion. He refused an interview request from the Star-Banner.
Labels: assault, female, FL, home invasion
7/7/08
Tampa, Florida
From MyFox Tampa Bay of July 7, 2008
Tunnelling would-be burglar thwarted by homeowner
Police say they've arrested a man who tried to tunnel into his neighbor's home.
It was early Sunday, investigators say, when Mark Mazur snuck into a yard on San Luis and dug a tunnel under the fence.
But his clandestine plan was thwarted by the homeowner's dog. When he heard his dog barking, Robert Cash came outside -- armed with a handgun -- and ordered the intruder to stop.
Mazur, armed with a blowtorch, started towards Cash. Investigators say Cash fired once and missed Mazur, but the shot was enough to convince him to stop and wait for police to arrive.
Mazur, 56, has several prior arrests around the Bay Area. He was charged with burglary and assault.
Labels: FL, trespassing
7/6/08
Jacksonville, Florida
From First Coast News of June 30, 2008
Would-be Victim Kills Arlington Robbery Suspect
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has identified the man shot to death at an Arlington apartment complex as Robert Pinkney, 20.
Investigators say they were called to the Summer Oak apartments around 11:46 Sunday night.
The apartments are located in the 5300 block of the Arlington Expressway.
Officials say when they arrived they found Pinkney shot dead in the parking lot.
According to police, a man who lives in the apartments says Pinkney tried to rob him. That's when he told police he pulled a gun and shot the would be robber.
The JSO says they are questioning several people at the apartment building.
The State Attorney's Office is investigating whether this was a case of self defense.
Labels: FL, street robbery
7/3/08
Hialeah, Florida
From Local10 of July 2, 2008
Homeowner Shot Would-Be Robbers; 1 Dead
A Hialeah homeowner turned the table on two would-be robbers Wednesday, leaving one of the men dead.
Hialeah police said two men attempted to force their way inside a home at 728 W. 53rd St. shortly before noon.
"The suspects who came to the home … apparently did not know that the home was occupied," said Hialeah police Detective Carl Zogby. "The victim confronted the suspects and shot both of them."
One of the men attempted to get away, but he collapsed a short distance away and died. The second man was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center in critical condition.
Neither man has been identified.
Jose Hernandez was lifting weights in his back yard when he heard the gunshots.
"I heard commotion, right, and I stepped outside and I see a cop telling the owner of the house to put the gun down," said Hernandez. "Yeah, he was upset."
The homeowner, who was not immediately identified, spent several hours being interviewed by detectives before returning home Wednesday afternoon. He declined to speak with Local 10.
Police sources said they are not considering criminal charges against the homeowner, claiming he was acting in self-defense.
From Local10 of July 3, 2008
Second Intruder Shot By Homeowner Dies
The second of two intruders shot by a Hialeah homeowner during an alleged robbery attempt on Wednesday has died.
Hialeah police said two men attempted to force their way inside a home at 728 W. 53rd St. shortly before noon. That's when the homeowner allegedly confronted the men and shot them.
One of the men attempted to get away, but he collapsed a short distance away and died. The second man was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center where he died on Thursday.
The identities of the alleged robbers has not been released.
No charges were filed against the homeowner.
Labels: FL, home invasion
7/1/08
Plant City, Florida
From MyFoxTampaBay of July 1, 2008
Shooting in Plant City neighborhood
Dozens of officers responded to a Plant City neighborhood this morning after a wanted felon was spotted there. The search ended with that suspect shot in the foot.
Hillsborough County deputies had issued an alert for Christopher Collins in connection with a robbery and violation of probation. Plant City police say he had also stolen a handgun and bulletproof vests from the homes of deputies.
Police used reverse 911 calls to warn residents that an armed suspect was loose in the area, and based on tips, investigators were able to narrow their search.
It was around 8 a.m. when Collins was spotted running through back yards, and that's when he allegedly broke into a home on Dawnmeadow Court, apparently trying to hide.
The homeowner, upon his return, did not welcome the intruder.
"He came home to check on his daughter when he discovered the window broken out of his house. So he armed himself with his handgun and checked the house, where he was confronted," explained Sgt. Dale Peterson of the Plant City Police Department.
The homeowner -- whose name is not being released -- shot Collins in the foot.
Collins was arrested nearby and taken to South Florida Baptist Hospital.
The 33-year-old has several charges of armed burglary and grand theft on his record.
Labels: FL, fugitive, home invasion
6/10/08
Coral Gables, Florida
From June 10, 2008 NBC channel 6:
CORAL GABLES, Fla. --A woman said she used a gun to scare away a man who was trying to lure her teenage daughter into a truck.
The mother, who did not wish to be identified, said the man approached her 16-year-old daughter on Alhambra Circle near their home.
“She was walking her dog in the median right out in front of our house here, and a man approached her in a truck and tried to get her to come to the truck,” the woman said.
The teenager ran to nearby Coral Gables Elementary School, calling her mother and 911. The mother confronted the man and showed him her 9-mm gun.
“It’s not until I showed him that I was armed and that I meant business to protect my daughter that he backed off,” she said.
Coral Gables police arrested Ramon del Risco in connection with the incident.
The mother said her gun made the difference in the situation.
“I’m licensed. I shoot almost every week,” she said.The woman said she recommends a day at the shooting range for every parent.
Labels: female, FL, kidnapping
5/27/08
Kenneth City, Florida
From MyFoxTampaBay of May 27, 2008
Pawn shop thief shot
Detectives say David Gardner did what he had to do. When a robber barged into his pawnshop with a baseball bat, smashing glass display cases and stealing whatever he could, Gardner grabbed a gun and opened fire.
The 51-year-old storeowner shot the suspect as he ran out the door. Investigators followed the suspect's blood trail through the parking lot, down the street and into the neighborhood nearby.
"It's definitely odd to see something like that around here," said neighbor Miguel Santiago. "When I woke up, I see helicopters everywhere, cops everywhere and they asked, did you see this guy running down?"
"This is very creepy," said neighbor Luz Feldman. "This is scary. Something has to be done."
Detectives scoured the scene and the neighborhood searching for the suspect, but they didn't have to go far. Within a few hours, detectives say the suspect, 20-year-old Willie Clarkson, turned up right across the street. They say he was bleeding from at least two gunshot wounds at the Briar Hill Apartments.
Clarkson's 16-year old girlfriend found him in her apartment, called his sisters, and then called 911.
"I'm glad they caught it before things got out of hand," said Briar Hill Apartments resident, Mary McGriff. "There are a lot of kids here. We have to keep them safe."
Paramedics rushed Clarkson to the hospital where deputies arrested him. He's charged with armed robbery. Detectives say he'll remain in the hospital until he's well enough to be transported to jail.
The owner of the pawnshop says nothing like this has happened before. He wasn't physically hurt but is still badly shaken. Neighbors are just glad he's okay.
"He's such a nice guy. He doesn't hurt nobody, so it's pretty much crazy for him," said neighbor Miguel Santiago.
"It's not fair. No. You should never go into a place and try to take something that doesn't belong to you in the first place," said neighbor Luz Feldman.
Labels: business robbery, FL
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
From CBS4 of May 27, 2008
Ft. Lauderdale Man Shoots Intruder
A Ft. Lauderdale man shot a man who he claimed was trying to break into his home.
The shooting occurred just after midnight in the 100 block of Southwest 31st Avenue.
The homeowner reportedly told police he charged the would be robber with gun his after noticing that a door to his home which had been broken into. One of the bullets grazed the suspected thief in the leg, he collapsed in a backyard area as he tried to make an escape. He was taken to hospital where he was treated for his wound. Late Monday morning he was transported to the main jail in Broward County.
No one inside the home at the time of the shooting was injured. Police have not said if the homeowner will face any charges.
Labels: FL, home invasion
Seffner, Florida
From ABC Action News of May 27, 2008
Would-be robber shot, killed by Seffner clerk
Investigators were called to a Hillsborough County beverage store where a man attempting to rob the store was shot and killed.
It happened shortly after 6:30 Monday evening at the CNK Beverage Pit at 12002 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Seffner.
According to witnesses an unknown suspect went into the store and tried to rob the clerk but was shot multiple times.
The suspect was transported to Brandon Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
From Tampa Bay Online of May 27, 2008
Family Back At Work After Owner Kills Apparent Robber
Just hours after a store owner shot and killed an apparent robber, the owner's wife and daughter were back at work.
Karla Vigil, 47, said her husband, Cres Vigil, 46, was at home this morning. "He's pretty shaken up," she said. "It's not something he wanted to do."
Vigil said her husband had been working alone about 6:45 p.m. Monday when he was attacked at the CNK Beverage Pit, 12002 E. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. She said her husband was waiting for a customer's truck to pull farther into the drive-through bay when a masked man ran in through the exit of the drive-through beverage business. The driver took off, she said.
Vigil said the would-be robber swung at her husband, striking him in the head. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said the assailant was unarmed, but Vigil disagreed.
"They found two cans of green beans in a sock. They were dented. That's how hard he hit my husband," she said. Her husband has a knot on his temple and on the back of his head, Vigil said.
Vigil said her husband shot the attacker and didn't know the man had died until this morning. The sheriff's office has not released the man's name.
"My husband is a very good man," she said. "He has a heart of gold."
She said the couple have kept the gun at the business because she was held up at gunpoint a year ago. In that incident, the robber obtained no money because Vigil screamed and homeless people hanging around the retention pond behind the business chased him away.
Despite the two robbery attempts, Vigil says they don't plan to sell the business they've owned for two years. "There are a lot of good people here. We've made a lot of friends. This could happen anywhere," she said.
Labels: assault, business robbery, FL
5/26/08
Miami, Florida
From the Miami Herald of May 20, 2008
Widow of shooting victim shot intruderFrom United Press of May 21, 2008
The widow of a man fatally shot while playing with his baby son shot and killed an intruder Tuesday afternoon, North Miami police said.
Janepsy Cindy Mesa was moving furniture in and out of her Spanish-tiled home, 13365 NW 12th Ave., at about 3:30 pm when a man appeared in her bedroom.
She fatally shot him, then called 911. She was being interviewed by detectives. Details were sketchy surrounding Tuesday's shooting. Police said Noah, the 1-year-old, was not in the house at the time.
Janepsy Mesa's husband, Orlando Mesa, was shot and killed last month as he played with his 1-year-old son, Noah, outside the house. Noah was shot in the arm and leg but survived.
Mesa died on the sidewalk. His murder is unsolved.
More
Murder widow shoots intruder in bedroom
North Miami police declined to press charges against a woman who shot an intruder in her home a month after her husband was gunned down in the front yard.
Janepsy Cindy Mesa was in the process of moving out of the ill-fated house when she walked into a bedroom and was confronted by a man.
The man, who turned out to have been an acquaintance of her late husband, was shot several times by Mesa, who then ran screaming outside and called 911. North Miami police deemed the incident a case of self-defense.
"She was not expecting him to be there," said Police Lt. Neal Cuevas.
Mesa's husband had been shot to death outside the home on April 23 by two gunmen who were still at large. The couple's young son was wounded in the arm.
The Miami Herald said police suspected the killing was drug related.
Mrs. Mesa appeared on television three days later to appeal for the public's help in finding the suspects, the newspaper said.
Labels: female, FL, home invasion
5/14/08
Orange County, Florida
From WFTV of May 14, 2008
Business Owner Shoots At Suspects After Walking In On Robbery
Orange County deputies are searching for one of two armed suspects who got into a shootout with a man when he caught them burglarizing his business and it happened next to a daycare full of children.
The shootout happened at the All Family Chiropractic Center in Pine Hills (see map) and, with bullets flying into a busy street, investigators said it's amazing no one was hit. The suspects never got to fill their U-Haul with any loot. They ditched it a short distance from the office where witnesses heard the owner exchange gunfire with two men who broke into his business.
"I didn't know what was going on. I thought it was firecrackers early in the morning, but it was not," said witness Parker McPhee.
Orange markers in Pine Hills Road marked some of the bullets made it into the street Wednesday morning. Investigators said the owner was checking out a burglar alarm at his office when he caught two men in the act.
"When they see him, they are armed, and they open fire on him. He also was armed and he returns fire on them," said Jeff Williamson, Orange County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies caught one of the men soon after they parked the U-Haul between two houses.
The shootout happened next to the Tiny Praying Hands daycare, where more than 20 kids were already inside. Still, the owner defended her neighbor's decision to shoot back at the burglars.
"I hope they catch the guys who did this. You have a right to protect your business. We get up every morning, work hard and it's not right that people come in and take what we have," Renee Harris said.
Deputies have not identified any of the suspects. Deputies caught one of them, but they're searching for a second man who ran off on foot.
Labels: business burglary, FL
5/8/08
Boca Raton, Florida
From Local10 of May 8, 2008
Man Shot, Killed Would-Be RobberFrom the Miami Herald of May 8, 2008
No charges have been filed against a Boca Raton jeweler who shot and killed a would-be robber Wednesday afternoon.
Boca Raton police said four men smashed the windows of H&L Wholesale Jewelry storeowner Leon Rozio's sport utility vehicle at the Town Square Plaza. The SUV had more than $100,000 worth of jewelry in it.
Witnesses said Rozio shot and killed one of the men. The other three got away in a silver van.
Police said Rozio had a concealed weapons permit.
Anyone with information is asked to call police.
Robber fatally shot in Boca Raton jewelry heist
After Leon Rozio got robbed, he vowed never to let it happen again.
Three or four years ago, the 64-year-old owner of Miami-based H&L Wholesale Jewelry Inc. lost some $300,000 in gold and jewelry in a holdup, said his half-brother, Fernando Mirabal.
Soon after, Rozio started bringing a gun on his sales runs, which took him and his priceless jewelry to shops across South Florida.
About 12:45 p.m. Wednesday, not long after Rozio parked his red Ford Explorer outside St. Moritz Jewelers on Boca Raton's west side, four men screamed up behind him in a silver car, boxing him in. They surrounded the Explorer, smashing out all four windows to get at the jewelry inside, witnesses said.
''He opened up like I have never seen,'' said Greg Sanderson, manager of a nearby Omaha Steaks shop, who watched the shooting through the store's plate-glass windows. ``I couldn't believe it. It sounded like the Wild West out there.''
One of the men staggered from the car and ran west through the parking lot toward St. Andrew's Boulevard, Winter said.
Paramedics found the wounded robber bleeding in the car, said Fire Rescue spokesman Frank Correggio. The man was taken to Delray Medical Center, where he died soon after, officials said.
The three other men escaped in a silver van, triggering a manhunt. It wasn't clear whether any of them were wounded, or whether they made off with any gold or jewels, police said.
Investigators still were quizzing Rozio at the police station until about 7 p.m. Rozio's attorney, Bill Mathewman, said his client will not face charges.
Labels: concealed carry permit, FL, street robbery
