Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Galesburg, Illinois
From the Galesburg Register-Mail of May 7, 2008
Armed resident foils burglary
Knox County Sheriff’s Department deputies are investigating a residential burglary in which the homeowner apprehended a suspect after chasing him with a gun.
Police were called to a burglary in progress at 7:43 p.m. Monday to 1350 Knox Road 600E. According to police, the resident was in his basement when he heard a knock at the door. When he got to the main floor, he saw two unidentified men on the rear deck. The resident returned to the basement and retrieved a handgun.
The resident went upstairs and found the two men standing inside his home. The suspects fled and the resident followed, eventually firing a warning shot into the ground.
One of the suspects stopped while the second suspect continued running.
Tyrone L. Thompson, 20, Peoria, was detained by the homeowner until police arrived. Thompson was charged with residential burglary. The second suspect is described as a male with a small build and was last seen wearing a hooded sweatshirt.
Police found a kitchen window screen had been cut, allowing entry into the residence. The investigation is ongoing.
Labels: home invasion, IL
Monday, April 07, 2008
Stillman Valley, Illinois
From the Rockford Register Star of April 7, 2008
Stillman Valley houseguest shoots, kills intruder; 2 others sought
uthorities are working this morning to identify a young man who was shot and killed after he broke into a rural home near Stillman Valley, Ogle County Sheriff Gregory Beitel said.
About 11 p.m. Sunday, a man staying at a home in the 9100 block of Meridian Road awakened to the sound of shattered glass and grabbed a handgun after realizing people were inside, Beitel said. The man told deputies at least three people broke into the house, one of whom entered his bedroom and then fled, Beitel said.
The houseguest then left the bedroom and came face to face, Beitel said, with a man aiming a firearm at him. The houseguest then fired twice, killing the man, Beitel said.
“He walked out of the bedroom and there was this guy right in front of him, coming out of the other room,” Beitel said. “He fired in self-defense.”
Beitel said it’s too soon in the investigation to know whether the houseguest will be charged with a crime.
He described the deceased as a young, white man with sandy brown hair and a thin build. He said the man had no identification on him. Deputies recovered a long gun next to the man and a pistol on the floor, several feet from him, Beitel said. Detectives are trying to determine whether those weapons belonged to the man or the homeowner, as they also recovered at least a dozen firearms hidden around the perimeter of the property.
“At this point, we don’t know whether they brought them with them,” Beitel said. “We know the homeowner was an avid sportsman and had a large collection of firearms.”
Officials also are searching for two other men who fled the house, possibly in a vehicle, Beitel said. Late Sunday, a search party including Winnebago County sheriff’s deputies, state troopers and a helicopter scanned the rural area, which is about 2.5 miles north of Stillman Valley, just south of the Winnebago-Ogle county line.
Investigators also will follow leads in Rockford today, he said.
Beitel would not release the name of the houseguest or the homeowner, but described them both as adult men.
Labels: home invasion, IL
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Chicago, Illinois
From the Chicago Tribune of October 18, 2007
No charges for man who shot drunk U. of C. student
A man who shot a threatening University of Chicago student in the chest Wednesday night acted in self defense and will not be charged, authorities said today.
The student, who was reported to be in critical condition, threatened to hit a fellow apartment-building dweller with a vodka bottle and kicked in the door of the man's Hyde Park apartment, police said.
The incident began about 7:30 p.m. as the student and shooter were riding together in an elevator of their apartment building in the 5400 block of South Cornell Avenue, Chicago Police Officer Laura Kubiak said.
The 24-year-old student, who was drunk and carrying a vodka bottle, followed the man out of the elevator and down the hall, threatening to "hit him in the head with the bottle," Kubiak said. As the man entered his apartment, the student kicked the door and pushed it open, continuing to yell threats, she said.
The apartment's resident retrieved a handgun and shot the student once in the chest as he entered the apartment, Kubiak said.
The student was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was in critical condition as of Wednesday night, Kubiak said. An update on his condition was not available this morning.
Detectives questioned the gunman, who was released without charges after prosecutors decided he had acted in self-defense, according to Kubiak.
Labels: assault, home invasion, IL
Monday, September 24, 2007
Chicago, Illinois
From CBS2Chicago.com of September 24, 2007
West Side Store Clerk Shoots Alleged Robber
Man In Stable Condition After Being Shot In Head, Police Say
A store clerk on the West Side fought back against an alleged robber, shooting him in the head. Chicago police say Monday evening the suspect is in stable condition.
As CBS 2's Mike Flannery reports, the hardware store is just one block from another store that police say was robbed at gunpoint last week.
Police believe a hole in the front door of South Side Hardware was created by one of the shots fired as a clerk tried to defend himself from an armed robber.
Investigators and evidence technicians also believe the dark red drops staining the sidewalk nearby came from the offender as he fled with a bullet in his head.
"He produced the weapon, announced the robbery," said Sgt. Rich Dowling of the Chicago Police Department. "The clerk produced the cash register, at which time he also produced a weapon, and he began firing at the offender."
A man who identified himself as belonging to a local street gang, but declined to give his name, said he is a close friend of the man who was shot.
"He our friend. We be together every day," the man said. "Just so happened today we weren't with him.
When asked if he thought his friend was trying to rob the hardware store, the man said, "He might have. He might was. If he feel he was robbin' that store, he did what he did."
A clerk at a currency exchange next door told CBS 2 that she and the hardware store's owner had called police last week after robbers took cash at gunpoint from a now-shuttered office. She feared that street gang members were sizing them up in preparation for attempting a robbery.
"It's time for us to stand up for the victims," Shirley Walls said. "This was a black-owned business. Black-owned."
She warmly praised the hardware store clerk who shot in self defense.
"He just got married. He has a family," Walls said. "He's trying to make an honest living...This guy came in on him."
Police told CBS 2 detectives had gone to Holy Cross Hospital to await permission from doctors to interview the wounded suspect.
Friends of the hardware store clerk said they did not know whether the handgun he fired in self-defense was legally registered. They said they hope he is not charged with any crime.
Labels: business robbery, IL
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Joliet Township, Illinois
From SuburbanChicagoNews.com of June 13shotgun, 2007
Police: Attacker armed, but sleepy
Police say that was what happened early Sunday when a suspect allegedly fell asleep on his victim's porch while waiting to attack him.
A 26-year-old man told Will County sheriff's police he returned home around 3 a.m., turned on the light and saw a man lying facedown on the floor of his enclosed porch in the 200 block of Peale Street. The man appeared to be sleeping with a shotgun underneath him.
According to reports, the man, who was later identified as Robert A. Cardona, woke up as the light came on and began struggling with the resident.
But with the advantage of full consciousness, the resident was able to get control of the shotgun and reportedly struck Cardona several times in the face and head with the butt of the weapon.
Police say the two men grappled out to the front yard where the resident removed Cardona's black T-shirt during the fight.
The melee woke up the resident's girlfriend, who had been sleeping inside. She came outside to see the combatants just as Cardona's jean shorts fell off.
The woman "attempted to help her boyfriend (by) jumping on the offender, but was unable to hold on due to his size," according to reports.
Cardona reportedly fled west on foot, wearing only gray underwear.
The residents told deputies they recognized the intruder from the neighborhood and have had several arguments with him recently.
"There appear to be some racial overtones to this incident," said Sheriff's spokesman Pat Barry.
Police broadcast a description of the intruder based on the residents' description.
"Three deputies recognized the offender (as Cardona) right away," Barry said. "They have had several dealings with him in the past."
Sheriff's deputies last arrested Cardona in March on charges of aggravated battery and theft. He was also arrested in November on charges of home invasion, aggravated arson, aggravated battery and mob action.
Deputies visited Cardona's last known address and learned he is living at 115 Jessie St.
According to reports, deputies were allowed inside that house and found Cardona lying on the floor of a bedroom underneath a blood-covered blanket.
"Our deputies did some good work at quickly identifying and locating the offender," Barry said.
Cardona, 21, was arrested and booked into the county jail on charges of home invasion, unlawful use of a weapon, aggravated assault and criminal trespassing. His bond was set at $6,000.
Labels: assault, criminal's gun taken away and used against him, IL
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Rockford, Illinois
From WREX of April 11, 2007
Attempted Robbery Leads to Shooting, Car Accident
An attempted armed robbery ends with someone shot and a police detective in a car accident.
Investigators say around 1:15 Wednesday a man tried to rob a business on Auburn Street called 'The Hook-Up.' The owner, 38-year-old Jeffrey Seibolt, pulled a gun and fired on the suspect and the suspect fired back, hitting Seibolt in the leg.
A detective in the area saw the suspect and ran after him. The detective got into a car accident during his pursuit, then got out and chased the man on foot. The detective was not hurt.
The shooting victim was treated for minor injuries. The suspect is still on the loose.
From WIFR of April 11, 2007
Rockford Shooting
It wasn't just bad weather hitting the stateline today another shooting strikes Rockford's west side after a robber and store owner exchange gunfire.
It happened around 1:15 this afternoon when the robber entered a car stereo installation shop along Auburn Street.
Police say a store employee was the first to shoot but he never hit the robber. The robber then shot the store employee in the leg and took off. As he ran away, the would be robber caused a car accident along Auburn Street.
Police then searched the area with dogs in an effort to find the suspect, they had no luck. Neighbors say they didn't know what was going on and it scared them.
The suspect remains on the run at this hour. He is described as a black man, between 5'8'' and 5'10''. He was last seen wearing a light blue jacket, dark pants and white shirt. The man shot is expected to be treated and released from a local hospital.
Labels: business robbery, defender shot, IL
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Aurora, Illinois
From the March 21, 2007 Chicago Tribune:
Police in west suburban Aurora are investigating a home invasion this morning in which a homeowner shot at and possibly wounded an intruder, who then fled the scene.From the SuburbanChicagoNews.com of April 26, 2007
The incident began before 9 a.m. when a young man in a dark hooded sweat shirt forced his way into a two-story single-family home on the 900 block of Zenner Avenue on the city's northeast side.
The 53-year-old unidentified homeowner, who had been awakened earlier by the repeated ringing of his doorbell, answered the door and saw the suspect walking away, police said. The suspect then allegedly walked back to the house and began kicking the front door.
The homeowner went to his bedroom, called 911 and retrieved a small-caliber handgun, police said. The resident heard the suspect enter the home, and he confronted him in the hall outside the bedroom.
The homeowner fired two shots at the man from about 10 feet away, possibly hitting the intruder, who fled the house, police said.
Radio report, overheard conversation lead to burglary charges
A 20-year-old Aurora man has been charged with burglary after an alert citizen put together a conversation he overheard in a hospital emergency room with a news story he heard on the radio.
Police say suspect Daniel Cerda of the 900 block of Rural Street was shot after breaking into a home on the East Side of Aurora on March 21.
According to police, the homeowner had grabbed a gun and called 911 when he heard Cerda at his door. When Cerda confronted him in a hallway, the homeowner fired two shots. Cerda ran away, but after processing the crime scene, police believed the intruder had been shot.
The break in the case came later that afternoon when police received a call from a person who had been in an emergency room at a Chicago hospital and overheard a conversation between Chicago officers and a man who was being treated for gunshot wounds. The man at the hospital heard officers telling the shooting victim — who said he was from Aurora — that his story didn’t make sense. While the witness was driving home, he heard a news story on the radio about shots being fired in an Aurora home invasion. The man called Aurora police and they started an investigation with Chicago police and the hospital.
Cerda was finally located Tuesday, near Liberty Street and Valley Court in Aurora. He had been treated and released at a hospital in Chicago for non-life threatening wounds. Police say further charges are possible.
Labels: home invasion, IL
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Cook County, Illinois
From the Chicago Tribune of March 20, 2007
2 wounded in suburban home invasion
Cook County sheriff's police evidence technicians and investigators were on the scene today of a shooting and apparent home invasion near Richton Park in which one of the residents was shot in the foot.
The incident began shortly before 11 p.m. Monday when a masked gunman forced his way into the house in the 6500 block of Sauk Trail Road in unincorporated Rich Township and began shooting, said sheriff's spokeswoman Penny Mateck.
Inside the house were an infant and three adults, including a 22-year-old woman who sustained the gunshot wound in her foot, Mateck said.
One of the other adults in the house had a weapon and returned the gunman's fire, Mateck said. In the exchange, a bullet exited the house and grazed the driver of a vehicle that was passing by, she said.
Neither the driver nor the woman was seriously hurt, Mateck said. The woman, who had left the house sometime after the shooting occurred, either was taken or went on her own to St. James Hospital and Health Care Centers in Chicago Heights where she was reported in good condition, Mateck said. Whether the driver who was grazed by a bullet required treatment was not immediately known, Mateck said.
When sheriff's police arrived at the house they attempted to make contact with the occupants and or the masked gunman but received no response, Mateck said. Not knowing whether the gunman or any of the occupants were still inside the home, police called in the sheriff's SWAT team shortly after 1 a.m. today, she said. At 6 a.m., SWAT team members entered the house and determined it was empty, Mateck said.
Sheriff's police found the original occupants of the house at another location but as of this afternoon were still looking for the masked gunman and attempting to determine a motive for the home invasion, Mateck said.
Labels: home invasion, IL
Monday, March 19, 2007
McHenry County, Illinois
From Arlington Heights’ Daily Herald of March 19, 2007
Charges dropped against McHenry County man who shot suspected burglar
Faced with the victim’s refusal to testify, McHenry County prosecutors today dismissed charges against a man accused of shooting a teenager he believed was breaking into his vehicle.
The decision to drop the case against Jerry P. Sweat, 42, came after the 18-year-old authorities say he shot indicated he would assert his Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination if called to testify about an incident for which he is charged with burglary.
Sweat, of Marengo, faced charges of aggravated battery with a firearm and reckless discharge of a firearm stemming from a Dec. 3 incident in which, authorities say, he awoke at about 4 a.m. to find two teens breaking into a vehicle parked in his driveway.
Instead of calling police, investigators said, Sweat retrieved a rifle, rushed out to his front porch and fired several shots at the burglary suspects, striking one three times.
Sweat declined comment Monday, but his lawyer said his client maintains he did nothing wrong by shooting at the teens.
“It would have been a waste of taxpayers’ money to bring this to trial because they cannot prove their case,” defense attorney Donald Franz said. “My client is not guilty.”
The teen shot in the incident, Patrick K. Gaughan, of Marengo, suffered bullet wounds to the hip, shoulder and hand. Gaughan, however, declined to testify against Sweat Monday because McHenry County prosecutors have charged him with burglary and obstructing justice in the same incident.
Labels: IL, residence burglary
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Niles, Illinois
From the Chicago Sun Times of February 22, 2007
Man shot to death in home
Dad hears shots, grabs gun, fires at intruders
His son answered a knock at the front door Wednesday, and suddenly, the "pop, pop, pop" of gunshots broke the silence of a sleepy afternoon in his Niles home.
Leonard "Lenny" Bird Jr. was upstairs and knew his son was in trouble. He grabbed his gun and ran toward the front door, where he saw an intruder, and watched his son, Michael Childers, dying in the doorway.
Bird and at least one gunman exchanged gunfire, then the gunman and a second intruder fled, Bird's family said, relating what Bird told them about the 3 p.m. shooting.
'Gunshot holes all over walls' "They were shooting back and forth . . . inside the home, there were gunshot holes all over the walls there," said Bird's sister Karen Nielsen. She said Bird was not hurt, and it didn't appear the gunman or the accomplice were either.
'It should have been me' Witnesses told police they saw two men run from the house, climb into a van parked nearby and speed away from the home in the 8100 block of North Susan Court. Childers, 28, a self-employed tile worker, died of a gunshot wound, according to police, family and the Cook County medical examiner's office.
"My brother just kept saying 'It should have been me, it should have been me,' " said Nielsen, who lives three blocks away. She said she was shocked and saddened that this could happen on a sleepy north suburban cul-de-sac.
Police were searching for the intruders. They closed two nearby schools and a day care briefly Wednesday afternoon as they combed the area.
Relatives suspect that the incident started as a robbery attempt. They said there had been an attempted break-in at the home in the last year. But Nielsen doesn't think it had anything to do with her brother's job, collecting and selling coins. Police said nothing was taken from the home.
Niles police Sgt. Tom Davis said there hasn't been a homicide in the suburb in some time.
Labels: home invasion, IL, residence robbery
Friday, February 16, 2007
Chicago, Illinois
From Chicago’s CBS2Chicago,com of February 16, 2007
Attempted Robbery Suspect Dead After Gunfight
Victim Was Carrying 1-Year-Old Baby
A suspect is dead after an armed robbery attempt led to a gunfight in the Chatham neighborhood.
Police said 19-year-old Brian Neal and an accomplice approached a 23-year-old man and his 1-year-old son as they were going into their apartment in the 500 block of East 82nd Street on Thursday afternoon.
A fight broke out, and the two men exchanged gunfire. Neal was killed, while the would-be robbery victim was last reported in stable condition. The seriousness of his injuries was not specified.
The baby was not hurt.
Labels: IL, street robbery
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Oak Lawn, Illinois
From Tinley Park’s Daily Southown of January 30, 2007
Woman released; no charges in OL shooting
An Oak Lawn woman who shot and killed her estranged husband was arguing with him about who should pay for her daughter’s braces moments before she opened fire, police said Tuesday.
But Donna Miranda, 51, walked free after Cook County state’s attorneys decided she might have acted in self-defense and would not be prosecuted.
Juan Miranda, 48, was shot six times about 8 a.m. Sunday in the basement of his wife’s home in the 9100 block of South Komensky Avenue.
He was declared dead at the scene two hours later, and his death was ruled a homicide Monday by the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
Donna Miranda — who filed a domestic-abuse complaint against her husband last year and obtained a protection order against him in 2002 — said she fired to save her own life, said Keith Raspovich, Oak Lawn chief of detectives.
“She said they were arguing about who should pay for her daughter’s braces when he tried to choke her,” Raspovich said.
Cook County state’s attorney’s spokeswoman Marcy Jensen said “based on a review of all the facts, prosecutors found insufficient evidence to meet the burden of proof.”
Labels: domestic dispute, IL
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Springfield, Illinois
From the Springfield News-Leader of January 16, 2007
Man shoots at suspected vandal, police say
A man shot at a suspect who reportedly tried to break into his vehicle last night, Springfield police said.
A resident reported hearing something outside while at home before midnight at the 1400 block of West Nichols Street, Lt. Scott Levin said.
He discovered a male suspect trying to break into his vehicle with a screwdriver, Levin said. The resident pointed a shotgun at the suspect and ordered him to wait inside his house until police arrived, he said.
The suspect reportedly noticed a handgun inside the house and grabbed it.
“They kind of had a standoff there for a little bit,” Levin said.
The suspect eventually ran off, and pointed the handgun toward the resident as he fled, the lieutenant said. The resident thought he had left the handgun unloaded, and fired the shotgun at the suspect, he said.
“It was a birdshot load, basically. No injuries or anything like that were on the suspect,” Levin said.
Dogs helped police locate and arrest the suspect, who hid under a shed in the area, Levin said. The suspect may face a property damage charge.
The resident’s actions were reported and sent to a prosecutor for review, police said.
Labels: IL, street property theft
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Will County, Illinois
From the Joliet Herald News of January 3, 2007
Police: Local man shot by homeowner
ALLEGED BREAK-IN
A homeowner shot an intruder early Sunday, police said.
Will County Sheriff's spokesman Pat Barry said deputies were called just after 3 a.m. to a break-in to a house in the 18000 block of Manhattan Road.
"Deputies arrived and learned a woman had fallen asleep in the living room and was woken up after hearing noises and seeing a figure near the entryway of the living room," Barry said.
The woman woke her husband, who went to the front door and told deputies he saw an SUV he didn't recognize parked in the driveway.
The vehicle started up and drove away and the man reportedly retrieved a handgun from an upstairs bedroom and began to search the house.
"He went out to an attached garage and saw the service door was open," Barry said. "He went out into the yard and came around the corner to see a man wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans crouched against the wall. He was so startled (at seeing someone) that the gun went off."
The man allegedly ran after the shot was fired, and the homeowner said he saw him get into an SUV parked on Manhattan Road. The man told investigators he did not see the intruder's face before he ran away and did not see if the shot he had fired hit the suspect.
Barry said nothing was reported missing from the house. The couple and their teenage daughter, who had been sleeping upstairs, were unharmed.
The homeowner has a valid firearm owner's identification card.
Barry said detectives saw mud had been tracked into the house from the garage area and there were signs someone had been walking around outside the home.
Police asked other local agencies to report any gunshot wounds. The Manhattan Fire Department called them a short time later.
Paramedics had been dispatched to 18427 Breen Road in Elwood to treat a man with a bullet wound to his left shoulder.
The gunshot victim, who lives at that address, 19-year-old Neil Severson, told investigators he had been shot while in Preston Heights that evening, but would not elaborate.
Severson was taken to Silver Cross Hospital where he was treated for injuries that were not life-threatening.
Barry said police are confident ballistic tests will show Severson was shot while trespassing at the house on Manhattan Road.
"Detectives told the family about Severson," Barry said. "They are familiar with him, but he did not have permission to be on the property."
Barry said the case will be presented to the state's attorney's office later this week and likely will result in charges against Severson.
"At this time, all indications are that the homeowner did not do anything illegal," Barry said.
Saturday, December 23, 2006
East St. Louis, Illinois
From the December 22, 2006 St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
In the first case, police said two men were attempting to rob a home in the 5200 block of Ohio Avenue when they exchanged gunfire with other men inside the house. Police said one of the two was Richard R. Cosey III, 28, of the 7000 block of West A Street in Belleville. Cosey died of multiple gunshot wounds.
A large caliber weapon was found on the porch from where his body was removed.
A second man, 25, of East St. Louis, believed to have been involved in the robbery hobbled from the scene and flagged down a passing motorist, police said. He was driven to an area hospital with gunshot wounds to his chest and leg.
East St. Louis Police Captain Lenzie Stewart said that three men were inside the home on Ohio Avenue when they exchanged gunfire with the two men who were on the front porch.
“We received information that the occupants of the residence were attempting to defend themselves in what is believed to have been a robbery attempt,” Stewart said. Two of the three men were being interviewed by police.
Labels: IL, residence robbery
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Zion, Illinois
From the Chicago Tribune of December 2, 2006
Cops: Zion woman killed armed home invaderFrom the Chicago Sun-Times of December 7, 2006
A woman shot and killed a rifle-toting teenager who burst into her home late Friday night in Zion, police said.
The intruder was identified as Gerrell N. Davis, 16, of Zion, Police Chief Doug Malcolm said Saturday.
Clad in a black ski mask and gloves, Davis forced open the back door of a home in the 1700 block of Jethro Avenue, Malcolm said. This was shortly after the couple in the house heard a knock at the front door and asked who was there but didn't open the door.
The 55-year-old wife heard the doorjamb shatter, grabbed a 9 mm handgun from her bedroom and ran to the kitchen, Malcolm said.
She fired twice and both rounds struck Davis, who was found by police on the kitchen floor still wearing the mask, Malcolm said.
"It's a terrible situation when it involves kids like this, but these were two middle-aged people sitting in their house and someone came in with a loaded rifle," Malcolm said.
"With all the information we have right now, we don't anticipate any charges," he said.
Davis was on juvenile probation for a 2005 aggravated battery charge involving a weapon, Malcolm said.
Family threatened after killing young intruder
Police have arrested a 16-year-old youth in connection with a fatal home invasion in far north suburban Zion last Friday.
The juvenile expected to be charged in the case is being held at the Depke Juvenile Detention Center in Vernon Hills, Police Chief Doug Malcolm said Wednesday.
He would not discuss if the teen was an alleged accomplice of Gerrell Davis, who was shot and killed as he entered the home of Sharif and Saffiyya Darr in an attempt to steal shoes from the couple's eBay business.
Davis, also 16, had his face covered with a ski mask and brandished a .22-caliber rifle when he entered the Darrs' home.
Malcolm said police are continuing to investigate the case after the couple and their relatives were subjected to death threats online and through the telephone.
Hasan Hakeem, president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, believes the community has been brought together during this situation.
"The police have been very supportive of the Darr family, and the community has reached out to them," Malcolm said.
CeaseFire, a violence prevention program overseen by Waukegan Township, has also been working to stop any retaliation against the couple.
Labels: home invasion, IL, minor offender
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Roselle, Illinois
From the Chicago Sun-Times of November 4, 2006
Shop owner kills would-be robber: cops
'He's been through a terrible ordeal'
The first sign of trouble came when workers at a Roselle restaurant heard muffled calls for help from a neighboring coin and comics shop.
Seconds later, a blood-stained Glenn Soustek burst into the restaurant, telling workers he had been shot by an intruder who tried to rob his shop.
Police rushed Friday morning to Soustek's business, Westlake Cards, Comics, Coins, and discovered 40-year-old Geoffrey A. Webb lying dead near the back of the store, a pistol still clenched in his hand.
Webb, who was on federal parole for a 1994 armed robbery, was shot several times by Soustek during what authorities described as a botched holdup.
Soustek, the 49-year-old shop owner, was wounded in the arm during an exchange of gunfire with Webb, whose last known address was in the St. Louis area. Soustek was treated for his injuries and later released.
The fatal shooting -- which was captured on the store's surveillance system -- was justified because Soustek was threatened, DuPage County officials said.
"It was absolutely clear the intruder had pulled a gun and threatened to shoot," DuPage County State's Attorney Joseph Birkett said. "There clearly was an imminent threat to the shop owner's life."
(Much more detail)
Labels: business robbery, defender shot, IL
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Rockford, Illinois
From the Rockford Register Star of September 13, 2006
Man shot, killed during home invasion
Police say a man in his early 20s was shot once in the chest and killed Tuesday night after he allegedly broke into a home in the 1800 block of North Church Street.
The man was taken to a Rockford hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.
Witnesses reported hearing three shots before squad cars descended on the neighborhood around 10 p.m. The shooting took place at 9:51 p.m., police said.
Several people were taken into custody, apparent witnesses to the crime, officers at the scene said. Police had not yet decided whether charges will be filed in the case.
No other injuries were reported.
Friday, August 25, 2006
Collinsville, Illinois
From the Belleville News-Democrat of August 25, 2006
Grand jury clears Collinsville man
A Madison County grand jury declined to issue any charges Thursday against a 36-year-old Collinsville man who fatally shot another man during a gunfight.
The grand jury heard testimony from witnesses and was given the option of charging the survivor with first-degree murder and second-degree murder. A prosecutor said the grand jury determined the survivor, who was shot three times before returning fire, acted in self-defense.
Will Joe Hunt, 25, died of a gunshot wound to the head Aug. 5 at a home in the 100 block of Idlerun Drive in Collinsville. Police and prosecutors declined to release the name of the man who shot him.
Madison County Assistant State's Attorney Jennifer Vucich said testimony indicated that Hunt and the survivor got into an argument at the survivor's home, then Hunt left and got a gun. Hunt returned and began firing shots, then the survivor, who was inside his home, grabbed a gun and went onto his porch.
"The guy who's still alive was shot three times, and he returned fire," Vucich said.
The survivor was shot three times in the leg.
Vucich said it's not clear what the argument was about. When police arrived after the gunfire, a crowd of about 100 people had gathered at the scene. Police from other agencies were called in to help control the crowd.
Labels: altercation, defender shot, IL
Saturday, August 19, 2006
Chicago, Illinois
From the August 19, 2006 Daily Southtown:
Detectives are searching for a teenage gunman after a botched robbery left his accomplice dead and a third man fighting for his life in hospital.UPDATE from the August 22, 2006 Daily Southtown:
Hazel Crest police found Javosky Holmes, 16, collapsed and bleeding in a field in the 17300 block of Mahoney Parkway on Thursday afternoon.
Police said Holmes and a second teen's attempt to rob Brian Katlik at gunpoint at his home in the same block went bad when Katlik produced a 9 mm handgun and returned fire.
Holmes, of 2815 Lexington Drive, Hazel Crest, was pronounced dead at St. James Hospital in Olympia Fields. A gunshot wound to his abdomen caused his death, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.
Katlik was in stable condition Friday at South Suburban Hospital, recovering from gunshot wounds. The second robber, who has not been named, is still at large, police said.
On Friday, Holmes' mother, Quying Holmes, said her son had "fallen in with a bad group of boys." He was enrolled at Country Club Hills Tech and Trade Center at the time of his death, she said.
"He was a cool kid, and he always wanted to be a doctor, but he had mental health issues and ended up in a shootout with some other boys," his mother said. "I don't know if the other kids were using him or why he got involved or what happened. It isn't clear yet. Everyone here (at the family home) is just broken up over what has happened."
She said she did not think her son knew Katlik.
An accused teenage robber faces a murder charge after his teenage uncle was shot and killed last week by the pair's intended victim.
Jacob Grant, 18, of the 5900 block of South Justice Street, Chicago, is charged with first-degree murder in connection with the fatal shooting Thursday of his 16-year-old uncle, Javosky Holmes, in Hazel Crest.
Holmes, Grant and a 14-year-old boy planned to rob Brian Katlik as he sat in his car in the 17300 block of Mahoney Parkway, according to Cmdr. John Palcu, of the South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force.
He said Holmes shot and wounded Katlik, who returned fire and hit Holmes in the abdomen. Holmes staggered across a field and collapsed in a creek while Katlik ran in the opposite direction and flagged down a passer-by who took him to a hospital, Palcu said.
Holmes, of 2815 Lexington Drive, Hazel Crest, was pronounced dead at St. James Hospital in Olympia Fields soon after, but Katlik survived. He's in stable condition at St. James.
Grant was apprehended Saturday after evading arrest for more than 48 hours, Palcu said.
"Grant has been charged with the homicide because he was involved in the commission of the crime and went with Holmes," Palcu said Monday.
Tandra Simonton, a spokeswoman for the Cook County state's attorney's office, said Grant was "committing a robbery, which means he's responsible for whatever happens" during the course of the crime.
Labels: IL, minor offender, street robbery
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Collinsville, Illinois
From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch of June 29, 2006
Suspect dies during attempted robbery
Officials are [sic] captured suspects of an attempted armed robbery this morning of an Alorton resident.
The shooting occurred about 1:15 a.m. in the 4900 block of Jeannie Place, Alorton. Monte Golliday, age 16, of Cahokia was killed. Golliday and two others may have been attempting to rob an Alorton resident.
During the robbery, the victim, Golliday and another robber wrestled over a gun. The gun discharged striking Golliday. Golliday was taken to Kenneth Hall hospital in East St. Louis, Illinois. He died in surgery. The two other suspects in the attempted robbery were arrested a short time later and remain in custody.
Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, IL, street robbery
Chicago, Illinois
From the Chicago Tribune of June 29, 2006
Burglar slain with his own shotgun
A burglar was shot and killed with his own weapon on the Southwest Side after a homeowner confronted him Wednesday evening, police said.
The homeowner was returning to his home in the 1600 block of West 38th Place about 5 p.m. when he saw a man trying to break into his garage, Officer John Mirabelli said. Although the burglar was armed with a shotgun, the homeowner confronted him, Mirabelli said.
"A struggle ensued, and the shotgun discharged, striking the offender in the head," Mirabelli said.
The burglar was pronounced dead at the scene. There are no plans to charge the homeowner, Mirabelli said, because he was "acting in fear for his life."
No one else was hurt, Mirabelli said. Police declined to identify the 44-year-old burglar.
Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, IL, residence burglary
Monday, June 26, 2006
East St. Louis, Illinois
From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch of June 25, 2006
In East St. Louis, golden years are lit by flashes of gunfire
After her 87-year-old next-door neighbor fatally shot a burglar trying to come through the front door, Eleanor Anderson - herself an older adult living alone - began sleeping with two items under her pillow: a cell phone and a gun.
The grandmother was intent on defending herself in a neighborhood that has changed drastically since she was a young girl. Anderson's small, light-green childhood home is protected by security bars and an alarm system. She also has her gun. And when Anderson, 61, heard gunshots one recent night, she was ready. She called police and waited with her snubnose .38.
"Us being seniors, criminals don't think we'd do anything," Anderson said, looking over her gold reading glasses and standing in a room filled with pictures of her four granddaughters. "We don't play anymore. We won't take this lying down."
There is something jarring about the image of a gray-haired grandma (or grandpa) packing a pistol. And there is something laudable in the image of an old-timer turning the tables on a criminal.
(Much more--an article very sympathetic to personal self-defense)
Thursday, June 15, 2006
East St. Louis, Illinois
From St. Louis’ KMOV.com of June 15, 2006
Homeowner shoots intruder in E. St. Louis
A homeowner shot an intruder this morning in the 3900 block of Caseyville Ave. in East St. Louis.
Willie Brown woke up when the intruder smashed his window.
The intruder told Willie he had a knife.
Willie shot the suspect at least two times.
The intruder was able get in a car and flee the scene.
Washington Park police later pulled over the suspect for erratic driving.
The suspect is currently at the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Willie is a former Green Barrett [sic] who sleeps with gun under his pillow. He says his home has been broken into before.
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Riverdale, Illinois
From CBS2Chicago.com of May 23, 2006
78-Year-Old Fends Off Teenage Burglary Suspect
14-Year-Old Hospitalized With Gunshot Wounds
A teenager who tried to rob a house is recovering after being shot by an elderly homeowner who decided to fight back.
But it's the life-and-death struggle that unfolded in south suburban Riverdale that stunned police.
The victim is a 78-year-old ex-Marine, who is also a disabled former firefighter.
The robbery suspect is 14-years-old.
Police say the teen surprised the homeowner. He took a pair of pruning shears, hit him in the head and left him for dead.
But, somehow, as the teen ransacked the house, the victim got up, got his gun and shot the suspect four times.
"This 78-year-old man today refused to be a victim. He was fighting for his life and today, he won," said Police Chief Pete Satriano.
The suspect is under arrest but still hospitalized.
That feisty homeowner has been treated and released.
Labels: assault, home invasion, IL, residence robbery
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Arlington Heights, Illinois
From the Chicago Tribune of May 2, 2006
Fatal shooting was self-defense, police say
No charges are likely as a result of a shooting last week in which one man was killed and another wounded, Arlington Heights police said Monday.
Police believe a 32-year-old male resident of an apartment in the 700 block of East Golf Road, found holding an AK-47 rifle, may have been trying to protect himself after being threatened by three men. "After that, there was a struggle over the gun and we don't believe [the resident] intentionally shot anyone," Police Capt. Jerry Lambert said.
Justin Damion, 23, of Chicago was killed, authorities said. An unidentified 22-year-old Chicago man remained hospitalized Monday, Lambert said.
Damion arrived at the home with two friends and began quarreling with the 32-year-old about money Damion thought the man owed an acquaintance, Lambert said. "The resident was attacked ... and got out the weapon to hold off the attackers," Lambert said. "We're confident it was self-defense." The man was a registered gun owner and the AK-47 was a legal weapon, Lambert said.
Labels: altercation, IL
Saturday, April 29, 2006
Chicago, Illinois
From the April 25, 2006 Chicago Tribune:
homeowner on Chicago's West Side shot two men Monday afternoon who refused to leave his front porch and then tried to hurt him, police said.
The homeowner, a 50-year-old man, was trying to leave his home in the 2600 block of West Wilcox Street but found two men, ages 21 and 22, loitering on his front porch, Officer John Mirabelli said. He asked them to leave, but the men threatened him and he went back inside, Mirabelli said.
When he came back out, the two men began to attack him.
The 21-year-old was hit in the groin and was in good condition at Stroger Hospital, police said. The 22-year-old was hit in the hip and right leg, and was also in good condition at Stroger.
Thursday, March 09, 2006
Madison, Illinois
From St. Louis’ KSDK.com of March 9, 2006
Homeowner Shoots Home Invasion Suspect
Police are searching for a man after a home invasion that ended with gunfire and a police chase in the Metro East.
Police say two men fired two shots and tried to break down the door of a home on Third Street in Madison around 11:00 Wednesday night.
The homeowner returned fire, hitting one of the men in the stomach.
The two men sped off, and police gave chase before the suspects ditched their car in East St. Louis.
Police caught the suspect who was shot.
The other man got away.
Labels: home invasion, IL
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
East St. Louis, Illinois
From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch of February 7, 2006
87-year-old woman fatally shoots man in her homeFrom the St. Louis Post-Dispatch of February 8, 2006
An 87-year-old East St. Louis woman fatally shot a man early this morning as he was trying to break into her house.
Police said they found the man, Larry D. Tillman, 49, of East St. Louis on the enclosed front porch of the woman’s house in the 2100 block of Gaty Avenue. He had pulled the telephone wires from the side of the house, then removed security bars from a porch window.
As the man was breaking through a storm door that leads into the house itself, the woman fired several shots through her front door, striking Tillman once in the chest.
Police said the shots were fired from a pistol, most likely a gun that her daughter had given her after a man broke into the elderly woman’s house in December, battered her and stole some items.
The man may have been dead for as long as four hours before police arrived. Police said that the woman was not sure that she had hit Tillman when she fired the shots about 2 a.m. However, she was too afraid to go outside to check and could not call for help because the telephone lines were dead.
When the woman’s daughter arrived about 6 a.m. to bring her mother breakfast, she found the dead man on the porch, police said.
Illinois State Police Master Sgt. Jim Morrisey said evidence taken from the December home invasion would be compared to the break-in today to see if Tillman was responsible for both crimes.
Police will check 87-year-old woman's story in shootingFrom the St. Louis Post-Dispatch of May 23, 2006
Illinois State Police investigators said Wednesday that they have every reason to believe that Jacksie Mae King, 87, was justified in firing a shot through her front door that struck and killed an intruder early Tuesday.
Even so, Master Sgt. James Morrisey said that investigators would spend two weeks or so examining ballistic evidence before presenting the case to Robert B. Haida, the St. Clair County state's attorney, who would determine if criminal charges are warranted.
"Based on the evidence that we saw yesterday and the interview with (King), it would appear that she was justified in defending herself," Morrisey said.
Police said that King awoke about 2 a.m. Tuesday to the sound of someone trying to break into her house in the 2100 block of Gaty Avenue. Two months earlier, King's daughter had given her a pistol after a man broke into her house, beat her and stole some items. King told police that she grabbed the pistol and fired several shots through the front door at a man who had removed security bars to get on to her enclosed porch.
One of the bullets fatally wounded Larry D. Tillman, 49, who lived nearby.
King couldn't call for help because her telephone line had been cut. Her daughter, Pamela Paulette-Clark, discovered Tillman's body when she came by at 6 a.m. to bring her mother breakfast.
Morrisey said that investigators were examining evidence from the earlier home invasion at King's residence to see if Tillman was involved. Tillman had a long criminal history, including two convictions for residential burglary.
"We'll take any evidence that was collected from the home invasion and we'll compare that with what was collected yesterday to see if Mr. Tillman was involved" in both incidents, Morrisey said.
Neither King nor Clark could be reached on Wednesday.
Haida said that a homicide can be considered justified under Illinois law if a person believes "that they are in imminent threat of harm" or if an attacker uses "some sort of weapon or object to cause great bodily harm or death."
Haida said he would take the matter under advisement after the State Police sends the case to him for his review.
"I don't want to prejudge anything," he said. "We have an obligation to judge the facts carefully."
He added: "If Jim Morrisey and his office suggest that there should be no charges, that won't dictate the outcome but certainly we won't overlook their opinion."
No firearms charges against woman, 87
An 87-year-old woman who fatally shot a would-be intruder will not be charged with a crime, even though she did not legally own the gun, authorities said Monday.
On Feb. 7, Jacksie Mae King fired several shots through the front door of her house after she woke up about 2 a.m. to the sounds of someone trying to break in.
One bullet hit Larry Tillman, 49, who was on the other side of the door, standing on King's enclosed porch.
He lay dead on the porch in the 2100 block of Gaty Avenue for four hours before he was found by King's daughter, who came to bring breakfast about 6 a.m. Meanwhile, King stayed inside clutching the pistol.
"She was justified in using deadly force to defend herself against the threat of deadly force," said Robert B. Haida, the St. Clair County state's attorney.
King's daughter gave her the .32-caliber Colt revolver two months earlier after a man broke into King's house in December. That intruder beat her and stole some of her things. In both incidents, the telephone lines to King's house were cut, and security bars were removed from a side window.
Labels: home invasion, IL
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Peoria, Illinois
Even criminals can be victims. From the January 16, 2006 Peoria Journal-Star:
PEORIA - A South Peoria man who shot at people breaking into his house was indicted for being a felon in possession of a weapon.
Ronald D. Harris, 36, of 811 W. Thrush Ave. faces up to five years in prison if convicted of the charge. He is also eligible for probation.
According to police and court records, Harris was sleeping at his house at 11;40 p.m. Dec. 21 when he was awakened by a loud noise. He saw two people in his house, grabbed his gun and fired several times at the intruders, who ran out of the house, police said. He followed the would-be burglars out of the house and fired one more shot in the direction of one of the intruders.
Harris was arrested because he is a convicted felon and illegally had a gun, police said. He was previously convicted in 1994 for unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver.
He told police he had the gun for protection. None of Harris's property was reported stolen, police said.
Labels: IL, residence burglary
Saturday, November 19, 2005
Rockford, Illinois
From November 19, 2005 WTVO channel 17:
Rockford police continue to investigate an armed robbery that led to a double shooting Friday night.
It all started when two armed men entered the Pridom liquor store at 2428 South Alpine.
They demanded money and afer robbing the owner they ran out of the store, but not before one of them fired a shotgun blast into the window, slightly injuring the owner when he was hit by a shotgun pellet.
But that didn`t stop the owner, Samir Rathod, from going outside and firing his own weapon, hitting one of the suspects, according to Rockford Police.
A few minutes later Rockfor officers responded to a medical call of a young male being wounded in the back.
Rockford Police Sgt. Thomas Coe says, "As officers investigated the situation in more depth we beleive this case is related to the liquor store."
Officers took the wounded teen, 17 year old Exzavia Gaston to Saint Anthony Medical Center where he remains in critical condition.
A 16-year-old was taken into custody as well and charged with armed robbery.
Labels: business robbery, defender shot, IL
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Chicago, Illinois
From CBS2Chicago.com of November 16, 2005
Suspect Shot In South Side Bank Robbery
In a wild bank robbery Wednesday in the Back of the Yards neighborhood, shots were fired as the suspects ran out of the South Side bank.
CBS 2's Alita Guillen reports a quick-thinking bank security guard helped capture these suspects.
…
Witnesses say two men entered the bank at 47th and Wood around 2 p.m. Shortly after, they jumped into a van parked in the bank’s parking lot.
Neighbors say they exchanged gunfire with the security guards, who pursued them on foot.
“None of the police cops were here yet, but the security guard from the bank took out his gun and shot one of the guys in the arm,” said witness Irene Lopez.
The men got about a half mile away when they crashed.
“The officers are fine. No civilians or employees in the bank were hurt,” said Cmdr. Eugene Roy with the Chicago Police Department.
The FBI is looking into reports that two of the employees were roughed up.
There was also a report that a women and 12-year-old child were injured in the accident. Police are investigating.
Labels: business robbery, IL
Thursday, October 13, 2005
Peoria, Illinois
From the Peoria Journal-Star of October 13, 2005
(Second item)
Homeowner fires handgun at intruder
A Central Peoria resident who became alarmed by knocking fired his gun after his back door was kicked in by an intruder, police said.
The resident, Jacob Scott, 30, told police he heard the noises and grabbed his handgun after the back door of his home was kicked in about 11:20 p.m.
Scott, who couldn't remember how many times he fired the weapon, said he was afraid and wanted to protect his three children, who were asleep at the time.
No one was injured from the shooting. A slide chain kept the rear door from opening completely after it had been kicked in, police said.
Labels: home invasion, IL
Thursday, September 29, 2005
East Moline, Illinois
From the Quad Cities’ WHBF.com of September 29, 2005
Teen Shooter Will Not Face Murder Charges
James Teague died in the early morning hours of September 11th. Police say he was trying to rob someone at gunpoint when he was killed. The shooter was acting in self-defense.
East Moline Police and Roc [sic] Island County State's Attorney Jeff Terronez made this announcement Thursday afternoon. They say Teague robbed 18 year-old Donte Ellis at gunpoint near 15th Street and 10th Avenue.
Police say after he was robbed Ellis walked down the street to tell his friend, 16 year-old Mitchell Laabs. Minutes later, police say Teague approached the two teens and pointed his gun at Laabs. According to police, that's when Laabs reached for his 45-caliber handgun and shot Teague to death.
State's Attorney Jeff Terronez says the shooting falls under an Illinois statuette [sic] of justifiable use of force and self defense.
So that means neither teens will face murder charges in this case. However, Laabs, the juvenile is facing charges on aggravated unlawful use of a firearm and improper identification of a firearm
Labels: IL, street robbery
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Peoria, Illinois
From the Peoria Journal-Star of September 20, 2005
Gas station worker fires at robber
A gas station attendant who was robbed early Sunday turned a gun on the robber, who was arrested hours later by police.
No one was injured in the robbery, which occurred shortly after 6:30 a.m. at the Clark gas station, 3606 N. Prospect Road.
The employee told police a man, later identified as Derek B. Horn, was wearing a hooded sweatshirt and blue bandana over his face, and carrying what appeared to be a handgun, called him to the register. The clerk then surrendered an undisclosed amount of money.
As the robber fled the store, the attendant grabbed a revolver under the counter and gave chase. While outside, the gas station employee yelled for the robber to stop before he then fired two shots in the robber's direction, but the robber kept running, reports said.
Horn, 34, of 1401 Livingston St. was arrested about 9 a.m. in the 2300 block of Malone Street and booked on a charge of aggravated robbery. Horn also was booked on a residential burglary charge and was wanted on a Peoria County burglary warrant, both from separate incidents.
Labels: business robbery, IL
Saturday, September 03, 2005
Rockford, Illinois
From August 11, 2005 WREX channel 13 in Rockford, Illinois:
ROCKFORD -- 24-Year-old Corey Blackman was on trial in the shooting death of Joshua Kahl last November. Blackman, Michael Borgman and Kahl tried to break into a home on Kentucky Drive. The man who lived there at the time, Scott McIntosh, shot and killed Kahl. Because Blackman and Borgman were committing a crime when Kahl died, they were charged with murder.This news account (not free) would indicate that McIntosh took the gun away from the bad guys.
Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, IL, intruder
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
Claremont, Illinois
From (IN) Terre Haute’s WTHItv.com of August 23, 2005
Home Invasion
Violence calls on a small Wabash Valley town.
One person is dead and 2 others are seriously injured following a home invasion in a small town in Richland County, Illinois.
Early Tuesday morning authorities were called to the community of Claremont just east of Olney.
There they found a bloody scene in a quiet community.
Violence paid a wake-up call to the sleepy town of Claremont, Illinois.
Investigators worked the scene that claimed the life of 20-year-old Joshua Bennett, a soldier on leave from out of town, who was visiting his family.
"I believe he was in the military and he was visiting his mother at the residence," said Richland County Coroner Randy Kistler.
Bennett was pronounced dead at the scene.
He was stabbed to death.
"there were 2 men that broke into the house," said Kistler, "and I'm not sure what happened after that."
Neighbors in the close community wouldn't go on camera about what happened, but the do say they were shocked and surprised because what happened in the house was extremely violent.
Not only was Bennett killed, but his mother was also stabbed.
A third person in the house got a gun and shot one of the attackers.
The other fled the scene, but was later captured and taken to the Richland County Jail.
Labels: assault, home invasion, IL
Saturday, August 20, 2005
Wamac, Illinois
From the August 17, 2005 Morning Sentinel:
Jaime Matthew Evilsizer, 19, of Brookside Trailer Court was taken to St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Hospital for treatment of wounds to his abdomen and thigh, police said.
A hospital spokeswoman said Tuesday afternoon that Evilsizer was admitted. His condition was not listed. One report stated that he was admitted to the hospital’s intensive care unit, although this was not confirmed by hospital officials.
Wamac police said Evilsizer was shot by Roy J. Miller, 76, who lives on the property where Evilsizer allegedly was causing a disturbance.
Marion County State’s Attorney Matt Wilzbach said Tuesday afternoon that he had just received preliminary verbal reports on the incident and was not sure what charges might be filed against Evilsizer.
Wilzbach also said he had not filed charges against Miller and would review the circumstances that led to the shooting to determine if any charges would be filed.
Wamac police said Evilsizer allegedly beat on Miller’s garage door and did some damage to Miller’s van, which was parked in front of the garage, under a carport. They said Evilsizer allegedly damaged Miller’s satellite dish beyond repair and then went to Miller’s front porch and started beating on the door.
They said Miller told the suspect to leave, but Evilsizer started beating on Miller’s truck, at which point Miller allegedly opened his front door and fired seven shots out the door, two of which struck Evilsizer on the abdomen and thigh. They said the weapon used was a .22-caliber pistol.
They said Evilsizer left the property and went to the 600 block of Wabash Avenue, where he allegedly struck an unidentified male with a board. When a Wamac police car arrived, Evilsizer reportedly rushed the police car and started beating on the passenger side window before heading north on Wabash Avenue and then west on Peach Street.
They said the officer caught up with Evilsizer again, and the suspect swung at the squad car, hitting and damaging a spotlight. When the officer opened the door, Evilsizer allegedly grabbed it, damaging the door before he fell to the ground. He then reportedly got up and went down an alley.
At this point, three Centralia police officers arrived as backup help, and they helped take Evilsizer into custody in the 600 block of South James Street, Wamac police said.
They said Evilsizer tried to pull off his belt and screamed, “Come get me,” after which a Centralia police officer pepper-sprayed him, and Evilsizer collapsed.
An ambulance arrived, and Evilsizer continued to resist police and ambulance crews, police said. He was taken to the hospital and administered drugs to calm him down, police reported.
Initial urinalysis at the hospital showed he had traces of methamphetamine and cannabis in his system, as well as a blood alcohol level of .195, which is about three times the limit at which a person is considered to be legally intoxicated, according to police.
“I have no doubt that this elderly gentleman feared for his safety,” the state’s attorney said of the shooting.
Cottage Hills, Illinois
From the The Alton Telegraph of August 20, 2005
Cottage Hills brothers help catch gunman
When a wounded, "wanted" man came banging at Jimmy Harrison Sr.’s back door at 1 a.m. Aug. 11, the 57-year-old said he was ready -- with a gun.
Harrison knew that Derek K. Gilmer, 27, of Washington Park, was a fugitive from police, because he had been out looking for the man.
"I hunted him all evening in the woods behind my house," Harrison said. He said he wanted to find Gilmer so the fugitive wouldn’t break into his house and harm him and his brother, Danny, as they slept.
Harrison said he carried his gun as he combed woods and a creek area Wednesday, Aug. 10, near his home in the 200 block of West Drive in the Forest Homes area of Cottage Hills, east of Stanley Road.
He said he had called 911 earlier Wednesday when he saw the fleeing man in the area.
Harrison said police and deputies from the Madison County Sheriff’s Department and Illinois State Police gave up looking for Gilmer about 8 p.m. but that he continued his manhunt.
In the meantime, Gilmer apparently shot himself in the foot accidentally.
Gilmer then went looking for help at the door of the man who had been looking for him for hours. Harrison was outside at the time, having come back from his manhunt.
Gilmer, who could barely walk, crawled up to the porch, banged on the door and asked Harrison for a drink of water.
"He said, ‘Just call an ambulance,’" Harrison recalled. "I said, ‘Don’t move or else.’"
Harrison said the man probably did not know he was holding a gun in the dark. Harrison’s brother, Danny, who awoke when Gilmer banged on the door, stayed inside and called 911.
An ambulance and sheriff’s deputies rushed to Harrison’s home.
"The police wrestled him to the ground," Harrison said.
Harrison, who said he is partially disabled and weighs 149 pounds, said he was not afraid Gilmer would harm him.
"He ain’t getting a gun from me; I was an over-the-road truck driver. I’ve had some bad situations with people trying to shoot me."
Harrison said Gilmer was unarmed when he asked for help.
Lt. David Hayes, chief of detectives for the Alton Police Department, confirmed that Harrison called 911, leading to Gilmer’s capture, but he said Sheriff’s Department reports do not mention Harrison holding the fugitive at gunpoint.
"He called the Sheriff’s Department, and the Sheriff’s Department responded where they found a guy who was the victim of a gunshot wound to the foot," Hayes said. "At no time does (the report) say (Harrison) held (Gilmer) at gunpoint.
"There is no doubt Mr. (Danny) Harrison did assist in capturing Gilmer by notifying us," Hayes said. "He did the right thing. We worked in conjunction together and had a good resolution."
(More)
Saturday, August 06, 2005
Clark County, Illinois
From August 5, 2005 WEIU channel 51:
After two days of deliberation a Clark County grand jury decides no charges will be filed after a Father's Day shooting in Casey.
37-year-old Patricia Keeney was accused of killing her husband David Keeney in June.
Clark County State's Attorney Dennis Simonton says Patricia shot David after a domestic altercation.
A grand jury was called to deliberate and bring charges against Patricia.
The grand jury was dismissed this afternoon after returning "no charges" against her.
Labels: domestic dispute, IL
Saturday, July 30, 2005
Marion, Illinois
From the July 28, 2005 Southern Illinoisan:
At about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Marion police responded to a 911 call at 1301 W. Central in Marion. Police say that, according to resident Ian Copeland, two men with ski masks entered Copeland's garage with each brandishing a handgun. An altercation ensued which resulted in one of the alleged assailants, Irvin Lemons, being shot three times.
Labels: assault, home invasion, IL
Thursday, May 05, 2005
Dolton, Illinois
From the April 27, 2005 Chicago Tribune:
A pregnant woman who was shot twice in the abdomen before her husband fatally shot the gunman at a Dolton store was treated in an Olympia Fields hospital and her fetus is fine, police said Tuesday.
The 28-year-old woman, who police declined to identify, was shot just before 9 p.m. Monday in the Family Dollar, a discount store in Dolton, police said.
A spokeswoman for St. James Hospital and Health Centers said the woman was released Tuesday afternoon.
Details of the shooting remain unclear, but police believe a man who has not been identified entered the store with a .38-caliber pistol and had a confrontation with the employee.
Her husband, waiting outside to pick her up at the end of her workday, heard gunshots and ran into the store.
The husband struggled with the assailant for the pistol, wrangled it away and shot the gunman twice.
Labels: assault, criminal's gun taken away and used against him, IL
Saturday, February 12, 2005
Johnson County, Illinois
From the Carbondale Southern Illinoisan of February 11, 2005
HOSTAGE KILLS ALLEGED ASSAILANT IN HOME
A stormy relationship between two Williamson County teenagers ended in bloodshed Thursday, when a member of the girl's family shot and killed the young man, whom they said had been holding them hostage at gunpoint.
Jeffrey Scott Price, 19, of Marion, died at Saint Louis University Hospital Thursday morning after being shot in the head during the alleged home invasion.
…
Price went to the house, located on Deer Trail Road in the Lake of Egypt area, looking for his 17-year-old ex-girlfriend, said Sherry James, the girl's mother. The occupants of the house are James' parents, the girl's grandparents, both in their 70s.
James said her parents told her Price entered their home without them knowing, wearing a ski mask and hooded sweatshirt. He awakened James' mother with a gun in her face, demanding to know where his ex-girlfriend, the woman's granddaughter, was.
Price ordered the couple into the living room, James said, and demanded they find a way to get his ex-girlfriend to come over without arousing suspicion. During the course of about an hour, James said, her mother was able to placate him to the point where he put away the gun. She excused herself to go to the bathroom, and so did her husband.
The couple went to separate bathrooms, but James said her father went to the bedroom to retrieve a .45 caliber handgun he purchased 14 months ago. He had never unwrapped it or taken off the tags, she said.
The man loaded the gun and returned to the living room. Somehow, James said, her mother was able to get Price's gun and throw it off the deck of the house. When her husband came back into the room, he pointed the gun at Price and told him he could either sit down or leave. James said Price told her parents he wouldn't leave without his ex-girlfriend.
James said her father told her mother to call the police with a cell phone, because Price had disabled the land line. As she went to do so, Price produced another gun. James said her father shot Price in the back of the head.
(More)
Labels: home invasion, hostage, IL
Thursday, January 06, 2005
Harvey, Illinois
From Evansville’s 14WFIE.com of January 6, 2005
No Charges In IL Fatal Shooting Following Break-In
State prosecutors say they will not bring homicide charges against a 61-year-old Harvey, Illinois man who shot and killed his 21-year-old stepson.
Harvey police say the older man shot John Shedrich on Friday afternoon as Shedrich attempted to force his way into the home he had formerly shared.
They say Shedrich had thrown bricks through a window and kicked down the front door to get in.
Police said the stepfather, whom they declined to identify, fired only in self-defense.
Labels: domestic dispute, home invasion, IL
Thursday, December 09, 2004
Macomb, Illinois
From the Macomb Journal of December 5, 2004
Resident captures intruderFrom the Macomb Journal of July 21, 2005
Leonard Gamage is sore today, which is understandable since he spent more than 45 minutes fighting off an intruder late Friday.
Gamage, 87, suffered some bumps and bruises in a pair of fights with the intruder, who is an unidentified 20-year man. Leonard told the Journal he does feel good about still having the ability to defend his home.
"I'm an old soldier," Gamage said. "I was in quite a few scuffles in the Army. I feel like I can still go if I have to."
Gamage said the ordeal started just after 9 p.m. He was watching television at his home, located at 1200th Road, near Macomb, when someone came to his front door. Gamage said he went to the back door since both doors face the patio.
Gamage did not recognize the young man. When he went to open the door, he said the man grabbed the screen door and forced himself inside the house.
"I asked him what he wanted and told him to get out," Gamage said.
The intruder allegedly refused to leave. That is when Gamage and the young man got into their first altercation.
"We started to scuffle right there in the kitchen," Gamage recalled. "I was able to get him outside the house and told him again to get out."
Gamage said he remembered having a pair of rifles in a gun rack inside the house. As he started in that direction, he and the man began to fight again at the back door, in the kitchen/patio area.
"I was finally able to get my hands on one of the guns and hit him in the back with the gun stock," Gamage said. "That's when he looked at me and said 'I'm going to get you."
Gamage said he was thinking that he would hate to kill the young man, but would if he were left with no choice. Gamage then fired a pair of warning shots, one at each foot, but that did not deter the intruder, according to Gamage, who was feeling weak by this point. Gamage was at the hospital a day earlier being treated for a nose bleed.
"I lost a lot of blood the day before and I was weak," Gamage added. "When he said he was still going to get me, I realized this was serious. I shot him in the left foot. It hit him in the arch and he screamed and started jumping around like a chicken with his head cut off."
Gamage said he pointed the rifle at the suspect's stomach and ordered him to freeze while Gamage made a telephone call. Instead of calling 911, Gamage called a neighbor, Tom Friday, and told him he had been attacked.
When he went back the intruder was gone. Gamage said he did not feel comfortable knowing the suspect was out there, so he went into the dark, looking for the young man.
Gamage said he spotted the suspect near the garage, next to the barn. Gamage crept up behind the man and ordered him not to move or he would kill him.
"About that time Tom pulled up," Gamage said. "I think he was shocked because I was holding the intruder at gunpoint."
Seconds later Gamage said multiple police cars, an ambulance and fire rescue units all converged on his home.
The ordeal was finally over. It was about 10:45 p.m.
…
Ironically, Gamage lost the very rifle that may have saved his life.
"I do not have a gun permit so they had to take my rifles," Gamage said. "The sheriff told me if I get my permit, he would see what he could do to help me get them back.
I never use them, but they have been in the family a long time."
Gamage said the sheriff and other officers told him he "did a hell of a job," defending his property.
"If nothing else I hope this prevents other intruders from breaking into someone's home," Gamage said.
Victim angry with plea deal
A 20-year-old Geneva man who attempted to force his way into a rural Macomb residence in December pleaded guilty to an amended charge of disorderly conduct Wednesday in McDonough County Court.
James VanderVeen of Geneva, was originally charged with felony trespass to a residence.
In a negotiated plea VanderVeen was sentenced to 12 months court supervision and fined $100 plus court costs. If VanderVeen successfully serves the year of court supervision, the misdemeanor will be wiped from his record.
The charge stems from an incident that took place at the Leonard Gamage residence.
Gamage told the Journal he is "amazed" over the terms of the plea agreement.
"I'm shocked," Gamage said. "This guy invaded my home. I am sure he would have killed me if he could. I do not believe this ended up as a misdemeanor. I've seen cases of home invasion where the guy would get 10 or 12 or 15 years in prison."
(More)
Labels: assault, home invasion, IL
Saturday, October 30, 2004
Toluca, Illinois
From the October 27, 2004 Peoria (Illinois) Journal Star:
TOLUCA - A Toluca homeowner shot and killed a shouting, swearing intruder who broke into the family home early Tuesday after heaving a piece of backyard playground equipment through a window, authorities said.
The bizarre episode, which terrified a young family and ended the life of Douglas Allen Sullivan, 37, was quickly declared a justifiable shooting by Marshall County State's Attorney Paul Bauer after he visited the scene and reviewed preliminary police reports.
Sullivan was unarmed and was pronounced dead at the home by County Coroner David Lenz Jr.
Homeowner Brad Burns, who killed Sullivan about 2 a.m. with a single shot from a 9 mm pistol, "was defending not only his life, but the lives of his wife and child," Bauer said. "There's no doubt in my mind that they were in fear of their lives."
Labels: home invasion, IL
Monday, August 09, 2004
East St. Louis, Illinois
From St. Louis’ KSDK.com of August 9, 2004
You Go, Girl!
Woman Fires Gun During Break In Attempt
Police are questioning three juveniles suspected of trying to break into an East St. Louis home. If they are the culprits, they got more than they bargained for when the homeowner used her gun.
Nina Sloan, 87, may have trouble walking because of her arthritis, but she has no problems wielding a gun. Wednesday around 10:00 p.m., intruders tried to break into Sloan's home, "They broke this down to unlatch the door, that's what they were going to do, see. I wasn't going to let them do that."
Sloan fired two shots with her .38 special but missed her target, "See if I had been right over here, I would've gotten him in the right in the belly."
East St. Louis Police Deputy Chief Rudy McIntosh happened to be in the neighborhood when he responded to the 911 call, "I got there within a minute or so and she still had the weapon in her hand ready to shoot again and I had to holler out, 'police, police.'"
The very next day, police caught three juveniles burglarizing another home just down the block. They believe those three are the same ones who tried to break into Sloan's home.
Deputy Chief McIntosh said, "I've been in law enforcement for 10 years now, I've seen scenarios where people have preyed on the elderly and burglarized their home and left them dead, so she did the right thing."
Neighbors are now trying to help fix the damage and remove the weeds surrounding the home. A neighbor told Sloan, "What we'll do is clear that out and at least it will give them less of a hiding place. I've also got to find a carpenter to come in and repair this door."
When asked if she was afraid, Sloan answered, "Uh-uh. Ain't afraid of nothing. I don't fear nobody but God." And she's not afraid of the intruders coming back. Sloan said, "I ain't looking for trouble, but when they come in here they got a lot of trouble."
Wednesday, January 07, 2004
Joliet, Illinois
From the Suburban Chicago Herald News of January 7, 2004
Joliet store owner fends off knife-wielding man
A West Jefferson Street store owner may have fended off a would-be robber armed with a kitchen knife when he threatened to shoot him, police said.
The store owner told police a man wearing a red cap, gray ski mask and gray cap walked into Mexcom, his 901 W. Jefferson St. business, shortly after 9 p.m. Monday.
The store was closed when the man walked in, police said, and the owner and his wife were shutting it up for the night.
The masked man reportedly told the owner he had something for him, and when asked what that might be, he replied that he had gold to sell.
The owner told police he noticed the man was holding a kitchen knife, and he and his wife started to back away.
The masked man repeatedly told him not to move, the owner said, and this frightened him.
The owner told the intruder that he would shoot him if he did not leave, police said, and the masked man ran out of the store. He then fled east on Jefferson Street.
Labels: business robbery, IL
Wednesday, December 31, 2003
Wilmette, Illinois
From the Chicago Tribune of December 31, 2003
(Requires Registration)
Wilmette man shoots intruder in his home
Hours after an intruder used the dog door of a Wilmette home to steal a set of keys and a BMW sports-utility vehicle, the homeowner shot a man he confronted inside the house, authorities said Tuesday.
After being hit twice Monday, the suspect plunged through a front window of the home and escaped, but he was caught a short time later when he drove the stolen SUV to St. Francis Hospital in Evanston seeking treatment for his wounds, police said.
Morio Billings, 31, of the 2100 block of South Trumbull Avenue in Chicago, was charged Tuesday night with two counts of felony residential burglary and one count of felony possession of a stolen motor vehicle, said John Gorman, spokesman for the Cook County state's attorney's office.
Billings, who was shot in the left shoulder and left calf, remained hospitalized after surgery, Gorman said. His condition was described as non-life-threatening.
Billings was shot by Hale DeMar, 54, who was home in the 0-99 block of Linden Avenue with his wife and two children when Billings used a key to enter the house, authorities said.
Police would not say whether Billings is suspected in the first burglary when the keys were stolen from DeMar's house. That incident occurred between 11 p.m. Sunday and 3 a.m. Monday.
"At this point our hearts go out to the residents that suffered this trauma," said Wilmette police spokesman Roger Ockrim.
...
DeMar is barred from owning a handgun by village ordinance. Ockrim did not know whether DeMar would be charged with any violations.
But he said, "The primary issue is someone has been burglarized and someone has been shot." Ockrim described DeMar as "understandably upset."
Police said they will investigate whether the shooting was in self-defense. The state statute dealing with such shootings is open to interpretation, said police and officials with the state's attorney's office.
"There's the letter of the law and the flavor of the law," Ockrim said. "You can't make a blanket statement until you've conducted an investigation."
...
Wilmette Village Trustee Beth Lambrecht predicted the firearms ban will be discussed at a future Village Board meeting, either to reconsider the ban or to remind the public of it.
She said using a gun to chase off a burglar is "very risky."
Another trustee said he didn't think the incident would lead to a change in the handgun ban.
"It wouldn't from my viewpoint," said Trustee James Griffith. "But I'm glad the guy had a gun."
UPDATE (NBC5.com): "Wilmette police say a homeowner who shot an intruder during a break-in will not be charged with violating the affluent Chicago suburb's handgun ban."
The authorities' collective positions on their handgun ban, and this homeowner's actions is the quintessence of incoherence.
FURTHER UPDATE (Chicago Tribune): "A Wilmette homeowner who shot and wounded an intruder was charged today with violating the north suburb's ordinance banning handgun ownership."
"If convicted, Hale DeMar, 54, faces a fine of up to $750."
...
"DeMar also is accused of failing to renew his Illinois Firearm Ownership Identification card when it expired in 1988, a Class A misdemeanor."
"Violation of the firearm registration law carries penalties of up to one year in jail, a $2,500 fine or court supervision or probation."
Perhaps someday Chicago will join the rest of the country.
Labels: IL, residence burglary
Friday, December 12, 2003
Chicago, Illinois
From the Chicago Tribune of December 12, 2003 (Requires registration)
Would-be robber killed in restaurant shooting
A robbery attempt turned deadly Thursday night after a man entered a South Side restaurant and exchanged gunfire with the owner, killing the would-be robber and critically wounding the owner, police said.
The shooting in the 8200 block of South Stony Island Avenue occurred across the street from a market where a security guard was killed Wednesday night, said Capt. Richard Johnson of the South Chicago District.
The would-be robber was holding two guns as he entered the restaurant at 8:40 p.m., at which point the owner pulled out a gun and they exchanged shots, Johnson said. The would-be robber died after leaving the store, Johnson said. The owner, who was shot twice in the chest, was in critical condition at Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn..
Labels: business robbery,