8/13/09
Whiteland, Indiana
From WISH of August 13, 2009
Armed homeowner stops enraged man
A Columbus resident is accused of trying to break into a rural Whiteland home.
Patrick F. Ianni, 33, 4440 Post-horn Court, Columbus, was arrested on charges of residential entry and public intoxication.
At about 1:40 a.m. Thursday, Ianni kicked the door of a rural Whiteland home and broke the door jam but walked away after the owner threatened to shoot him if he entered the home, according to a police report.
"The only smart decision he made was not to enter that home," Johnson County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Doug Cox said. "He's alive today because he didn't enter that house."
Ianni had visited a comedy club in Indianapolis with his girlfriend earlier that night and they got into a fight, according to a police report. He demanded to be let out of the vehicle and she let him out near the Whiteland Road interchange of Interstate 65.
He woke two rural Whiteland residents by pounding on their door. He claimed he was a police officer who wanted to ask them a question.
The homeowner warned Ianni that he had a gun and would shoot him if he entered the house and Ianni responded that he had a knife and would stab the homeowner.
A sheriff's deputy found Ianni staggering down the road with a bloody nose and he asked the officer if he could give him a ride.
Ianni yelled at officers, threat-ened to beat them up and told them he was a Federal Bureau of Investigation agent who just wanted to ask the homeowners a question, according to the police report. The sheriff's office checked with the FBI, who confirmed that Ianni isn't an agent.
He's being held at the Johnson County jail on $4,000 bond.
Labels: assault, IN, trespassing
7/18/09
Lafayette, Indiana
From the July 17, 2009 Lafayette (Ind.) Journal & Courier:
Investigators here plan to contact authorities in northwest Indiana to help locate three suspects in a Craigs-list exchange that turned into an armed robbery earlier this month.
Eugene A. Hall, 49, of Gary; Edward D. Mercer, 27, of Hammond; and Jarrod E. Rodriguez, 26, of Gary were each charged Thursday with six felony counts.Warrants were issued out of Tippecanoe Superior Court 2 for their rearrest.
The criminal allegations stem from a shooting July 1 outside a Subway restaurant at 3990 Indiana 38 E. in Lafayette. No one was injured after at least six rounds were fired.
Here's what took place, according to a probable cause affidavit filed with the charges:
Hall, Mercer and Rodriguez had arranged to meet in the Subway parking lot to purchase tires and rims listed on Craigslist by two Indianapolis men.
But after agreeing upon a purchase price of $3,100 and handing over the cash, two of the buyers pulled handguns and demanded the money back.
Guns were held to both victims' heads. One of them, Kyle Delord Bostic, also was armed.
Shots were then fired by both parties.
The La-fayette Police Department stopped a van that Hall, Mercer and Rodriguez were in shortly after on Indiana 38 East. Tires and rims allegedly taken during the exchange were in the back seat.
Officers found a revolver and ammunition near the road that a witness said the three men had discarded there.
Detective Mark Pinkard said Thursday criminal charges will not be pursued against Bostic or the other Indianapolis man, Courtney Robinson, because their shots were fired in self-defense.
Bostic also was properly licensed for his firearm.
"We deemed it as a life-preserving measure on their part," Pinkard said.
Labels: concealed carry permit, IN, street robbery
6/11/09
Richmond, Indiana
From the Palladium Item of May 30, 2009
Gunshot scares off intruder
A Richmond woman thwarted a break-in early Friday by firing a warning shot from a gun.
"She confronted him at the door," Richmond Police Chief Kris Wolski said Friday. "She fired one shot to scare the person off."
Wolski doesn't think the incident is linked to a series of home invasions and sexual assaults of women that have plagued Richmond for about two years.
The 41-year-old female resident in the 200 block of North 21st Street heard a noise and rushed to get the semiautomatic gun, he said. Wolski said her possession and use of the gun was lawful.
Police were called to the scene at 1 a.m. The suspect was wearing a baseball cap under a hoodie, but that's about all the victim could see, Wolski said.
"Hopefully the neighbors saw something," he said. "We're doing more scene processing and getting statements."
At least eight attacks have been attributed to a man who stands about 5 feet 5 inches and strikes in the early morning hours while wearing a mask and dark hoodie.
Four more attacks are possibly linked. His female victims have ranged from a teen-ager to an 81-year-old woman.
Wolski acknowledged that the attacks are on the minds of residents, including Friday's victim.
"She was aware of the other incidents," he said. "Everyone is at a heightened level of awareness."
The police department is getting numerous calls each day with tips about potential suspects in the attacks.
"I think we are making headway," Wolski said.
Labels: female, IN, trespassing
6/10/09
Evansville, Indiana
From the Courier Press of June 7, 2009
Suspect in home invasion robbery shot during struggle
A 21-year-old Evansville man was shot in the hand this afternoon as he wrestled with a man he was trying to rob, authorities said.
Bassil Mohammad Kamali was booked into the Vanderburgh County Jail after being checked out at Deaconess Hospital for a minor wound.
He is being held without bond pending an initial court appearance Monday. Preliminary charges are listed as robbery with a firearm, armed burglary, intimidation with a weapon and criminal recklessness, all felonies.
Evansville Police Department Sgt. Greg Motz said Kamali was armed with a handgun when he knocked on the victim's door in the 900 block of Douglas Drive. It happened shortly before 2 p.m.
Motz said Kamali, who also lives in the area, heard that the victim had just sold a stereo and believed he had cash on him.
The victim was asleep and his two children - ages 6 and 8 - answered the door. The children started screaming when the armed suspect barged in, Motz said.
"(Then the victim) comes out and wrestles with the guy with the gun and pushes him out," Motz said. "At some point, the gun goes off and shoots the suspect in the hand."
A man nearby heard the children screaming for help during the struggle, Motz said. He then stopped Kamali from fleeing and physically held him on scene until authorities arrived.
"The guy jumped over the privacy fence when he heard the kids screaming," Motz said. "It was a heroic act."
Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion, IN
5/10/09
South Bend, Indiana
From the May 8, 2009 South Bend Tribune:
MISHAWAKA — Two young girls, sisters, were in critical condition late Thursday after being run down earlier in the evening while crossing the street arm-in-arm after playing with friends.
The driver reportedly attempted to flee, but was stopped at gunpoint by a man who witnessed the accident.
According to witnesses, the two girls, ages 4 and 6, were crossing 11th Street at Dodge Street about 7:18 p.m. when a man traveling west on 11th in a blue Chevrolet Lumina struck both of them at about 40 mph.
"No sooner had they crossed the street than I heard tires lock up and, 'Boom! Boom!,'æ" said Alan Knepp, who was standing just up the street when the girls were hit.
Knepp said the younger girl passed quickly beneath the vehicle, but her older sister rode the hood for several seconds before falling beneath the front end and then under both driver's side tires.
The girls behind him, the driver then hit the gas, witnesses said, but stopped when Knepp, who was legally carrying a gun, jumped in front of the vehicle and trained his weapon on it.
Approached by Knepp, the driver reportedly said the girls had jumped out in front of him. He then handed his keys to Knepp and stood silently next to his vehicle until police arrived.
The girls, meanwhile, lay nearly lifeless in the road, witnesses said. The younger one initially was not breathing, and the older one's limbs and neck were badly twisted.
Fetched by a neighbor, the girls' mother arrived moments later and reportedly passed out at the sight of her daughters' motionless bodies.
Both girls were rushed by ambulance to Memorial Hospital in South Bend with critical injuries, Mishawaka police Capt. Pasquale Rulli said. One was immediately admitted into surgery, he said, and the other flown to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis.
Labels: civilian arrest, IN
3/16/09
Evansville, Indiana
From WFIE of March 15, 2009
Man shot by homeowner after attempted break-in
An Evansville man was shot after, police say, he tried to break into a home.
The home-owner said the man broke through the back door, and that's when he shot the intruder, but the story doesn't stop there.
The intruder was then run-down by his own get-away car.
Neighbors said police were on the scene for several hours processing evidence and looking for clues that would help them track down the accomplices.
Sunday mornings events aren't easily forgotten.
"I looked out my peephole and saw a man head to toe in blood," neighbor Katherine Vessels said.
Evansville police said it all started at 5:00 Sunday morning when 26-year-old Derek Shaun Clark kicked in the door of Derrick Murray's home on East Riverside Drive.
Police said the suspect entered the home and told the victim he was police.
Murray said he could tell from the tone of his voice something wasn't right.
"They were talking in street slang, so I ran to my bedroom to get my rifle and as he came in with his hand-gun drawn I, I just fired at him," Murray said.
Police said Clark stumbled out of the house leaving a trail of blood behind him.
He attempted to get in his get-away car, but neighbors said he never made it inside.
"The white car was parked in front of my house and they backed up and ran over him and then he backed up and then they backed up into the alley and into him again," Vessels said. "Then, they took off."
Vessels said she now fears for the safety of her children, and is considering moving out.
"It just blows my mind that that would happen right in front of my house like that," Vessels said. "I have three kids, I wouldn't want that around anybody's kids."
Still shaken up, Murray said he's here to stay, and also said if those crooks come back, they better beware.
"I think a family man is the most dangerous person because they've got more to lose like I do," Murray said.
Clark is in intensive care at St. Mary's.
In 2003 he was convicted of drunk driving and in 2007 he was convicted for possession of marijuana.
Detectives said they will release an official statement regarding Sunday's shooting on Monday.
Labels: home invasion, IN
2/19/09
Indianapolis, Indiana
From January 26, 2009 WHTR-TV:
Indianapolis - A restraining order didn't keep a woman's ex-boyfriend from breaking into her home this morning, where she shot him.
Wounded and in handcuffs, 32-year-old Jeffery Seats was taken first to Wishard Hospital, then to jail."She's got a right to protect herself and her children and he forced his way in there, so she shot him," said IMPD Lt. Jeff Duhammel.
Around 11:30 Sunday morning, police say Seats kicked in his ex-girlfriend's door at the Cold Springs Manor apartment complex. He grabbed her and hit her with a chair, all in the presence of their two young children.
"She gets away from him, goes upstairs, grabs a gun and then, either he was pursuing her upstairs but she fired a shot, just graze wounds on his head. That's when he takes off," Lt. Duhammel said.
Police found Seats' pick-up truck at an apartment complex at 59th and Georgetown Road. They found Seats upstairs in one of the apartments at a friend's home.
"They observe the truck here, they see blood inside the truck, he comes to the door and he is wounded to the head," Lt. Duhammel said.
Police say the couple has a history of domestic violence and that the woman had a restraining order against Seats.
Labels: domestic abuse, female, IN
1/28/09
Fort Wayne, Indiana
From WSJV of January 22, 2009
Suspected robber dies in liquor store shooting
Fort Wayne police are investigating a shooting at a liquor store that left a suspected robber dead and a store clerk wounded.
The shooting occurred Wednesday afternoon at Belmont Beverage on the city's south side.
Police spokesman Mike Joyner says the store employee was shot in the leg and was hospitalized in fair condition Wednesday night.
Police say the robbery suspect entered the store and demanded money. When police arrived, they found him lying in the middle of the street. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Joyner says the shots were fired inside the building. He says the suspect was armed with a handgun, which was found at the scene.
The names of the robbery suspect and store employee were not immediately released.
Labels: defender shot, IN
1/15/09
South Bend, Indiana
From the South Bend Tribune of January 10, 2009
National media seek out South Bend woman
Sandra Hochstedler, the 70-year-old woman who held an intruder at gunpoint earlier this week, is out of the hospital and making the media rounds.
On Friday afternoon, a production crew with the news magazine Inside Edition visited Hochstedler's home to re-create the harrowing standoff for a segment to air on the show.
"It was quite a production. It was really interesting," Hochstedler said early Friday evening, shortly after the crew and host Les Trent had left her Portage Road home in northern St. Joseph County. "I really had to act. It was almost like I was in a studio."
"I'm hoping it will be inspiring to others," she said of the reason she agreed to film the segment, "to let them know that they can do this, that they can protect their homes. And if it comes to it, they can take extreme action."
On Sunday evening, as Hochstedler was hauling firewood from her garage into her home, a man reportedly came running at her from the street and chased her inside.
She grabbed her gun and dialed 911, she said, and after the man burst through her living room window she held him at gunpoint until police arrived, threatening to shoot him dead if he moved.
The story was immediately picked up by local media outlets, and soon, the national media came calling as well.
Besides Inside Edition, Hochstedler said she has been contacted by ABC News, Good Morning America, and the Fox News morning show Fox and Friends.
Although flattered, Hochstedler said she is still a bit baffled by all of the attention.
"It takes my breath away," she said her newfound celebrity, "because I'm like, 'What? How did it get national attention? What is the big deal about? Doesn't everyone try to protect their home?'æ"
Hochstedler said she has been slow in responding to some requests for interviews because she was only released from the hospital on Thursday. She was taken there Sunday evening after complaining of chest pains.
"By the time I was done being a tough woman and yelling at (the intruder) like I wasn't afraid, I sat down at the dining room table and it just all came out of me," she recalled.
At the hospital, Hochstedler said, doctors informed her she had actually suffered a heart attack and needed to have a cardiac catheter inserted to check for arterial blockage.
"I was resisting having it," she said of the procedure, explaining that she doesn't normally require a lot of "doctoring," "but they told me this was life threatening, that part of my heart had already died."
"It was due to shock," she continued. "It happens to people sometimes. That's what they call being scared to death."
Now that she's feeling better, Hochstedler said she wants to help others. As vice president of the German Township Neighborhood Association, she said she'd like to organize seminars to educate her neighbors on how to better secure their homes and protect themselves and their families.
Labels: female, home invasion, IN, senior
1/12/09
Hammond, Indiana
From the Northwest Indiana Times of January 12, 2009
Police: Man shoots, kills suspect in Hammond robbery attemptFrom the Northwest Indiana Times of January 12, 2009
An attempted robbery early Sunday morning turned fatal for one of the suspects, police said.
A 38-year-old man and his girlfriend were exiting their sport-utility vehicle in the parking lot of McTavern's bar in the 7400 block of Indianapolis Boulevard when two people attempted to rob the couple, according to a Hammond police news release.
Another person is believed to have been an accomplice in the attempted robbery, Police Chief Brian Miller said.
The owner of the vehicle took a handgun from the SUV and shot one of the suspects in the chest, the release states. The shooting victim died at the scene before Hammond Fire Department personnel could provide further treatment and he could get to a hospital.
Kenneth Denson, 17, of the 600 block of East 131st Street in Chicago, was pronounced dead from a gunshot wound to the chest about 1:30 a.m., a Lake County coroner's office spokeswoman said Sunday.
The second robbery suspect and an accomplice fled from the scene in a vehicle and traveled north on Indianapolis Boulevard into East Chicago, where they crashed and police apprehended them. Miller said an illegal narcotic drug was found in the vehicle.
Police said the investigation continues. The man who shot Denson has cooperated with police and has turned over his handgun.
Charges could be filed today against the other two suspects in custody, Miller said.
In September, a 40-year-old Gary man, Eric Lowe, was shot and killed outside of McTavern's following a dispute. Lowe was a security worker for the bar.
Police: Statements support self defense claim in fatal shooting
Hammond police believe a man who shot and killed a would-be robber outside of a bar there early Sunday legitimately acted in self defense.
Hammond Police Chief Brian Miller said the 38-year-old Gary man was released after providing a statement to police about the incident.
"We do believe that his version of the story is true and credible," Miller said, adding that the man had a valid license to carry the weapon and purchased it legally.
Statements from witnesses to the attempted robbery and shooting assisted as well, he said.
"We had some outstanding participation by witnesses," Miller said.
(More)
Labels: concealed carry permit, IN, minor offender, street robbery
10/19/08
Indianapolis, Indiana
From the Indy Star of October 18, 2008
Victim, intruder shot in home invasion
An apparent home invasion left both the Near-Eastside resident as well as the alleged intruder hospitalized with gunshot wounds, police said today.
Jason Kennedy, 25, was listed in serious but stable condition at Wishard Memorial Hospital with a gunshot wound to the head.
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department investigators said that after being shot, Kennedy fired back at his alleged attacker, Thomas King, 29, of McCordsville. King was listed in critical condition at Wishard.
According to an IMPD news release, Kennedy and a group of friends had been sitting on a porch in the 200 block of North Eastern Avenue early today when they were approached by King and another man, and began arguing with them.
Police said the men returned to the residence about 5:50 a.m. and robbed Kennedy and one of his companions at gunpoint.
According to the news release, "it appears that King, while robbing the two individuals, pointed his gun at Kennedy and shot him in the head. Kennedy then pulled out his gun and returned fire, hitting King.''
Police found both King and Kennedy outside the residence. Investigators said they were still seeking King's alleged accomplice in the incident.
Labels: IN, residence robbery
9/20/08
Muncie, Indiana
From the Star Press of September 17, 2008
Clerk’s shots miss robber
Indiana law allows Hoosiers to defend themselves, even with deadly force, and Tuesday morning a woman working behind the counter of Zipp's Deli did just that.
Police said she fired shots at a teen who jumped the counter and tried to take money from her cash register. Even though the black male suspect never showed a weapon, he and the clerk struggled before he eventually got away, said Muncie Police Department Lt. Al Williams.
Police are continuing their search for him, as well as for another young black man who was waiting across Madison Street. Witnesses said the two fled on foot to 613 E. Fifth St., an apparently abandoned home just a block away from the store.
By the time Williams and other officers arrived there, all they found was a disheveled home. The front and back doors both were knocked off their hinges and standing open, and the house was full of junk and trash. The attempted robbery suspect is described as a young black man, likely in his teens, between 5', 6" and 5', 8. He was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt.
The clerk was not injured.
Williams declined to say how many bullets were fired. And though there's a bullet hole in the front door of the convenience store, it's unknown whether the suspect was hit.
Zipp's is a frequent stop for local police. Since Oct. 10, 2000, police have been called to the store at 425 E. Willard St. 360 times. Many of those calls are for traffic problems or minor infractions, but records indicate Tuesday's attempted robbery was the third of 2008, and the eighth of the past eight years.
This isn't the first time a Zipp's clerk has fired a gun at a robber. A convicted bandit was shot by a clerk in March 2002 after he robbed the store. He was later found, injured, in a home, along with cash that had been taken from the store.
And while prosecutors are leery of making comments that could sound like an endorsement of violence, there are laws, here in Indiana and elsewhere, that allow victims of crimes to protect themselves.
When Gov. Mitch Daniels signed new legislation in 2006, it didn't bring a massive change. Instead, it clarified that a person can defend himself with a weapon and doesn't have to run away from the suspect first.
Labels: business robbery, female, IN
9/9/08
Gary, Indiana
From the September 8, 2008 Gary Post-Tribune:
GARY -- The shadowy figure in the kitchen window didn't answer Saturday night when confronted by the homeowner who shouted repeated warnings.So it wasn't until after the burglar was shot trying to run out the back door that the homeowner discovered he'd wounded his second cousin.
"He told me he yelled, 'I'm armed, I called the police,' but the man inside never said anything," Detective Jeff Hornyak said Sunday.
Todd K. Godfrey, 46, was shot in the wrist about 10:20 p.m. by his relative, 51-year-old Tarold Blakey, as he tried to leave through a basement door.
Blakey said he and his fiance had returned to his home in the 2500 block of Tyler Street and saw a silhouette in the kitchen. He called police, then shouted to the intruder, police said.
When Blakey realized the man was trying to flee, he fired a single warning shot.
"That's when the guy finally says something," Hornyak said.
Police found the house had been ransacked, but nothing appeared to be missing.
Labels: IN, residence burglary
9/2/08
Muncie, Indiana
From the Indy Channel of September 2, 2008
Man Holds Would-Be Robber At Gunpoint
A Muncie man whose home was burglarized Monday held a would-be robber at gunpoint after waiting in the dark for two hours to see if the burglars would return, police said.
Michael Angel returned home Monday evening to find his back door open and several items missing from his home, 6News' Jennifer Carmack reported.
He said he called police to make a report and then talked to neighbors, who said they'd seen a few people and a black pickup truck near his home that day.
Angel said he wanted to see if the burglars would come back, so he sat in a back room in the dark with his gun. After two hours, Angel said he saw a pickup truck that matched his neighbors' pull up to the back of the house.
"I heard the guy enter the house and he was shuffling through stuff in my room," he said.
Angel said he walked down the hall with his rifle, cocked the gun and turned on the light.
"I started screaming at him and he dove onto the ground," he said. "I didn't want to shoot anybody, but I didn't know what to expect. I didn't know if the guy had a gun or not."
Angel said he called 911 and held the man -- later identified as Michael Boykin, 50 -- at gunpoint until police arrived.
"I think people around here should take a lesson and be more vigilant of the neighborhood and not rely so much on the police, because they're busy enough, and rely more on themselves and their neighbors," Angel said.
Boykin was arrested and preliminarily charged with burglary. Police said he has a lengthy criminal history, including a previous burglary conviction and several other theft arrests. Police are investigating if he may be connected to several other break-ins in the area.
Labels: IN, residence burglary
8/18/08
Indianapolis, Indiana
From the Indy Channel of August 18, 2008
2 Shot In Apparent Apartment Break-In
Two people were shot in a home break-in early Monday morning at an apartment complex on Indianapolis' east side.
Indianapolis Metro police were called to 42nd Street and Post Road just after 1 a.m.
Police said they found two men had been shot. One was believed to be a resident of the apartment complex and the other was possibly an intruder, officers said.
The resident was struck in the head and the other man was hit in the chest. Their injuries were believed to be serious but not life-threatening.
"There was possibly a break-in through the rear of the house," said IMPD Detective Kevin Duley. "Two occupants were in the apartment at the time of the break-in."
Police said they think the two men traded shots. The other resident who was not hurt was questioned as police hoped to determine if any other people were involved.
Labels: defender shot, home invasion, IN
6/18/08
Jeffersonville, Indiana
From WAVE3 of June 17, 2008
Road rage shooting being called self-defense
Police are calling it a case of violent road rage after a man is shot at a Jeffersonville, Indiana intersection. WAVE 3's Scott Harvey reports on the incident that happened at the corner of Allison Lane and 10th Street around 3 p.m. Tuesday.
It is a case of road rage with a twist. Detectives working the case tell us the shooter hasn't been charged, because it appears to be a case of self defense.
It's not the sort of thing you normally see on your commute home from work.
"People were standing in the parking lot. Nobody was doing anything, but talking on cell phones, so I told my girlfriend I was going to walk over and see what was going on," said Robert Bagshaw. "As I got closer the guy was talking about he'd been shot."
Investigators say it started as an altercation between a man riding a motorcycle and a woman driving a SUV behind him.
"He said they came flying up on him when he was getting ready to turn," said Bagshaw. "So he slowed down on his turn, next thing you know they rolled up a little bit more. They had a few words. He jumped off his bike."
"She never got out of the vehicle and that is where the shooting occurred," said Det. Todd Hollis with the Jeffersonville Police Department.
Bagshaw says the man had a single gunshot to the chest. He waited with the motorcycle rider until EMS arrived. He told us the man kept talking about the argument at the car.
"Supposedly she thought he had spit at her, but he said his false teeth fell out, so she shot him," explained Bagshaw. "So, I mean, there may be a little more to it than what the other guy is saying of course."
And investigators say there is. No charges have been filed against the woman, because police say at this point it appears to be self-defense.
"Exactly what he said or what his actions were, how threatening they were, will be determined through the investigation," said Det. Hollis.
Det. Hollis told us the woman was completely cooperative. So much so she called 911 from the scene. Police say she does have a permit to carry the snub-nosed .38 caliber revolver used in the shooting.
"It does belong to her," said Det. Hollis. "We ran a check on it to make sure it's wasn't stolen. She does carry it in the car for her protection. She told us that."
Regardless, Det. Hollis says this should be a lesson on how not to deal with road rage.
"If someone cuts you off or if someone acts aggressive on the road, the best thing to do is get away from it," said Det. Hollis. "If they are acting aggressive to a point to where they are dangerous, call police."
The man was taken to University Hospital in Louisville and at last check was in surgery. His condition is unknown at this time.
Police say they will continue to investigate, but ultimately the Clark County Prosecutor's Office will have the final say if charges will be filed.
Labels: concealed carry permit, female, IN, road rage
6/17/08
Fort Wayne, Indiana
From the News Sentinel of June 16, 2008
Man shoots dog that ran out of house at him
Jose Aquila said his pit bull was just trying to protect his 2-year-old when she was shot and killed about 7:40 p.m. Monday.
Aquila said the 6-year-old pit bull, Sapphire, charged out of his house at 4445 Schmucker Drive and began barking at a man who was holding Jose Jr.'s hand to keep him from running into the street. The man, who has a permit to carry a concealed pistol, fired twice from close range, striking Sapphire in the neck and spine and grazing his own toe, according to Aquila.
“She never bit him. She was just kind of warning him to get away,” Aquila said. “She seen a stranger grabbing my son.”
Aquila said before the shooting the man came to his backyard to ask if he owned a missing pit bull roaming the neighborhood. Aquila, who said he was holding Sapphire on a leash with Jose Jr. nearby at the time, said he didn't own the dog, and the man then inquired about the approximately one-month-old puppies Sapphire had.
While Aquila put Sapphire inside the house, Jose Jr. ran in front of the house. Aquila said Sapphire then ran out the front door. Seconds later he heard two shots.
The man told Fort Wayne Police he backpedaled as the dog came charging out of the home, but he fell on his back and the dog started coming for his feet. “I knew (it was going) to bite me, so I pulled out my pistol and shot it twice,” the man said in the report.
Aquila said Sapphire had never bitten anyone and was not normally an aggressive dog. Aquila said police told him the man - whom The News-Sentinel could not reach for comment - will not be charged because he had a right to defend himself. The police report confirmed the man would not be charged.
Labels: animal, concealed carry permit, IN
6/5/08
Green County, Indiana
From My Wabash Valley of May 23, 2008
Business Owner Shoots Alleged Robbers
Two people allegedly committing a theft at "K and H Auto" in Greene County are shot by the owner early Friday morning.
The Greene County Sheriff's Department says the business owner saw two men on his property, and he ordered them to show their hands.
One of them men pointed something toward the owner, and the owner started shooting. At least one of the men was believed to be wounded by the gunfire.
The Bloomfield Free Press is reporting that one of the men was airlifted to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis with a gunshot wound to his chest.
The Free Press is also reporting that the second man involved may also at Bloomington Hospital.
It turns out it was only a flashlight that was pointed at the owner.
Labels: IN, trespassing
4/4/08
Indianapolis, Indiana
From the Indy Channel of April 4, 2008
Clerk Wrestles Gun From Would-Be Robber
A gas station attendant was back on the job Thursday night, days after he wrestled a shotgun away from a would-be robber.
Dramatic surveillance video of the incident at the Shell station at 38th Street and Capitol Avenue was released Thursday, 6News' Cheryl Jackson reported.
Clerk Deme Momar found himself in a fight for his life soon after the would-be robber came into the store.
"The clerk recognized him from coming in and out and being around the neighborhood," said Indianapolis Metro police Detective Leon Benjamin.
The man waited for a customer to leave the store, then convinced Momar that he needed help with the ATM machine.
"His plan was to lure the clerk from behind the secure area where the cash register was located," Benjamin said.
Momar made an exception to store policy and went to help the man, after which he was greeted with a sawed-off shotgun.
"It's not easy if someone pulls out a gun on you and you are between life and death," Momar said. "He ... pulled out a shotgun on me and we fight and I take the gun out of his hand."
The struggle continued for several minutes, until Momar was able to get the gun away from the man.
"I let him go because I didn't know what ... to do. I couldn't shoot him, and he was begging me to let him go," Momar said. "Even if I go back there and give him the money, he will shoot me, too."
When Momar got the gun, the would-be robber's demeanor changed from attack mode to defenseless.
"He thought I was trying to shoot him, so he said to me, 'Please, I'm begging you, don't shoot me. Let me go. Let me go,'" Momar said.
Police and Momar both said they think the man lives in the neighborhood.
"He stay around here, not so far, and he used to drive a green (Ford) Explorer, two-door," Momar said. "That day, he was walking."
Momar said he decided not to let the robbery attempt keep him from returning to work.
Labels: business robbery, criminal's gun taken away and used against him, IN
3/19/08
Scott County, Indiana
From the Louisville Courier-Journal of March 18, 2008
Two men wounded at Austin business
Two Scott County men are recovering from gunshot wounds at University Hospital in Louisville after they were wounded last night on the property of a modular home dealership in Austin.
Malcolm Abner, 28, and Michael West, 33, are listed in fair condition today.
Scott County Sheriff John Lizenby said 32-year-old Chester Stacey told officers that he shot the men when they came at him as he investigated what he thought were people stealing things at Countryside Mobile Homes at 2771 E Ind. 256 in Austin.
Stacey is the son of Countryside owner Grover Stacey.
Lizenby said a Scott County officer who had been called to the scene to investigate possible trespassers was talking to the elder Stacey when they heard voices and then heard gunshots in a field on the property.
Officer Joe Johnson found the younger Stacey holding a 9-mm automatic handgun with Abner down in front of him.
West later came out of the field and told an Indiana state trooper that he’d been shot.
Lizenby said this morning that no one has been charged but the investigation is continuing. He said officers are searching for two other men that Chester Stacey said were also in the field.
Labels: business burglary, IN
3/5/08
Chesterton, Indiana
From the March 5, 2008 Indianapolis Star:
CHESTERTON, Ind. -- A man suspected of shoplifting hair-growth formula from a drug store was shot and wounded by a truck stop security guard following a high-speed chase in northwest Indiana.
Police say 36-year-old Michael A. Holmes of Markham, Ill., faces several charges when he is released from the hospital.
Police say Holmes had a woman and three children in his car Monday night as he led police on a chase at speeds of up to 100 mph from Chesterton to Gary.
Holmes fled on foot after crashing the car. A security guard at the Dunes Truck Stop says he shot Holmes in the abdomen when Holmes reached for his gun.
Labels: altercation, IN
2/24/08
Indianapolis, Indiana
From February 23, 2008 WISH channel 8:
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Metro Police say a homeowner shot a man in self-defense outside his eastside home Saturday morning. But it's not the man's first time using a gun.
...Metro Police were called by a homeowner, Richard Burns, who said he had just shot a man behind his Brookville Road home.
"Apparently he heard a noise outside, went outside to see what was going on, and related to the detectives that this individual came at him with a knife, and which time he fired a shot," IMPD Sgt. Paul Thompson said.
Burns told detectives the man he shot was coming out of his car, perhaps trying to steal it.
The victim was hit in the chest and taken to Wishard Hospital in serious condition. While doctors work to save the victim's life, detectives work to figure out a complex case.
Police will determine if this shooting was indeed self-defense. What they'll also look at is the fact that Mr. Burns has been involved in two other shootings, this year alone.
Labels: altercation, IN, street property theft
1/10/08
Indianapolis, Indiana
From the Indy Channel of January 10, 2008
Police: Homeowner Shot, Beat Would-Be Burglar
A man shot and beat someone who was trying to break into his home on Indianapolis' east side early Thursday morning, police said.
Police said Donald Robertson, 53, was asleep just after midnight when he was awakened by the sound of breaking glass.
Robertson grabbed a shotgun and went outside, where he found Chester Burkett, 43, breaking one of the home's windows, police said.
Authorities said the two men struggled with each other, and Robertson fired his shotgun. Police said Robertson told them he wasn't sure if he'd hit Burkett, so he struck the would-be burglar several times with the butt of the shotgun.
Investigators said Robertson fired as many as two additional shots as Burkett ran to another home.
Burkett was arrested on suspicion of attempted burglary, residential entry and attempted theft. He was taken to Wishard Memorial Hospital with a shotgun wound to his thigh and several cuts on his head, police said.
Robertson was treated at the scene and released.
Further links:
New homeowner shoots intruder
Labels: home invasion, IN, trespassing
1/2/08
Indianapolis, Indiana
From the January 2, 2008 Indianapolis Star:
A 51-year-old man stopped a masked man from robbing a Southside grocery store and held him at gunpoint until police arrived.
Charlie Merrell was in checkout line at Bucks IGA Supermarket, 3015 S. Meridian St., when a masked man jumped a nearby counter and held a gun on a store employee at 5:17 p.m. Monday, according to a police report made public today.
While the suspect was demanding cash from the workers, the police report states that Merrell pulled his own handgun, pointed it at the robber and ordered him to put down his weapon.
When the suspect hesitated, Merrell racked the slide on his gun to load a round in the chamber, Officer Jason Bockting wrote in the report.
The suspect placed his gun and a bag of cash on the counter, dropping some of the money, police said. The suspect removed his mask and lay on the floor. Merrell held the suspect at gunpoint until officers arrived and took him away in handcuffs.
Merrell had a valid permit to carry the handgun, police said. Police recovered an unloaded .380-caliber handgun from the suspect and $779 in cash, according to the report.
Dwain Smith, 19, was arrested on initial charges of robbery, criminal confinement, pointing a firearm, battery and carrying a handgun without a license. Smith remained held this morning in the Marion County Jail with bond set at $30,000, records show.
Labels: business robbery, concealed carry permit, IN
12/3/07
Indianapolis, Indiana
From the Indy Channel of December 1, 2007
Man Injured In Garage Shooting
A man was injured when he was struck with a bullet during an exchange of gunfire at his garage on Indianapolis' northeast side Saturday morning.
Donald Dancy and his wife returned to their home in the 3700 block of North Denny Avenue and found a man in the garage, police said.
Dancy fired a shot at the intruder and missed, but the intruder's shot hit him, police said.
Dancy was listed in good condition at Methodist Hospital on Saturday evening. Police did not identify a suspect.
Labels: defender shot, home invasion, IN
11/26/07
Indianapolis, Indiana
From Indianapolis’ TheIndyChannel.com of November 26, 2007
Police: Worker Shot At Would-Be Robbers; Suspect HurtAlso reported November 26, 2007 WISH-TV channel 8.
Wounded Man Arrested; Second Person Sought
At least one employee of an Indianapolis pawnshop fired a gun at two would-be robbers Monday morning, and a suspect was arrested after arriving at a hospital with a gunshot wound, police said.
Police weren't sure whether the arrestee, Nurdeen Anderson, was shot at the pawnshop, but they said they believe he was one of the two men who tried to rob it.
Authorities said two men armed with handguns entered the Universal Gold and Silver pawnshop at 4320 E. 10th St. at about 11:30 a.m. and tried to rob it. Two employees in the store also were armed, and at least one of the workers fired at the would-be robbers, police said.
The would-be robbers exited the store. About 20 minutes later, Anderson, 26, arrived at Methodist Hospital with a gunshot wound to the neck, police said.
A female who took him to the hospital told officers that Anderson had been shot in or near the 1600 block of College Avenue, several blocks to the northwest of the pawnshop.
Police said Anderson, who was treated at the hospital, matched the description of one of the men who robbed the pawnshop, and they arrested him on a charge of attempted robbery. Information on his condition wasn't available.
Authorities said they were trying to determine who the other would-be robber was.
Police said they believe no charges would be filed against the pawnshop's employees.
Labels: business robbery, IN
11/20/07
Indianapolis, Indiana
From the Indianapolis Star of November 20, 2007
Security guard kills man in vacant building
Police this morning identified the private security guard who shot and killed a suspected intruder in an empty Eastside apartment Monday as a 22-year-old from Greenfield.
Nicholas B. House, who works for Trinity Security, told police he thought the man had a gun. The deceased had not been positively identified this morning, but the Marion County coroner's office suspects he might be a 30-year-old from Centerville, Ill. House, according to police, was patrolling the Spanish Oaks apartment complex in the 10300 block of Governours Lane when he noticed an open door to a vacant apartment shortly before 9 p.m. Monday.
House went inside, identified himself and encountered two men in a bedroom. Believing one man had a gun, police said House fired his handgun.
One man collapsed from the gunshot to the chest, police said. The other man ran. Police think others may have fled the apartment.
Sgt. Paul Thompson said House was not an off-duty police officer. House could not give a description of the man who ran.
Police have not yet said if they recovered a gun from the dead man.
Labels: IN, private security, trespassing
11/14/07
Hessville, Indiana
From Chicago’s NBC5.com of November 14, 2007
Police: Woman Shoots Stalker To Death After Break-In
Woman Endured Many Incidents With Stalker, Police Said
An accused stalker was shot to death Monday night by the object of his obsession after he broke into her Hessville home, police told the Northwest Indiana Times.
Hammond resident Ryan Lee Bergner, 41, was pronounced dead from gunshot wounds to his abdomen shortly after 10:30 p.m. at a local hospital.
According to the Times, Bergner went on a date with the 51-year-old woman last June, and his behavior became obsessive, offensive and violent then on [sic].
On Monday night, the woman was watching television in her living room when she said she heard Bergner break a bathroom window near her back door and called 911.
A friend had given the woman a pistol for protection earlier in the day.
After the 911 operator told her to lock herself in her bedroom until police could come, she ran upstairs to do so and retrieved the gun.
This was the second time in recent days that Bergner broke into her home, breaking a back window, destroying a clock radio, and stealing several of her undergarments over the weekend.
Police records show Bergner also had tried to kick in the woman's front door a week before that, and also accosted her at her job and being ejected from the business by her co-workers.
He also was suspected of slashing her Jeep's tires on at least two occasions, police records show.
"This isn't over yet," Bergner told the woman on Nov. 3, according to police reports.
Hiding in her closet on Monday night, the woman said she heard Bergner enter the bedroom, then watched as he opened the closet door.
She said she told him to stop, but he kept coming. She fired the gun three times.
She said he then proceeded to choke her violently before collapsing to the floor.
"I was shaking so bad, I didn't think I'd hit him," the woman recalled Tuesday afternoon. "He just kept coming… I didn't want it to end this way."
Bergner had not been charged over any of the half-dozen previous complaints made against him.
"We only went out on that one date," the woman told the Times on Tuesday. "I got a look at his temper, and realized I didn't want anything to do with him. But he wouldn't take no for an answer."
From NBC5 of January 10, 2008
911 Tape Captures Horror Before Fatal ShootingClick here to listen to all of the chilling 911 call
Police in Northwest Indiana have released the audio tape of an emergency call for help.
A woman was reportedly watching TV when she heard a window breaking in her home and called 911.
She then hid in a closet, armed with a gun.
The tape captures the woman struggling with a man, repeatedly saying, "Stop it. Stop it."
The woman eventually shot and killed the intruder. Police said she will not face charges, because she acted in self defense.
11/11/07
Indianapolis, Indiana
From TheIndyChannel.com of November 11, 2007
Employees, Customer Tangle With Armed Robber
AutoZone Employees Wrestle Armed Man In Struggle
An armed robber was hospitalized after three would-be victims decided to fight back, Indianapolis Metro police said.
Investigators said while they would not recommend what two employees and one customer of an Indianapolis AutoZone store did, they called the actions very brave, 6News' Tanya Spencer reported.
Police said the employees who were working Sunday morning got suspicious as soon as Michael Jones, 41, walked in to the store, in the 6100 block of East 46th Street, on the city's northeast side.
"He was wearing a black hat and a hoodie, so the employees got kind of suspicious when he walked in dressed the way he was," said IMPD Detective Leon Benjamin.
Police said Jones pretended to shop, waiting for all customers to leave, then went to the counter and asked how much brake pads would cost for an older-model Cadillac.
"The clerk … turned around to check the pricing on the computer. When he turned back around, the suspect had a gun pointed directly at his head," Benjamin said.
The clerk then made a split-second, what some would call crazy decision, grabbing the gun and wrestling with the attacker.
A second employee jumped in to help, fighting the attacker out the door of the business and to the ground.
"When they fell to the ground, the gun was knocked loose from the suspect," Benjamin said.
The only customer in the store at the time grabbed the gun and called police, and the two employees held the man down until police arrived.
Police said the second employee only has one arm.
"His other arm is actually a hook, and he was able to use that hook … as a weapon in subduing the suspect," Benjamin said.
Police normally suggest victims do what a robber said. In this case, the clerk's reaction paid off.
Police said Jones had previously been incarcerated twice in robbery cases, and that he told a detective that he owed some money and needed quick cash.
Jones and the first employee during the struggle were taken to hospitals to be treated for cuts and abrasions but neither was seriously hurt.
Labels: business robbery, criminal's gun taken away and used against him, IN
10/19/07
Schererville, Indiana
From Merrillville’s PostTrib.com of October 19, 2007
Robber's victims turn tables, shoot as he flees
A would-be robber got more than he bargained Wednesday night, when his victims fought back and shot at him as he fled from a bank parking lot.
The victims were dropping off a night deposit at First Midwest across from the Highland Grove shopping center around 8:30 p.m. when they were approached by a slender man in a dark hooded sweatshirt, Detective Mark Santino said.
The man demanded the money, then scuffled with the two men before turning to run, Santino said. As the man ran off, one of the victims pulled out a handgun and fired several shots.
The robber fired back, but neither appear to have been wounded.
Police from Highland and Schererville searched near the scene for more than an hour, but did not find the suspect.
Santino said investigators have leads on several suspects.
Labels: IN, street robbery
10/17/07
Gary, Indiana
From Merrillville’s The Post Tribune of October 17, 2007
Man shot by owner charged in burglary
A man wounded early Monday has been charged with burglary.
Antoine D. Whitehead, 19, faces up to eight years in jail if convicted of the charge.
Whitehead was arrested at The Methodist Hospitals in Gary where he was being treated for a gunshot wound.
Mustafa Alayah, owner of Dave's Tire Shop, told Detective Dan Callahan he heard noises at his business and saw shadows, then fired his gun.
Investigators found the cash register at the shop had been opened by intruders, court records state.
Labels: business burglary, IN
9/12/07
Fort Wayne, Indiana
From the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette of September 12, 2007
Clerk shoots, kills robber, city police say
A clerk at a video store on Fort Wayne’s southeast side shot and killed an armed man as he was trying to rob the business Wednesday afternoon, city police said.
The man entered VIP Video, 7504 S. Anthony Blvd., about 4:40 p.m. The man pulled a gun, and the clerk shot and killed the man, police said.
Police were interviewing the clerk and other witnesses Wednesday afternoon.
Labels: business robbery, IN
9/8/07
Lafayette, Indiana
From the Lafayette Journal and Courier of September 8, 2007
Robbery suspect at large
The Lafayette police chief says a liquor store clerk who shot at a suspect during a late-night robbery attempt had the right to reasonably defend himself.
A single bullet was recovered from the siding of a nearby building. No one was injured.
Officers were called to Clark Liquors, 250 S. Fourth St., about 11:30 p.m. Thursday after an incident that started when an armed man entered the store and demanded cash.
The sole employee was somehow able to distract the man who then ran away, according to detective Capt. Kevin Gibson of the Lafayette Police Department.
Police are not releasing the employee's name to ensure his safety.
Gibson said the clerk went to the door to see which direction the suspect fled and -- believing the man aimed a gun at him -- fired one round.
Investigators do not believe that any cash or liquor was taken.
Chief Don Roush said case law supports allowing individuals who are faced with the threat of serious injury or death to use force to defend themselves.
"No one deserves to be a victim," Roush said. "He had the right to reasonably protect himself."
Investigators on Friday were able to recover video surveillance and still photos from the liquor store. But it's unclear from the footage which direction the suspect fled, Gibson said.
No customers were inside during the robbery attempt.
Labels: business robbery, IN
8/14/07
Terre Haute, Indiana
From the Terre Haute Tribune Star of August 13, 2007
Suspect burglar shot inside home Sunday
Police were investigating a burglary that happened Sunday morning in which the suspect ended up in Terre Haute Regional Hospital.
An 18 year-old-man was home in the 2000 block of Washington Avenue when a man wearing black clothing and a mask entered the home around 4 a.m.
Police would not disclose how the burglary suspect got shot, but he ended up in the hospital about 50 minutes later with “buck shot” embedded in his body, police said.
Labels: IN, residence burglary
7/30/07
Evansville, Indiana
From the Evansville Courier & Press of July 30, 2007
Shots fired during liquor store robbery
A liquor store owner fired three shots today at an intruder who entered the store carrying a hammer, an Evansville Police Department report said.
William Shepherd, owner of Apollo Liquors at 1165 E. Riverside Drive, told police he was taking inventory in the store about 3 a.m. when a man entered through a rear door.
The man saw Shepherd, became startled and attempted to leave through a front door that was padlocked from the outside.
He then ran back toward Shepherd, “cornering him into the rear of the store with the hammer in his hand,” the police report stated.
Shepherd “felt threatened and fired a warning shot at the suspect,” according to the report. When he did not leave, Shepherd “fired two more shots at the suspect’s lower legs, possibly striking one of them.”
The suspect then said “you shot me, Mr. Shepherd” before leaving through the same door he had entered, police said.
No arrests have been made.
Labels: business burglary, IN
7/29/07
Indianapolis, Indiana
From the Indianapolis Star of July 29, 2007
Man fatally shoots pit bull after attack
A man on Saturday shot and killed one of three pit bulls that attacked and bit his wife, police said.
The pit bulls jumped out of a pickup truck about 1 p.m. Saturday along Mann Road in northeastern Morgan County.
Media Wilson, a spokeswoman for the Department of Public Safety's Animal Care and Control office, said the woman had stopped to help catch the dogs when she was attacked.
She drove home, and her husband returned to the area with his gun.
The man, whose name was not released, was questioned by police but was neither arrested nor cited, Wilson said, because the shooting appeared to have been a case of self-defense.
The dogs' owner disappeared in the confusion, and his identity was unknown, Wilson said.
A second dog was captured by animal control. The third dog escaped.
The woman's injuries were not serious.
7/27/07
Wanatah, Indiana
From the Michigan City News-Dispatch of July 25, 2007
Sheriff's Deputies Find Intruder Held At Bay In Garage
A Wanatah man held an intruder at bay with a handgun early Tuesday until police arrived to take away the man, who claimed to be homeless.
Sheriff's deputies were called to the 100 block of South Lincoln Street at 3:13 a.m. to deal with a man who allegedly broke into a detached garage at the home and was rifling through a refrigerator.
When police arrived, they found the owner standing in his garage holding a pistol at his side. Mathew N. Franz, 13422 S. County Road 300 West, apparently was standing in the rear of the garage between a vehicle and the refrigerator.
The homeowner told police he'd gone to the garage when he saw the motion sensor light turn on and found Franz inside. The man said he never pointed the gun at Franz, and that Franz was apologetic and "very cooperative."
He told police Franz never moved from the time he told him to "freeze" until police arrived.
Officers said Franz admitted he entered the garage, saying he was hungry and looking for food. He told police he had moved out of his parents' home and moved in with friends in Valparaiso. He said he felt as though he was burdening his friends, though, and asked them to drop him off at the Speedway gas station in Wanatah.
While he was walking along Lincoln Street, he said he noticed a light on in the garage and went inside.
Franz was arrested and charged with burglary.
Labels: IN, residence burglary
7/18/07
Gary, Indiana
From the Gary Post Tribune of July 18, 2007
Dispute ends in fatal shooting
While calling police for help quelling a nasty fight between her two grown sons Monday evening, Kathleen Strickland heard a gunshot.
Her older son, Archie Strickland Jr., 30, was shot.
Her younger son, Andre Strickland, 22, was gone.
Archie died a short time later at Methodist Hospitals Northlake emergency room with a gunshot wound to his thigh. He was pronounced dead at 8:14 p.m., Lake County Coroner's Chief Investigator Paul Castro said.
Andre was arrested at his girlfriend's house in Brunswick on Monday night, but was released Tuesday by police after he was questioned.
Cmdr. Samuel Roberts said investigators believe Andre fired after his older brother, who suffered from bipolar personality and was recently released from a rehabilitation program, wouldn't stop his attack.
"There's an element of self- defense," Roberts said.
Lake County prosecutors are reviewing the evidence, but no charges are expected to be filed against the younger Strickland brother.
Their mother, a radio dispatcher for the Gary Police Department, told investigators her sons were arguing downstairs in their Tolleston home when Archie began hitting Andre with his fists.
Despite her efforts to intervene, the battle continued. She went upstairs to call police when she heard the single gunshot, police said.
Detective Lorenzo Davis presented the case to prosecutors Tuesday.
Labels: altercation, domestic dispute, IN
7/3/07
Hobart, Indiana
From the Merrillville Post-Tribune of July 3, 2007
Hobart man arrested after he's shot
A shooting last week led to an arrest Monday -- the person who was shot.
Lawrence Halt, 43, took two shots to the chest and hand in from a handgun fired by Michael Peco, 39.
Peco shot Halt in his own home, apparently acting in self-defense, said Lt. Leo Finnerty of the Hobart Police. The Lake County Prosecutor's office is not filing charges against Peco.
Instead, Halt was charged with four felony counts Friday for trespassing, strangulation and two counts of criminal confinement.
Shortly before 6:30 p.m. June 26, Halt walked from his home in the 100 block of North Guyer Street and approached Peco, sitting on his porch on the 100 block of North Wilson Street.
Halt told Peco he wanted to work on his air conditioning unit, but Peco refused, according to court documents. Eventually, Halt made threatening comments against Peco and placed him in a chokehold.
Peco struggled loose and went inside. Halt entered Peco's home without permission. Peco retrieved his .25-caliber handgun from the bedroom moments before Halt grabbed him again, placing him in another chokehold, court documents state.
During the struggle, Peco shook loose and fired his gun at Halt. Peco then called 911.
Halt was found by police in the street, standing in a small pool of blood. He told officers that Peco came outside to shoot him. Police found a trail of blood leading from Peco's home.
Paramedics transported Halt to the St. Mary Medical Center, where tests showed his blood alcohol content level to be 0.28 percent. Halt was discharged two days later.
Nearly two hours before the shooting, Halt confronted another neighbor, Anne Allendorf, 46, in an alley between Guyer and Wilson streets, according to court documents.
Halt told Allendorf he wanted to shake her hand, and then grabbed her arm, pulled her closely and refused to let go. Allendorf broke loose and ran to her mother's house on Wilson Street, across from Peco's home. Allendorf and her son told police that they saw Halt choking Peco on his porch before the shots were fired.
Labels: assault, home invasion, IN
6/28/07
Hobart, Indiana
From Merrillville’s Post-Tribune of June 28, 2007
Police say shooting could be self-defense
A Hobart man is hospitalized after a fight ended with a shooting Tuesday evening that police believe could be ruled self-defense.
Witnesses say Lawrence Halt, 43, was in an argument in front of his next-door neighbor's home in the 100 block of North Guyer Street when he put Michael Peco in a headlock. Police believe they were fighting over whether Halt would be allowed to do home repair work for Peco, according to police.
Halt followed Peco into his home, where police believe he again put Peco in a headlock. During a struggle, Peco drew a .38-caliber semiautomatic pistol and shot Halt, once in the hand and again in the chest, said Detective Lt. Leo Finnerty.
"He was in fear, and he shot him twice," Finnerty said.
Halt was hospitalized but he was awake and alert Wednesday morning when he was interviewed by police, he said.
Police continue to interview witnesses.
The results will be referred to the Lake County prosecutor, who will determine whether charges will be filed and against which man.
5/14/07
Indianapolis, Indiana
From Indianapolis’ WTHR.com of March 14, 2007
Intruder shot and killed by homeowner
An apparent intruder is dead after a possible home invasion led a homeowner to shoot him.
Detectives say they'll question the homeowner Monday morning to find out exactly what happened about 11:30 Sunday night.
That's when police were called to this home in the 3100 block of Park. The homeowner made that 911 call to say he shot an intruder.
"The homeowner indicated the individual, the victim had broken into his house and confronted the homeowner in the front room, living room area and the homeowner had a long gun and discharged his weapon at least one time," said IMPD homicide detective Lt. Kevin Kelly.
Police aren't sure what the victim was looking for.
Labels: home invasion, IN
4/5/07
Indianapolis, Indiana
From the Indianapolis Star of April 5, 2007
Homeowner shoots scavenger in scuffleFrom Indianapolis’ WTHR.com of April 5, 2007
A junk scavenger was shot in the leg today during a fight with an Eastside homeowner over a trash barrel.
Police said Nikia Johnson and an accomplice were taking a trash barrel from behind a garage in the 2700 block of Adams Street when the homeowner raised the garage door and discovered them.
The homeowner, Gus Eldridge, 53, said he told the men to return the barrel and they did, but the men refused to pick up the trash they had dumped from it.
Eldridge and Johnson argued and were scuffling when a .45 caliber handgun Eldridge was carrying discharged, striking Johnson in the leg.
Eldridge said he carries the gun whenever he is outside of his home because of the crime in the area."I'm just too old to wrestle,'' he said. "The gun just went off.
''Police are still investigating and no charges have been filed.
Homeowner shoots alleged thief
Police are investigating a shooting on the east side. They say a man was allegedly trying to steal something from a garage before 11:00 am when he was shot by the homeowner.
"I asked the guy to put it back and he refused to put it back. He wanted to fight. I don't understand," said Gus Eldridge, homeowner, with a shrug.
The suspect was shot in the leg and is reportedly in good condition at Wishard Hospital.
This story will be updated later.
Labels: altercation, IN, street property theft
3/17/07
Indianapolis, Indiana
From the March 12, 2007 Indianapolis Star:
INDIANAPOLIS - A 6-year-old girl was shot in the lower abdomen Monday afternoon when she wandered into an apartment hallway during a gunfight between her father and a robbery suspect, police said.
The girl, whose identity has not been released, was alert and awake when rescuers took her to Wishard Memorial Hospital, police said. She was then transferred to Riley Hospital for Children, where she was listed in serious condition, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Lt. Doug Scheffel said.
"The doctors (at Riley) told the detectives she's going to survive," Scheffel said.
The girl's father, Glenn A. Mitchell, 23, was arriving home shortly after noon, when a suspect pulled a gun on him and forced his way into the apartment, Scheffel said.
The suspect demanded money. The girl's mother, Dana Raymer, 24, gave him the family's recent income tax refund and he left, police said.
"It looks as though the father of child retrieved a handgun and chased the suspect into the entry way," Scheffel said.
The two exchanged shots before the robber got away in a green Mercury sedan driven by another man, Scheffel said. Mitchell, who is wanted on warrants for driving with a suspended license and operating a motor vehicle with expired license plates, also fled.
Labels: home invasion, IN, residence robbery
3/14/07
Indianapolis, Indiana
From TheIndyChannel.com of March 14, 2007
Man Killed In Shooting During Break-In
Police: Someone In Home Fatally Shot Intruder
One man was killed after breaking into a home on the city's northeast side, according to police.
The shooting happened just before midnight Tuesday in the 3900 block of Ridgeview Drive, near 38th Street and Arlington Avenue.
Indianapolis Metropolitan police said the man broke into a home and began attacking the people inside.
Someone inside the home fired shots at the man, hitting him several times.
The man was taken to Wishard Memorial Hospital, where he later died. His identity was not immediately released.
Labels: assault, home invasion, IN
3/13/07
Gary, Indiana
From the Gary Post-Tribune of March 13, 2007
Gary man shot breaking into bar
Bosco Jones said he had no choice but to shoot the intruder trying to break into his bar Sunday morning.
"If he got inside, he would have had to kill me because I knew him," Jones, 82, told the Post-Tribune on Monday.
Maurice Henderson, 44, was shot outside the Zanzibar Lounge at 5639 W. 5th Ave. about 7:20 a.m., police said.
Detective Lorenzo Davis presented evidence to the Lake County prosecutor's office Monday for review, but said he expected Henderson's death will be ruled a justifiable homicide.
"He had a big stick he was using to pull the bars off the window," Davis said. "It looks like he was trying to get to the cash register."
Jones said he was in the basement preparing his liquor order for the week when he heard glass break upstairs.
"I knew someone was trying to get in, so I came up and he was was pulling off the bars. I yelled for him to stop, but it looked like the more I yelled the more he beared down," Jones recalled.
Jones said he met Henderson one day last week when he came in with his brother. "I know his brother, he's an alley mechanic," Jones said.
Henderson inquired about doing work at the bar. "But he didn't want a job, he was casing the place," Jones said Monday.
Until a few days ago, Jones drove a white station wagon that was parked outside the bar, he said. But last week he bought a van. Jones said the intruder may have thought he wasn't in the building when he tried to get inside.
"But every Sunday morning I make out my liquor order downstairs in the office," he said.
Henderson was shot with Jones' .38-caliber handgun. Jones was questioned and released by police after the shooting.
The Zanzibar was open for business Monday.
Labels: business robbery, IN
3/2/07
Cedar Lake, Indiana
From the Merrillville Post-Tribune of March 2, 2007
Cedar Lake homicide case closed
Next stop: Grand Jury
The investigation is closed on Ronald Thomas's shooting death, which stunned Cedar Lake Jan. 31.
Charges will not be filed against Gerald Burkland, the man who pulled the trigger, although the case will be sent to a grand jury.
"I'll accept it as the way the judicial system works," Burkland said at his home. "That's fine with me."
He declined to comment further.
Cedar Lake Police Chief Roger Patz said charges have not been filed because he believes Burkland killed Thomas in self-defense. Patz said the decision not to file charges was made after consultation with the Lake County Prosecutor's Office.
Patz said Thomas broke into Burkland's residence before 8 a.m. Jan. 31 after he pried open a screen. Burkland was inside the residence, as was Susie Buck, Thomas' girlfriend and mother of their two children.
Burkland told police the two men started arguing, then Thomas lunged at him with a knife. Burkland maintains he fired at Thomas in self-defense.
The blast struck Thomas at close range, piercing his abdomen, Patz said. Thomas was pronounced dead later that morning at St. Anthony Medical Center in Crown Point.
Burkland fled the scene. He was found in a Merrillville hotel four days later, and Cedar Lake detectives interviewed him the following day.
After Thom-as was shot, Buck stayed behind and called 911. She could not be reached for comment.
Patz said they suspected self-defense all along, observing the pried-open window and a knife in close proximity to Thomas' body when they arrived at the crime scene. Evidence from the Lake County Crime Lab confirmed their beliefs, he said.
Nevertheless, Patz says, because the case is so serious, it's only appropriate it be referred to a grand jury.
"We don't want to leave any stone unturned here," Patz said.
Diane Poulton, spokeswoman for the Lake County Prosecutor's Office, said the jury, comprised of six people, will determine whether to indict Burkland. No date has been set for the grand jury to deliberate this case, Poulton said.
Marco Manzie, Thomas' uncle, said the decision to present the issue to a grand jury "doesn't sound right."
"We're hoping we'll get down to the truth," Manzie said. "We're uncomfortable that the police are taking Jerry Burkland's side of the story."
Labels: domestic dispute, home invasion, IN
2/18/07
Indianapolis, Indiana
From Indianapolis’ TheIndyChannel.com of February 18, 2007
Woman Tells Police She Opened Fire As Man Broke In
Indianapolis Metro police said a homeowner fatally shot a burglar Saturday night at an apartment in the 2100 block of Lake Terrace Drive.
Officers found the man laying the hallway of the apartment building after they were called there at about 9:30 p.m.
A woman in the apartment told officers she shot the man as he broke into her apartment. The man's identity was not immediately released.
A second person, with the man who was shot, fled on foot immediately after the shooting. That man was described as black, heavyset, wearing a red shirt and black hoodie. The woman told police he was armed with a handgun.
Police tracked the man's footprints in the snow to the 2100 block of North Mitthoeffer Road before they lost the tracks.
The Marion County Prosecutor's Office will review the case to determine if any charges are warranted
Labels: home invasion, IN, residence burglary
2/13/07
Gary, Indiana
From the Merrillville Post-Tribune of February 13, 2007
Homeowner shoots burglar
This time Michael Harmon's luck ran out.
The 46-year-old Gary man who was acquitted on burglary charges in June has a new felony charge and a gunshot wound to his leg, all the result of an alleged theft at a Brunswick home earlier this month.
Detective Cpl. Dan Callahan said Harmon of 1079 Jackson St. was charged with burglary after the resident of a home in the 1100 block of Hendricks Street caught the suspect inside and shot him.
Homeowner Waymond Pearson was not charged in connection with the shooting, Callahan said. Neighbors alerted Pearson to the break-in on Feb. 2 after allegedly seeing the suspect leave with items from the house, court records state. Pearson was on his way to coach a basketball team but returned home to find the suspect had returned and was in his bedroom.
"He told the man to get on the floor ... the man continued to come towards him and he shot the man in the leg," the probable cause affidavit states.
When Patrolman Jeff Hornyak arrived, he found Harmon wounded on the kitchen floor. Harmon suffered a broken bone as a result of the shooting, police said.
Police arrested Harmon in November 2005 after residents saw him taking items from New Zion Temple Church, 1701 W. 15th Ave., about 1 a.m. Officers saw Harmon climbing out of the window of the church and apprehended him with some items.
But in June, jurors acquitted Harmon on burglary and other felonies.
Labels: home invasion, IN, residence burglary
2/3/07
Kokomo, Indiana
From the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette of February 3, 2007
60-year-old acquitted in Kokomo shooting death
Jurors acquitted a defendant who said he acted in self-defense in a shootout that killed a man at a busy commercial area of the city.
The jury deliberated 3 1/2 hours Thursday before finding Willie Winston, 60, not guilty of murder in the death of 24-year-old DeMarco Moore.
Earlier in the day, Winston took the stand and said he had no choice but to shoot after Moore came at him and his family with a gun.
Prosecutors say Winston exchanged gunfire with Moore on Jan. 27, 2006, outside a fast-food restaurant near Markland Mall on the city’s east side. Moore died the next day at a hospital in the city about 50 miles north of Indianapolis.
The jury Thursday also acquitted Winston on felony charges of possession of an altered handgun and criminal recklessness. They did convict him of a misdemeanor charge of carrying a handgun without a permit, which Winston did not dispute.
Deputy Prosecutor Jeremy Peelle said evidence disputed Winston’s claim that Moore fired the first shot.
“DeMarco Moore did not have to die on that day,” Peelle told jurors. “Is he an angel? No. Willie Winston’s decision to carry a gun changed lives that day and ended one life.”
Winston worked for Chrysler for 31 years and had no criminal history, said his defense attorney Brent Dechert.
As he left the courtroom, Winston said, “Thank God, and thank Mr. Dechert.”
Labels: altercation, IN
1/27/07
Crown Point, Indiana
From Crown Point’s NWTimes.com of January 27, 2007
Jury clears murder defendant
Second trial brings acquittal in 2002 tavern shooting
A Lake County jury on Friday cleared murder defendant David Schane of all counts against him.
The jury was asked to decide whether Schane fatally shot Tim Dovichi, 37, in self defense, or if Schane's actions constituted murder. The jury returned after about five hours deliberation with not guilty verdicts on all counts, said Diane Poulton, spokeswoman for the Lake County prosecutor's office.
Dovichi died of a single gunshot wound to the chest in the parking lot of the Three Stooges Bar in Cedar Lake Feb. 12, 2002.
Schane was taking care of the bar while his brother, the owner, was out of town. Dovichi had been banned earlier from the bar but went there that night with his girlfriend.
Schane asked Dovichi to leave several times, and Dovichi did without incident, testimony in the case indicated.
When Schane heard loud voices in the parking lot, he told jurors, he went onto the side porch of the bar. Schane said Dovichi came around the building toward him, and Schane felt threatened. He pulled out a gun and fired once, not hitting Dovichi.
Then, Schane said, he leveled the laser sight onto Dovichi's chest and fired again.
Schane's first trial in June 2005 ended in a hung jury.
Schane, who had been free on bond since October 2002, faced up to 65 years in prison if convicted.
Labels: altercation, IN
1/26/07
Indianapolis, Indiana
From Indianapolis’ WTHR.com of January 26, 2007
Carjacking sends suspect to hospital
A suspected carjacker and career criminal picked the wrong victim Thursday night. Instead, the carjacker found himself facing the barrel of a gun.
It happened at a gas station at 25th Street and Keystone Avenue. One witness says she thought she was back in the old west.
"Some guy tried to take my car," says motorist Isaac Wilson. He fears the guy may have wanted to take something else. "I felt he was going to try to shoot me."
Wilson just gassed up his Jaguar and pulled over to take a cell phone call when another man got out of another car and seemed to me pointing from inside his clothes something Wilson thought was a gun.
That man ordered Wilson out of his car, he says. After Wilson got out of the car the suspect got in then Wilson ordered the carjacker to get out.
Police say the carjacker came toward Wilson making like he had a gun.
"That's why I pulled my gun," says Wilson.
Wilson fired once hitting the carjacker in the knee.
"It was hard to believe, like in the cowboys," said one witness.
"I heard the shot," said another man fueling up nearby. "I was looking in that direction and I heard the guy saying 'stop.'"
Suspect Stephen Dodson is a career criminal. He is in fair condition at the hospital.
Police are also questioning Dodson's girlfriend. They want to know if she was waiting down the block to pick up the suspect's Chevy once he stole the Jag.
"It's scary you know, I had to take cover myself," said one witness.
Another told Eyewitness News "if he did try and take his car you get what you deserve because to many of us are out working and those are the kind of people who need to get a job."
"I was acting in self-defense," says Wilson. We asked if he hopes that sends a message to other bad guys. "I hope so."
Prosecutors will review the shooting as a routine. Police say Issac Wilson had the handgun legally. They did not find a gun on the suspect.
Labels: carjacking, IN
1/3/07
Fort Wayne, Indiana
From Fort Wayne’s IndianaNewsCenter.com of January 3, 2007
Slain Pizza Store Employee Had a Gun During Deadly HoldupThe Good Guys don’t always win.
Indiana's News Center has learned that the Fort Wayne pizza store employee who was shot and killed on the job over the weekend had a gun at the time of the robbery.
The information comes as police are asking the public for leads in the unsolved crime.
We found out the victim was armed from police sources and Rick Harkelroad, the owner of the Tasty Pizza store on Fairfield Avenue where the shooting took place.
23-year old Chad Brunson, the night manager, was shot in the head early Sunday, after two black men with their faces covered burst in and demanded cash.
A police source said Brunson pulled out a gun during the holdup, and that when officers responded, they found Brunson on the floor with gun in hand.
That source said the gun had the safety on.
…
Indiana's News Center has learned that Brunson had pulled a gun on a would-be robber during a hold-up attempt back in April.
The store's owner told him after that to leave the gun at home, but on Sunday morning he had one when police found him dead.
Labels: business robbery, defender killed, IN
12/28/06
Muncie, Indiana
From the Muncie Star-Press of December 28, 2006
Police say shooting was self-defense
A Muncie teenager shot in a near-southside home last week was armed with two guns himself and committing a robbery when he was wounded, police believe.
Deandre Lamont Ledsinger, 18, 1322 E. Waid St., suffered multiple gunshot wounds inside 1206 E. Sixth St. in the afternoon hours of Dec. 20.
The 19-year-old man who shot Ledsinger was acting in self defense and will probably not face criminal charges, Muncie police Sgt. Jason Webber said Wednesday.
Police have arrested Ledsinger on a preliminary charge of armed robbery, a class B felony carrying a standard 10-year prison term. The Muncie man is being held under a police hold at Ball Memorial Hospital, where he is recovering.
Information on his medical condition was unavailable Wednesday.
A probable cause affidavit for Ledsinger's arrest, based mostly on interviews with the robbery victim, gives the following account of the shooting:
-- As the 19-year-old returned home and exited his vehicle, Ledsinger, armed with a .38-caliber and .357-caliber handguns, and another man with a pump shotgun approached him.
-- Ledsinger followed the 19-year-old into his house where the money was stored. The second man stayed outside.
-- The 19-year-old gave Ledsinger $1,000. Ledsinger responded that he knew the man had $3,000 and started checking a bedroom for the rest of the cash.
-- As Ledsinger was checking a closet, the 19-year-old pulled a gun and shot Ledsinger. The two exchanged gunshots before the 19-year-old ran out the side door to the alley and called his mother.
-- When police arrived they located Ledsinger in the 19-year-old's bedroom with $1,000 in his pocket bound by a single rubber band as described by the robbery victim.
Investigators have been unable to interview Ledsinger because of his condition.
BMH spokesman Neil Gifford said he could confirm Ledsinger was still in the hospital but at the request of family could not give the patient's medical condition.
Labels: home invasion, IN, residence robbery
12/23/06
Indianapolis, Indiana
From the Indianapolis Star of December 23, 2006
Two men killed in separate shootings
Alan Mills, 30, of Muncie, died around 5:45 a.m. at Wishard Memorial Hospital, six hours after being shot in the chest and abdomen. Police say Mills was shot after a fight broke out among loved ones in the 2500 block of Villa Avenue.
The unidentified shooter and his family were present when the police arrived and were cooperative, calling the act self-defense.
No arrests were made, but the investigation continues and the gun was recovered, said Indianapolis Police Sgt. Matthew Mount.
Labels: domestic dispute, IN
12/4/06
Indianapolis, Indiana
From the TheIndyChannel.com of December 4, 2006
Suspected Robber Fatally Shot During Home Invasion
Police said a man who broke into a home in a robbery attempt was killed by an occupant of the home early Monday morning on Indianapolis' west side.
The shooting happened at about 2 a.m. at the home in the 200 block of North Tremont Street at Turner Avenue in what police called a home invasion and attempted robbery, 6News' Julie Pursley reported.
Investigators said the man who was shot was identified as Mark Yant, 22. He was found in the street, about a half block away from the home.
Yant was taken to Wishard Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police said the man forced his way into the home and ran out the back of the house after he had been shot.
Police said there were two people inside the home at the time of the shooting.
"We're still putting that all together, but it appears that this was an attempted residence burglary or residence robbery and we'll have to wait on interviews to determine exactly what that was," said Indianapolis police Detective Jeff Patterson.
Police said the prosecutor's office will decide if the home's occupant acted in self-defense in the shooting.
Labels: home invasion, IN, residence robbery
12/3/06
Gary, Indiana
From the Merrillville Post-Tribune of December 3, 2006
Woman fears for life after son kills intruder
One day after an her son killed one of two intruders who forced his way into her house, a Gary mother says she fears for her life.
"I'm fearful because I don't know who that guy was and I don't know who his people are," she said.
Kevin Scott, 47, of the 2000 block of Central died Friday of multiple gunshot wounds after he announced he was going to kill everyone inside the Tolleston woman's West Garfield home, Detective Sgt. Michael Jackson, said.
The homeowner, a truck driver for the city of Gary, was eating pizza with her 21-year-old son and his friend about 5:40 p.m. Friday when someone knocked on the door.
When her son's friend opened the door to see who it was, two men forced their way and put a gun to his head.
Immediately, her son ran downstairs to grab a gun while she took refuge in a first-floor bedroom.
Scott asked where everyone was and then said he was going to kill everyone there.
That's when her 21-year-old son emerged from the basement and started firing his weapon, striking Scott. The second intruder fled.
Scott was pronounced dead at The Methodist Hospitals in Gary.
Jackson said no charges are being sought in connection with the killing. The detective said the homeowner's son was defending himself and his family during a home invasion.
His mother said neither she nor her son know Scott. They also say they have no idea why their home was targeted.
Labels: assault, home invasion, IN
11/27/06
Fort Wayne, Indiana
From the November 26, 2006 Fort Wayne Journal Gazette:
A Fort Wayne man was able to escape a would-be robber early Thursday but did not escape without injury.This is a little marginal; the knowledge that he had a gun in the house may have made him more willing to fight back, and the robber was perhaps "already leaving the area on his bicycle" because he figured the chances were high that the victim wasn't headed into the house to get him a sandwich.
According to a Fort Wayne police report, the man was arriving home on East Rudisill Boulevard about midnight when he was approached by another man on a mountain bike.
According to police, the man got out of his car and was walking to his house when the man on the bike showed him a knife and demanded his money.
The man punched the robber, knocking him to the ground, police said.
The man then went into his house and brought out his handgun, but the robber was already leaving the area on his bicycle, police said.
The man then realized that he had been stabbed in the left hand, police said.
Labels: IN, street robbery
11/16/06
Indianapolis, Indiana
From the Indianapolis Star of November 15, 2006
Robber takes homeowner's gunWe also post ALL instances that we find of unsuccessful use of firearms in self-defense.
An elderly man was assaulted in his home by a robber who took the man's shotgun when the homeowner tried to defend himself.
James Wortman, 82, was awakened early Tuesday by somebody breaking into his house, in the 5800 block of East 19th Street.He reached for his shotgun. The intruder quickly grabbed the gun, pointed it at Wortman and demanded money.
The man ransacked the house but found no money. He left the house taking only the shotgun. Wortman was not injured.
Labels: assault, home invasion, IN, residence robbery
11/1/06
Indianapolis, Indiana
From the October 31, 2006 Indianapolis Star:
A bouncer at a Westside strip club fired several shots at an armed robbery suspect early today.
Indianapolis police are investigating the incident reported at 1:26 a.m.
According to a police report, a man with a shotgun entered Patty's Show Club, 2014 W. Washington, and committed an armed robbery.
As the suspect fled the scene, police said the bouncer fired several shots at the vehicle.
Labels: business robbery, IN
10/31/06
Muncie, Indiana
From Muncie’s The Star Press of October 31, 2006
Police: Woman fired gunshot at fleeing intruder
A 41-year-old Muncie woman fired a gun at a man who had tried to break into her house, she told police.
The thwarted burglary comes less than a week after another Muncie woman beat a suspected burglar with a cooking pot.
The woman was asleep early Saturday morning in her home in the 1300 block of East Fifth Street when she heard noises and saw a figure outside her bedroom window, she told police.
She went to her front door with her .38-caliber revolver and fired a shot in the direction of the burglar as he ran eastward from her home, according to police reports that documented her story.
Responding officers checked her gun and found a spent round in one of the revolver's six chambers.
The woman had a valid handgun permit.
No arrests had been made in connection with the would-be burglary as of late Monday.
Last Tuesday, Sabrena Davis, 36, whacked Timothy A. Simison, 27, Hartford City, with a 10-inch cooking pot after he broke into her enclosed porch, police said.
Simison was arrested that morning.
Labels: concealed carry permit, IN, residence burglary
10/27/06
Indianapolis, Indiana
From October 24, 2006 WTHR channel 13:
An employee whose store was being robbed Monday used his own weapon as the suspect escaped.
It happened early Monday morning at the Sunrise Café, 9767 E. 116th Street.
A worker at the Sunrise Café told police that he got to work at around 5:00 am. While picking up a box of trash left on the sidewalk, he was hit in the back of the head and knocked to the ground. While on the ground, he was kicked and then pulled to his feet.
A man showed the employee a handgun and demanded money from the business, then forced the employee inside and took money from the cash register. After the robbery, the suspect told the worker to run towards the Kroger store.
Instead, the employee ran behind a dumpster and pulled out a .45 caliber handgun from his pocket. When the suspect stopped to look at the employee, he pointed his handgun at him. The victim employee fired 8 or 9 rounds at the suspect.
The suspect did not fire back and was last seen running southwest from the business. Witnesses in the neighborhood reported hearing the gunshots, seeing a man running and hearing a car speed off. The victim employee was not seriously injured and returned to work. Investigators recovered eight shell casings and did not locate anything that was struck by the bullets. The employee does not face criminal charges at this time.
Labels: business robbery, IN
10/25/06
Fishers, Indiana
From the TheIndyChannel.com of October 25, 2006
Frantic 911 Call: Man Shoots At Robber Following Heist
Police on Tuesday released a tape of a frantic 911 call after a restaurant was robbed early Monday morning, after which an employee shot at the robber.
Just after 5 a.m. Monday, Norman Jaffe reported to work at the Sunrise Café in the 9700 block of East 116th Street. Just as Jaffe stepped toward the front door, he was accosted, 6News' Jennifer Carmack reported.
"He had a black face mask on, black bag. He ran out behind here, hit me in the head," Jaffe told a 911 dispatcher.
Fishers police Sgt. Gerry Hepp said the robber demanded money from the employee and forced him into the business. Once he got the money, the robber ran out of the back of the restaurant toward a housing division. That's when Jaffe pulled a handgun and fired 10 rounds, Hepp said.
"I asked him to stop. He pulled his weapon, raised it right to my face. He was 20 yards away and I lit him up," Jaffe told the dispatcher.
No shots struck the robber, according to police. The robber is described as black, wearing black clothing, a black ski mask and black gloves. He is about 6 feet tall and weighs 190 pounds.
"It seems the circumstances, he was in fear for his life. It was justified in this case," Hepp said.
Labels: business robbery, IN
10/6/06
Indianapolis, Indiana
From the October 6, 2006 Indianapolis Star:
Four members of the Indiana Pacers were involved in a shooting incident this morning at a Westside strip club, Indianapolis police said.UPDATE 2: From October 11, 2006 FoxSports:
Stephen Jackson fired five shots from a 9-mm handgun after someone hit him in the face and tried to run him over with a vehicle outside Club Rio at about 3 a.m., IPD spokesman Sgt. Matthew Mount said.
Video from a security camera outside the club captured the car striking Jackson, Mount said. Authorities were looking for an older model blue GM car with chrome rims.
Jackson, Jamaal Tinsley, Marquis Daniels and Jimmie Hunter had argued with another group of men outside the club at 5054 W. 38th St., Mount said.
“The Pacers said there had been some problems and they tried to extricate themselves,” Mount said.
One of the men punched Jackson in the mouth and then got into a vehicle and ran into him, police said.
“He was hit in the mouth,” Mount said. “He was bloodied up pretty good.”
The attackers fled after Jackson fired his handgun. Police do not know if anyone was injured or if the bullets struck the man’s vehicle.
Jackson, who has a valid permit for the gun, was limping but refused medical treatment at the scene.
“We’re not sure if he just went over the hood or he went over the whole car,” Mount said. Jackson told officers he would seek help from the team’s medical staff and trainers.
Tinsley and Daniels also had guns in their vehicles, Mounts said, but never pulled them during the incident. Tinsley has an Indiana gun permit; Daniels has a Florida permit.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Indiana Pacers guard Stephen Jackson was charged Wednesday with a felony count of criminal recklessness and two misdemeanor counts from last week's confrontation outside a strip club.Oddly enough, they seem not to have charged him for firing the gun in self-defense, but firing it into the air.
The charges were announced by Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi five days after the fight involving Jackson and three Pacers teammates against others at the club. Jackson was punched in the mouth and hit by a car and police say he fired a gun in the air at least five times.
Jackson apologized for the fight on Tuesday, saying he was "happy to be alive." His comments came hours after police arrested another man on several charges in connection with the fight.
The other charges against Jackson are disorderly conduct and battery, Brizzi said.
Labels: altercation, IN
9/27/06
Indianapolis, Indiana
From Indianapolis’ WISHtv.com of September 27, 2006
Attempted Jewelry Store Robbery Leaves One Suspect DeadFrom Indianapolis’ WTHR,com of September 28, 2006
A robbery ended in gunfire at an east side jewelry store, in the 5400 block of East Washington. It happened around 10:30 this morning at the Rosco Jewelry Store.
In the process of the attempted robbery the owner took out a handgun and shots were exchanged. One of the suspects was hit and died at the scene. Police say the second suspect tried to escape by running upstairs in the building, but is now in police custody.
The two suspects were brothers. Two other employees were in the store at the time of the robbery and the owner is cooperating with police.
The jewelry store is located across the street from George W. Julian Elementary School, School #57. Police are searching for a bullet near the school. One of the bullets from the shooting went through the front door of the store and across the street hitting a car. Joseph Blackburn is an interpreter at the school and the owner of the car.
"I guess there was at least a dozen of them, and they brought their shotguns and they circled back and all around and they were running around and all of a sudden they stopped and one lady, one of the police lady had a shotgun and went in that door over there," said Blackburn.
He says as soon as the gunfire was exchanged the school went on lockdown and has remained on lockdown since.
Neighborhood residents say the store has been around for about 30 years and with the on-going violence on the east side, IPD Chief Spears feels enough is enough.
"Its very upsetting to us as a police department, I'm sure it's very upsetting to the community because as you noted the business right across the street is a day care center, or youth center," said Chief Spears.
Accused pawn shop robber says it wasn't his ideaAnother article about this incident dated September 30 appears here.
Eyewitness News has learned more about what happened inside an east side jewelry store when the owner shot and killed a robbery suspect Wednesday morning. It's a harrowing story of survival, and we also hear the suspects' side of the story.
Roscoe Parmley is back in his jewelry store. He feels lucky after surviving a hold-up that ended with Parmley killing one of the two robbers.
"I was only trying to keep my brother from making a mistake," said Nicholas Artry.
That mistake put Nicholas Artry in jail and claimed the life of his 18-year-old brother Corey. Nicholas insists he didn't know about the hold-up until they got to the store. He says he then tried talking his brother out of it.
"I made the best effort that I could and he decided to go in there and at the time I'm just thinking like, I can't let my brother go in here and just die," said Artry.
Detectives say it looked as if someone would die. "basically they just stormed in," said Det. Marcus Kennedy, Indianapolis Police Department. "The one with the gun, he actually put the gun to the heads of the three people that work here."
When Corey Artry's attention turned from Parmley, "he just noticed that was his opportune moment to strike back and that's when he started firing," Kennedy said.
Nicholas Artry denies holding a knife to an employee's throat, insisting he tried to protect the worker, and when the shooting was over, hid in the suspended ceiling. He says he was glad when the police showed up "because when the police came I knew that they weren't just gonna kill me on site," he said.
The brothers were in the store the day before - Nicholas Artry says shopping, but police say they were casing it. Even knowing workers were well armed, two brothers with no criminal records investigators say went ahead with the robbery.
Meanwhile, Parmley will likely not face charges in the shooting death of Corey Artry. Police say it looks like Parmley fired in self defense.
Labels: business robbery, IN
9/6/06
Kokomo, Indiana
From South Bend’s WSBT.com of September 6, 2006
Man Fatally Shot Teen During Apparent Robbery
Police say a Kokomo man who answered his door after midnight found two would-be armed robbers on his porch. But he was armed, too.
Police say one teenager is dead and another teen faces surgery after 61-year-old Michael Slonaker shot both suspects.
The shooting occurred about 12:30am Wednesday. Police found 16-year-old Nathan Smith shot in the chest at the scene, where he was pronounced dead. His alleged accomplice, 17-year-old Justin Smith, went to the hospital with a wounded knee. He was being taken to Indianapolis for surgery.
Slonaker told police he found two white males with a shotgun and a baseball bat waiting when he answered his door. Police say he fired two shots.
Police say Slonaker is licensed to carry a firearm, but he doesn’t need a permit to have one in his home
Labels: concealed carry permit, IN, residence robbery
9/5/06
Indianapolis, Indiana
From the Indianapolis Star of September 5, 2006
Indianapolis records 100th homicideFrom the Indianapolis Star of September 22, 2006
Indianapolis police are investigating the shooting death this morning of a 38-year-old man on the Northeastside.
The death marks the county’s 100th homicide of 2006.Gary Branch was shot to death by his live-in girlfriend at a home in the 6600 block of Meadowlark Drive shortly after 6 a.m., Detective Michael Mitchell said.
Branch’s girlfriend, Jeowanda Hayes, 43, dialed 911 and waited for police. She told police she was acting in self-defense, Mitchell said.
“There was an argument for several hours inside the house. It had gotten to the point where he reached for a handgun,” Mitchell said. “She was in fear of her life. She reached for her handgun and shot him.”
Hayes told police she had been the victim of domestic violence, but there are no reports of previous incidents. Mitchell said several other people came forward to tell police the couple had a history of violence.
Hayes was not arrested. Police forwarded their evidence to the Marion County prosecutor’s office for review.
Prosecutors reject woman's self-defense claim
Marion County prosecutors say a shooting that initially appeared to be self-defense was actually intentional.
Geowanda Hayes is scheduled to appear for an initial hearing on a murder charge today in Marion Superior Court.
Hayes, 42, is accused of gunning down her boyfriend, Gary Branch, on Sept. 5. She claimed self-defense, but prosecutors do not believe her.
Hayes, according to court documents, shot Branch, 38, two times in the back as he was trying to open the garage door and escape.
Hayes told police she had been a victim of ongoing abuse and she lived in fear of Branch. She and Branch both carry handguns, according to records. Hayes told investigators Branch was going to shoot her and was reaching for his gun -- stashed under a pillow -- when she shot him first.
Hayes said she was still in fear when Branch ran past her into the garage. She admitted shooting him twice in the back while he was lifting the garage door, according to records.
Branch opened the door, ran into the street and collapsed.
Police previously responded to reports of Branch's violent behavior, but he had never been arrested on a domestic battery charge.
Labels: domestic abuse, IN
9/2/06
Lawrence, Indiana
From the Indianapolis Star of September 2, 2006
Would-be robber killed outside Lawrence bar
A would-be robber got more than he bargained for early today when his intended victim pulled out a handgun and shot him five times outside a Lawrence bar.
Police identified the suspected robber as Ronald Zenor, 29, of Indianapolis, who was taken to Wishard Memorial Hospital, where he died.
The incident occurred about 3:30 a.m. as the Sports Page Lounge, 4603 N. Post Road, was closing.
Eric Conter, 22, of Indianapolis had left the bar and climbed into his pickup truck. Zenor reached through the window and tried to pull a necklace off Conter’s neck and began choking him, said Lawrence Police Chief Jack Bailey.
Acting in self-defense, Conter pulled out his 9-millimeter pistol and shot Zenor, Bailey said.
Panicked, Conter drove off after the shooting, but later contacted the Indianapolis Police Department and then gave a statement to Lawrence detectives.
Police believe Zenor was involved in robbery outside another bar in the 8800 block of Pendleton Pike about a half-hour before he was shot. That robbery victim’s driver’s license and credit card were found on Zenor.
Bailey said Conter, who had a permit for his gun, had a witness who verified his account of the shooting.
While Conter was not arrested, investigators’ findings about the shooting will be turned over to the Marion County Prosecutor’s office for a formal determination on whether to press charges, Bailey said.
Labels: IN, street robbery
8/18/06
Indianapolis, Indiana
From the Indianapolis Star of August 18, 2006
Police: Armed customer stops KFC robbery
Police say a would-be robber is in jail this morning after a customer foiled the suspect’s attempted hold-up of a restaurant on the Westside.
William McMiller Jr., 40, was arrested on an initial charge of robbery after he demanded money and threatened to shoot a cashier at the Kentucky Fried Chicken, 2801 W. 16th Street, at about 3:20 p.m. Thursday, according to Indianapolis police reports. McMiller, records show, is being held in the Marion County Jail on $80,000 bond.
McMiller, police said, ordered a bucket of chicken then told cashier Deanne Slaughter: “Give me the money before I shoot you.”
The suspect held his hand in his back pocket as if reaching for a gun, police said, then lifted his foot to jump over the counter.
Paul Sherlock, a customer sitting in the dining room, approached and pointed a Taurus 9-mm handgun towards the suspect’s back.
The suspect raised his hands over his head, police said. Sherlock ordered him to lean against a window with his hands up until police arrived.
Police found a long screwdriver, not a gun, in McMiller’s pocket.
Sherlock had a valid gun permit, police said.
Labels: business robbery, concealed carry permit, IN
7/26/06
South Bend, Indiana
From the South Bend Tribune of July 25, 2006
Businessman shoots at intruder
A man who operates an insurance business from his home in the 2400 block of Lincoln Way West in Mishawaka told police Saturday that he fired his rifle at a man who broke into his home.
He suspects the man is one of his customers, police said.
The man told police he and his girlfriend were in their bedroom about 3 a.m. Saturday when they heard the sound of breaking glass in the area where he runs his business. The man picked up a rifle he keeps next to his bed and found the intruder, who reportedly was holding something that looked like a handgun.
The man told police he fired two or three times at the intruder, who fled through the broken window. Police later found a bullet hole in another window that may be from a shot fired by the intruder.
Nothing was reported stolen.
At about the same time in South Bend, police were looking for a man who had approached a house, stating he had been shot in the buttocks, according to police reports.
Labels: IN, residence burglary
5/28/06
Mooresville, Indiana
From the Martinsville Reporter-Times of May 28, 2006
Shot fired during robbery attempt
Mooresville jewelry store owner fires gun after robber enters with weapon; no one injured
A Mooresville business was reportedly the target of an armed robber Friday night, but the owner fired first.
According to Mooresville Police Department preliminary reports, the owner of Hasting’s Jewelry, 354 S. Indiana St., saw a man walk up to the entrance of his store shortly before 6 p.m.
The man pulled a red hood over his face, took out a handgun and entered the store. The owner, who was not identified, also had a handgun. As the man entered the store, the owner stood up with his weapon.
Officers said the robber told the owner, “Don’t do it, man, I’ll kill you.”
According to police, the owner then discharged his weapon, striking the top of a display case. The bullet ricocheted off a large pair of scissors, then went out a window.
After the shot, the would-be robber fled the business. Police said a witness saw a man leaving the business and getting into a red or maroon Chevrolet Trail Blazer or Suburban.
The vehicle then reportedly headed west on Ind. 42. The witness told officers the license plate had the numbers “2181” on it.
The man was described as white, and between 6-foot-3 and 6-foot-5. His weapon was described as a 1911 .45-caliber stainless steel handgun.
Officers were unsuccessful in finding the bullet that went through the window.
The owner hit a panic button, and officers were at his store within a minute of the call.
Labels: business robbery, IN
5/16/06
Indianapolis, Indiana
From Indianapolis’ WTHR.com of May 16, 2006
Robbery suspect killed
Gunfire between security guards and a robbery suspect last night inside the Village Pantry at 71st and Georgetown Road.
The robbery suspect, a 53 year-old Indianapolis man, died from the gunshots. Investigators say the suspect entered the store, showed a gun and told the clerk and another man in plain clothes to get behind the counter. When the suspect realized the man in plain clothes was a security officer, he fired two shots at him.
A second security guard then opened fire. The two security officers are both OK. They are privately hired by Trinity Security.
Witnesses say they saw another person involved, possibly driving a getaway car. A black '79 to '82 Cutlass or Grand Prix with primer on the door sped south on Georgetown after the shooting. If you have any information, you are urged to call Crimestoppers. Police say there is a surveillance system inside the store, video of the shooting is not available yet.
Labels: business robbery, IN
5/11/06
St. John, Indiana
From Munster’s Northwest Indiana Times of May 11, 2006
No charges against man who shot brothers in bar fightFrom Munster’s Northwest Indiana News of May 11, 2006
ST. JOHN: Stories vary on how fight, shooting erupted
No charges have been filed against a St. John man who shot and killed a 25-year-old Lowell man and wounded his 24-year-old brother during a bar fight early Tuesday.
John Sabaitis, 21, of St. John was expected to be released from Lake County jail early this morning, after being held in connection with the shooting, said Daniel Vincent, Sabaitis' business partner.
"No charges are being filed," St. John Police Chief Fred Frego said Wednesday afternoon.
Frego would not comment on why charges were not filed. He said it was a decision made by the Lake County Prosecutor's office. The Times calls to the prosecutor's office were not returned Wednesday afternoon.
Sabaitis shot Petar Radjen in the chest, killing him. Dragan Radjen was injured after being shot in the hand during a melee outside Spiro's on 41, 9163 Wicker Ave.
The Radjen's paint Sabaitis as the aggressor, while Sabaitis says the Radjens lay in wait and jumped him outside a St. John tavern.
Police received a call of shots fired and a man down about 1:40 a.m. Tuesday, Frego said.
Frego said the men got into a verbal altercation. They left the bar, and the altercation turned physical, ending in a shooting.
This was St. John's first homicide in two years.
More
Prosecutors determine shooting was self-defenseFrom the NWITimes.com of December 27, 2006
Lake County Prosecutors have determined that a St. John man was defending himself when he shot and killed a 25-year-old Lowell man and injured the man's 24-year-old brother.
No charges were filed against John Sabaitis, who shot Petar Radjen in the chest and Dragan Radjen in the hand during a fight outside a St. John bar early Tuesday.
Evidence from a nearby surveillance camera that captured the incident shows Sabaitis was acting in self-defense, said Diane Poulton, a spokeswoman for the county prosecutor's office.
No charges in fatal St. John shootingFrom the NWI.com of January 16, 2007
ST. JOHN: Jury finds shooter's self-defense account to be true; Lowell man's family unsure of civil suit
A St. John man involved in a fatal shooting outside a St. John bar in May will not face any criminal charges.
Johnathan Sabaitis, now 22, fatally shot Lowell resident Petar Radjen, 25, and wounded Dragan "Danny" Radjen during a fight May 9 outside Spiro's on 41, 9163 Wicker Ave., police said.
A grand jury determined this month that Sabaitis would not be indicted in the case, the Lake County prosecutor's office said.
Sabaitis is glad the case is closed, criminally.
He said evidence presented to the grand jury proved that his version of the night's events is true.
(More)
Victim's family to pursue civil suit in shooting death
ST. JOHN: Injured brother upset with case outcome
The family of a Lowell man who was shot and killed outside a St. John bar in May plans to file a civil suit against the shooter.
Johnathan Sabaitis fatally shot Petar Radjen, 25, and wounded Dragan "Danny" Radjen during a fight May 9 outside Spiro's on 41, 9263 Wicker Ave., police said.
A grand jury in December determined Sabaitis would not be indicted in the case, according to the Lake County prosecutor's office.
Danny Radjen said his family will pursue the matter through a civil suit.
"We're going through the legal process now," he said.
The shooting occurred after a disagreement inside the bar.
Sabaitis said he shot the brothers in self-defense after they jumped him outside the bar. But Radjen said Sabaitis and his brother were in a one-on-one fight until Sabaitis pulled out a gun.
Radjen is upset with the way the case was handled, saying he can't believe that Sabaitis was not charged with anything.
(More)
4/30/06
Indianapolis, Indiana
From TheIndyChannel.com of April 30, 2006
Man Seriously Injured In Supermarket Shooting
A man was seriously wounded in a shooting at a Marsh Supermarket Saturday night on the city's west side.
Police said a security guard shot the man as the man tried to rob a woman in the restroom of the Marsh at Lynhurst Drive and Rockville Road.
Officials said the security guard ordered the gunman to stop, but the man didnt comply. That's when the guard shot the man.
Police said the man took off in a vehicle with others inside, but they were caught when they stopped in a Taco Bell parking lot nearby.
The man was listed in critical condition at a hospital on Saturday night. The woman police said the man was trying to rob was not hurt.
Labels: business robbery, IN
4/19/06
Indianapolis, Indiana
From Indianapolis’ WISHtv.com of April 19, 2006
Man Found Dead Outside Speedway Apartment ComplexUpdate
One man is dead after being found outside a Speedway apartment complex. Police are interviewing witnesses, trying to figure out what happened just before 5:00 Wednesday morning.
According to police, the victim came into the West Wind Terrace apartment complex near 465 and Crawfordsville early in the morning wearing a ski mask and carrying a shotgun. Officials report the victim was then shot by a man he approached.
No arrests have been made, and the shooting suspect is cooperating with police.
From the Indianapolis Star of April 19, 2006
Speedway man kills armed suspectFrom the Indianapolis Star of April 20, 2006
Speedway police say an apartment tenant was apparently defending himself this morning when he killed a masked man armed with a shotgun.
The victim was found at the bottom of a stairwell at the West Wind Terrace Apartments, near I-465 and Crawfordsville Road.Jones said it appears the tenant was acting in self-defense.
Police have not identified the dead man.
Relatives said the tenant is DeAngelo Morrison, 21, an aspiring rap artist.
Morrison lives with his mother, Claudia Jones, 40, who heard the disturbance outside their apartment unit.
She heard the gunman say “Hey, I want to holler at you’re a minute,” Jones said.
After the shooting, her son rushed inside saying, “Momma they are trying to rob me,” Jones said.
Morrison is a rapper, who goes by D Shock, and recently signed with Fat Man Records, said cousin Don Mallory.
Morrison carries a gun because “it’s hard out here,” Mallory said.
Police have not disclosed what the masked man was after.
Police were questioning the Morrison and several other people.
Shooting called self-defense
Masked gunman killed outside Speedway apartment
DeAngelo Morrison felt lucky to be alive Wednesday, hours after he shot and killed a masked man armed with a shotgun who was chasing him into his Speedway apartment.
"He had a big gun," Morrison said. "We locked eyes. Honestly, I'm thinking this dude is coming to kill me.
"It was the craziest 30 to 45 seconds of my life.
"Speedway police say Morrison, 21, was acting in self-defense when he fired his handgun at the two men rushing up the stairs at the West Wind Terrace Apartments, near I-465 and Crawfordsville Road.
The bullet struck DeShawn Givens, 21, in the chest and police said he died at the bottom of the stairwell. Givens and another man were planning to commit a robbery, police said. Givens was wearing a black mask and police found a shotgun near his body.
Givens' reported accomplice, Andre Washington, 19, faces initial charges of felony murder and attempted robbery. He is being held in the Marion County Jail.
Marion County prosecutors still are investigating the case and declined comment, but experts say Morrison may have been justified in his actions."
At the end of the day, the law says if you have no other out and it appears you are about to get killed or seriously harmed, you don't have to send out a survey," said Scott Newman, the former Marion County prosecutor. "You can pull out a gun and defend yourself."
Just last month, Indiana became the third state to make clear that people have the right to use deadly force when threatened without first trying to back away. Indiana did not previously require residents to retreat before using a gun or other deadly weapon, but the new law clarified that point.
The reported robbers have lengthy criminal records, police said, while Morrison has a clean record and a permit to carry a gun.
"All the evidence is basically lining up with what (Morrison) says," Assistant Police Chief Joel Rush said.
Morrison, an aspiring rapper who goes by the name D-Shock, said he had spent the night in a recording studio and was returning home just before 5 a.m.
He reached the third floor and put the key in the lock when he heard the building's front door swing open and heavy footsteps climb the stairs.
Morrison said he looked over the banister and made eye contact with the masked gunman running up.
"Let me holler at you, cuz," the gunman said.
Morrison was terrified.
"In the neighborhood, you say that to somebody speaking to them, but not when you got this big gun in your hand," he said. "I was shootin' to protect myself. I don't wish death on nobody. The pain his mama is going through; I don't wish that on nobody.
"Morrison pulled his Glock pistol and shot the masked man as he rounded the stairs. He heard somebody grunt.Givens, the gunshot victim, lived just across the parking lot in the same apartment complex. He was on probation for drug possession, police said, and had other arrests for drug possession, driving with a suspended license and public intoxication.
Washington's criminal history includes arrests for sexual battery, auto theft, criminal recklessness, battery with a deadly weapon and dealing cocaine.
Labels: IN, street robbery
Fort Wayne, Indiana
From the Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette of April 19, 2006
Employee thwarts robbery attempt
Worker shows gun; suspect takes off
An armed man tried to rob a south-side pizza restaurant Monday night but left without any money after an employee displayed his own gun.
Fort Wayne police were called to Tasty Pizza, 4302 Fairfield Ave., at 10:47 p.m. for a report of the attempted heist.
A Tasty Pizza employee told police that a man came in and asked for a menu. He then left the restaurant but came back inside. The man laid a black gun that looked like a BB gun on the counter pointing the barrel toward the employee and demanded money, a police report said.
The employee then lifted his shirt to reveal a Colt .45 in its holster and told the robbery suspect to leave, the report said.
The man left and walked to a nearby alley where he got on the back of a moped. A witness said another person was driving the moped, the report said.
The man was described as black, between 17 and 19 years old, about 5-foot-10, with a thin build.
He was wearing black pants, a black hooded sweatshirt, a black skull cap and a camouflage T-shirt, the report said.
Labels: business robbery, IN
4/13/06
Indianapolis, Indiana
From the Indianapolis Star of April 13, 2006
Would-be intruder shot, killed
A 20-year-old man was shot to death about noon Wednesday as he tried to break into a home on the Far Eastside.
Xavier Rashard Ivory, 1800 block of South State Street, was pronounced dead at Methodist Hospital after being shot once in the chest.
Capt. Phil Burton of the Marion County Sheriff's Department said the owner of a home in the 8000 block of East 37th Street heard his doorbell ringing incessantly but ignored it in hopes that the person would go away. Shortly thereafter, the homeowner heard a pounding at his back door.
On the way to the back door, he grabbed a firearm from a closet. At the back door, he heard and saw someone trying to force open the door. As he pulled back window blinds, he saw an arm come in through a broken window, Burton said.
The homeowner fired one shot, striking Ivory in the chest. Ivory ran around to the front of the home and collapsed in the street. He was transported to Methodist by ambulance, where he was pronounced dead, Burton said.
Burton said Sheriff's Department investigators consulted with the Marion County prosecutor's office, which ruled the shooting a justifiable homicide, meaning no charges will be filed.
4/11/06
Gary, Indiana
From the Merrillville Post-Tribune of April 11, 2006
Charges filed in convenience-store shooting
George Lebron faces a lengthy recovery from the broken bones and internal injuries he suffered when he crashed his car Tuesday night.
He also faces a lengthy jail term if convicted of firing shots into a convenience store while the security guard, owner and her two young children were inside.
Lebron, 44, of Gary was charged Monday in Lake Superior Court in Crown Point with attempted murder, aggravated battery and four counts of criminal recklessness stemming from an incident at One Stop Food Mart at 45th Avenue and Harrison Street, Detective Sgt. William Fazekas said.
No one in the store was wounded when the man started shooting because the store was closing and he couldn’t go inside, Fazekas said.
As the guard returned fire, a Merrillville woman driving by was shot in the chest, police said.
Judith Winfield, 40, of Merrillville “has undergone extensive surgery and is scheduled to undergo further extensive reconstructive surgery,” the probable cause affidavit states.
The man fled from the scene and crashed his car at 57th Avenue and Broadway in Merrillville minutes later, police said. When Merrillville police arrived, they found Lebron behind the wheel “highly intoxicated and seriously injured,” the affidavit states.
Lebron remains hospitalized with numerous injuries.
Fazekas said when a ballistics report is completed, police will know who shot Winfield. The security guard will not be charged because prosecutors determined he was firing in self defense.
4/10/06
Indianapolis, Indiana
From Indianapolis’ WISHtv.com of April 10, 2006
Man Shoots Teen Found in Garage
A man is in critical condition after being shot during an apparent burglary.
Just after 3:00 Sunday morning, a homeowner heard noise in his garage. When he checked it out, police say he found 18-year-old Bryant Towns in his garage. According to officials, the homeowner shot him in the chest.
Towns faces burglary and residential entry charges.
Labels: IN, residence burglary
3/3/06
Paoli, Indiana
From the Bedford Times-Mail of March 2, 2006
Son cleared in dad's death
Carl Fuller Jr. of Paoli acted in self-defense when he shot and killed his father, Carl Fuller Sr.
Orange County officials announced Wednesday that the younger Fuller would not face charges in the incident.
Police said the two were arguing Feb. 23 when they began exchanging gunfire. Fuller Jr., 30, was not injured in the shoot-out. His father, 50, of Paoli, was fatally wounded in the chest after he was shot with a 12-gauge shotgun.
“The statements of two witnesses at the scene, the statements of neighbors and the statement of Fuller Jr. are consistent with the physical evidence at the scene of the shooting,” said Orange County Prosecutor Kelly Minton in a prepared statement. “This physical evidence, including five spent casings from the (modified .30-caliber) rifle that Fuller Sr. had in his possession during the time of the altercation and bullet holes in the trailer where Fuller Jr. was located, indicates that Fuller Jr. acted in self-defense when he shot his father.”
Labels: domestic dispute, IN
2/27/06
Muncie, Indiana
From the Muncie Star-Press of February 27, 2006
Homeowner shoots at, captures burglary suspect
The Muncie man in custody has two burglary convictions and was most recently released from prison in November.
Brian Stevenson is not Doc Holiday, but the gun owner’s quick draw stopped a man who invaded his home Saturday night.
“I could shoot a fly across the room like it ain’t nothing,” said Stevenson, an avid marksman. “I don’t know how I missed the guy. It never really crossed my mind that I would actually shoot toward a human being.”
Stevenson fired one shot from his 9mm handgun at William Tyrone Griffin Jr., 40, 302 N. Hackley St., after the twice-convicted burglar climbed through an unlocked window at Stevenson’s home at Shipley Avenue and Eighth Street, according to court documents.
The shot sailed high into an exposed board in a storage room, but gave Stevenson enough authority to order Griffin to the ground until police arrived five minutes later, he said.
Stevenson, who works as a security guard, said he believed Griffin was armed, though he later found out he only had a cigarette lighter.
Stevenson’s wife, 6-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son were inside at the time. The children miraculously slept through the ordeal.
The burglary happened about 10:30 p.m.
Five months ago another man broke into the house while Stevenson was gone and woke his wife up to ask her to lend him money.
Police later arrested a man on charges of residential entry, Stevenson said.
Looking back, Stevenson said he is glad he did not hit Griffin and that everyone was unhurt.
“There’s something wrong with him to do something like that and not know if I was home or not,” Stevenson said.
Griffin was preliminarily charged with burglary, a class B felony carrying a maximum 20-year prison term. He told authorities he intended to steal items that he could sell for drug money, according to court documents.
He remained in Delaware County jail Monday night without bond.
Griffin has two prior burglary convictions and was released from prison in November after serving time for burglary and impersonating-a-public-servant convictions.
Labels: IN, residence burglary
Winchester, Indiana
From the Muncie Star Press of February 27, 2006
Suspect named in Randolph home invasion
Winchester police have publicly identified a man they believe was shot after forcing his way into a local home, but formal criminal charges in the case have not been filed.
According to police reports, Vincent Osborne, 28, Geneva, was shot in the left hand after entering a home in the 200 block of West Orange Street about 6 p.m. on Feb. 10.
Police were called to a report of a burglary in progress at the address, and arrived to find a man, later identified as Osborne, fleeing on foot.
Officers gave chase, and eventually subdued Osborne by using a Taser gun, sending an electrical charge into the suspect's body.
Authorities then determined Osborne was suffering from a gunshot wound in his left hand. He was taken to St. Vincent Randolph Hospital for treatment.
Police released details of the apprehension on Feb. 13, but at that time declined to release the suspect's name.
The police detective assigned to the case has recommended Osborne be charged with residential entry, battery with injury and resisting law enforcement. However, the Randolph County prosecutor's office had not filed formal charges as of Friday.
Osborne is reportedly a former Winchester resident. Court records don't reflect any previous charges against him in Randolph County courts.
Labels: home invasion, IN, residence robbery
2/24/06
Fort Wayne, Indiana
From the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette of February 24, 2006
Alleged burglar arrested after being shot by resident
A resident shot and injured one of two alleged burglars who tried to break into his Selkirk Drive home Thursday morning, police said.
Jason D. Davis, 18, of the 1800 block of Embassy Drive, and another alleged would-be burglar tried to enter 7123 Selkirk Drive at 12:13 a.m. Thursday. The resident fired a gun and Davis suffered a minor injury to his face, a police report said.
It was unclear what type of gun the resident used.
Davis was treated at a hospital and then taken to the Allen County Lockup on a charge of attempted burglary, the report said.
Police spent the day Thursday tracking down the second suspect. No other arrests were made.
Labels: IN, residence burglary
2/6/06
South Bend, Indiana
From South Bend’s WNDU.com of February 5, 2006
House robbery ends with death of suspectFrom South Bend’s WNDU.com of February 7, 2006
A South Bend man is recovering after he was robbed and stabbed in his own home early Sunday morning.
Police say the man apparently turned the tables on the suspect and shot him to death.
Neighbors were shocked to find out there was robbery and shooting and were even more surprised to find out that it could be the victim's next door neighbor who did it.
The sign on the door clearly marks the home on 1234 Brookfield Street as a crime scene. The same goes for the leftover pieces of yellow tape on the house next door.
Police say early Sunday morning a neighbor broke into the house to rob the homeowner.
Neighbor Mildred Franklin says, “My thoughts are not just concerned just the neighborhood. It’s more than the neighborhood it reaches farther than the neighborhood. I hate that it goes on in the neighborhood in which I live but this is more than the neighborhood; this is all over.”
Neighbors say the alleged robber, 29 year old Phoenix Coalmon, lived next door.
Police say Coalmon broke into the house and stabbed the homeowner who then in turn shot him to death.
The St. Joseph County jail says Coalmon was just released Saturday after habitual traffic violations.
Neighbors say they're hopeful the violence won't continue.
Says Franklin, “I keep praying and keep trust in God that the people that doing the killing will develop a thirst for righteous.”
The homeowner was taken to the hospital Sunday morning.
Police say he was in serious condition at the time
Criminal charges will not be filed against Donald Van DusenFrom South Bend’s WNDU.com of March 1, 2006
Criminal charges will not be filed against a South Bend man who shot and killed an intruder during a botched robbery.
NewsCenter 16 has told you about a shooting inside a home on Brookfield Street, Sunday.
The homeowner, 79-year-old Donald Van Dusen, shot Phoenix Coalmon.
Coalmon later died at the hospital.
Police say Coalmon planned on robbing Van Dusen's home. However, during a struggle between the two men, Van Dusen was stabbed.
At a news conference Tuesday afternoon, Prosecutor Mike Dvorak said he felt there was no need to file charges.
"All indications are we will not be charging Mr. Van Dusen. (However), the investigation is not complete," said Dvorak Tuesday.
Investigators have not had an opportunity to interview Van Dusen, but family members say his health is improving.
He remains in the hospital recovering from his stab wounds.
South Bend man who shot intruder, will not face criminal charges
Criminal charges will not be filed against a South Bend man who shot and killed an intruder.
Back on February 5th, 29-year-old Phoenix Coalman attempted to rob 79-year-old Donald VanDusen in his home on North Brookfield.
VanDusen managed to shoot his attacker, but not before being stabbed several times.
St. Joseph County Police say their investigation is complete, and that VanDusen clearly acted in self-defense.
Labels: assault, home invasion, IN, residence robbery, senior
1/24/06
Fort Wayne, Indiana
It appears the residents returned fire
From the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette of January 24, 2006
Suspect charged in Friday gunfight on Warsaw Street
A man arrested Friday after a Warsaw Street shootout has been charged in connection with the shooting, which injured two people.
Police arrested Antwan T. Walker, 25, of the 5000 block of Gaywood Drive, Friday on preliminary charges of criminal recklessness and being a serious violent felon in possession of a handgun. Additional preliminary charges of possession of a firearm by a domestic batterer and possession of a handgun without a license were later added.
According to an affidavit of probable cause, Walker admitted to having a .40-caliber handgun and that he fired it during a gunfight in the 2500 block of Warsaw Street that injured two people. Police found .40-caliber shell casings on the porch of a home on Warsaw Street.
Police were called to 2524 Warsaw St. at 2:19 p.m. Friday on a report of shots fired. They found Julius Arrington suffering with a gunshot wound to his buttocks, and a round grazed Shanisha Parrish’s forehead inside that home, court records said.
Police burst into 2531 Warsaw St. about 3 p.m. and took Walker into custody. Walker was taken to police headquarters and told detectives that after the shootout he gave the gun to his girlfriend, according to court documents.
The girlfriend told investigators that Walker handed her the gun and she placed it inside a dryer pipe, where police later recovered the handgun, court records said.
Walker has criminal convictions that prevent him from legally possessing a handgun. He was released from federal custody in August after a March 2001 conviction for possession of cocaine. Walker also has a prior misdemeanor conviction for domestic battery in Allen County from 1999, court documents said.
He was released from custody late Monday night on bond.
1/20/06
Clermont, Indiana
From the Indianapolis Star of January 20, 2006
Man storms into home of ex-girlfriend, is killed
Jeffrey B. Randle, 44, 1100 block of West 36th Street, died of a gunshot wound late Wednesday after he stormed into his former girlfriend's Clermont home and charged her male companion, police said.
The alleged shooter, Aaron Sterling, 44, was not arrested.
Randle knocked on the door to Marcelene Robinson's home in the 7600 block of Marabou Mills Way about 11 p.m. Wednesday, according to a Marion County Sheriff's Department report.
Robinson, 41, answered the door, thinking it might be her daughter. Randle, who police say was violating a protective order by visiting Robinson's home, saw Sterling and became enraged, according to the report.
He pushed through the door, knocking Robinson out of the way, and charged Sterling, police said. Sterling produced a .44-caliber handgun and fired one shot, which struck the victim in the groin, police said.Randle died at Wishard Memorial Hospital.
Robinson's 9-year-old granddaughter was in the home at the time and was not injured, police said.
Labels: domestic dispute, home invasion, IN
1/18/06
Terre Haute, Indiana
From the Terre Haute Tribune-Star of January 18, 2006
BREAKING: Update in Tuesday night homicide
An armed robber was shot and killed Tuesday as he took money and drugs from a Terre Haute residence, Terre Haute police said.
About 8 p.m., Maurice Franklin, 30, entered the home of Kenneth D. Corona Jr., 21, in the 1400 block of Poplar Street. Franklin fired the first shot and Corona returned fire in self-defense, authorities said. Franklin was pronounced dead at Union Hospital.
Franklin's alleged accomplices, Heather E. Rogers, 19, of Terre Haute and Brandy L. Williams, 19, of Indianapolis were preliminarily charged today with felony murder, robbery and burglary during a probable cause hearing.
Corona was preliminarily charged with possession of marijuana over 30 grams and maintaining a common nuisance.
Labels: home invasion, IN, residence robbery
1/2/06
Elkhart County, Indiana
From South Bend’s WNDU.com of January 2, 2006
Suspect shot in robbery attempt
A robbery suspect is in the hospital after attempting to steal from an Elkhart County business.
At around 12:30 Monday afternoon a teenager tried to rob the Media Madhouse store on U.S. 20.
The teen walked into the store and pointed a gun at an employee.
A second employee told the robber he would meet his demands. Instead, he took a gun from behind the counter and shot him in the chest.
The robbery suspect was later dropped off at Elkhart General Hospital for treatment. There's no word on the extent of his injuries.
Elkhart County Police are investigating the robbery.
Labels: business robbery, IN
12/30/05
New Albany, Indiana
From Evansville’s 14WFIE.com of December 30, 2005
IN McDonald's Employee Shoots At Robber
An employee of a New Albany McDonald's has been suspended from his job for shooting at a woman who was robbing the place.
Police say Clifton Brown Junior violated no laws last week when he shot at the woman who stuck up another employee outside the restaurant, then robbed the drive-up window.
Brown told police that he pulled his gun out and ordered the fleeing robber to stop. She then raised her own gun and he fired two shots, which apparently missed. The woman escaped on foot.
Brown has a permit to carry the handgun, but the restaurant owner says he considers Brown's actions inappropriate. He's suspended Brown until the shooting is reviewed.
Brown couldn't be reached for comment.
Labels: business robbery, concealed carry permit, IN, street robbery
12/6/05
Indianapolis, Indiana
From the Indianapolis Star of December 6, 2005
Merchants up in arms over robbery spree
Workers share safety tips, upgrade security and even keep a gun at work
With robberies on the rise in Indianapolis this year, some merchants and store clerks are working at their cash registers with growing trepidation -- and taking steps to better protect themselves.
Roger Dean, who owns and operates Mr. Dee's Tobacco and Variety on the city's Westside, is considering strapping his pistol to his hip.
"A cop come in a week or so after C-Daddy's funeral," said Dean, "and he says, real nicely, 'Lemme give you a little advice: Put your gun on for your own protection.' "
"C-Daddy" was Clarence Williams, a close friend of Dean's who was killed in October in his Westside restaurant during a robbery. Williams' was one of four robbery-related deaths this fall.
Publicly, police take a hands-off approach on the question of arming clerks. "I'd advise them they have the right to bear arms," said Capt. Phil Burton of the Marion County Sheriff's Department, "but it's a decision they'd have to make. I'd not advise them either way."
(Much more)
Labels: business robbery, IN
11/29/05
Gary, Indiana
From the Merrillville Post-Tribune of November 29, 2005
Woman won’t face charges in killing
The woman who shot and killed her brother in a violent struggle inside the mobile home they shared is not expected to be charged, police said Monday.
Christie Jones, 29, was questioned in the death of her brother, Donald Jones, 34, who was shot several times as he tried to attack her about 1 a.m. Friday, police said.
Homicide Squad Detective Jeff Hemphill presented evidence to the Lake County prosecutor Monday. The case is being reviewed, but officials said it appears the woman acted in self defense and will not be charged.
“He had started choking her and threw her around. He threw her into the room where she kept her gun,” Detective Cpl. Thomas Decanter said.
It was the second violent outburst by Donald Jones in less than 24 hours.
How and why he was set free after he had been caught stealing from a neighbor’s trailer, then threatened the resident with a knife is unclear.
Chief Garnett Watson said Monday the incident is being reviewed.
“Detective (Jervean) Gates told me it was a mistake,” Dan McDonald said Monday.
McDonald was the victim of a break-in Thursday who confronted Jones and a woman as they rifled through his belongings.
“He was in my home, he kicked in my door and tried to kill me,” McDonald said.
Police responded to Glenview Mobile Home Park twice Thursday before apprehending Jones, who fled from officers. McDonald said even after the man was handcuffed and inside the squad car, he continued to threaten McDonald.
“I don’t want to see anyone dead, but he was obviously crazy. If he had wrestled the gun away from her, he could have come to my house,” McDonald said.
Residents in the mobile home park said Jones returned to the area in a stolen pickup and was driving in circles in a nearby vacant lot. He tried to sell the truck to a neighbor, but during the discussion saw his sister return home and went to speak to her.
“Ten minutes later, he was shot,” McDonald said.
McDonald said he wants answers on how Jones was released from jail so quickly.
“I’m outraged,” he said. “He didn’t have a bond. They just took a report and let him go. I’m still in shock from all of this.”
Labels: domestic abuse, IN
11/22/05
Gary, Indiana
From the Merrillville Post-Tribune of November 22, 2005
Homeowner’s brother shoots teenage intruder in Glen ParkFrom the Merrillville Post-Tribune of November 23, 2005
A teenager who apparently broke into a Glen Park home Monday afternoon was seriously wounded when the resident’s brother fired at him with a shotgun, police said later.
Officers responding to a burglary in progress arrived at 5043 Washington St., and heard gunshots inside the one-story home, police said.
Seconds later, Detective Sean Jones found Allen Walker, 17, had been shot in the side.
The homeowner’s brother, Johnny Yarbrough, 34, told police he shot Walker after the teen broke into the house, pointed a gun at his sister and demanded money.
Yarbrough’s sister, Anita Yarbrough, and her 2-year-old grandson were inside the house but were not injured, police said.
Police recovered three guns from the house, including one they said apparently belonged to the teenager.
Outside the south door of the home, police noted damage to the lock and found a pry bar nearby.
Walker was taken to The Methodist Hospitals Southlake for treatment while detectives spoke to the residents inside the home.
It was the second time in two days that an apparent intruder was shot.
Donte Sims, 26, is hospitalized under police guard at Methodist Hospitals Northlake, wounded early Sunday inside 313 Johnson St.
Detective James Bond said he expects Sims will be charged with residential entry today.
Sims was shot in the hip about 1 a.m. Sunday when Andre Anderson, 39, went to check on the house he is rehabbing and was surprised to find a man inside.
Police said as Anderson opened the door to the vacant house, he saw a man on the other side, then the door glass broke.
Anderson fired at the intruder, who fled into the attic of the house, where police found him.
Sims is listed in stable condition, police said.
Anderson told Detective Dan Callahan the house had been broken into previously, and he decided to check on it when he encountered the man inside.
Sims told police he is homeless and admitted he had been sleeping inside the vacant home, investigators said.
Investigators said they do not expect the homeowner, Anderson, will be charged in the shooting.
At the Glen Park scene, however, police arrested Johnny Yarbrough, 34, who was being held on charges of aggravated battery and being a felon in possession of a firearm, Detective Cpl. Thomas Decanter said.
Prosecutors decline to file charges in house break-ins
No felony charges are in the future for two people arrested during break-ins at two separate houses this week.
The gunshot wounds they suffered during the alleged home invasions may serve as their only punishment, investigators said Tuesday.
Lake County prosecutors declined to file residential entry charges against Donte Sims, 26, found hiding inside a house at 313 Johnson St. early Sunday.
The homeowner confronted Sims inside the house about 1 a.m. and shot at the intruder who admitted to police he had broken into the house previously because he needed a place to sleep.
Sims was shot in the hip after Andre Anderson opened the front door to the vacant house he is repairing and saw the man inside. When Anderson heard glass breaking, he reacted by shooting the man.
Detective James Bond said no charges will be filed against Anderson.
Diane Poulton, spokeswoman for Lake County Prosecutor Bernard Carter, said police could take the Sims case to Gary City Court for misdemeanor charges. The break-in did not meet felony standards because the house was not being lived in, Poulton explained.
Allen Walker, 17, wounded Monday afternoon during an alleged break-in at 5043 Washington St., may be paralyzed from the injury, Detective Cpl. Thomas Decanter said Tuesday.
Walker will be charged in juvenile court and prosecutors will have to seek a waiver to adult court on charges against him, Decanter said.
Indiana law provides that any teen 16 years or older who commits a felony with a handgun can automatically be charged as an adult.
The homeowner called police and said a man had forced his way into her house, pointed a gun at her and demanded money.
When officers arrived, they found Walker with a shotgun slug in his side and a handgun nearby.
Police arrested the homeowner’s brother, Johnny Yarbrough, 34, on a weapons violation charge because he has a prior felony conviction.
He is not expected to be charged in Lake Superior Court, however, because the conviction was drug related. Indiana law states that a felon with a conviction for a violent crime can be charged if caught with a gun.
Labels: home invasion, IN, minor offender, residence robbery
11/12/05
Elkhart, Indiana
From Elkhart's eTruth.com of November 12, 2005
Store owner pulls gun on robber
A store owner thwarted an armed robbery Thursday with a gun of his own.
Employees at Saleh’s Market, 401 Middlebury St., told Cpl. Robert Perry that a man wearing a Halloween mask entered the store at about 6:35 p.m. Thursday, aimed a BB gun rifle at them and said, “If you move, I will kill you.”
The 64-year-old owner of the store then grabbed a gun of his own and pointed it at the robber, who dropped his gun and fled down Middlebury Street with the owner in pursuit, said Perry. The owner lost sight of the robber after a short chase, he said.
Labels: business robbery, IN
11/8/05
Merrillville, Indiana
From Munster’s TheTimesOnline.com of November 4, 2005
Mother threatens burglar with gun
CRIME: Woman thwarts break-in attempt at M'ville house
A gun-carrying Merrillville mom didn't pull any punches when a man wearing a black ski mask tried to break into her house Wednesday night.
She threatened to shoot him with the 40-caliber handgun she was holding and he backed off and ran away, police said.
The woman, who lives in the 5300 block of Cleveland Street, told police she was changing her baby's diaper at about 7 p.m. when she heard a noise, Detective Lt. Don Toth said.
She told police she went to the front of her house, opened the front door and observed a man in a black ski mask attempting to break in.
The woman slammed her door shut and pushed back as the man continued to attempt to open the door with his shoulder, Toth said.
She yelled she had a gun and would fire if he continued, and the man fled on foot, Toth said.
Police said the woman did have a gun, which she showed them.
She described the burglar as black, thin, about 5 foot 8, with a black ski mask and black sweatshirt.
Labels: home invasion, IN
10/22/05
Indianapolis, Indiana
From October 22, 2005 WISH-TV channel 8:
A man is recovering after he was shot in what Indianapolis police say was an attempted robbery.
A security guard called police around 12:45 a.m. Saturday morning after finding a man shot in the side, at the Campus Apartments on West 10th Street. Medics took the man to Wishard Hospital while police discovered he was a suspect in an attempted robbery that had happened just minutes before.
Police say the man and another suspect attempted to rob a business across the street, but a delivery driver stumbled onto them and shot one of the suspects.
The other robber shot back and ran away. Police are still looking for him. The employee was not injured.
Labels: business robbery, IN
10/21/05
Anderson, Indiana
From the Indianapolis Star of October 21, 2005
Farmer wounds two joy ridersFrom the Marion Chronicle Tribune of November 2, 2005
Formal charges might not be filed against the owner of a farm for shooting two juveniles who were joy riding on golf carts across his property, a prosecutor said.
Police arrested Brent E. Schalk, 52, of Anderson, on preliminary charges of battery with a deadly weapon and criminal recklessness, all felonies.
Anderson police said two juveniles were wounded when Schalk allegedly shot them with bird shot Friday after they entered a building on the property at Blue Grass Farms.
Prosecutor Rodney Cummings said his office will review the police reports and is awaiting medical reports on the youths' injuries.
"The law allows some level of self-help," he said. "A person is allowed to use some force to protect his property and person.
"Charges will be filed against the five juveniles that were allegedly damaging his property, Cummings said. Cummings said one of the boys who was injured has been arrested six times since March 2004. He was arrested in March, April and July 2004 and again in January, February and August of this year.
"Nothing happens to him," Cummings said of the 16-year-old. "I'm not surprised that he thinks he can get away with this.
"Cummings said Blue Grass Farms filed vandalism reports with Anderson police five times between May and Oct. 14.Schalk's attorney Bryan Williams said the business sustained $10,000 worth of damage to equipment on the two nights prior to the incident.
Police were there on Thursday and Friday, and Schalk hired a private security firm, but security guards couldn't be there until later.
Williams said Schalk had bird shot in the shotgun because he didn't want to hurt anyone.
"The boys said they didn't damage his property but have admitted to being there the two nights before," he said. "I believed he was justified in the action he took."
No charges against farm owner who shot at juveniles
No charges will be filed against the owner of a farm who police say shot two juveniles who were joy riding on golf carts across his property, a prosecutor said.
Brent Schalk, 52, of Anderson, was arrested last month on preliminary charges of battery with a deadly weapon and criminal recklessness.
Prosecutor Rodney Cummings said Tuesday that although Schalk won't be charged, there is probably enough evidence to file charges against the juveniles for allegedly damaging equipment owned by Blue Grass Farms.
He said Schalk shooting at the boys with pellets from a rifle was still unwise.
"His actions should not be considered criminal under the circumstances," Cummings said. "It was risky behavior."
Anderson police said two juveniles were hurt when Schalk allegedly shot them with bird shot on Oct. 14 after they entered a building on Blue Grass Farms.
Schalk filed vandalism reports with Anderson police five times between May and Oct. 14. Schalk's attorney Bryan Williams had said that the business sustained $10,000 worth of damage to equipment on the two nights before the incident.
Schalk also hired a private security firm, but security guards weren't there when he fired at the boys.
Williams said Tuesday he was not surprised the prosecutor did not file charges.
"He (Schalk) did everything right," Williams said. "He called police, his insurance company and hired a private security firm. He had done everything reasonable to protect his property."
Cummings said he reviewed the medical records on the two juveniles and the injuries were described as superficial. Schalk has a right to protect his property, Cummings said.
"If the injuries would have been more severe, there would probably have been criminal charges filed," Cummings said.
10/13/05
Gary, Indiana
From the Merrillville Post-Tribune of October 13, 2005
Man says he fired gun after thieves shot first
An east side man told police would-be thieves breaking into his van fired at him when he confronted them, so he shot back, wounding a 16-year-old suspect.
The teen, struck in the leg and wrist, was admitted to the Methodist Hospitals in Merrillville, where he is being held under police guard.
Gary juvenile division supervisor Lt. Charles Austin is investigating the break-in that led to the shooting. None of the other suspects allegedly involved were arrested at the scene.
The teen could be charged as an adult if police can provide evidence he was armed while committing other crimes. Members of the Homicide Squad are investigating the shooting incident, Cmdr. Michael Nardini said.
“We’ve got CSI (Crime Scene Investigations) back out there today gathering evidence to see if it matches what the homeowner is saying,” Nardini said.
David Thedford, 55, told Patrolman Nicholas Ferrell his neighbor called him about 2 a.m. and said five suspects were trying to get into his van, parked in the 700 block of Georgia Street.
Thedford, an employee with Numark Security, went outside and ordered the young men to stop.
“He heard three shots,” the report states, and Thedford shot back with his .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol, the report states.
When police arrived, they found the wounded teen lying on the ground near Thedford’s white 1989 GMC Safari van.
Nearby were Thedford’s tackle box, fishing net and rod and reel, which had been removed from the vehicle, police said. The van and a 1993 Ford Explorer were damaged by gunfire, police said.
Labels: IN, street property theft
10/9/05
Indianapolis, Indiana
From the Indianapolis Star of October 9, 2005
Intruder killed, man wounded in 2 shootings
A Chicago man was killed in a shootout with a Westside apartment dweller during a home invasion Saturday morning.
...
The Chicago man's identity was not released Saturday, but a suspected accomplice, Erick Franklin, 18, Chicago, has been preliminarily charged with murder, said Marion County Sheriff's Lt. Brian Mahone.
An accomplice can be charged with murder if a homicide occurs during a criminal act, Mahone said.
Police said Franklin and the slain man, both carrying firearms, accosted two women at the apartment in the 7100 block of Heather Ridge Court around 4 a.m.
Douglas Jones, 23, Indianapolis, also was inside the apartment.
A shootout occurred, police said, with Jones, formerly of Chicago, armed with a handgun and a rifle.
The Chicago man was killed, and Franklin was apprehended later, police said.
Labels: home invasion, IN
9/29/05
Fort Wayne, Indiana
From the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette of September 29, 2005
Homeowner shoots out tire on van linked to theft spree
Sheriff’s officers were investigating a series of home burglaries Wednesday in southwest Allen County that they say are connected.
A homeowner called the Allen County Sheriff’s Department about 10:34 a.m. Wednesday after he arrived at his home in the 16000 block of Aboite Road and discovered a dark-colored van parked in his driveway and a stack of electronic equipment, said Steve Stone, sheriff’s department spokesman.
The homeowner grabbed a shotgun from his home and shot out one of the tires on the van, then went to a neighbor’s home and called police, Stone said.
Sheriff’s officers and troopers with the Indiana State Police closed in on the residence and found no one, a sheriff’s department report said.
A state police plane patrolled the area looking for suspects.
During a four-hour search, police found two other burglarized homes.
One was in the 11000 block of Yoder Road and the other was in the 8100 block of Lafayette Center Road.
The Aboite Road homeowner didn’t see any burglars and did not know whether there was more than one person, Stone said.
Labels: IN, residence burglary
8/6/05
Gary, Indiana
From the Gary Post-Tribune of August 6, 2005
Two admit taking part in foiled robbery
The two teenagers who were with Jerome Litt when he was shot and killed last Saturday have been charged with attempted robbery, police said Friday.
Litt, 21, was shot to death about 1:45 a.m. as he and two companions pointed guns into a car and demanded cash from the four occupants, the probable cause affidavit states.
Alvin R. Glasper, 19, and Benjamin Woodard Jr., 17, are both in custody, Detective James Bond said.
They face up to 20 years in prison if convicted of the charge.
Both teens admitted participating in the predawn robbery in the 1300 block of Rutledge Street.
One of the robbery victims, Michael Smith, told police he fired at the assailants after they opened the car door, pointed guns and said, “Give it up,” the affidavit states. He already had given them $680, but the masked men continued their threats, the affidavit states.
Lake County prosecutors are reviewing Smith’s statement and are expected to decide Monday if Smith’s actions were justified when he killed Litt, police said.
“The subjects had raised their guns again ... 'like they were about to shoot us,’ ” the affidavit states.
Smith, who was sitting in Travis Sanders’ car, grabbed Sanders’ gun to shoot, and Woodard said he dropped the “brown long gun” he was carrying and ran as Smith began firing, the affidavit states.
Glasper said he served only as a “lookout” for his companions, court records state.
Antoine Dolton, 23, was shot to death late Wednesday two blocks from the robbery site. Bond said it appears his death was retaliation for Litt’s death.
Labels: IN, minor offender, street robbery
8/3/05
Clay County, Indiana
From Terre Haute’s WTWO.com of August 2, 2005
Police Rule Shooting Was Self-Defense
Police in Clay County, Indiana responded to a shooting around 4:00pm Tuesday.
Police say the victim attempted to break into the house of his girlfriend at 8062 North County Road 400 East when he was shot.
The Clay County Sheriff`s Department says they found Doug Fulk shot in the leg. He was air-evaced to St. Vincent Clay Hospital and then to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis with non-life threatening injuries.
Police say Jaimee Gillen, a male acquaintance of Fulk`s girlfriend who was in the house at the time, shot Fulk with a rifle.
Gillen was detained briefly but released after police determined he acted in self-defense.
…
As for the victim, police say they have had problems with him in the past and he has spent time in the county jail.
Labels: domestic dispute, home invasion, IN
