Civilian Gun Self-Defense Blog

Woman holds burglar at gunpoint

A burglar in southern Cedar County found himself in a standoff this week -- not with police but with a 57-year-old woman armed with a pistol and training for a conceal-and-carry permit. She held the burglar at bay until police could arrive to arrest him at the rural home where whe found him in the closet.

(See video at site for more details)

Labels: female, home invasion, MO

Man thwarts three would-be burglars

The pounding of feet against his front door awoke a 56-year-old Kansas City man early Tuesday.

“Was that you?” Les Daniel called to his 10-year-old grandson in another bedroom.

“No,” the boy replied.

Daniel climbed from bed, grabbed two handguns and prepared for a showdown.

He recounted to a Kansas City Star reporter the story of the break-in at 2:20 a.m. Tuesday in the 4400 block of East 68th Terrace.

When he peered into his darkened dining room, fish tank lights illuminated a hooded stranger slinking across the room to inspect a home computer.

“Who is it?” Daniel asked.

“KCP,” the stranger replied, an apparent reference to Kansas City police.

Daniel saw a second stranger and heard a third. He wondered whether to confront them or just kill them.

“I was behind two of them, and they didn’t even know it. I could have killed them really quick,” he recalled. “But they looked young. And if I start shooting, they’re gonna shoot back.”

Not wanting to endanger his wife and grandson, Daniel called out: “Whatever you think I got, you’re wrong! There ain’t anything in here! You’re about ready to die over $8!”

He chambered a round in his .357-caliber Glock with a loud click. The intruders fled.

Daniel couldn’t figure why his house was targeted.

“I guess it looks like I got something, but I don’t,” he said.

Unable to secure his splintered front door, he stayed up the rest of the night in case the intruders returned. Later, he bought a new door with a strike plate, and a new wrought-iron screen door.

Labels: home invasion, MO

Ava man shot during dispute

A 37-year-old man from Ava was shot with a 22 caliber weapon during a dispute Saturday.

The man’s name was not being released Sunday because no charges had been filed in the case.

On Saturday, The Ozark County Sheriff’s Department received a report of a domestic dispute near Longrun, a rural area in the county.

When the officers arrived, they learned a man broke into the house and was shot by the 38-year-old female in the home. After being shot, he fled the residence.

While the two were not married, they knew each other.

There have not been a lot of calls from this address, but the sheriff’s office is acquainted with the participants, said Sheriff Raymond Pace.

The male was found near Wasola several hours later and transported to Cox South Hospital in Springfield. As of Sunday, he was still in the hospital, Pace said.

Charges of burglary and assault are expected to be filed against the man on Tuesday, Pace said.

No charges are expected against the woman.

“She was defending herself. He broke into the house,” Pace said.

This is an example of how a domestic dispute can end in a “serious situation,” Pace said.

Labels: domestic dispute, MO

Suspect fatally shot after stabbing guard

A security guard, stabbed by a shoplifting suspect, fatally shot the man tonight at a busy Brookside intersection, police said.

The guard’s injuries were not considered life-threatening.

Police Sgt. Mike Glass said the guard was working at the Price Chopper at 6327 Brookside Plaza when he saw a man trying to steal something about 8:40 p.m.

The guard chased the suspect about two blocks, to 63rd Street and Wornall Road. The suspect stabbed the guard in the upper body, and the guard then shot the suspect.

The suspect was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The guard also was taken to a hospital.

Labels: MO, private security

ST. CHARLES, Mo. -- The prosecuting attorney in St. Charles County rules that the fatal shooting of a mentally ill man by his stepfather was justifiable homicide.

Prosecutor Jack Banas says no charges will be filed against Dr. John Gentles in the death of his stepson, 26-year-old Marshall Fink. Banas says Gentles acted in self-defense.

Fink was shot on Jan. 11. Banas says Fink had shown increasingly erratic and often violent behavior over the past 18 months, and relatives feared for their safety. His mother says Fink was bipolar and had lived at home since being discharged from the Navy because of his illness.

Authorities say Fink threatened both his mother and stepfather on the day of the shooting.

Labels: altercation, MO

Unwelcome visitor: Bentleys briefly host invading coyote

Authorities on the subject say that coyotes avoid human contact.

On their Web site, Missouri Department of Conservation says, "Typically shy, elusive animals, coyotes don't normally pose a threat to humans. Most people who live in areas of high coyote populations rarely see one."

Apparently, the coyote that invaded the home of Lloyd and Rosamae Bentley in late December doesn't own a computer.

The Bentleys were enjoying a quiet evening at home when Lloyd heard a thump on the wall outside the front window. Then his two dogs started barking. One of the dogs is part husky, the other a beagle. Bentley said the beagle is "a little dog, but he barks big."

When Bentley opened the front door, he spotted a coyote lurking between the bushes and the window. Accompanied by a chorus of barking and yelping from the two dogs, he went back into the house to get a broom, hoping to shoo the coyote away.

By the time he got back outside, the dogs had cornered the animal on the porch. Realizing the broom wouldn't be of much use, Bentley went back inside the house to get his shotgun.

When he opened the door again, the by-now panicked coyote quickly slipped past him into the living room, and, spotting the fireplace, tried to take cover inside it. Unfortunately for the coyote, the fireplace is screened.

After that, the situation rapidly deteriorated into chaos.

As his wife blocked the coyote's access to the rest of the house, Bentley went after it, opening the living room door in the vain hope the intruder would run for safety, but that didn't work, either. "He wouldn't have none of that," Bentley said.

With the coyote now cowering behind a chair in the living room, Bentley grabbed a fireplace poker and took a mighty whack at the animal, but, he said, "He didn't go down." Wielding a larger poker, Bentley finally connected, but still, "He wouldn't go down." It took another blow or two, resulting in a bent poker, to finally stun the coyote to the point where Bentley could handle it.

He was eventually able to drag the mangy-looking animal outside, where he shot it.

More

Labels: animal, MO

A man reportedly burglarizing an apartment Thursday morning in an area off Battlefield Road was captured after being shot at by a resident and chased down by a police dog and several law enforcement officials, according to Capt. Randy Gibson of the Greene County Sheriff's Department.

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The incident began around 10:30 a.m. at the Valley apartments just off West Battlefield when someone staying home sick awoke to the sound of a window being pried open in another room, according to Gibson.

The suspect fled back out the window after the resident saw him, according to Gibson.

A neighbor then apparently went after the suspect, firing shots at him, Gibson said.

No one was hurt from the gunshots.

"There was a lot of chaos and commotion."

Labels: MO, residence burglary

Suspect in intrusion dies of wound

One of the intruders in an apparent home invasion in Columbia died Friday afternoon after he was shot by one of the occupants of the home.

Henry Lee Brown, 23, was shot as he and another intruder kicked open the front door of an apartment on Old 63 early Thursday morning, according to a news release from the Columbia Police Department. He was pronounced dead at 1:43 p.m.

Columbia police Sgt. Ken Hammond said Brown suffered a gunshot wound to the chin, which exited, then came back through his throat and became lodged in his chest. Hammond did not explain whether the bullet had ricocheted.

At just past midnight Thursday, police responded to a call of shots fired at the apartment. Two people inside told police that two men had tried to kick open the door. One of the occupants retrieved a gun from another room, shot at the intruders as they came through the door and wounded Brown.

Brown and the other unidentified man then ran from the apartment. As police talked with the two people at the scene, they were notified that Brown had been dropped off at Boone Hospital Center’s emergency room. He was later transferred to University Hospital because his injuries were so severe.

Hammond said he doubts that charges will be filed against the person who shot Brown. He said the shooting would seem to fall under the Castle Doctrine, a legal statute that says Missouri property owners are allowed to use deadly force to defend themselves against unlawful intruders.

Brown did have a criminal history that included convictions for drug crimes and for misdemeanor assault and trespassing.

Hammond confirmed that police have been in contact with the two people from the apartment but said he could not comment on their reaction to the news of Brown’s death because the investigation is ongoing.

Further Links:

Suspect shot in apartment break-in dies

Labels: home invasion, MO

A Domino’s pizza deliveryman who shot and killed a would-be robber in Pagedale has a valid permit to carry a weapon and appears to have acted in self-defense, according to St. Louis County police.

The driver, who works for the Domino’s franchise nearby in University City, delivered an order at 7 p.m. Thursday to a phony address in the 6500 block of Julian Avenue, where two armed men announced a robbery. The driver pulled his own pistol and fired shots, striking one of the robbers.

Brian Smith, 19, of the 600 block of Ferguson Avenue in Ferguson, was pronounced dead at the scene, said officer Tracy Panus, the department spokeswoman. The other gunman fled. Police arrested a suspect this afternoon and booked him pending application of warrants, she said.

Panus said the driver may have been fired upon, but was not wounded. She said officers found a pistol at the scene that hadn’t been fired.

The driver surrendered his own weapon and showed officers a concealed-carry permit from Florida. Panus said officers verified the permit this afternoon.

Panus said Prosecuting Attorney Bob McCulloch’s office will review the police reports but added, "It doesn’t appear to us that (the driver) did anything wrong."

Labels: concealed carry permit, MO, pizza delivery driver, street robbery

A Kansas City resident shot at three men who kicked in his front door last night, apparently to commit a home-invasion robbery.

A few hours after the crime, a man showed up at a hospital with three gunshot wounds but denied being involved in the failed robbery.

The incident occurred about 10:30 p.m. in the 1800 block of Kansas Avenue. Witnesses told police the men broke in, pointed a gun at a woman and asked for the resident by name. The resident peeked out a bedroom door, shot at a suspect at the end of the hallway and chased the men out of the house while shooting. One suspect fired back.

Labels: home invasion, MO

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- A man suspected in a St. Louis home invasion was critically injured after being shot by a resident of the home, and a police spokesman said the suspect was not expected to survive.

Police spokesman Richard Wilkes said the suspect was taken to Barnes-Jewish Hospital and was in very critical condition Thursday morning. His name has not been released.

The man was among three who allegedly entered a home Wednesday night with intent to commit robbery, Wilkes said. The man became involved in a struggle with one of the home's occupants. The suspect was shot in the head.

A man who was fatally shot in a home invasion with two others in the Baden neighborhood was identified by St. Louis police today as Darin Breeland, 38, of the 1900 block of John Avenue.

Police said Breeland died at an area hospital about 4 p.m. Friday. Breeland suffered gunshot wounds to his left foot, right upper arm and left eye.

The attempted robbery in the 8900 block of Halls Ferry Road -- near the Halls Ferry circle -- took place about 10:40 p.m. Wednesday when three men broke into a house in an attempted robbery, police said.

Breeland was one of the would-be robbers, police said, fought with one of the occupants and was shot. A .357-caliber handgun was beneath his body; it had not been fired.

Labels: home invasion, MO

Pistol-Packing Grandma Stops Would-Be Burglars

A 63-year-old grandmother with a handgun stopped two burglars at her backdoor in Carthage.

The Jasper County Sheriff's Department said a woman and a 16-year-old boy were arrested after the foiled break-in Friday and charged with first-degree burglary.

The grandmother was at home with her grandchild when the burglars broke down her back door.

She grabbed a handgun and stopped the pair, but they ran away when the woman went back inside to call the sheriff's department.

Deputies arrested the suspects about three hours later in Carthage.

Lt. Aaron Richardson of the sheriff's department said first-degree burglary charges have been filed against Faith Barrick, 39, of Carthage, and a 16-year-old male accomplice.

Further links:
Granny got her gun: Woman thwarts burglary attempt; two face charges

Labels: home invasion, MO

Two dogs attack North County man

A 53-year-old man was hospitalized today after two bulldogs attacked him at a home in north St. Louis County.

The man had been playing with the dogs about 9:20 a.m. in a fenced-in section of the back yard of the home in the 2600 block of Lyndhurst Avenue, police said.

One of the dogs started biting him, and the other dog quickly joined in the attack, said Officer Tracy Panus of the St. Louis County Police Department.

A neighbor heard the man's screams, got a gun from his residence and fired at the dogs. One of the animals was killed. The other, injured, was later euthanized.

The dogs, both American bulldogs, were taken away by St. Louis County Animal Control.

The man suffered bite wounds to his arm and leg, Panus said. His injuries are not considered life-threatening.

Panus said the man told police the animals had never bitten him before or showed any vicious tendencies.

Officials said the dogs and their owner were visiting from out of town. The owner is an in-law of the man attacked, Panus said.

The owner has agreed to euthanize the female dog, which survived the shooting, LeFebvre said. Both dogs will be tested for rabies as a standard measure, he said.

Further links:
Dogs Attack Man In North St. Louis County

Pit bulls shot by neighbor after attacking man

Labels: animal, MO

Would-be Westport robber shot

A would-be robber remained hospitalized in critical condition this afternoon after he was shot by one of his intended victims.

The man was shot about 1:30 a.m. after he followed several people to their car in a Westport parking garage in the 4000 block of Pennsylvania Avenue.

As the people were getting into their car, the man, who had earlier asked them for money, pulled up his shirt and revealed a gun in his waistband, Kansas City police said.

One of the car’s occupants retrieved his own gun from inside the vehicle and fired.
Police later determined that the wounded man was carrying a BB gun.

Labels: MO, street robbery

An armed robbery victim reportedly shot at his assailant as the suspect fled tonight in Kansas City.

The robbery was reported at 7:45 p.m. at the E&J Market, 2900 E. 27th St.

The victim, who was working in the store, told police he shot at the suspect as he was escaping but was unsure whether he hit him, a dispatcher said.

Labels: business robbery, MO

Disabled man pulls gun, ends violent armed robbery spree

A disabled man defending himself with a firearm from people trying to break into his trailer appears to have stopped a crime spree early Thursday morning that several hours earlier sent two motel occupants to a Springfield hospital with head injuries.

According to Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department logs, at 3:34 a.m., deputies received a report that two men had kicked in the door of a room at the Fort Wood Inn at the Buckhorn exit of Interstate 44 and attacked those in the room with a baseball bat.

“They severely beat two individuals; one was immediately helicoptered to Springfield and the other was later flown to Springfield,” said Sheriff J.B. King, who due to the extent of the victims’ injuries didn’t have their names or many details of the incident.

The injuries were predominantly blunt force trauma and lacerations to the head, King said. The medical condition of the victims wasn’t immediately available but presumed to be serious.

“The deputy said he was worried about them, and that tells me about all I need to know,” King said.

After the deputy finished investigating the Fort Wood Inn incident, the sheriff’s office received a call from a man and his wife on Reporter Road who told deputies that they had caught a juvenile breaking into their mobile home about a mile north of Waynesville and were holding him at gunpoint. They said another man who had tried to break into their home had already fled.

King said the couple told him they were confronted in their home about 6 a.m. by a man in his 30s and a 16-year-old male. The older intruder pulled a handgun, but apparently didn’t anticipate that his intended victim — a disabled man in his 40s who takes medication for serious back pain — might not be an easy target.

“The homeowner pulled his weapon and the suspect fled,” King said. “The suspect had a pellet gun; the homeowner had a real gun.”

The deputy left the Fort Wood Inn and headed toward the Reporter Road address, but while driving on Highway T on his way to Reporter Road, at 6:09 a.m., he saw a small silver passenger car matching the description of a car that had fled the Fort Wood Inn.

“My deputy made a split-second decision to pursue the suspect vehicle on Highway T,” King said. “He made a snap decision in a critical incident and it will bear major fruit.”

The sheriff’s department had only one deputy on duty in the early morning hours, so sheriff’s dispatchers called Waynesville police to assist with securing the juvenile being held at gunpoint by the homeowner; King responded from his home, took custody of the juvenile from Waynesville police, and transported him to the county jail where he awaits filing of charges.

King said the homeowner showed him a baseball bat left by the juvenile in the living room of the trailer on Reporter Road; the deputy found a pellet gun after stopping the car on Highway T, along with a laptop computer believed to have been stolen from the Fort Wood Inn.

(More)

Labels: home invasion, MO

Would-be robber flees after man pulls handgun

A Joplin man reported thwarting a robbery attempt Saturday night in downtown Joplin with a handgun he was legally carrying.

Thomas W. Doyle, 38, 2931 N. Michigan Ave., reported at 7:28 p.m. Saturday that after he obtained some cash from an automated teller machine at Seventh Street and Virginia Avenue, he was approached by a man while parked in the 700 block of Virginia Avenue, according to Cpl. Chuck Niess of the Joplin Police Department.

Doyle told police that the man pulled out a knife and demanded his money, Niess said. But the man fled when Doyle pulled out a handgun for which he has a concealed-carry permit, Niess said.

No arrest had been made by Monday afternoon, Niess said.

Labels: concealed carry permit, MO, street robbery

Shots exchanged during KC home invasion

An intruder who forced his way into a Kansas City home early this morning was chased off when a resident fired a shot through his closed bedroom door.

Kansas City police were called to the house in the 4100 block of South Benton St. about 1:50 a.m. and found signs that the front door had been pried open.

A 69-year-old man told officers that he was awakened by the sound of the door being forced open. The man said that as he heard the intruder approach his bedroom he fired a shot from a .40-caliber handgun. The suspect fired a return shot and fled.

Another man was sleeping in the house, but neither resident saw the intruder, according to police reports. The residents were not injured and there were no signs that a bullet hit the intruder.

Labels: intruder, MO

Homeowner Shoots Home Invader

A homeowner shot a man who he said broke into his home around 4 a.m. Wednesday.

Police answered a burglary call in the 6200 block of Forest Avenue early Wednesday morning.

The man who lives in the house said he was home alone when a man broke in through a window.

A struggle ensued and shots were fired.

The home invader was shot but managed to get away in a vehicle driven by another person, the homeowner said.

Police were nearby when they heard the call. They followed a car they saw leaving the scene and took two men into custody just a block away who they believe were involved in the home invasion.

One of the men in the vehicle had a gunshot wound. He was taken to the hospital with a serious, but non-life-threatening injury.

Labels: intruder, MO

Landlord Shoots, Kills Intruder, Police Say

A landlord shot and killed an intruder at a house in the 6100 block of Indiana Avenue early Friday morning, police said.

According to authorities, the landlord was having some problems at the house. He went to check on the place at about 12:30 a.m. and was confronted by the intruder.

The landlord told police that the intruder came at him and he shot the man. The man died from his injuries. His name has not been released.

The landlord was not hurt. The shooting is under investigation.

Homeowner Shoots, Kills Suspected Burglar

People in one south Kansas City neighborhood are supporting the actions of a homeowner who police said defended himself after he caught a man burglarizing his home.

Police believe the man who was shot and killed broke into the house to steal valuables inside. The armed owner prevented that from happening.

The owner, Wilbert Veal, called 911 just before 1 a.m., telling police he was armed with a handgun and had just shot someone in his basement. Police believe the dead man was a burglar. Next door neighbor Gloria Bogle can't believe what happened.

"We never have anything like that here. That was very strange. I can't get over it, to hear that," Bogle said.

Police said the home is vacant, but Veal was there Thursday night to check on the house and heard a noise in the basement. When he went downstairs he told police the burglar lunged at him.

Police said Veal had a gun with him when he went to investigate the noise, and he shot the burglar to protect himself. Neighbors said property owners taking their safety and security into their own hands should send a message to criminals.

"I think they better be careful because you never know what somebody's gonna do," neighbor Christopher Ellis said. "Everbody's looking out for themselves nowadays. Even homeowners. Burglars beware!"

Veal has been questioned by police and released. Although break-ins haven't been a big problem on the block, neighbors said Veal's actions have made them think twice about how they would defend themselves and protect their property.

Police have not yet released the name of the man who was killed.

Labels: home invasion, MO

Police: Driver Fears Carjacking, Shoots Man

An Army veteran who believed he was being carjacked shot a man late Tuesday night, police said.

It happened at about 11 p.m. near 40th Street and Warwick Boulevard. The veteran said he drove to the area to help a friend move.

Police said the veteran and a friend were in a car when another man walked up and offered to sell them drugs.

When they refused, the drug dealer punched one of the men in the mouth and then reached for what they believed was a gun, the veteran said.

"Pulling up shirt as if he had something underneath, and with the other hand he socked me in the face," said the veteran, who didn't want to be identified.

The veteran pulled his own gun and shot the man in the stomach, according to investigators. The veteran said he was trying to disable the man long enough so
he and his friend could escape.

"I decided to go ahead and shoot him in the lower left and try to avoid any major organs," the veteran said.

The 29-year-old shooting victim was taken to a hospital for treatment. He is expected to recover.

"This is nothing to be proud up, having shot a person," the veteran told KMBC's Maria Antonia.

The 49-year-old disabled Army veteran said he can't protect himself with his fists, so he got a concealed weapons permit six months ago. Police said he had a license for the gun.

The veteran said last night was the first time he pulled out his .40-caliber gun.

"I feel disgusted that I had to use it on a human being, but I'm not going to be the victim who can't defend himself anymore," the veteran said.

So far, no charges have been filed.

Labels: carjacking, MO

Missouri man kills grandson in apparent case of self-defense

A man shot and killed his grandson this morning after the teenager began stabbing him and his wife, authorities said.

William Andrew Nation, 18, came to his sleeping grandparents' bedroom in their home about 20 miles south of Ava. He shouted that he couldn't take it anymore and then started stabbing them with a kitchen knife, said Chief Deputy Trampus Taylor of the Douglas County Sheriff's Office.

Jerry Garrison, took a handgun he kept by the side of his bed and shot his grandson several times, killing him, authorities said.

Garrison was stabbed in the head, shoulder and back, and his wife, Katie, was stabbed in the face. Jerry Garrison was treated at a hospital and released, while his wife was in fair condition Wednesday afternoon, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Taylor said a review could take several weeks, but it appeared that the shooting would be ruled justifiable.

The teen had lived with his grandparents about a year. They said he had been hearing voices and had seen a psychiatrist on Monday, Taylor said. He was scheduled to return to the psychiatrist in a couple weeks.

Labels: domestic abuse, MO

Two People Hurt In Home Invasion

Two people were taken to the hospital after a violent home invasion in Kansas City.

An intruder broke into a house near East 18th Street and Belleview Avenue around 8:30 p.m. Sunday, police said.

The home invader stabbed someone in the house, according to authorities, and the victim then grabbed a gun and shot the intruder.

Both were taken to the hospital, one with critical injuries.

None of the names of those involved have been released.

1 Stabbed, 2 Shot During Confrontation At KC Home

One man was stabbed and two men were shot during a confrontation at a home near Belleview Avenue and Holly Street Sunday night.

The homeowner told KMBC's Brenda Washington that it was connected to her son's relationship with his girlfriend.

Police said two men came to the duplex looking for a 20-year-old man, forced their way in and stabbed him.

Investigators said the man fought back and shot the two men.

The mother of the 20-year-old said that she believes the men may be family members of her son's girlfriend.

Police are still investigating.

Labels: assault, domestic dispute, home invasion, MO

Man who shot another released

A man who admitted to shooting another man in the stomach early Sunday morning in Cape Girardeau was released while prosecutors decide whether to file charges or declare the shooting self-defense, a Cape Girardeau police spokesman said.

Police called to the 3000 block of Themis Street about 1:30 a.m. Sunday found a 27-year-old man with a gunshot wound to the belly, Cape Girardeau Police Department spokesman Cpl. Jason Selzer said Monday. While officers were questioning witnesses, the shooter stepped forward and admitted his involvement, Selzer said.

The shooter, a 31-year-old Cape Girardeau resident, saw a fight in the street outside his apartment building, grabbed his gun and went outside to break it up, Selzer said.

"Before he gets down there, at some point the guy who got shot gets away from the fight and gets a screwdriver and starts threatening people with it," Selzer said. "The shooter and the victim exchanged words, with the shooter telling him, "Get out of here, it is over" and the victim with the screwdriver attempting to stab him."

Labels: assault, MO

Deputy: Neighbor Dispute Ends In Slaying

Deputies said a dispute between two neighbors led to bloodshed Thursday morning in rural Henry County.

Edwin D. Walrath, 36, was shot to death at a mobile home in the 1000 block of Northeast Highway C, officials said.

Investigators said they suspect Walrath's neighbor shot him twice, and then the neighbor called 911.

The first deputy to arrive at the scene tried to save Walrath's life.

"She began CPR until the ambulance arrived, which happened just a few minutes after," said Maj. Rob Hills with the Henry County Sheriff's Department.

Deputies said John E. Hicks, 55, was questioned and released. Officers said they searched his home for evidence.

KMBC's Bev Chapman reported that there was an ongoing feud between the neighbors, who shared a long lane just north of Truman Lake.

"We've had several calls in the past about property issues, property disputes going on. We've been there numerous times," Hills said.

There have been at least six police reports over the years, officials said.

"We feel self-defense is going to be an issue, a claim in the case in the facts," Hills said.

A coroner's inquest will be organized in the coming days, and then a prosecutor will decide whether to file charges.

Note: An earlier version of this story said investigators found drug paraphernalia at the home, which is incorrect. We regret the error.

Labels: altercation, MO

Armed homeowner deters rural burglary

An apparent burglary attempt was thwarted early today when a homeowner armed with a gun confronted an intruder north of Columbia.

Boone County sheriff’s deputies responded at about 3:15 a.m. to the 4700 block of Flamingo Drive. The homeowner reported that an intruder had forced entry through the front door, according to a news release from the sheriff’s department.

After being confronted, the suspect ran from the residence to a car parked in the road near the home, the sheriff’s department said.

Deputies described the suspect as a black male wearing a black mask and black clothing. Anyone with information can call CrimeStoppers at 875-8477.

Labels: home invasion, MO, residence burglary

3 men charged in botched kidnapping in Kansas City

Three men face second-degree murder charges in an attempted kidnapping that left a fourth suspect dead.

According to police, the four men plotted to kidnap another member of their gang and demand a $50,000 ransom. Police said the suspects lured the man to a house Saturday claiming they wanted to buy drugs from him, then bound him with duct tape and called his brother, demanding the ransom be paid within 30 minutes.

The kidnap victim, a man in his 20s, managed to escape without injuries and call police after shooting one of his captors, police said. Police Sgt. Richard Sharp said the shooting was considered self-defense and the man has not been charged.

However, Marlyn L. Standifer, 18; Robertico Cooper, 19; and Antwan Wooden, 21, were charged with second-degree murder, kidnapping and armed criminal action. Standifer and Cooper were in custody, but police were still looking for Wooden, who also is wanted in an unrelated shooting death in January.

According to court records, the shooting happened when Antwan Wooden, Standifer and Cooper went to meet the victim's brother, who had gone to the police station.

Court records say the victim was left alone with Keith Wooden, 24, the older brother of Antwan. The hostage worked his hands free from the duct tape and took Keith Wooden's gun from him, court records say. When Wooden lunged at him, the victim fired, court records say. He then fled the house.

Wooden was pronounced dead at the scene.

Cooper also faces assault charges from a previous shooting. He is being held on a $250,000 cash bond, Sharp said. Standifer was being held on a $500,000 cash bond. Standifer had been sought on murder and assault charges involving shootings in December, January and March.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, kidnapping, MO

Would-be robber wounded in Bridgeton

A robber packing a pellet gun lost out early today to a motel guest packing a real firearm.

Bridgeton police say that after surrendering his cash, jewelry and car keys to two robbers in the parking lot of the motel, the guest drew his own firearm and got the drop on the robbers, wounding one of them in the hand and leg.

It all happened about 3 a.m. at the Motel 6 at 3655 Pennridge Drive, said Bridgeton police Lt. James Woodland.

"The man being robbed had a concealed-carry permit," Woodland said.

After the shooting, the would-be robbers fled. "We caught the wounded one about a quarter-mile down the road, outside a bar that was closed," Woodland said.

Woodland said the suspect had been taken to a hospital for treatment of his wounds. The second robber remains at large, he said.

Labels: concealed carry permit, MO, street robbery

County Man Acquitted on Assault, Armed Criminal Action Charges

A man accused of shooting two men near his Bourbon area farm in 2004 was acquitted Friday by a Franklin County jury. The jury found Bart Brendel, 50, not guilty on two counts of first-degree assault, two counts of armed criminal action and one count of first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle. He was indicted in November 2004.

Prosecutors claim Brendel shot at three men, wounding two, as an act of revenge when they were driving a minivan on the road in front of his home in the Bourbon area.

Two of the men were wounded in the legs, authorities said. All three admitted that they had been spotlighting deer in the area. They later pleaded guilty to misdemeanor poaching charges and were ordered to pay fines for the offenses.

Brendel's attorney Frank Carlson said his client acted in self-defense and acted reasonably to defend his home.

"We have to be able to defend ourselves and our homes and the jury said that loud and clear," he said.

Carlson said a key to the acquittal was that Brendel was not the "first to use force."

"The law of self-defense is different if you are the aggressor," said Carlson. "It was agreed that Bart Brendel was not the initial aggressor, therefore the right to use self-defense is not restricted."

Brendel is accused of firing almost 30 rounds from an assault rifle Oct. 28, 2004, at the van carrying the three men as they drove past his home on Parshall Road in far southwestern Franklin County.

Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney Bob Parks said Brendel was charged because he continued to shoot at the van after it passed him.

"We were looking at more of the actions of Mr. Brendel after the car had passed -- when he shot into the van and hit the two men," said Parks "He was out of danger and that is why we charged him."

Parks said the jury deliberated for about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

"We were disappointed that the jury acquitted him for whatever reason, but that is the way it is," he said.

Carlson told the jury that Brendel heard voices and believed that the men were tampering with his cattle. He said that Brendel shot an assault rifle in the air to protect his cattle. He added that Brendel shot at the van that sped toward him and continued to shoot at the van because he "feared for his life."

"Just a classic self-defense cse. In my mind charges shouldn't have been filed in the first place and the jury saw it for what it was," he said.

Carlson added that there was "really good police work" and "a good jury."

The victims, Bobby R. Mercer, Sullivan, James H. Moss, Sullivan, and Edward E. Heads, Bourbon, have filed a civil lawsuit against Brendel. Trial is scheduled for April.

Labels: assault, MO

A 57-year-old woman robbed at knife point recently fired back at the robber`s get away vehicle at a St. Joseph Price Chopper. Some question if she made the right move. Winifred Dassero said, "I thought it was a very dangerous thing to do I don`t think she gave it much thought who she was endangering." Patti Head said, "I would give them what they wanted and then call the police." Others think she was right on. Jason Glenn said, "I think women are more vulnerable to situations like that. I`d expect my wife to do the same thing."

Police are still investigating whether the victim was right or wrong in this case. Missouri statutes say a person can shoot to protect their life, another person`s life or their property. Commander Jim Connors said, "I can`t tell you in this situation you can do it and in this situation you can`t."

Labels: home invasion, MO, residence robbery

Night Clerk Goes After 3 Armed Robbers

A convenience store clerk at the Front Street Valero gas station went after three robbers just after a holdup early Wednesday morning, KMBC's Brenda Washington reported.

A 35-year-old night clerk was on duty.

"They jumped over the counter, pointed a gun, took money and one grabbed some soda pop," manager Albert Jiwan said.

KMBC's Brenda Washington reported that the robbers also forced the clerk to open a second cash register.

"But he just could not open it in time," Jiwan said.

After the robbers took off, the clerk grabbed a gun from under the counter and went outside to try to get the license plate number on the robbers' car.

"They saw him coming out, shot at him. He fired back," Jiwan said.

The clerk was not hurt. He told the police he was able to shoot out a rear passenger window on the car.

No arrests have been made. But Jiwan hopes images from the surveillance tape will help catch them.

"The sooner we catch them, the better for the community," Jiwan said.

Labels: business robbery, MO

Prosecutors decline to file murder charges in two homicides

Jackson County prosecutors recently declined to file murder charges in two homicides because investigators believed the shooters fired in self-defense.

The first one occurred Sept. 2 in the 3500 block of East 51st Street.

According to police, Isaac J. Calvert Jr., 18, stood behind an apartment building and fired into an apartment at someone with whom he was angry. A stray bullet penetrated another apartment and wounded a 49-year-old woman. Someone in the apartment Calvert intended to hit fired back, killing Calvert.

Police found Calvert’s body behind the building about 2:30 a.m.

The second fatal shooting occurred about 5:45 a.m. Oct. 3 in the 9800 block of East 52nd Street. A woman told police that Dallas Bromley, 26, of Oak Grove, had started arguing with her over money. Another man joined the argument, and the two men drew guns.

Both fired. Bromley died at the scene. The other man was wounded in the neck and was hospitalized.

Detectives said they found several marijuana “bricks” in the home and in a vehicle in the driveway. Since Bromley was inside someone else’s home with a gun to collect money and had fired his gun, the shooting was ruled self-defense, police said.

Labels: altercation, MO

1 Shot To Death At South KC Home

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

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

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

No names were released.

Labels: intruder, MO

East-Side Homeowner Fires At Intruder

No One Injured

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Labels: intruder, MO

A suspect in the Friday night armed robbery of a north-side liquor store is in police custody and is recovering from a gunshot wound at a local hospital, Lt. Scott Levin of the Springfield Police Department said.

Gregory R. Medley, 29, has been charged with robbery, assault and armed criminal action, Levin said. He will be transferred to the Greene County Jail when he is dismissed from the hospital. His bail was set at $250,000.

Police say the suspect entered the liquor store about 9 p.m. Friday, displayed a handgun and demanded money.

Levin said Medley was likely shot in the arm by the owner of Springfield Discount Liquor, 1423 E. Kearney St., during the robbery. The clerk told police the suspect fired first.

Labels: business robbery, MO

Jury returns two not guilty verdicts in assault trial

A Cole County jury found an Army staff sergeant not guilty of charges he faced in the shooting of a man in the parking lot of a Jefferson City restaurant in March.

Jason Choate, 30, was acquitted of first-degree assault and armed criminal action. He could have received a life sentence if he had been convicted.

Jurors had the case about one hour and 15 minutes - including dinner - Thursday night before returning two not guilty verdicts. Cole County Judge Tom Brown presided over the trial.

Choate freely admitted he shot Brian Jenkins in the early morning hours of March 24 at Steak and Shake on Missouri Boulevard. But, he and his lawyer, Brad Kessler of St. Louis, argued it was done in self defense to protect Choate's brother, Christopher, from being seriously hurt by Jenkins.

In testimony Thursday, both sides agreed this all started when Jenkins -- who was with his girlfriend, Amanda Moore, at Spectator's Bar on Missouri Boulevard -- got mad that Christopher Choate was talking to Moore. Jenkins shoved Christopher Choate and security at the bar told Jenkins to leave.

As the parties were leaving, Jason Choate testified that he did yell out that he was driving his brother to Steak and Shake. Jenkins testified he thought this meant that there was going to be a fight between him and Christopher.

There, Christopher Choate and Jenkins again got into a physical altercation at which point the defendant removed a handgun from his vehicle glove box and shot Jenkins through the arm and into his torso.

It was at this point in the timeline of events that the testimony differed. Jenkins and Moore said Jenkins only shoved Christopher before Jason shot Jenkins. Jason and Christopher said Jenkins had Christopher pinned between the car and the passenger side door and had punched him several times before Jason shot Jenkins.

In his closing argument, Assistant Prosecutor Kurt Valentine told the jury to remember that Jason Choate had several options to stop Jenkins from attacking his brother, including not going to Steak and Shake. Kessler told the jury that the law states nothing about not being able to defend someone, including the use of deadly force, to protect someone from injury.

“I just thank God,” defendant Jason Choate told a reporter after getting hugs from several family members in the courtroom.

But the victim's father, Robert Jenkins, said the jurors' decision may have “opened the gates” for people to shoot others if they see a fight going on.

“A high-priced lawyer, kind of like the O.J. Simpson trial” swayed the jury in Choate's favor. “If you've got the money, you can get away with anything.”

Labels: assault, MO

Man in critical condition after double shooting

One man is fighting for his life after being shot in the chest early Wednesday morning in Kansas City, Mo.

The other shooter, Mike Jones, was shot in the arm during the shootout that sent him to the hospital as well.

He spoke to NBC Action News as he was returning home from the hospital and said he fired his gun in self-defense.

"I guess somebody tried to carjack me and shot through the window and I shot him, that's it," Jones said.

Reports indicate that one man came up from behind a van and went right up to his red Chevy Caprice. Shortly after, multiple shots rang out.

Police say Jones was parked on Lydia Avenue with his girl friend, but they are still investigating which man pulled the trigger first.

"Well, we're really not sure at this point in time," said Capt. Jeff Emery. "We're still in the preliminary stages of the investigation, getting some information from the people in the neighborhood."

Jones maintained he had never seen the other man before.

"It a crazy world , I guess," He said. "I don't even know what to think about it, this all over a little car."

Police are still investigating the motive in the case and they are waiting to talk to the other shooter.

2 Injured In Gun Battle At 54th, Lydia.

Police are investigating what prompted a shootout that injured two men early Wednesday morning.

Investigators told KMBC that a man used a gun to smash the window of a car at 54th Street and Lydia Avenue and began firing at a couple inside.

Police said the man in the car pulled out a gun of his own and fired back. The woman passenger got out of the car and kept low to the ground. She was not hurt.

The man in the car was wounded in the arm. The attacker was hit in the chest and is in critical condition, KMBC reported.

Labels: carjacking, defender shot, MO

Clerk fires back at armed robbers

An alert store clerk fires back after four people hold up a metro clothing store in Kansas City.

Police said three juveniles and an adult walked into Big G's Clothing Store at 2620 Truman Road around 6 p.m. Saturday.

One of the juvenile suspects was reportedly armed with a silver revolver. He fired several shots and ordered everyone to get down on the floor, witnesses say.

The other three suspects stole several pairs of shoes.

Police said the juvenile suspect then fired about five shots at the owner as he ducked under a counter.

A store worker is said to have grabbed a 12-gauge shotgun, ran outside, and fired several shots at the suspects as they were leaving in a red Ford van.

Police later spotted the suspect vehicle on Interstate 70 and arrested six people: three juveniles and three adults.

They said the adults confessed to the crimes.

Sunday, prosecutors charged Leartis Grigsby, 19, Remus Grigsby, 17, and Romulis Grigsby, also 17, with robbery and armed criminal action.

Authorities said charges are pending for the juveniles as well.

Labels: business robbery, minor offender, MO

Sheriff investigating shooting in Doe Run

Bullock says homeowner and man who was shot had ‘past history'

The St. Francois County Sheriff's Department is investigating a shooting that occurred Sunday morning at a residence in Doe Run. During the shooting a 38-year-old St. Francois County man was shot five times with a 22-caliber gun.

"The man that was shot went to a home located on Pendelton Road at approximately 7:45 a.m. on Sunday," said St. Francois County Sheriff Dan Bullock. "When the man arrived at the home, the homeowner was in his yard. According to statements taken, the man threatened to do the homeowner bodily harm. The man went after the homeowner and the homeowner stepped inside his shed where he had a gun. At that time the homeowner shot the man five times."

Bullock said the motive of the incident is currently under investigation, but did say that both the homeowner and the man shot had a "past history" together.

"The homeowner called 911 after he shot the man," Bullock said. "The man was flown to Barnes Hospital for treatment."

Bullock said as of Sunday evening the man who was shot was in stable condition. "Our investigators are going to be interviewing the man that was shot today," Bullock said.

Bullock said the homeowner was not arrested as of press time.

"We have contacted the prosecuting attorney," Bullock said. "We are currently completing the reports to turn over to the prosecutor's office. They (prosecuting attorney's office) will make the determination if any charges will be followed. We don't expect any charges to be filed though. It appears to be a case of self defense.”

Labels: assault, MO

Fatal Shooting in Doniphan Appears to be Case of Self-Defense

A Doniphan man being held for the fatal shooting of another man following an altercation in a home shortly after midnight Thursday was released from the Doniphan jail this morning shortly after 2 a.m., after investigators determined that he shot and killed 36-year-old Rodney Ray in self-defense.

Doniphan Police Chief Richard Joyner told K8 News that Ray entered the home of 25-year-old Michael Boone around midnight Wednesday evening and began arguing with a woman the chief described as Ray's girlfriend inside a bedroom in the home. Chief Joyner said investigation shows that Ray then entered the home's living room and began arguing with Boone, who by that time had armed himself with a .22-caliber pistol and then asked Ray to leave. The chief says when Ray ignored Boone's request, Boone fired two "warning shots" into the floor of the residence, at which point Ray allegedly advanced on Boone as if he were going to attack him. When that happened, Boone fired a fatal shot at Ray.

Doniphan officers were called to the residence at 12:27 a.m. Upon their arrival in the 700 block of East Washington Street, they found Ray on his back with a woman on top of him trying to administer CPR. Upon closer inspection, officers found Ray with no pulse, suffering from a gunshot wound to the head.

Boone was taken into custody as the Doniphan PD was joined in the investigation by the Ripley County Sheriff's Department and the Missouri Highway Patrol. Chief Joyner says further investigation determined that Boone shot Ray in self-defense, and he was released after being held for 24 hours.

Joyner stressed that the investigation is not yet closed, and a coroner's inquest is planned.

Labels: domestic dispute, MO

A quite evening in Dunklin County turned into a wild night over the weekend when Punkin Center resident Ronald Moody was attacked in his home by an unknown assailant.

"Mr. Moody put his left hand to fend him off and he noticed he had blood on his arm, so he began to think (the intruder) has something in his hand and that he was stabbed," said Dunklin County Sheriff Bob Holder, "Moody pulls out the pistol and start firing. He shot about three shots, but it is unknown if he hit the subject or not."

According to the Dunklin County Sheriff's Department, Moody described the man as a white male, 35 to 40-years-old, about 5'10" tall and weighing around 190 pounds. The intruder also was depicted with black hair, a week old beard and tattoos all over both arms, but his whereabouts are currently unknown. Moody was treated and released from the hospital with minor injuries.

"We have checked area hospitals and no one has checked in with bullet wounds or anything, so right now we are still at step one," said Holder.

Labels: assault, home invasion, MO

Guilty: Self-defense case has activists up in arms

A guilty verdict in a self-defense case has upset activists claiming a person should have the right to shoot intruders when they break into their home.

A Jackson County Judge found Mitchell Robinson guilty of manslaughter Thursday. The case hinged on whether he should have locked the door to keep out the intruder and how far he could go to protect himself.

"(Robinson) goes inside, shuts the door, the backs up as far back as he can inside the kitchen and gets a shotgun out," said Robinson's defense attorney Lucy McShane.

McShane says Robinson thought he was acting in self-defense when he shot a neighbor in his building on W. 39th Street near Roanoke.

Lawyers say the victim was angry and on drugs and chased Robinson up some narrow stairs. Robinson ran inside his apartment and shut – but did not lock – the door. He shot after the victim broke in and confronted him.

"He was afraid for his life," McShane said. "That's what he told the judge. He said it was a situation where 'either it was him or me.'"

What happened in the apartment building may have lead to a different outcome in court if a bill making its way through the Missouri Legislature had passed yet. Self-defense activists call it the "castle doctrine" and say it will expand the opportunity for people to protect themselves in their homes.

Kevin Jamison of the Western Missouri Shooters Alliance promotes self-defense rights. He says the intruder should not have barged in and could have turned back when he saw the shotgun.

"I'm tremendously frustrated in cases like this when it goes bad on you," Jamison said. "If we had a pure castle doctrine law in Missouri, and it hadn't passed yet, then the judge would have had other factors to look at – might have come to a different decision."

The defense is not too upset about the verdict – the judge found Robinson guilty of voluntary manslaughter rather than the more serious charge of second degree murder.

Robinson is out on bond until he is sentenced.

Labels: assault, home invasion, MO

Wife Cleared in Shooting Death of Husband

A coroner`s inquest rules that a shooting in Summersville earlier this month was justifiable homicide.

On April 4, Floyd D. Cooper, 70, was found dead at his home on April 4. His wife, Doris Cooper, told investigators she shot him in self defense.

After reviewing evidence and conducting interviews, a six person coroner`s jury Tuesday ruled Mrs. Cooper`s actions were justified.

Labels: domestic dispute, MO

Authorities said Wednesday that a suspect may have acted in self-defense in the shooting death of a 70-year-old man in his Texas County home Tuesday.

Floyd Cooper died from a fatal gunshot wound to the heart, according to a preliminary autopsy report.

He was pronounced dead Tuesday night at his home on Pipeline Road, about four miles north of Summersville.

Evidence indicates that a struggle occurred in the home, authorities said.

The suspect is not being named because no charges had been filed as of Wednesday evening.

Labels: altercation, MO

Home invasion leads to deaths

Kansas City police responding to a report of a home invasion on Sunday afternoon found two men dead in a truck that had crashed into a tree.

Officers were called to the 5700 block of Newton Avenue about 12:30 p.m. Police spokesman Sgt. Tony Sanders said a homeowner told police that two men in their 20s had kicked in his front door. The homeowner told police he had been involved in a short exchange of gunfire with the men.

Officers found the two men, who had suffered gunshot wounds, dead inside the vehicle, which had crashed into a tree a short distance away.

Sanders said police had not yet determined whether the men died of the gunshot wounds or the crash. He said the homeowner was being interviewed about the incident and was cooperating, but details of how the shooting unfolded were not released.

“We’re investigating it as a home invasion or a robbery,” Sanders said. “We’re not sure what the circumstances were.”

Sanders said police were told a third person might have been involved and they were still investigating that on Sunday evening.

Names of the victim and the homeowner were not released. No other injuries were reported.

Labels: home invasion, MO

Residents foil would-be burglars in two instances

It was a bad day for would-be home burglars Thursday in Kansas City.

According to police, residents thwarted two attempted break-ins in two unrelated crimes.

In one, the resident shot an intruder three times. In the other, a 13-year-old boy home alone outsmarted a group of youths trying to get into his house.

Police gave this account:
…

The other foiled burglary Thursday occurred a few hours later.

A Kansas City man told police he became suspicious when he heard his doorbell ring just after 1 p.m. but didn’t see anyone standing outside his front door.

The man got a .45-caliber pistol and walked to the door just in time to see a man using his shoulder to crash through the front door, police said.

The resident fired at the intruder, who began to flee the home in the 6800 block of Sni-A-Bar Road.

The resident fired several more times, knocking the intruder down in the yard. But the intruder got back up and slipped into a white Ford van that was parked in the driveway of a vacant house next door.

The resident wrote down the first three digits of the license plate before the intruder sped off.

Five or ten minutes later, someone called police from the 4400 block of Kensington Avenue to report a shooting. When officers showed up, they noticed a white Ford van parked across the street with shattered windows and a flat tire. The first three digits of the license plate matched those given by the burglary victim.

The shooting victim, a 48-year-old man, had suffered gunshot wounds to his arm, leg and abdomen. He was expected to survive.

An ambulance took him to a hospital, where police officers were guarding his room Thursday night. Detectives were interviewing the resident of the home Thursday night and investigating whether the wounded man at the hospital was responsible for the break-in.

Labels: MO, residence burglary

KSDK-St. Louis Police say the shooting occurred about 10:30 Tuesday night near Nebraska & Wyoming.

Gunfire woke up Tamyka Seymore. "I heard the shots so I have children in the home, I was trying to get them down on the floor," said Seymore.

Outside her front door, police say the driver of Allen Cab 117 had just shot 16-year-old Roosevelt High School junior Corey Blanks Jr.

Police say Blanks, armed with a sawed off shotgun, tried to rob the cabbie, but the driver pulled out a hand gun, shooting and killing the teen.

Blanks' cousin says the family wants justice. "He needs to pay the price for what he did, he did it, and he got away with it this time. Who's to say he wouldn't try to get away with it again," said Tracy Rucker, his cousin.

Early Wednesday morning, police made phone contact with the cab driver in the 1200 block of N. 15th and took him into custody.

But NewsChannel 5 has learned he passed his criminal background check to drive a cab for the city of St. Louis, even though he's a convicted felon on probation for unlawful use of a weapon.

NewsChannel 5 has learned prosecutors will not charge the cab driver with shooting the teen. However, he may face charges for possessing a weapon as a felon.

Labels: MO, street robbery

Police: Man Accused in Death of Cohort Shot by Victim

There's been a major break in a case, according to police.

Police have arrested a man who was shot and wounded, allegedly while trying to hold up a woman for gold rims.

Tony Rolf, 19, was accused of storming into a Kansas City house, and together with his cousin holding a woman at gunpoint over a car - a Monte Carlo with tricked out gold rims.

What they didn't know was that the woman's boyfriend was about to defend her and their property. He fired several shots at Rolf and his cousin, hitting them both, according to police.

Rolf's cousin, 19-year-old Ronnie Frederick, died at a hospital. Rolf was treated for a shot to the arm and released.

Investigators said he refused to cooperate with them, saying they'd been victims of a drive-by shooting on Prospect Avenue.

Ballistics cracked the case, according to authorities.

Investigators said the bullet pulled from Rolf's cousin's body matched the homeowner's gun.

Rolf was charged not only with two counts of armed criminal action and burglary but with second-degree murder as well because his cousin was allegedly killed in the commission of a felony.

Labels: MO, street robbery

Slaying of intruder raises KC toll to 127

A 50-year-old Kansas City man died Friday when he was shot after returning to the house of a woman who had a full order of protection against him.

Police said the shooter apparently acted in self-defense after the man forced his way into a house in the 11300 block of Orchard Road in south Kansas City and threatened several residents.

According to police, the man entered the home about 9:30 p.m. Thursday and threatened residents with a knife. One of the residents began struggling with the man, and a second resident shot the intruder in the leg.

The intruder was taken to a hospital, where he died Friday morning. His identity was not released Friday. The Jackson County prosecutor’s office will review the case to see if any charges should be filed.

The slaying marked the 127th homicide in Kansas City this year, compared with 90 at the same time last year.

Police said that one of the residents had obtained a Jackson County Circuit Court order of protection against the man who was shot.

Court records show that in March, a woman living at the house filed a request for a protection order, alleging that a man she identified as her spouse had “repeatedly” struck her in the face with an open hand and threatened her. She wrote in the request that the man “is taking his paranoia out on me.”

He was served with the order, removed from the residence on Orchard and ordered to have no contact with the woman, according to the court documents.

But the next day he allegedly made a phone call to her from the Orchard address and told her “you better not come around here.” Police were summoned, and officers found him hiding in the attic.

Labels: assault, domestic abuse, home invasion, MO

Clerk Pulls Gun, Foils Would-Be Robber

A clerk at the Fast Stop convenience store at 75th Street and Holmes Road pulled a fast one on a would-be robber Friday afternoon.

Police said the clerk thought a man who walked into the store about 4:30 p.m. looked suspicious. The clerk pulled out a gun about the same time as the man. Investigators said the pair exchanged shots, but that no one was hurt.

The man fled the store. No arrests have been made.

Labels: business robbery, MO

Thanksgiving Day shooting injures one

A St. Robert man was severely beaten and a Waynesville man shot early Thanksgiving morning during an altercation in the Applewood Apartments on Highway Y north of St. Robert.

Roosevelt Overton, 18, of Waynesville, has been charged with first-degree burglary and is being held on a $100,000 bond, according to Pulaski County Sheriff J.B. King. A second person whose name has not been released was shot during the incident and fled to the Brookview Apartments. That man is in a Springfield hospital for medical treatment and awaiting surgery, King said.

“His condition is serious enough that he isn’t going anywhere anyway so it doesn’t matter (whether he is charged),” King said. “He took two or three hits and at least one of them to the chest and one to the face.”

King said he believes Overton, the person who was shot, and a third person went to the Applewood Apartments to confront another person on personal matters. The Applewood tenant was attacked, King said, and suffered serious injuries.

“He was beaten and choked with some kind of chain or cord around his neck,” King said. “I think he shot in self-defense, but I’m not sure.”

(More)

Labels: assault, defender killed, home invasion, MO

A man and wife from rural Conway, Missouri were recovering in a Springfield hospital Wednesday after an intruder apparently broke into the family`s home and shot them.
The break-in happened about 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, said Laclede County Sheriff Richard Wrinkle.

Wrinkle identified the injured couple as Milton Vanwinkle, 48, and his wife, Elizabeth Johnson, 33. Both were airlifted to a Springfield hospital with serious injuries. Wrinkle said VanWinkle was shot in the arm.

Doctors Wednesday amputated the arm above the elbow. Johnson was shot in the chest, causing her lungs to collapse.

Wrinkle said both victims were able to tell investigators what happened and told detectives they didn`t know who the intruder was.

Wrinkle said Johnson told detectives she was getting ready for work about 4:30 a.m. when she saw someone in the front room of their home.

She said she yelled for her husband to get a gun. They were both shot almost immediately afterward.

Investigators did find evidence that Van Winkle fired his assault weapon at least three times inside the home.

The couple`s two children, ages 13 and 10, were also in the home at the time but were not injured.

Labels: defender shot, intruder, MO

Intruder cuts man, runs from pistol

Police were looking for a man Saturday who allegedly stabbed a Springfield man in his home.

Police were called to the 2800 block of Olive because of shots fired around 5 p.m.

Police said the 24-year-old victim was on the telephone when he heard noises in the house.

When he hung up, he saw an intruder with a knife.

The victim was cut in the arm before he went into his bedroom to get a pistol.

The victim fired at the intruder, who was running out the door. It was unknown if the suspect was hit.

The suspect is described as a white man in his late teens to early 20s with dark hair. He is thought to be 6 feet tall, weighing 160 pounds.

Labels: assault, intruder, MO

Man shoots pit bull to halt attack

A Springfield homeowner on Saturday shot and killed a pit bull that entered his home and attacked his dogs.

Two dogs, including the pit bull, had allegedly jumped the fence of the man's home and killed a dachshund in the yard. Then, according to police, the pit bull went into the residence and killed a dog there and injured two others.

Springfield police were called out to the 2300 block of N. National Ave. shortly after 2 p.m. after a caller reported hearing gunshots fired in the area.

Police Cpl. David Cash said witnesses saw a man in the back yard of 2327 N. National Ave. carrying a revolver in his back pocket.

Cash said that when he arrived he heard another shot fired.

Based on reports, Cash said a pit bull and collie had jumped the fence from a neighboring yard and attacked four dachsunds there. It is not known which dog killed the dachshund outside the house. The collie fled after the first attack.

The remaining three dachshunds ran into the house, and the pit bull followed them inside.

Cash was told that a commotion started in the basement, but the pit bull followed the dogs throughout the house.

"He shot the pit bull to stop it," Cash said of the homeowner. "He shot it multiple times."

Both dogs killed were attacked at the throat; at least one of the dogs killed was "picked up by the neck and swung around," Cash said.

One of the injured dachsunds was wounded in the abdomen.

Sgt. Dana Carrington said that the homeowner later shot one of the injured dogs to put it out of its misery.

A city maintenance crew was going to pick up the pit bull's remains, which were still in the house.

Loretta Deckard, 2323 N. National Ave., was attending to her 2-month-old daughter, Emma, when shots were fired Saturday.

Her two older children, Braydon, 3, and Lanina, 1, were playing outside with their 4-year-old cousin, Patricia, 4 at the time.

"I know a gunshot when (I) hear one," Deckard said. "I heard this lady screaming, 'Oh no! Oh no!'"

The older children told Deckard they saw the dogs being killed. Braydon told his mother he saw their neighbor with the revolver in his back pocket.

Deckard said that while the children seemed to be OK, she planned to clean out her son's toy collection of any toy guns.

"I don't want him to pretend to do what he saw," she said.

Deckard recalled seeing a pit bull a month ago roaming free, but she didn't know if it was the same dog that was killed Saturday.

Cash said that although the investigation was preliminary, he didn't expect charges would be filed against the homeowner, whose name was not immediately made available.

Labels: animal, MO

Guard fires shots at would-be clothes thief

A guard at the Sierra Vista Plaza shopping center at Bellefontaine and Larimore roads in north St. Louis County fired several shots at a burglar who tried to steal clothes from a store early Monday, police said.

The guard noticed the burglar about 1:45 a.m., stepping out of a broken glass window of Wutu Fashions with an armload of clothes, police said. The guard, who works for SSI Global, told police the burglar dropped the clothes and ran to a burgundy Mercury Sable, then pointed a gun at him. That's when he fired.

It was unknown whether the burglar was hit. Police found a small amount of blood in the getaway car, recovered a few blocks from the plaza.

Labels: business burglary, MO

Apologetic man charged in bank heist attempt

A Lee’s Summit man tried to rob a Grandview bank with a BB gun but found himself surrounded and looking at the barrels of three armed security guards, prosecutors said in a criminal complaint.

Del Arnold, 45, of Lee’s Summit was charged today in federal court with one count of attempted robbery.

The attempted robbery occurred about 3:25 p.m. Thursday at a Grandview Bank Midwest, 12500 U.S. 71.

According to the affidavit:

A security guard told authorities that a masked man walked in, grabbed a female employee in the lobby and forced her to the ground. The guard pulled out his handgun and pointed it at the man. The would-be bandit then threatened to shoot the woman but realized that two additional armed guards were pointing their weapons at him.

The man gave up peacefully, lay down on the floor and started apologizing. The guards handcuffed him until authorities arrived.

If convicted of attempted robbery, Arnold could face up to 20 years in prison.

Labels: assault, business robbery, MO

Brother Of Man Shot By Homeowner Charged With Murder

A man has been charged with felony murder in the death of his brother earlier this month.

Police said Murrey L. Wynn, 19, and his brother, Quinton, 20, tried to rob a home in the 1600 block of Lawn on Aug. 5. The homeowner opened fire, striking Murrey Wynn. He was rushed to Truman Medical Center, but died.

Investigators said that since he died during the commission of a crime, his brother, Quinton, can be charged with his death.

Labels: MO, residence robbery