Civilian Gun Self-Defense Blog

Gunman killed in robbery try

John Roads believes people should be able to defend themselves against criminals, even if it means using a firearm.

The owner of Power Pro Battery Co., 210 S. Penn St., Manheim, said it was the right to possess a gun that potentially saved the life of his operations manager Tuesday and ended the life of a would-be robber.

Kevin Lee Smith, 19, of Lancaster, was shot and killed by the manager early Tuesday when Smith and an accomplice held up the manager with a semiautomatic weapon, police said. (Police asked that the manager's name not be published, because the accomplice was still at-large Tuesday night.)

Police said the manager acted in self-defense.

"We all have a right to come to work, to do our time and go home to our families," Roads said. "And nobody has a right to take that away from us."

Roads said he was at home when he got a phone call from the alarm company early Tuesday notifying him of a break-in at his business. He later heard from his manager, who told him he had shot a man.

"(The manager) had an angel in his pocket," Roads said, "and I can only hope that I would have been as lucky and as fortunate had it been me."

The manager explained the robbery circumstances to Roads on Tuesday morning, telling him two men were hiding under the wooden steps leading to the front entrance of the building.

According to Roads:

The manager said the two men made a noise under the steps, dropping a cell phone and a backpack and alerting him to their presence.

As the manager put the key in the front door, the two men, wearing black clothing, baseball caps and bandannas over their faces, walked up the stairs and followed him into the business, pointing a TEC-9 semiautomatic weapon at his back.

They pushed him into an office five feet inside the entrance and stayed in the hallway, with a security camera in the hallway catching most of the action.

The two men patted down the manager, taking his wallet and a company cell phone. However, they failed to pat down his other pocket, which contained a small-caliber semiautomatic pistol that he carried for protection.

The manager was told to open the business safe, and as the two men briefly looked toward the door, he pulled the gun from his pocket, firing two shots at Smith, who was holding the TEC-9.

Everything happened in two to three minutes, the manager told Roads.

"They gave (my manager) a split second to defend himself, and he did," Roads said.

The two men ran from the business, dropping the gun near a telephone pole, and they also dropped other items along West Stiegel Street, including hats and a backpack.

Police said a preliminary examination of the TEC-9 showed the weapon was jammed, indicating that the trigger was pulled at some point. Police said they were not sure when it was discharged.

Blood spots were still visible on West Stiegel Street Tuesday afternoon.

Smith collapsed about 400 yards from the business as the other man ran from the scene.

Manheim Borough police were called to the shooting scene near the intersection of South Penn and West Stiegel streets just after 5 a.m., and they found Smith on the street with gunshot wounds to the chest and wrist.

Smith was transported to Lancaster General Hospital, where he died from the chest wound.

Manheim Borough police Chief Barry Weidman said he had never seen a robbery turn so violent in the town.

Weidman said the incident should show criminals that they don't always know who is carrying a gun, and who is willing to use one in self defense.

"It should show criminals that you may get away with things for a while, but it's going to catch up to you," Weidman said.

Lancaster County District Attorney Craig Stedman said his office was looking at the evidence.

Stedman said a person has the right to use deadly force if he or she has a reasonable belief that their life is in imminent danger. It does not have to be a crime with a gun involved.

"Obviously, in cases where you have a gun involved, it increases the stakes," Stedman said.

Weidman said the TEC-9, which he called a "street weapon," was one of the first used in a crime in Manheim. It will be sent for analysis and reviewed for evidence of past crimes through ballistic tests.

(More)

Labels: business robbery, PA

Game Commission deems a black bear shooting justified

A South Huntingdon man was within his legal rights when he shot a black bear on his property Tuesday evening, according to a representative of the state Game Commission.

Rod Ansell, a wildlife conservation officer with the commission's southwest region office, said Thursday that the shooting in the Turkeytown area was justified.

The bear was trying to get to a deer the man keeps penned on his property, Ansell said. The shooter's name was not released.

Bears have been spotted in Jeannette, Hempfield, North Huntingdon and other areas this spring and summer, Ansell said.

He said the commission and area police departments advise people who see a bear on or near their property to make sure their garbage cans are tightly closed, to take in their pets' food bowls and to remove bird feeders.

"And the bear will go on about its business," Ansell said.

The bear sightings tend to be of young males who have been kicked out by their mothers and who are trying to establish their own territory.

Their noses, and sense of smell, "are exceptional," Ansell said.

Anyone spotting a bear should report it to the game commission, he said.

But unless a bear becomes a problem and causes damage, he said, setting a trap may not be beneficial because it's difficult to predict its return.

"It's like hunting a needle in a haystack ," he said.

"Lots of times people really like the bears," he added.

Ansell said he received several calls about the shooting, and some people were concerned about a sow and cub also reported to be in the area.

"That gentleman called me right away," Ansell said of the property owner. "He did it (shooting) very reluctantly."

"If he had been in violation, I'd have issued him a citation," Ansell said.

The commission took custody of the bear, as is mandatory in cases of property protection, he said.

Labels: animal, PA

Female Intruder Shot After Stabbing Spring Hill Woman

Police are investigating reports that a female intruder was shot in the hand after entering a house in Pittsburgh's Spring Hill section.

According to police, a woman entered a home in the 100 block of Rhine Place, spraying another woman with Mace before stabbing her, according to a witness.

The boyfriend of the victim grabbed a gun and shot the intruder in the hand, police said.

At this time, no other information is available.

Labels: home invasion, PA

Armed homeowner foils invasion

Eugene Johnson reacted in a flash when his wife heard someone kick in the back door of their Carlisle home at 2:30 a.m. Friday.

Johnson, 75, a retired Army sergeant first class who fought in the Korean War, grabbed his pistol. He was ready when a silhouette of a man appeared in the darkened doorway of his bedroom.

"He said, 'Don't move, I have a gun,'" Johnson recalled. "I said, 'Buddy, I've got a gun, too, and it's [aimed] right on you.

"Things got quiet then," he said.

They got quiet because the would-be home invader had high-tailed it out of there, police said.

Johnson would have been legally justified in pulling the trigger, Cumberland County District Attorney David Freed said.

"The homeowner acted appropriately," Freed said. "Criminals who break into occupied homes assume the risk of being shot by the homeowners."

Johnson, a 20-year Army veteran who spent nearly three years as a prisoner of war in North Korea, said Friday's incident occurred two weeks after another burglary at his home in the 1200 block of North West Street.

He and his wife, Bernadine, 71, were away during the May 16 break-in. "They trashed the place and stole money," Johnson said.

The back door that was damaged in the earlier burglary had not yet been repaired when the invader or invaders kicked it in Friday. Once inside, the culprit or culprits turned off the home's electricity, he said.

"My wife heard the back door being smashed. All at once the lights went out, and she told me, 'Get your gun,'" Johnson said.

He said he isn't sure how many people were involved in the break-in, but he saw only one man and heard one male voice.

Lt. Michael Dzezinski said police don't know if the May 16 burglary and Friday's home invasion are connected.

The man who threatened the Johnsons might have been trying to detain them while accomplices rifled through the house, he said.

Police don't have a description of the burglar who confronted the couple, and no suspects were found during a search of the area immediately after the invasion, Dzezinski said.

Labels: home invasion, PA

Suspect Shot During Burglary Attempt Faces Charges

A man is in the hospital and facing multiple charges today after police say he and another man broke into a South Side home in a burglary attempt.

Police say Dale Boehm, 19, is facing charges of burglary, robbery, aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person and criminal conspiracy.

According to police, the owner of the Josephine Street home was watching television when he heard breaking glass and his back door being kicked in around 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Authorities say that's when the homeowner retrieved his weapon and then found two men in his kitchen. Officials report that the men fired at one another.

Authorities say one of the suspects fled the scene after the gunfire. He has not been found, but police say they recovered a baseball bat and firearm while searching in the woods.

Police report that Boehm suffered a gunshot wound and was transported to a local hospital for treatment.

He is listed in critical condition, officials say.

Police say they have questioned the resident. Meanwhile, Boehm will be taken to the Allegheny County Jail when he is released from the hospital.

Labels: home invasion, PA

Suspect Shot In Tattoo Parlor Robbery

A tattoo parlor on the corner of Fourth Street and Euclid Avenue in Dravosburg was robbed at 9:15 p.m. Saturday night.

The suspect, who is described as a 6-foot-5-inch 250-pound male of unknown race, escaped on foot with $200. But that's not all the robber left with.

The owner of the business told police that he believes he may have shot the suspect in the back.

Shortly afterwards, police responded to a call from a man who said he was shot in the back at an address 1/2 of a mile away from the scene of the robbery. It is unknown whether these two incidents are related.

Mckeesport police and Allegheny County homicide detectives are not releasing any information about the investigation at this time.

Labels: business burglary, PA

Braddock store owner pins would-be robber

Al Handza did a small favor Thursday afternoon for a young man in Braddock, a few minutes before the man put a gun to his head and tried to rob him.

Handza, owner of Al's Market on Braddock Avenue, refused to be bullied and grabbed the robber's hands, wrestling him to the ground.

During the struggle, the gun discharged twice and the wounded thief tried to run, only to be stopped by Handza and detained for police.

The robber, whose identity and age are not known because he gave a phony name to police, was taken to UPMC Presbyterian hospital in Oakland with gunshot wounds in the arm and back, said Braddock police Sgt. Frank Barreiro. The extent of the injuries is not known.

Handza, 61, who had cataract surgery on Tuesday, said he didn't have time to think about how scared he was.

"What are you going to do?" Handza said with a shrug 90 minutes after the incident.

"He came behind the counter with a gun, put it to my head and we started tussling."

Handza, who has operated the small market near the Rankin Bridge for 26 years, said the young man often comes into the store and was there twice yesterday before the holdup.

"The second time, he bought two bags of chips but was short 18 cents," Handza said. "I said, 'You're always in here. I'll get it tomorrow.'"

A minute later -- shortly before 5 p.m. -- the man returned, trying to hide his face with a hooded sweatshirt and bandana.

"He said, 'This is a stickup!' I thought he was joking because he'd just left."

The .22-caliber handgun the robber was pointing at Handza's head was no laughing matter, and the store owner acted to defend himself.

"I threw him and we went down together," said Handza, who was alone at the time.

As the two wrestled, the gun discharged twice and the robber said, "I'm shot!"

The thief got up without the gun, ran out the door and around the corner between two buildings, where he was stopped by a 12-foot fence.

Handza grabbed the gun off the floor, called 911 and ran outside after the robber.

"He couldn't get over the fence. I held his own gun on him and told him to hit the ground, face first. He laid there, and the cops were here in less than a minute."

Barreiro said the investigation has been turned over to Allegheny County Police detectives. He said he believes they will charge the man with robbery and weapons violations.

(More)

Labels: business robbery, criminal's gun taken away and used against him, PA

Homeowner shoots at 2 intruders, police say

New Cumberland police are investigating a break-in at a home in the 200 block of Geary Avenue during which the homeowner struggled with a pair of intruders and fired two shots at them as they fled.

Police said neither intruder was hit. The homeowner, who was not identified, suffered a minor cut to his stomach during the scuffle and was examined at the scene by ambulance personnel.

Police said the homeowner was asleep around 12:24 a.m. Wednesday when he was awakened by a commotion downstairs..

A scuffle broke out in the kitchen, and the homeowner fired two shots from a handgun as the intruders were running out a back door, police said.

Both burglars were described as being about 6 feet tall and weighing about 200 pounds. Police said one was white and one was black.

Nothing was reported missing. Police said a woman's handbag was found dumped on the floor and kitchen counters and drawers had been opened. The intruders forced open a back door, police said.

Police are investigating whether the break-in is related to one four days earlier at the same residence. In that case, the homeowner got up to get a drink around 12:30 a.m. and encountered a man in the home.

Labels: home invasion, PA

Police: Taxi driver shoots passenger during attempted robbery

Police say a Pittsburgh cab driver fatally shot a passenger who allegedly tried to rob him.

Authorities say the shooting occurred Saturday night in the city's Hill District after the passenger had been picked up downtown.

During the robbery attempt, the Yellow Cab driver pulled out a gun and a struggle ensued over the weapon.

Police say the passenger was shot and killed during the struggle and the cab driver suffered an injury to his arm. The driver was taken to a hospital for medical treatment.

Police did not release the name of the driver or the passenger.

The driver was licensed to carry a gun.

Labels: concealed carry permit, PA, street robbery

W. Hazleton woman scares off intruder

A burglar fled a West Hazleton home when a resident got a pistol and took a shot at the man Tuesday evening, borough police said.

The incident happened at an East Broad Street home just before 7 p.m., according to the victim, Terri Gavinski. She and her husband, Dave Gavinski, who was at work when the home invasion occurred, talked about her frightening experience Tuesday night.
Terri Gavinski she was relaxing watching TV, when she heard a noise and saw the figure of a man standing at the edge of the hallway leading into her living room.
She said to the man, “Please don’t hurt me.” He responsed by referring to her in a derogatory manner.

She said the man’s head was completely covered with a forest green bandana and it partially covered his face. He also wore dark gloves, possibly black and dark pants, she said.

Terri Gavinski estimated he was roughly 6 feet tall and a bit more muscular. The intruder apparently gained entrance through the side door of their home in the 200 block of East Broad Street.

Terri Gavinski said he demanded cash and valuables.

She again asked him not to hurt her and said her husband had coins and guns that he used for hunting in a case upstairs. He ordered her upstairs and continued to tell her not to withhold any money she might have.

He ordered her to put the coins in bags. While she was doing that, he began to ransack the upstairs.

“He was just throwing our stuff around and opening up drawers. He didn’t seem interested in his rifles in the gun case,” Gavinski said.

The victim said that while the intruder went through their stuff, she went into another bedroom where she spotted a loaded gun her husband had on the gun cabinet.
“At this point I’m a bit foggy about what happened, but he didn’t see me pick up the gun and we walked downstairs with these heavy bags of coins. He had one bag and I had the other and he ordered me to bring it into the kitchen,” she said.

As he was about to go out the side entrance where he came in, she said she took the gun out of her housecoat, raised it and fired a round. The intruder, she said, dropped the bag of coins and ran out.

She knew she didn’t hit him, but she scared him enough to flee to a car parked in the rear of their home, she said.

Her husband said the bullet exited the home through the rear kitchen window into the back garage.

“I called 911 and within a minute the West Hazleton police arrived,” she said.
Later, Hazleton police and state police were at her home helping out. After calling police she called her husband at work and he was home within minutes.
It is a night Terri Gavinski won’t soon forget.

“I am not a gun person. My husband is. He is a hunter and always keeps two loaded guns in the house,” she said.

Labels: home invasion, PA, residence robbery

Police Find Blood Trail From Store To Alleged Robber's Doorstep

It appears an armed robber picked the wrong store to hold up. Police said it's the robber who wound up getting shot.

Authorities were were crediting cooperative witnesses, some good police work and also the store owner with nabbing the suspected robber.

"He said to me, 'Give me all your money. Give me all your money,'" robbery witness Angel Dia said.

But Dia said the armed robber who stormed Antonia's Grocery Sunday night got one heck of a surprise.

"The other guy, the owner, he got a gun, too," Dia said.

Dia said he was standing in the front of the store and the store's owner was behind the bulletproof glass when police allege that 19-year-old Donte Turner pointed a gun at Dia.

"My friend, he says, 'Back, all the way back,' and then the guy shot him," Dia said, pointing to his shoulder. "Then, the guy -- the gun, it fell down. He left it there and he went running."

"He was shot in the arm, so he dropped the gun and just took off?" NBC 10's Deanna Durante asked.

"Yes," Dia replied.

If the story ended there, Turner might still be on the run, according to police. But they said they got to Turner before they knew about the robbery.

"A 19-year-old by the name of Donte Turner showed up at Episcopal Hospital with a gunshot wound to the chest. He gave responding officers that were called by hospital officials the story that he was robbed by a male on the highway and it was a dispute over money," said Philadelphia police Lt. Frank Vanore.

Police said they received a second call, this one from Antonia's Grocery, saying two robbers had targeted the store and owner Juan Rosario thought he'd shot one of them.

"There was a trail of blood and a hat found on the highway, and also a semiautomatic handgun. And the blood led down the street onto North 3rd Street," Vanore said.

Police said the blood trail lead them from the store to the doorstep of Turner's house.

"The individual showed up as a victim and lied to police," Vanore said.

Both Dia and Rosario were back at the grocery store Monday. Rosario speaks very little English and didn't want to talk on camera, but his friend said the two have no problem being back at work, even though police said they are still looking for Turner's alleged accomplice.

Asked if he was scared, Dia said, "Who me? No."

Police said Turner -- who was still in the hospital being treated Monday night for a gunshot wound -- has been charged with attempted robbery, aggravated assault and gun counts.

Investigators said that they are still looking into both sides of the case, meaning the store owner with the gun as well as the alleged robbery. Police stressed that deadly force should only be used in the most extreme of circumstances -- when there is no way out, NBC 10's Deanna Durante reported.

Labels: business robbery, PA

Plum man won't be charged for shooting intruder, prosecutor says

Allegheny County prosecutors say they won't charge a man who shot an intruder at a suburban Pittsburgh apartment.

Authorities say 68-year-old James Bodnar told them he shot the man in both legs when he tried to enter Bodnar's Plum Borough apartment about 1:30 a.m. on Jan. 9.

Police believe 21-year-old Justin Jones of Auburn, N.Y., thought he was entering his ex-girlfriend's apartment in the same complex.

Police say Bodnar opened the door and showed Jones the gun after Jones tried to kick in the door. Police say Bodnar shot Jones when he still tried to enter.

Jones is in the county jail awaiting a preliminary hearing Wednesday on attempted trespassing and other charges.

Further links:

Plum police ask DA to review intruder shooting

Labels: home invasion, PA

DARLINGTON BOROUGH, Pa. -- Police said a man shot a robber during a home invasion in Darlington Borough, Beaver County, Friday morning.

According to police, two robbers entered a home, taking control of the homeowner's rifle. At that point, police said, the homeowner pulled out a handgun, shooting one of the robbers.The second robber fled the scene with the man's rifle, police said.

Further links:
Beaver Man Shoots Would-Be Robber During Home Invasion

Darlington man shoots burglar

Homeowner Cleared In Shooting Of Intruder; Suspect Charged

Labels: home invasion, PA

Pennsylvania: Man Shoots, Kills Bobcat That Attacked His Pet Goat

A man shot and killed a bobcat, after the bobcat attacked one of his pet goats.

The attack happened around 9 a.m. Thursday in a remote area of Conemaugh Township in Somerset County.

The man said he shot the bobcat because he was protecting his pet. The goat, Brownie, only suffered a few cuts.

The man said he was worried if he just got the bobcat to go outside the fence that it would come back later and hurt Brownie.

Game commission officials told Channel 11’s sister-station WJAC, that to spot a bobcat is very rare, but to have one in a back yard and come just 6 feet away is even more unlikely. Bobcats rarely come out during the day, but they are predators.

The game commission plans on picking up the bobcat on Friday.

Labels: animal, PA

Man charged with trying to enter home

A College Township man faces criminal charges after he ignored an apparent warning shot while entering a State College home early Saturday morning.

According to State College police, Nathan Wagner, 21, of 709 W. Cherry Lane, had broken a door window of a North Atherton Street residence about 2:30 a.m. and was trying to come inside when the homeowner confronted him with a shotgun and told him to leave.

Wagner persisted, police said, and the homeowner fired a shot into an interior wall. Police, called by the homeowner’s wife before the shot, said they arrived to find Wagner still trying to open the door.

As Wagner was taken into custody, police said, he appeared intoxicated, registered a blood-alcohol content of .22 and told officers he thought he was at a friend’s house for a party.

Arraigned before District Justice Carmine Prestia, Wagner was charged with criminal trespass, criminal mischief, public drunkenness and disorderly conduct. He was jailed at the Centre County Correctional Facility on $10,000 bail.

Labels: home invasion, PA

LANCASTER, Pa - Gunfire rang out during a Friday night robbery at the Mangat Mini Market on West Orange Street, but nobody was struck or injured, according to city police and the store's manager.

The manager, David Mangat, and a fleeing robber fired a shot each with their handguns after the robber grabbed some cash.

The two were only about 10 feet apart, but neither man was hit.

"He started shooting, and I started shooting at him," said Mangat, who has a concealed weapons permit.

Mangat, 23, of Lancaster, said he was behind the counter of the market at 629 W. Orange St. when a man wearing a long dark coat entered the store at about 11:45 p.m.

"He reached under his coat and came out with a handgun. Then he told me to put the money in the bag," said Mangat.

"I started talking to him. I wanted to create a diversion so I could get to my gun," said Mangat.

"I asked him if he wanted more money. He said 'yes,"'

That gave Mangat the chance to reach into the area where he kept his weapon.

The manager came up holding his own handgun instead of more bills.

When the robber saw the gun, he turned and started running toward the door. But before leaving the store, he turned and fired one round that struck a wall inside the store, Mangat and police said.

Mangat said he fired one shot at the robber, but missed.

Mangat said he did not know which direction the robber fled nor how much money was stolen.

A report of a "robbery with shots fired" sent police rushing to the store, which is where Marietta Avenue splits off from West Orange Street.

Labels: business robbery, concealed carry permit, PA

Charges Dropped Against Man Who Shot Would-Be Robber

A would-be victim who fought back during an attempted robbery at his East Third Street home in Langeloth, Washington County, is no longer charged with attempted homicide.

On Sept. 1, Eraldo Iannitelli, 48, was allegedly attacked outside his home by two teens wearing masks, carrying a baseball bat and BB gun.

Iannitelli said the two teens demanded money.

After being hit several times, Iannitelli said he reached into his car, grabbed a shotgun and fired once, hitting a 16-year-old in the back.

On Wednesday, all charges were dropped against Iannitelli.

Labels: PA, street robbery

Ingram convenience store clerk shoots would-be robber

A convenience store clerk in Ingram shot and seriously wounded a knife-carrying robber this morning.

Ingram police Chief John Doherty said the clerk may have fired at the would-be thief inside and then outside the 7-Eleven store at 10 W. Prospect Ave.

"He shot the robber several times. I'm not sure how many," Chief Doherty said this afternoon in a telephone interview.

But the gunfire began in the store about 4:30 a.m. and then apparently continued outside, Chief Doherty said.

He declined to identify either the clerk or the robber. Chief Doherty said the would-be thief is 20 years old and the clerk is in his mid-20s.

Emergency crews transported the robber to Allegheny General Hospital, where he underwent surgery, Chief Doherty said.

He said the clerk may have had a less serious injury.

"I believe the clerk was cut," Chief Doherty said.

Chief Doherty said the preliminary investigation showed that the clerk had a permit to carry a firearm. He said he knew this particular clerk because he had been robbed previously and Ingram police investigated the case.

Allegheny County police will be the lead agency in the case and file any charges, Chief Doherty said.

Further links:
Pittsburgh store clerk shoots, wounds knife-wielding robber

Ingram store clerk cleared in shooting

Ingram clerk points gun, will lose license: police (Same clerk, separate incident)

Labels: business robbery, concealed carry permit, PA

Rob Pierce Jr.'s walk through Easton's West Ward for dinner at his fiancee's mother's house Tuesday almost cost him his life.

He was mugged by two men, one a self-proclaimed Crips gang member, the other wearing a hooded jacket and carrying a handgun, police said.

''It was like hell,'' Pierce, 27, of Easton said Wednesday night in a brief phone interview.
While being told to be quiet and cooperate, he was dragged across the street in the darkness and told he was going to be shot. But in an instant, the hunted became the hunter.

Pierce, who carries a handgun for protection, pulled out a .357 revolver and shot Maurice Cook of Easton, who had thrust a .45 handgun into Pierce's back and the side of his head.

Cook, 22, who was shot in the abdomen, was taken to St. Luke's Hospital-Fountain Hill, where he underwent surgery and was expected to survive, police said.

He and the other mugging suspect, Tyrone Wright, 22, of Newark, N.J., were charged Wednesday with robbery, aggravated assault and conspiracy. Wright told a district judge he was recently freed from a New Jersey prison, where he had been held on a drug charge.

Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli said the good guy won in a botched armed robbery. But at a news conference Wednesday, he also cautioned against a return to the vigilante days of the Wild West.

He said Pierce violated no law by protecting himself and will face no charges. ''Luckily, this time, the citizen won. I think Mr. Pierce acted responsibly.''

Morganelli said he supports laws that allow people to carry concealed weapons and hopes this latest shooting in the West Ward, the second in less than a week, sends a message to ''these young thugs'' that their victims might fight back.

Labels: concealed carry permit, PA, street robbery

The lead state police investigator in the Aug. 17 shooting death of an Allegheny County man at a Derry Township campground said Monday that evidence collected to date indicates the shooting "points to self-defense."

Trooper James Simpson of the Greensburg barracks said police are still awaiting a final autopsy report and the results of a few forensic tests. But at this point it appears the shooting of Sherman Shawn Prince, 40, of Mt. Oliver, during an argument with two other campers at the Lazy Acres Campground, near Keystone State Park, might have been justified.

"Believe me, I really do feel for the family who loses a loved one in the shooting, but right now all the evidence we've collected points in one direction (self-defense), and I'm not sure that's going to change with the tests that are still pending. But if it does, we definitely will pursue it," Simpson said.

"We can only take a case where the evidence leads us," the trooper said.

Members of Prince's family, including his father, Sherman, of Pittsburgh, and an aunt, Sharon Josefik, of Clearfield, complained recently that investigators had not responded to their inquiries about the shooting death and that the investigation has stalled. They said some details of the shooting released by police do not corroborate with what they knew about Prince, an automobile detailer, who died at the scene.

Prince's family members maintain that he did not own a gun. However, Simpson said evidence collected at the scene and through forensic tests to date indicate that he was pointing a loaded .22-caliber handgun at the face of Anthony Verdiglione of McKeesport when he was shot.

Prince was shot by a friend of Verdiglione, Dale O. Miller, 43, of McKeesport. Police have said that Miller and Verdiglione have cooperated throughout the investigation.

According to search warrants filed with the case, Verdiglione and Miller arrived at the campground about 10:30 p.m. Aug. 17. Within an hour, Prince drove to their campsite in a golf cart and began arguing, police said.

Court documents said Miller escorted Prince out of his camper to the golf cart Prince used around the campground after Prince allegedly grabbed Verdiglione's shirt during an argument. Other campers told police that they could hear Prince cursing Miller and Verdiglione as he drove back to his own campsite, where police said he retrieved a gun from his car and returned to Miller's trailer.

Police said a second confrontation occurred among the three men outside of Miller's camper where a witness said Prince pulled out a small handgun and pointed it at Veriglione's face. Verdiglione swiped at the gun in an attempt to strike it from Prince's hand, but missed, according to the search warrant.

"Miller, who had been standing behind Verdiglione, then brandished his own weapon (a .38-caliber handgun) and discharged the same, striking Prince one time in the head," Simpson wrote in the search warrant affidavit.

Prince was pronounced dead at the scene.

Prince's mother, Paulete, said yesterday she is disappointed police still believe the shooting might have been self-defense.

"It just doesn't add up. Shawn did not have a gun and the gun they found him with was stolen from McKeesport, where they are both from," Paulete Sherman said.

Labels: altercation, PA

Police searching for robber in fatal Allentown holdup

Allentown police are searching for an unidentified male robber after a botched robbery at a center city mini-market Friday night left one of the robbers dead and two of the store's workers hospitalized.

At 6:29 p.m., Jonathan D. Fernandez and an unknown man entered the Allen Mini Market at 601 N. Ninth St. and attempted to rob the store at gunpoint and knifepoint, Assistant Police Chief Ron Manescu said tonight.

The married store owners, Catalino Bautista, 44, and Eneyda Ponce, 46, were working in the store with Ponce's 27-year-old son, Wilson Cabrera, Manescu said. During the robbery attempt, Bautista was shot in the chest and Cabrera was stabbed in the chest. Manescu declined to specify exactly when they were injured.

"Even though they were injured, they began to fight back," Manescu said, noting this caused the robber wielding the knife to flee the store.

Bautista, Cabrera and Ponce tackled Fernandez, 30, of the 600 block of Tilghman Street in the city, and a "violent struggle ensued," he said.

During the struggle, Fernandez was fatally shot but police did not specify who shot him and whether it was with his own gun.

"I'm not going to get into any other details," Manescu said. "We have a lot of people to talk to, and we have to get some facts straightened out. All we can say is he received his injuries during the struggle until we get further in our investigation."

Bautista is in critical condition at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest. Cabrera is listed in serious condition, Manescu said. Ponce suffered minor injuries in the struggle but was not hospitalized.

Police are also looking for two customers who fled the store at the time of the robbery.

Lehigh County Coroner Scott Grim pronounced Fernandez dead at 7:25 p.m. Friday at the store. An autopsy Saturday determined he died from gunshot wounds to the body, Grim said.

Labels: business robbery, PA

Brookline Man Fights Burglar During Home Invasion

A Brookline homeowner turned the tables on a would-be burglar who broke into his home.

Dorjian Anderson, 31, and a single father of seven, says 23-year-old Christopher DePaolo kicked open his door. When the suspect got to the top of his steps, he and Anderson got into a fight.

Eventually Anderson grabbed some extension cords and hog-tied him. He and a friend held DePaolo at gunpoint until police arrived.

DePaolo was treated at UPMC South Side for a fractured right arm before he was taken to the Allegheny County Jail. He faces burglary, assault and criminal mischief charges.

Anderson said he had the opportunity to shoot DePaolo, but didn't because he saw him before in the neighborhood.

Labels: home invasion, PA, residence burglary

Mother Turns Tables On Carjackers

Police Investigate Carjacking On Suburban Road

Police said Wednesday a mother wrestled away a gun from a carjacker who tried to take her car with her 7-year-old daughter inside.

Chopper 10 was over the scene at Bellfield Avenue and Route 1, where police were using metal detectors and a search dog.

Bellfield Avenue was shut down for the investigation. Firefighters arrived with lights so police could continue the investigation.

Police said the 37-year-old woman was leaving work at the Sunny Days Early Child Development Services facility on Township Line when she said she was approached by two men who got out of a black Jeep. After a brief conversation, one pointed a gun at her and demanded her SUV.

Police said the woman pleaded with the gunmen to allow her to retrieve her 7-year-old daughter out of the backseat. As she helped the child out, she grabbed the gun from the carjacker's lap. The woman then began to back away, with the gunmen following in an attempt to retrieve the gun.

Police said the gun went off in the struggle.

While neither the mother nor daughter were injured, it was unknown if their attackers were hurt. The gunmen got the weapon back, and one jumped into the victim's SUV and drove up Belfield Avenue, while the other was picked up around the corner on Township Line in the black Jeep they had pulled up in, NBC 10 News reported.

Police said they were looking for at least three men, their black Jeep, and the victim's 2007 White Over Black Toyota FJ Cruiser.

Labels: carjacking, criminal's gun taken away and used against him, female, PA

Shot fired at intruder

Police are investigating an incident early Saturday morning in which a homeowner fired a shot at a man who had broken into his home.

Police said the homeowner told them he was awakened at 3:50 a.m. by the sound of breaking glass. He said he got up and went to the kitchen carrying a handgun. There he saw a man dressed in black carrying a baseball bat. When the intruder advanced toward the homeowner, police said he fired one shot at him. At that the intruder turned and ran from the home.

Police said they have evidence that supports the homeowner’s story that someone broke into the home and that a handgun was fired.

Lebanon Police Captain Dan Wright said police believe the intruder had specific reasons for picking that home to break into and that this was not a random incident.

Wright said the focus of the investigation is on the burglary.

Labels: PA, residence burglary

Man killed in E. Liberty home invasion

An armed man was shot and killed early this morning after he and another man broke into a residence in East Liberty, police said. Shawn Davis, 18, of Duquesne, died of a shotgun blast to the head inside an apartment at 300 North Negley Avenue. He was shot at 3:15 a.m. and pronounced dead at the scene 10 minutes later. Police said he and his accomplice, Rashawn Gibson, 20, of Garfield, tried to rob the occupants of the apartment.

"It was definitely a home invasion," said Cmdr. Thomas Stangrecki, head of Major Crimes. "We're still sorting it out."

Detectives said Mr. Davis pointed his gun at the occupants and ordered them onto the floor. He and Mr. Gibson walked one victim to the rear of the apartment at gunpoint, then returned to the living room and approached the other victims who were hiding in the kitchen.

When Mr. Davis pointed a gun at one of them, the man shot him in the head with a shotgun.

Mr. Gibson jumped through a window to get away, but police caught him.

He is charged with burglary, robbery and criminal conspiracy.

Labels: PA, residence robbery

Police: Friendship home invader fatally shot

A man in a Friendship apartment fatally shot one of two men who broke into the home early this morning, Pittsburgh police said.

The two invaders, one of whom had a gun, entered the apartment at 300 North Negley Avenue about 3:15 a.m., Cmdr. Thomas Stangrecki said. A man in the apartment grabbed a shotgun and shot one of the intruders in the side of the head, Stangrecki said.

The man died at the scene, Stangrecki said. The other intruder ran away and was still being sought. Police did not identify anyone involved and no charges were filed this morning.

Labels: PA, residence robbery

Man is shot to death in apparent robbery attempt

Police say a man was shot and killed while trying to rob a recycling business in Philadelphia.

Police say a man in his 20s entered Geppert Recycling in the 4500 block of Wayne Avenue at about 9:30 a.m. Thursday.

When the man attempted to rob the company, a Geppert employee apparently opened fire.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police are saying the incident was self defense, but further details are unavailable.

Labels: business robbery, PA

76-Year-Old Woman Takes Gun From Girl, Thwarts Robbery

A 76-year-old storeowner in Washington County said she was having a bad day when a young woman tried to rob her on Monday.

Police said Virginia Hart was behind the counter of the Lone Pine Market in Marianna when a young girl came in and demanded money.

Police said when Hart refused, the woman pulled a gun and again demanded money.

Once again, police said, Hart refused and then grabbed the gun, picked up a stool and chased the woman out the door.

The girl is described as blond, in her 20s and was wearing a blue sweatshirt.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police.

Labels: business robbery, criminal's gun taken away and used against him, PA

Man Kicked Out Of Home, Returns With Gun, Is Shot Dead

A young man was wounded by gunfire while he shot and killed an intruder at a home in Pittsburgh's Homewood area Tuesday morning, according to homicide detectives.

Police officers patrolling the neighborhood said they heard gunshots near the home in the 1500 block of North Murtland Street around 2:40 a.m. (See Map)

They found one man on nearby Lincoln Avenue with a chest wound and a gun in his possession, police said. He was taken to UPMC Presbyterian hospital in critical condition but later died.

Police identified that man as Ronnell Pittman, 34. No address for Pittman was given.

Pittman had entered the home without being invited and was told to leave, then came back with a gun and started shooting at James Hill, 19, police said.

Hill fired a gun and shot Pittman, who was able to run away but eventually died from his injuries, police said.

Police did not say why Pittman entered the home in the first place. They said he may have gone there by mistake.

Hill, of the Lincoln-Lemington neighborhood, was treated at UPMC Presbyterian for a gunshot wound to the foot.

His uncle said Hill fired the gun to protect his family.

Hill is being held at the Allegheny County Jail on an alleged firearms violation but is not facing any charges for Pittman's death, police said.

Homicide detectives are still investigating. The District Attorney's Office is also involved in the case.

Labels: defender shot, home invasion, PA

Intruders shot, one fatally, in McKeesport

Two suspected robbers were shot, one of them fatally, during an apparent home invasion on Grover Street in McKeesport last night, police said.

Police were called at 10:10 p.m. to a home in the 2900 block of Grover, where a resident resisted an apparent robbery.

One suspect was killed, and the other was hospitalized with at least one gunshot wound, police said.

The extent of his injuries was not immediately known.

Labels: home invasion, PA, residence robbery

Boy defends home with BB gun

An 11-year-old boy home sick from school on Monday defended his home with a BB gun when an intruder waltzed in the back door, police said.

The boy, whose name was not released, was watching television when a man walked into the Webster Street home about 1:30 p.m. through an unlocked door. Police said the boy's German shepherd, Montana, then stood up and began barking at the man.

Police said the boy jumped up and told the man not to move, pointing the gun at him.

The boy, who only identified himself as Joe when contacted Tuesday, said he shot the man with a plastic BB when he reached for his waistband.

Police said the intruder grabbed his chest and then ran out the rear door. The boy then called his mother on her cell phone, and she told him to call 911.

The boy told police that before the intruder entered the house, he noticed a black sport utility vehicle with tinted windows "creeping" around the block about six times.

Roseto police Chief Jack Nicholais said an officer Monday night spotted a vehicle matching the description in the borough area.

"It seems to be confirmed," Nicholais said.

Bangor and Washington Township police could not find any vehicles or suspects matching the description after the incident, a Roseto police news release said.

The boy described the man to police as a 20- to 30-year-old white bald male, about 200 pounds with a bulky build and broad shoulders. Police said the man was wearing a red bandana around his forehead and had a scar on the left forehead running down through the bandana to just above his eye. He was wearing tinted sunglasses and had a "triangle-type" goatee just below his lip. He was wearing a navy blue shirt with long sleeves.

Labels: home invasion, minor defender, PA

Robbery Victim Turns Tables on Bandit

Philadelphia police had no trouble identifying a robbery suspect. He's the one with the bullet wound in his leg.

One of his victims grabbed the bandit's gun and turned the tables on him.

"I don't know what came over me. I just grabbed the gun from under his arm. I just started shooting," said Lillian Bailey.

She can't believe what happened at her Germantown hair salon as she worked past midnight.

When a client left the popular stylists business, a gunman lurking outside rushed in demanding money.

Her three clients gave him their purses and ran for cover in two back rooms. Lillian was shaken as she shared her frightening story exclusively with Action News.

"He went to reach for my pockets, but he put his gun under his arm with the pocketbooks. In that split second, I just grabbed the gun and started shooting," said Bailey.

The young mother thought about making it home to her children as she aimed at the robber and emptied his .38 revolver.

"After there were no more bullets, I just started bashing him on his head as he was trying to escape the salon," she said.

He got away. Lillian didn't realize he was shot until police found him unconscious in some bushes on nearby Johnson Street. He had a bullet wound in his leg.

The 19-year-old suspect, whose identity hasn't been released, remained in police custody at Einstein Medical Center.

Lillian said he came to the salon the night before asking about prices, but wasn't let in. When he slipped inside with a gun, she knew she had to do something to save herself because he looked high and out of control.

The tenderhearted 27-year-old still feels bad.

"It's like a double edge sword because I feel like I wanted to stop him from taking my hard earned money, taking these people's belongings. But then I didn't want to hurt anybody," she said.

She has not been charged with any crime. Police are trying to determine if the 19-year-old suspect was involved in a street robbery earlier that night where a robbery victim's dog was shot.

Labels: business robbery, criminal's gun taken away and used against him, PA

Gun store owner pulls gun, foils robbery

A gun store owner confronted by an armed robber grabbed his own gun yesterday and foiled the attempt, after which police tracked down the suspect and put him in jail.

State police charged Jeffrey J. Ierino, 32, of Wampum, with attemped robbery of the Triangle Gun Shop in Perry Township, Lawrence County.

Mr. Ierino walked into the store at 11:24 a.m., pointed a pistol at owner Donald Pieri, 60, and ordered him to fill a bag with pistols, police said.

Mr. Pieri, of Ellwood City, then dived behind a door leading into the back room to retrieve his own gun. At that point, Mr. Ierino ran outside, where an accomplice picked him up.

Troopers tracked him down at his house in Wampum but said he fled when they showed up. They arrested him near the Paramount Cafe.

He is charged with attempted robbery, attempted theft, illegal possession of a gun, carrying a gun without a license, terroristic threats and simple assault.

He was being held yesterday in the Lawrence County Jail on a $25,000 bond.

Labels: business robbery, PA

Police Continue Investigation Into Esplen Shooting

Police continue their investigation today following a man's death in Esplen overnight after officials say he broke into a home with a loaded weapon.

The shooting happened just after 2:30am in the 500-block of Parson Street.

Authorities have identified the man who died as 32-year-old Charles Long, of McKees Rocks.

Police say it all started when Long began knocking on the door of West End resident, Terrence Triplett, 27, while he and his girlfriend were sleeping. Long then kicked in the front door and entered the home, officials report.

According to investigators, Triplett confronted Long, disarmed him and fired several shots.

Officials say when they arrived they found Long lying just inside the doorway. He was pronounced dead at the scene with gunshot wounds to the head and torso.

Police say neither Triplett nor his girlfriend was injured.

Investigators say Triplett has not been charged with any crime at this time, and is free on his own recognizance. Officials report that they will consult with the District Attorney's Office to see if any charges are warranted.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, intruder, PA

Suspect sought in fatal Pike shootout

State police in Blooming Grove are investigating the death of a 46-year-old township man who was shot early Friday in Pike County.

Barry James Rose, of 3182 Bexhill Court, Saw Creek Estates, was shot around 2 a.m. Friday after someone entered his home, police reported.

Police said Mr. Rose and an intruder exchanged gunfire, and Mr. Rose died.

An autopsy was performed at Lehigh Valley Medical Center, and results are pending, according to police.

Saw Creek Estates resident Kristi Wertz, 25, used to keep her car doors unlocked, but not anymore.

“Lately there has been a lot of crime in this area,” she said. “For the past seven to eight months, we’ve seen the state police here quite frequently.”

There was a major drug bust in the community on Aug. 7.

Ms. Wertz, who also works at the nearby Country Squire Deli along Winona Falls Road, has lived in the private, gated community on and off for the past 10 years and said she did not always feel so uneasy. She heard about the shooting Friday morning while at work.

“A lot of people, I think, really aren’t so surprised,” she said, referring to the recent crime activity in the community.

The investigation continues. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 226-5718.

Labels: defender killed, home invasion, PA

Store owner shoots robbery suspect

Four months ago, after a series of break-ins at his convenience store, Merlony "Jason" Colaco nabbed a robbery suspect and used his shotgun to hold her at bay until police arrived.

Thursday morning, he confronted another suspect, only this time, he fired.

"I shot that guy, not because he was stealing, but because he came to me and was attacking me," Colaco said. "This was the first time I ever fired a gun. I never even hunted before."

Police said Colaco, owner of Molly Pitcher Mini-Mart of 13640 Molly Pitcher Highway, shot Thomas Philip Candeloro Jr., 44, of Baltimore, after he and two other white men broke into the store at 1:46 a.m. to steal cartons of cigarettes.

When Colaco confronted the men with his shotgun, a fight broke out that resulted in Candeloro being shot, police said.

Candeloro's alleged accomplices reportedly fled, but he was taken to Washington County Hospital, where he was treated and released, according to a hospital spokesperson.

Police said charges of robbery, burglary, theft and conspiracy are pending against him.

Calaco's store is just off of Interstate 81. For several months it has been the site of several break-ins and robberies.
Colaco's account

Speaking from his store on Thursday afternoon, Colaco said he felt bad about the whole situation and that he was still shaken by it all.

After the arrest of the robbery suspect in April, he thought the crimes were over and he could stop camping out in his
store after it closed at 10 p.m.

But two weeks ago, he said someone broke into his back door and took two cartons of Marlboro cigarettes. Three days later, someone stole 15 to 16 bags of ice from the container in front of the store.

During that same period, he said, someone threw a rock through the window of another area business.

Once again, Colaco had had enough.

As he'd done in the past, he grabbed his shotgun and began sleeping in his office. He listened for sounds and closely watched the security camera. At 1:40 a.m., he heard the sound of the cowbell attached to his door.

He looked at the security camera and saw three men violently shaking the door, trying to get in, he said. Eventually, they made it inside and began to fill two trash cans with cigarettes.

Remembering how he scared a previous robbery suspect and held her at bay, Colaco said he walked out to confront the men while holding his shotgun. But instead of being scared, one of the men approached him as if he didn't care about the gun, Colaco said.

"I had the safety lock on my gun and I became nervous and couldn't remove it," Colaco recalled. "He came toward me and I backed up."

The man turned and ran outside. The second man, who was much bigger than the first, Colaco said, took a trash can filled with merchandise.

"Hold it," Colaco called out to him. But the man simply looked at Colaco and walked outside.

However, when the third man, Candeloro, walked up to Colaco, he showed more aggression, Colaco said. "He lifted the trash can and threw it at me."

Colaco shouted for him to stop. "Hold it," he said. "Or I'll shoot."

Candeloro reportedly ignored the warnings and started walking toward Colaco. "Stop!" Colaco shouted.

He kept coming.

Colaco pulled the trigger, shooting him in his left side, near the stomach.

"I thought I'd missed, because he just walked away. But after he walked through the door, he collapsed." He began yelling for his friends. He tried to get up but fell down.

Pennsylvania State Police called in response to the store's alarm system. "Send an ambulance, I shot a guy," Colaco said.

When he looked outside, he saw Candeloro crawling, trying to walk. He crawled a distance and stood up, only to fall again. "You shot me...I'm gonna sue you!" he told the store owner.

Colaco said he was troubled by the incident. "I felt bad for him," he said. "I never shot anyone before. I never even hunted."

He said he didn't know how much longer he could put up with the crime.

Earlier crime spree

Earlier this year, Colaco was credited with catching Erica Marie Lynch, 19, of 128 S. Jefferson St., Greencastle, after she allegedly broke into his store on March 28 to steal cigarettes for drug money, according to court documents filed with the office of Magisterial District Judge Duane K. Cunningham.

When arrested, Lynch told police that she and her live-in boyfriend, Joshua Lance Ingream, 19, and their friend, James Edward Byrd Jr., 43, Chambersburg, had burglarized "multiple places" in Pennsylvania and Maryland, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

Lynch was charged with two counts of burglary and theft by unlawful taking. Ingream was charged with three counts of burglary, three counts of theft by unlawful taking and two counts of criminal mischief. Byrd, however, was placed in Franklin County Prison. He was charged with burglary, theft and criminal mischief.

Labels: business burglary, PA

Family Upset After Neighbor Shoots, Kills Dog

A 12-year-old Mount Oliver boy broke down on Thursday after his dog was shot and killed right in front of him.

One of the Jackson family's three pit bulls left its yard without a leash Thursday night.

Neighbor Jim Peelor said the dog came after him three times in 10 minutes while he was walking his dogs.

The family of the boy said there was no reason for its neighbor to shoot and kill its pit bull, but the man said he was in danger, so he fired.

"I just screamed, 'Why did you do that?'" said Devin Jackson, who witnessed the shooting. "I picked up her head. I tried to pet her. She just died."

Peelor said he felt threatened when the dog kept circling him, so he got out his gun.

"It wasn't like the dog ran out and I shot him," Peelor said.

Through tears, Peelor said he wished it didn't have to come down to that, but he had to protect his pets.

"I was in a spot where I felt like I had to watch him die or kill the other," Peelor said. "I told the kid, I screamed, I pleaded, 'Go get help.' I'm an animal lover. I love animals, and the last thing I want to do is kill one."

There is no word on whether Peelor will be charged.

Labels: animal, PA

Investigation Continues After Clerk Shoots Robber

Police continue their investigation after a would-be robber’s night of crime was brought to an end when he was fatally shot on Saturday night.

Authorities say the alleged suspect first entered a Co-Go’s on Mount Washington, demanded money and was able to get away.

Investigators tell us that the man later attempted to rob a BP along Route 51 just before midnight.

Police say the man entered the convenience store with a handgun and demanded money and tobacco products.

According to authorities, the clerk handed the would-be robber a bag of cigarettes and cigars. Then, the clerk pulled a gun, shot twice and hit the man in the chest, police add.

Officials have not yet identified the would-be robber or the clerk, but say the suspect died on the floor of the store.

Sources who have seen the surveillance tape of the incident tell KDKA’s Ross Guidotti that it appears to be a self-defense shooting.

DA clears clerk who killed Beechview robber

A gas station clerk acted in self-defense when he fatally shot a robber and will not be charged, Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. said today.

Walter Wetzel Jr., 58, of Mt. Washington, killed Raymond Crawford, 30, of Northview Heights, July 14, at the BP station on Saw Mill Run Boulevard in Beechview, police said.

Zappala said Crawford had already pulled a gun at two other businesses that night before he confronted Wetzel.

"He went right to the clerk and pointed a weapon at him," Zappala said.

Crawford demanded money, cigarettes and blunts, and when Wetzel bent down behind the counter to get some of the items, he came up with a gun and shot Crawford twice in the chest, Zappala said.

"The clerk was scared because the robber wanted more and more items and (the clerk) did not have access to the safe," Zappala said.

Zappala said the shooting was justified but generally speaking, he said he would prefer store clerks give robbers what they want, let them get out and call police.

"I would have preferred no one would have died," Zappala said.

Labels: business robbery, PA

Store owner disarms would-be robber, customers help subdue her

When an armed woman entered Abdul Kahn's convenience store in West Manchester Township Friday afternoon and demanded money, Kahn said he had to decide quickly if he would try to disarm her.

"I was scared for my life because I have two babies and a wife," said Khan, 42, who owns the A Plus Sunoco gas and convenience store at 1947 W. Market St. "But I thought 'I cannot be robbed by a lady.' Maybe it's a bad mentality. ... I might have done a stupid thing. But I had to do it."

So Kahn said he eased to the edge of the counter he was behind and then lunged for the woman, who had what appeared to be gun in her hand. Khan wrestled with the woman, and despite suffering multiple blows to his groin, he was eventually able to wrestle her to the ground and get the gun away from her.

Three customers then came into his store, helped him subdue the woman and called 911, Kahn said.

West Manchester Township Police arrived and arrested the woman, who was identified as Sharon Bastide, 45, of no fixed address, on charges of robbery and theft.

Police said the gun that Bastide showed to Khan turned out to be a pellet gun. She's being held at York County Prison in lieu of $50,000 bail.

(More)

Labels: business robbery, criminal's gun taken away and used against him, PA

Shot once in the chest during an argument at his sister's North Side home early yesterday, a former Army Ranger pulled his own gun and killed his assailant before dying of his wound, police said.

"You've got a murder and a justifiable homicide, is what it looks like," said Lt. Dan Hermann of the major crimes unit.

Killed in the exchange of gunfire were Gregory Grabowski, 29, a former Ranger from the North Side, and Timothy Beaman, 23, of Woods Run.

Police responding to a report of shots fired at 2:39 a.m. at 25311/2 N. Charles St. found a bloody scene, with Mr. Grabowski lying just inside the front door and Mr. Beaman on the sidewalk at the bottom of the steps leading to the house.

The two lay mortally wounded about eight feet from each other, remnants of their blood stains still visible after attempts to clean it up.

Mr. Grabowski was pronounced dead at the scene and Mr. Beaman at Allegheny General Hospital.

The fight was apparently over noise after Mr. Beaman, along with two friends, showed up at the house, which is rented to Mr. Grabowski's sister. Mr. Beaman is the father of the tenant's child, police said.

Mr. Beaman is also the father of another child whose mother lives in the row house.

Angered by noise, Mr. Grabowski confronted the men in the kitchen, saying he had to get up for work in the morning, said Lt. Hermann.

When Mr. Grabowski asked them to leave, an argument broke out, according to three witnesses. Mr. Beaman pulled a gun and shot Mr. Grabowski once in the chest.

Although wounded, Mr. Grabowski pulled a .357-caliber pistol and shot Mr. Beaman twice in the chest. Mr. Beaman and his two friends ran for the door with Mr. Grabowski in pursuit until he collapsed at the front door.

Mr. Beaman collapsed at the bottom of the steps.

The two men with him ran away but returned once police secured the scene. Police said they are not suspects in the shooting, although one of them was wanted on a warrant out of West View.

According to Allegheny County court records, both men were awaiting trial in separate cases.

Mr. Grabowski was charged May 19 with forgery, theft by deception, receiving stolen property and acquisition by misrepresentation after being accused of passing a forged prescription at Giant Eagle.

Mr. Beaman was awaiting trial on charges of illegal gun possession, receiving stolen property and other counts.

Labels: altercation, defender killed, PA

Police: Teen Fatally Shot Breaking Into Home

A teenager was fatally shot while allegedly attempting to rob a Southwest Philadelphia home Friday afternoon, police said.

According to police, the teen was one of two people who broke into the home on the 5900 block of Greenway Avenue.

A 21-year-old inside the residence grabbed a gun and shot at the would-be robbers.

The teen, who police said was 16 or 17 years old, was shot in the chest and rushed to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia but later pronounced dead, police said.

Police reported that the home has been broken into three or four times in the past couple of months.

Labels: home invasion, PA, residence robbery

Suspect Nabbed After Being Brought to Univ.of Penna. Hospital

A thief who attempted a car break-in Wednesday morning in the city's southwest section was foiled apparently by his own gun -- and a fearless car owner.

The incident happened around 10am in the 8400 block of Lindbergh Boulevard. Police say a car owner spotted the suspect attempting to break into his car.

When he approached the suspect, who was armed with a handgun, a struggle ensued. During that struggle the gun discharged, and the suspect was shot in the thigh by his own gun. He then fled to a waiting car where an accomplice rushed him to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

In the meantime, the car owner called 911 and informed police of what had happened. When the suspect and his accomplice arrived at the hospital, police were waiting and both the alleged thief and his accomplice were placed under arrest.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, PA, street property theft

Our view: Purchase of gun ends thefts at area store

Merlony Colaco got robbed one too many times, and instead of shrugging and moving on, he did something about it.

The Greencastle merchant was mad and not going to take it anymore, so he bought a shotgun and caught a woman he didn't know inside his convenience store.

He also put the kibosh on what police call a recent string of local smash-and-grab robberies.

After his store, the Molly Pitcher Mini Mart, was broken into for the second time, Colaco picked up a shotgun and set up an after-hours stakeout.

In late March, his waiting reaped results when a brick sailed through his store window. Police said Erica Marie Lynch allegedly broke into the store to steal cigarettes for crack money.

Colaco was ready and police said he held her at bay until they arrived.
Thankfully, cool heads prevailed and no one was hurt.

Colaco refused to play the victim. He used his Second Amendment rights to buy a firearm and defend his property, and he did it with common sense.

Things could have turned ugly very easily in the moments before police arrived. Take a twitch, throw in a sarcastic remark, and add in the fact that perhaps Colaco had a bad day, and the result could have been needless bloodshed.

And the Greencastle store owner could have been left with a very serious legal problem.

Law enforcement apparently agreed -- Colaco said they told Lynch, "You're lucky he didn't shoot you."

Lynch was charged with two counts of burglary and theft by unlawful taking. Her alleged accomplices received similar charges. Police believe the three hit other spots in Pennsylvania and Maryland.

All three are awaiting a preliminary hearing May 22 in Franklin County Court.

If the trio are found guilty, it's because Colaco took a leading role in bringing them to justice.

Labels: business burglary, PA

Witness: Robber Shot In Struggle Over Gun

A man is hospitalized after police said he was shot trying to rob two people in Germantown Thursday afternoon.

NBC 10 reported that a neighbor had gone to visit a friend on the 400 block of East Woodlawn Street around 2:30 p.m. and the incident happened when he came out of the house.

"When he came outside of the house, a young man jumped up on the porch and approached them, and had a gun, and was attempting to rob them, and then during the robbery and a struggle went on and the gun discharged," said Sam Brackeen, a friend of the neighbor.

The alleged would-be robber was shot in the head and chest. He is listed in critical condition at Einstein Medical Center.

Police are still investigating the incident.

There is no word on what charges, if any, will be filed against any of those involved in the incident.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, PA, street robbery

Home Invader Shot; Others Wounded Fighting Back

One man was shot during a home invasion in White Oak, and two others were hurt while fighting the intruder off, according to Allegheny County police.

It happened at about 11 p.m. Thursday in the 100 block of Carmella Drive. (Map)

Police said the 19-year-old shooting victim, who has not been identified yet, was taken to UPMC Presbyterian.

Labels: home invasion, PA

Phila. Man Acquitted After Pulling Gun at Peewee Football Game

A Philadelphia judge has found a pistol-packing parent of a "peewee" football player was justified in pulling his gun on a substitute coach who was beating him during a sidelines altercation during a game in the Burholme section of Northeast Philadelphia last October ... .

The defense conceded that defendant Wayne Durkotch pulled out a gun, but said it was in self-defense after he was beaten to the ground by the coach.

Defense attorney Brian Quinn:

"He is someone who has a permit to carry, he's licensed to carry. He only pulled the gun when he was in fear of dying. He was getting beat. He acted responsibly. Once he pulled the weapon, he put it away right away after the situation cleared. He waited for the police as he should have done."

But coach Jermaine Wilson, who was filling in as coach that day, testified that parents including Durkotch were hollering and cursing him and that Durkotch had pushed him, and that's when he started hitting Durkotch.

The judge has found Durkotch not guilty of all charges, but the judge said he was extremely disappointed to see all of this happen around children, who are five, six, and seven years old.

Labels: assault, concealed carry permit, PA

Whitehall Twp. resident fires shots at would-be intruder

In what appears to have been an attempted home invasion, a 32-year-old resident fired two shots at a man who he said popped out of the bushes in front of his Whitehall Township home armed with a handgun early Saturday, according to a police report.

Gaby J. Safi, of 1990 Linden Lane, reported to police that the man appeared in his yard shortly after Safi arrived at the house. Safi managed to get inside his home and pulled out his .38-caliber revolver, which was in his waistband, and fired two shots through his door when he saw that the man was approaching his front door, pointing a gun, the report says. Safi missed both times, with one of the shots striking his own truck, but the man fled, police said.

Safi, who has a permit for the gun, told police that he had just come from visiting his father and playing cards in Allentown at 1:55 a.m. Saturday when he parked his vehicle next to his wife's car. He said he was unlocking his house door when the man jumped out from behind the bushes, which were about 10 feet away from him, according to the police report.

Safi said he saw that the man was pointing a gun at him and quickly entered his home, closing both the storm door and the solid front door, he told police. He said he could see through the door window that the man was still approaching, with what he believed to be a .45-caliber weapon.

After firing his gun, Safi said he went to the second floor of his house and yelled for his wife, who was asleep, to call police, the report says. He returned to the front door and noticed that the man had fled.

When police arrived, Safi was still holding the loaded gun. Police ordered him to drop the gun and later took it into custody, police said. Police searched his home and Safi said the only items that appeared to be missing were the keys he used to open the front door. An officer waited at the home while Safi had the locks replaced, the police report says.

Safi said he did not get a good look at the suspect since everything happened so fast, the report says.

Labels: home invasion, PA

Clerk pulls gun, scares away would-be robber

Never mess with a cashier who knows guns.

Shortly after 8:30 p.m. Saturday, a would-be robber walked into the Shell gas station at 801 Pittston Ave. and demanded money.

He menacingly pointed his hand at the cashier. A handkerchief covered the hand.

The cashier, an elderly man, was unimpressed. Sgt. Jesse Romanchick said the cashier could tell the robber didn’t have a gun.

The cashier did. Licensed to carry a gun, the cashier pulled his and showed it to the robber.

Suddenly, the robber thought better of his attempt and scurried out the door.

The money remained safely in the cash register.

“He scared the robber away,” Sgt. Romanchick said.

The robber headed east on adjacent Birch Street.

The cashier called police, who scrambled several cars into the neighborhood to try to find the foiled robber.

They had not succeeded by late Saturday.

Labels: business robbery, concealed carry permit, PA

Son found innocent in dad's death

Gun was fired in self-defense, jurors decide

The jurors in Lebanon County Court didn't have to decide if Javier Roldan shot and killed his father. They heard Roldan testify to that fact.

But the jury had to decide whether Roldan was guilty of murder or had acted out of self-defense. After six hours of deliberation yesterday, the jurors acquitted him.

Roldan, 26, of the 100 block of Twin Creeks Drive, Jonestown, was found not guilty of homicide and two counts of aggravated assault.

He was charged after being accused of shooting his father, Jose Antonio Roldan, during a fight in their home Aug. 12. Roldan had testified that he shot his father, Jose Antonio Roldan, because his father had him in a choke hold and he feared for his life.

The verdict touched off a celebration among members of the Roldan family, some of whom had testified.

A tearful Javier Roldan embraced his mother, Gladys. He had testified that he fought with his father over the elder man's treatment of Gladys Roldan.

Javier Roldan hugged several more of the 15 family members present before he was taken to check out of Lebanon County Prison, where he has been held since the shooting.

"It's a huge release, a huge weight from our shoulders" Javier's older brother, Heriberto, said. He said the entire family believed the shooting was justified on the grounds of self-defense.

Labels: domestic abuse, PA

Home invasion ends in fatal shootout

After a shootout inside a West Oak Lane home last night, one man is dead, one man has fled, and a wounded resident was in custody by police.

According to the 22-year-old male resident, minutes after 11 p.m., two men confronted him outside his home in the 1900 block of Elston Street and forced him inside at gunpoint, demanding money, police said.

Inside, the resident produced a handgun of his own and exchanged gunfire, Lt. Philip Riehl said.

One alleged home invader, 22, died after being taken to Albert Einstein Medical Center.

As the other man fled, the resident apparently kept firing from an upstairs window, Riehl said.

The wounded resident was treated and released at Einstein, but remained in police custody this morning pending further investigation and possible charges.

The killing will not count as part of the city's murder toll, Riehl said, if it's ruled a justifiable homicide.

The Elston Street resident could, however, gun (sic) and drug charges, he said.

Labels: home invasion, PA, residence robbery

Police assurances on his gear are music to DJ's ears

BRIAN LEWIS was leaving his apartment, heading to a gig as a disc jockey in January 2005, when three guys jumped him.

Two of them pulled pistols.
The men wanted his gear, including two CD mixers worth $499 each.

They also wanted Lewis to turn around and go back inside his house with them.

What the robbers didn't know was that Lewis had a gun, and a permit to carry it.

Lewis reached for his gun, telling the robbers he was pulling out the key to his door.

Lewis aimed across his body, drawing a bead on the head of one man aiming a pistol at his back.

Click.

The gun was loaded, but there was no bullet in the chamber.

The two robbers heard the pistol's dry fire and blasted away, shooting Lewis in the back.

"I was able to stand my ground and get a round in there,"