9/3/09
Hyrum, Utah
From the Salt Lake Tribune of August 22, 2009
Homeowner shoots suspected prowler in foot
A Hyrum man shot a suspected would-be burglar near his home early Saturday morning.
The 42-year-old homeowner shot a 20-year-old man once in the foot about 2:30 a.m., said Cache County sheriff's Lt. Chad Jensen.
Deputies responding to a prowler call found the 42-year-old standing in a back doorway, holding the 20-year-old at gunpoint next to a tree on the 500 block of Eagle Ridge Drive. The man said he'd fired one shot, but neighbors reported hearing several.
The suspected prowler, who "appeared to be very intoxicated," was taken to Logan Regional Hospital, treated for his injury and released to deputies.
The incident is under investigation.
Labels: intoxication, trespassing, UT
7/15/09
Lehi, Utah
From KSL of July 14, 2009
Lehi man shoots at intruder, chases him away
Tense moments in Lehi Tuesday after police set up a perimeter looking for a suspect in a home-invasion robbery.
The all clear has been given, but there are a lot of worried neighbors. They saw dozens of police cars in the street and officers with weapons and K-9s looking for a man who tried to stab someone inside his home.
Around 2 p.m. a 23-year-old man reported to police that someone broke inside his home near 2400 North and 800 West. He said the man tried to stab him, so he grabbed a gun and fired a shot at the intruder and chased him away through the back door.
Police from Lehi, American Fork and Saratoga Springs, as well as Utah County sheriff's deputies, searched for the suspect for nearly an hour.
The victim's sister, Annie, told KSL, "What happened, what we've been told, is that someone tried to stop my brother. I guess my brother shot at him and missed and scared the guy off, and he ran away."
Greg Neer, with the Lehi Police Department, said, "We do not have a suspect in custody. We have a description of him. He's wearing ... he's described as wearing a black tank top with cammo shorts, some Nike running shoes and his hair was light brown, has a little bit spiky in the front."
Neighbors were obviously alarmed to be told by police to stay inside their homes, especially after hearing the suspect could be armed with a knife.
In the end, no suspect was found, and right now detectives are interviewing the victim at the police station to try and find out more information.
Police are still unsure if the suspect was hit, and at this point aren't giving any more information about what happened.
Labels: assault, home invasion, UT
6/18/09
Midvale, Utah
From KSL of June 17, 2009
Concealed weapons permit holder stops would-be robbers
A man with a concealed weapons permit stopped two would-be Midvale robbers from making off with his friend's stuff.
Police say the men were coming home from an errand around 7 a.m. Wednesday morning when they spotted the suspects with their things. The suspects took off on foot.
One of the men being robbed grabbed a gun from his truck and started running after them.
Midvale police Detective Sgt. John Salazar said, "Grabs a loaded .40-caliber handgun and chases with the gun, shooting rounds either into the air or into the ground as they were chasing."
The gunfire stopped the suspects dead in their tracks. The men held the robbers at gunpoint until police arrived and arrested them.
No one was hurt.
Labels: residence burglary, UT
5/5/09
Midvale, Utah
From the Salt Lake City Tribune of May 5, 2009
Police: Resident shoots, kills intruder in Midvale apartment break-in
Police say they are looking for as many as eight or nine assailants after a home invasion early Tuesday at a Midvale apartment that ended when one of the residents shot and killed a suspect.
Midvale police believe a female assailant was also shot, leaving a trail of blood outside the Springs of the Country Woods apartment complex at 1039 E. Watercress.
Four people, including two sisters, ages 14 and 22, were inside a third-floor apartment at the complex at about 1:30 a.m. when someone knocked at the door, Midvale police Sgt. John Salazar said.
When the 26-year-old uncle of the sisters opened the door, a group of up to 10 tried to force their way inside. In a struggle at the door, one assailant stabbed the uncle in the hand, Salazar said.
As the struggle continued inside, one assailant hit the 22-year-old woman, angering her 23-year-old boyfriend. He fought with another assailant, got hold of the man's gun and fired about four shots inside, and possibly three outside, Salazar said.
Three of the shots inside struck a 31-year-old suspect, who died at the scene. He was armed with two knives and a handgun, Salazar said.
Everyone else scattered in different directions, and the lone woman in the group appeared to have been shot outside, witnesses told police.
"I'm amazed that no one else was hurt," Salazar said, noting that the bullets fired inside did not go through walls into neighboring apartments.
Police found a sawed-off, 12-guage shotgun and a 40-caliber handgun on the roof of a parking structure nearby. They forced their way into a neighboring garage, but did not find anyone hiding there.
The uncle was hospitalized for his knife wound, and will be OK, Salazar said. Investigators, who were wrapping up their work at the scene by about 10:30 a.m., don't yet have a motive for the home invasion.
Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion, UT
3/12/09
Centerfield, Utah
From March 9, 2009 KSL channel 5:
There's surveillance video of the event.Centerfield resident Antonio Ramos, 42, was killed when one of the women he was robbing grabbed his gun and shot him in the head. Surveillance video from the store captured the robbery and Ramos' final moments on tape.
"[There's] a lot of talk about, wondering what went wrong and what happened for sure. Until we are done, fully, with our investigation, there will those questions like there would be in any small town," said Centerfield Police Chief Stewart Jensen.
This is the first robbery Jensen has ever dealt with in his 10 years on the force in Centerfield, which is located south of Gunnison.
Just after midnight, police say Ramos approached an employee as she was taking out the garbage, pointed a gun at her and forced her inside.
Ramos told one employee to tie up the other, and then tried to tie up the second worker himself. A few moments later, video shows the gunman put down his .22-caliber rifle and slip it onto the counter.
The clerk who was already tied up appears to remain calm and, in a brief moment, goes for the gun.
She grabbed the rifle and fired, striking the robber once in the head. When police arrived, Ramos was dead.
"They did a good job defending themselves, under the circumstances. They had no idea what was going to happen to them after they were tied up, so I think they did what they felt they needed to do," said Sanpete County sheriff's Sgt. Greg Peterson.
Labels: business robbery, criminal's gun taken away and used against him, UT
12/18/08
Ogden, Utah
From the Desert News of December 16, 2008
Burglary goes bad when would-be thief, homeowner trade shots in Ogden
Officers have arrested a man they say tried to break into a home and then traded shots with the homeowner in the middle of the street.
Ogden police said it happened about 9 a.m. Tuesday at a home on the 200 block of 29th Street when two men tried to break in.
"They were kicking in the door, and the man was inside with his family," Ogden Police Lt. Scott Sangberg said Tuesday. "He went to the door with his 9 mm (handgun). Then the guy realized that the place wasn't vacant and started to leave."
As he was leaving, police said one of the would-be burglars fired a gun at the homeowner.
"The owner took a shot at him," Sangberg said.
The homeowner gave police a description of the men and the green Dodge Intrepid they fled in. Police recognized it from an attempted burglary case they dealt with the week before and went to the suspect's home, where he was arrested.
The 31-year-old man was being booked into the Weber County Jail for investigation of burglary. Detectives were still investigating the case, Sangberg said, including whether the homeowner would face any charges in the shooting.
Labels: trespassing, UT
9/18/08
West Valley, Utah
From the Desert News of September 18, 2008
Intruder shot by homeowner in West Valley
An estranged husband who was shot after breaking into the home of his wife's male friend remained at University Hospital Thursday.
Robert Hunter, 50, was shot in the chest and arms with a 12-gauge shotgun after police say he broke into the home of Joe McIntosh Wednesday night. West Valley Police Capt. Tom McLachlan said Hunter's injuries were not believed to be life threatening.
The incident began just before 9 p.m. near 3700 South and 6000 West. Hunter allegedly parked his truck a street away and walked to McIntosh's home. Hunter, who had been separated from his wife for several months, had been served divorce papers earlier that day, McLachlan said.
His estranged wife was in the house with McIntosh. Hunter went to the back sliding glass door and allegedly entered the house after shattering the glass, McLachlan said.
There had been previous incidents between Hunter and McIntosh, including some threats, McLachlan said.
"Those threats may have made (McIntosh) quite leery," he said.
McIntosh fired a shotgun at Hunter almost as soon as he entered. Hunter was hit and retreated. Investigators later learned that Hunter was carrying 9 mm and .22-caliber handguns with him that were loaded. Police said whether Hunter pointed his weapons at anyone, whether he fired a shot or whether McIntosh even knew he was armed, were all questions being addressed in the ongoing investigation.
Labels: domestic dispute, home invasion, UT
7/9/08
Salt Lake City, Utah
From July 9, 2008 KSL-TV:
A bullet fired on a Salt Lake City street at lunchtime killed a man. Now we're learning the gun may have been fired in self-defense.The shooting happened during a confrontation between two men near 1400 South and West Temple. Witnesses say 47-year-old Mike James May, a transient in the area, began yelling at people who were sitting outside Mama's Southern Plantation restaurant.
The witnesses say May took a swing at the customers, threatened them and a security guard and then reached inside his jacket or backpack. That's when the security guard pulled out his concealed weapon and fired. That single shot, which hit the May in the torso, was fatal.Mark Cazares, co-owner of Mama's Southern Plantation, believes it's a case of self-defense. "For him [the security guard] to defend himself this way, he had to feel his life was in danger. He, once again, he was a Vietnam vet, so he's had to deal with weapons and things before. I'm sure this was a life-threatening situation to him," he said.
...
Police say the security guard has been very cooperative with them and, as of about a half hour ago, they have decided not to book him. They say they will meet with the district attorney very soon to discuss the case.
Labels: altercation, concealed carry permit, private security, UT
7/5/08
West Valley City, Utah
From the Salt Lake Tribune of July 2, 2008
W. Valley man foils burglars - in his underwear, with a shotgun
Next time, maybe some pants?
Still, West Valley City homeowner Tony Gamonal managed to foil burglars when he took out after them with a shotgun -- and wearing only his boxer shorts.
2News reports today that he surprised the burglars, then armed himself to give chase. A nearby police officer joined him, eventually capturing one of the pair, a woman. The second suspect, a man, remained at large.
Gamonal says it wasn't until the capture that he realized he was outside, in the street, in his underwear.
"I looked down and said, 'Oh man . . . here I am,'" he told 2News.
Gamonal says this is the second time robbers have targeted his home in two weeks.
The last time, the hinges were cut off his gate and up to $10,000 worth of property was stolen. The fence around his home has also been vandalized with spray-paint.
He says he's had it. And he plans to protect his home -- regardless of what he is, or is not, wearing
"If you can't be safe in your own home, where can you be?" Gamonal says. "There was no doubt; I was so mad that I would have shot them."
Labels: residence burglary, UT
5/8/08
Kearns, Utah
From KUTV of May 8, 2008
Kearns Shooting Victim Bashes Gunman During TV Interview
A man wounded by a burglar during a home invasion Thursday morning talked to 2News about the incident -- in which he was shot with his own gun.
Chad Morley said he found the burglar inside of his home at approximately 9:00 a.m. Thursday after noticing some of his property stacked up by a side door.
Morley decided to go inside the house, located near 6000 West Eaton Way, and retrieve his handgun to fend off the intruder. Moments later, the two men started wrestling for control and Morley was eventually shot in the arm.
"We both fought over the gun and he hit me in the head," Morley said. "My hands were just completely covered in blood." (Video)
"We both had a hold of the gun and (he) turned it toward me... and it was so slippery from blood, I couldn't hang on to it," he continued. "Then I saw his finger go to the trigger and... that's when it hit me and knocked me over a loveseat."
Morley said he was over at his father's house nearby when the burglar must have entered. Upon returning, and seeing the items stacked near the door, he said it was clear something was wrong.
"I knew something was going on. I catch shoplifters for a living, so there's a lot of people that would probably like to know a lot about me," Morley said. "So I always carry my gun with me... constantly, it's right by me."
"I didn't waste any time. I just grabbed my gun... I half-cocked it and made sure there was a bullet in the chamber. I was prepared to shoot him," he added.
After the struggle, the burglar managed to get away from the home and flee into the neighborhood. He has not yet been captured.
"In a situation like that, it's either you or them. And people like that don't have a care for anything and would rather steal people's merchandise that they worked their tail off for," Morley said. "They would rather be lazy... and sell it and make their living that way."
Morley received a gunshot wound to the arm and a laceration to his forehead. When asked if he would have handled the situation differently in a do-over, Morley said he probably would have shot first -- and asked questions later.
"Honestly... probably shoot him before he had a chance to take my weapon away and then putting me in 10-times more danger," he said.
"It's not something you want to get in front of a news camera and say, 'oh I should have shot him'... but it could've been a lot worse for me," Morley added.
The burglar is described as a Hispanic man, about 6'0" tall and weighing between 165-175 pounds. Morley said the suspect wore a baseball cap and a blue bandana around the lower part of his face.
**Note**
Anti-gun advocates are constantly claiming that a defensive weapon is far more likely to be taken away and used against you. However, this story (the 3,459th story posted on the Civilian Gun Defense Blog to date) may possibly make the third or fourth such story, while we have documented 147 incidents of a criminal's gun being used against him (also to date). Since our news searching methods are unbiased (that is, they will turn up shootings both by citizens and by criminals), the real world stories are clearly in contrast to this claim.
Labels: defender's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion, UT
3/16/08
South Salt Lake, Utah
From March 15, 2008 KUTV channel 2:
A man shot an intruder in the stomach after the suspect attacked his girlfriend in her South Salt Lake home.
The woman was sleeping in her home in Mountain Shadows Apartments on 3900 south and 700 west, when around 5:45 a.m., she was awakened by a loud bang.
A man, who police have identified as 18-year-old, Daniel Glen Larson, allegedly kicked in the apartment door and shattered the door frame.
The woman immediately alerted her boyfriend, who was also in the apartment and began calling 911.
Just as she was dialing the numbers into her phone, Larson allegedly grabbed the woman and began attacking her.
Seconds later, the woman’s boyfriend retrieved his loaded handgun and shot Larson in the abdomen.
Wounded, Larson ran to the living room where both victims attempted to restrain him until police arrived.
Larson broke free from the man and woman and jumped through a plate of glass window, dramatically exiting the apartment.
Larson then attempted to run across 3900 south, where he was almost hit by motorists.
After a minor struggle with the arriving South Salt Lake officers, Larson was taken into custody.
Police say that this was definitely not what the intruder expected.
“We had a bandit that in this case, bit off a little more than he could chew,” said Gary Keller from the South Salt Lake Police Department.
The man who shot Larson has a concealed weapon’s permit and has received training in operating of handguns.
Labels: concealed carry permit, home invasion, UT
12/14/07
West Valley City, Utah
From the Salt Lake Tribune of December 14, 2007
WVC man shoots and kills one of two home invaders
Police say a West Valley City man put a deadly end to a home invasion robbery last night.
Police are now looking for the second invader, who fled the scene, and a woman who had knocked on the resident's door shortly before the men broke in about 10:21 p.m. Thursday.
KUTV reports today that the men forced the man's wife to sit in a chair while they searched for valuables. One gunman allegedly took the husband into another room, and that's when the resident wrestled the gun away from the invader and opened fire.
KUTV says that neither the resident, his wife nor their child were injured.
Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion, UT
12/13/07
Layton, Utah
From ABC4 of December 12, 2007
Armed Layton homeowner captures home invader
A man who broke into a Layton home early Wednesday morning got an unexpected surprise when he got inside.
The home intruder had the tables turned on him, but why he broke into the home is a mystery.
Police say around 4:30 Wednesday morning, 31-year-old Kurt Wrangler busted through the front door of a Layton home in the block of 1450 West 1150 North. He then tried kicking down the door of an eighteen-year-old girl who was sleeping in her room. With all the commotion, the girl's father woke up, grabbed his gun and confronted Wrangler, holding the man at gun point until police arrived.
“There is obviously always a danger if a gun is involved, regardless of who is yielding [it]. However, in your own home, it's perfectly legal to protect yourself,” says Sgt. Mark Chatlin of the Layton Police Department.
Wrangler was booked in Davis County Jail and is facing charges of criminal mischief, trespassing, and disorderly conduct.
Luckily no one was hurt, and police say Wrangler's intentions remain unclear. Nothing was taken from the home, and police say Wrangler seemed disoriented and may suffer from some type of mental illness.
Labels: home invasion, UT
10/30/07
Salt Lake City, Utah
From the Salt Lake Tribune of October 30, 2007
Clerk rifle-whips bandit - with bandit's gun
A would-be bandit carrying a rifle tried to rob a Salt Lake City convenience store Monday, only to be beaten with his own gun when the clerk fought back.
The 38-year-old man entered the EZ Mart near 600 North and 200 West around 2:15 p.m. and demanded money.
The clerk and the man began fighting, knocking money and store items across the counter, police reported.
The clerk then grabbed the rifle and began beating the would-be robber. Police arrived and arrested the 38-year-old man.
The clerk suffered chest pains and was taken to a local hospital as a precaution.
Labels: business robbery, criminal's gun taken away and used against him, UT
10/7/07
Salt Lake City, Utah
From the Salt Lake Tribune of October 7, 2007
Man shot in face during SLC jewelry store robbery
Salt Lake City police are investigating a robbery that left a man with three gunshot wounds, including one to the face.
The unidentified victim was transported at about 2:30 p.m. Saturday to LDS Hospital in serious condition with two gunshot wounds to the side and one to the face, said Lt. Rich Brede.
Police throughout the Salt Lake Valley were on the lookout for a gray passenger car that fled the shooting at The Mouthpiece Company, located at 40 E. 1300 South. The suspected shooter is described as a black man, about 6 feet 2 inches tall, with red and white shoes.
Police were dispatched to a robbery that escalated into a shooting at the business. Authorities believe the suspect entered the store and got into an altercation with the victim. Both men eventually pulled guns and "several" gunshots were fired, Brede said.
"There are four holes in the wall within the store," Brede said.
Police believe the suspect also may have been wounded in the exchange. Investigators recovered a handgun and several spent bullet casings, Brede said.
The business's motto, etched in lettering on a window, advises customers to "Give them something to talk about." The store specializes in watches, chains, pendants, bracelets, rings and custom grills - jewelry worn over one's teeth.
Labels: business robbery, defender shot, UT
9/18/07
Orem, Utah
From the Daily Herald of September 18, 2007
Orem man shoots attacking pit bull
If John Erickson hadn't had his gun with him when a neighbor's pit bull attacked him, there's no telling how bad things might have been.
Erickson, 22, was walking up to his house on 400 South near 700 West in Orem on Wednesday when a neighbor's pit bull bit him from behind. As he rode his scooter to his house around 8:30 p.m., Erickson saw the dog sitting calmly while a neighborhood girl petted it. Then he parked and took three or four steps toward his house when the dog bit him.
"All of a sudden the dog grabbed my leg from behind," he said.
He swung his scooter helmet at the dog, which backed off for a moment. But when the dog charged forward, Erickson, who has a concealed weapons permit, drew his 9-millimeter pistol and fired at the dog's head. Erickson said he worries about what would have happened if he hadn't been armed.
"There's nothing I could've done. I couldn't run. There's no way I'm going to outrun it. There's nowhere I could go," said Erickson, a student at Utah Valley State College.
Even more, he said he worries about what would've happened if the dog had attacked his wife, Lynn Ann, who came home just two minutes before him, or the many children who walk down that street on their way to and from Orem Elementary School.
Erickson's mother, Lyn Erickson, who lives across the street, said she used to dislike her son's gun.
"Now I'm saying, 'I'm just so thankful he had a gun.' I'm just so thankful because what would you do?" she said.
At Erickson's request, no charges were filed against the dog's owner, said Orem police spokesman Lt. Doug Edwards. Vicious animal citations and letting dogs run free are misdemeanor offenses.
"You can't allow your dog to run at large. It doesn't matter how they get off the property, whether it's a hole (in the fence) or a broken leash. Dogs can't run loose," Edwards said.
The dog survived the shot to the top of its head. Erickson said the owner initially planned to euthanize the dog because its veterinary bills were expected to be as high as $4,000. But the owner had a change of heart and decided not to put the dog down, he said.
The owner of the dog, who Erickson said moved to the neighborhood several weeks ago, was not identified and could not be reached for comment. Orem police would not release the owner's name because no charges were filed.
Erickson said he is now concerned because the hole in his neighbor's fence has not been fixed -- a pile of branches now blocks the hole -- and the dog owner has another pit bull that he worries could get loose and hurt someone.
"Every day little kids from Orem Elementary walk right past the house. It could've been one of the little kids, it could've been my wife who got home two minutes before me," he said.
Lyn Erickson said she plans to talk to police about the hole in the neighbor's fence.
Labels: animal, concealed carry permit, student defender, UT
8/8/07
Salt Lake City, Utah
From the Salt Lake Tribune of August 8, 2007
Quick on the draw
Gun-toting store owner runs off bandit
He says the robber pointed a gun, yelled, 'Check this out, fool'
Allen Van Arsdale calls himself a peaceful man who doesn't seek out trouble. But he doesn't apologize for his killer instinct.
Van Arsdale was tending his antique shop near downtown Ogden about 12:40 p.m. Monday when an intruder stormed in.
"Check this out, fool!" the man yelled, with a gun aimed at Van Arsdale's head 15 feet away.
In retrospect, Van Arsdale acknowledged Tuesday, he probably should have given the man the cash he most likely wanted.
But in one swift motion, the 46-year-old rock collector dropped to a knee, pulled out the .45 Colt revolver he keeps handy and fired a shot.
"I missed him by 14 inches," said Van Arsdale, owner of Al's Antiques Etc.
The bullet struck a photocopy machine. The would-be bandit, who wore a black ski mask halfway down his face, took off before Van Arsdale, a former Air Force airman, could squeeze the trigger again, he said. Detectives recovered the bullet.
Van Arsdale speculates the man, who is still at large, wanted money for drugs.
"Whatever drugs he's doing altered his brain chemical, and he did something he probably didn't want to do," Van Arsdale said. "When somebody points a gun at me, it alters my brain chemistry and makes me do things I don't normally do."
The armed robbery was the city's first since a police officer shot and killed 41-year-old Armond Sanchez in February as he fled from a robbery, Lt. Tony Fox said.
In that case, Sanchez robbed Jack's Shoe Repair store a block from Van Arsdale's antique shop and took off on foot. Police said Sanchez, who was suspected in more than a dozen robberies, raised a gun at an officer.
Sanchez took $45 in the shoe-repair robbery.
Moulton's first reaction to news of Van Arsdale's brush?
"Hopefully he hit him," Moulton said. "I just think it's a shame I come to work every day and work my guts out and these young punks come in and try to take [my] money."
Labels: business robbery, UT
7/31/07
Piute County, Utah
From the Salt Lake Tribune of July 31, 2007
Trespassers meet with gunfire
A landowner greeted trespassers with gunfire in Piute County on Sunday. No one was injured. About 6 p.m., nine people entered a gate with a "no trespassing" sign and proceeded toward the Kimberly Mill, according to the Piute County Sheriff's Office. As they rounded a turn to the mill, a man who owns the property fired a .40-caliber pistol, said Deputy Mike Gayler. Gayler said it is unclear whether the man was trying to harm anyone or just scare away the party. The party fled to the main road but along the way one man stopped and fired five pistol shots into an unfastened padlock, the sheriff's office said. Gayler said the man appeared to fire at the lock out of spite. The sheriff's office is referring the case to county prosecutors.
Labels: trespassing, UT
6/28/07
Provo, Utah
From the Provo Daily Herald of June 28, 2007
Provo man uses pistol against burglar
Burgle him once, he buys a gun and an alarm.
Try it again and you might get shot.
Police say residents of the Old Academy on University Avenue took on an auto burglar with loaded guns Wednesday morning.
It was the second time the resident's vehicle had been burglarized, and Provo Capt. Cliff Argyle said the man purchased an alarm after the first burglary.
The alarm paged the vehicle owner at 4:30 a.m., notifying him that his Toyota 4Runner had been broken into. He ran down to the underground parking lot with his roommate.
Both brought their pistols.
The two residents confronted the would-be burglars, telling them to get on the ground, Argyle said.
The suspects instead ran to their vehicle and started to drive away. The roommate of the vehicle owner fired his pistol at the green sedan, hitting the front driver's-side tire.
"The tire did not deflate, and the driver kept driving and the vehicle went on its way," Argyle said. The suspects got away in their green sedan. The roommates did get a license plate number and police are waiting to release it.
…
The Old Academy is Brigham Young University contracted housing. Part of the agreement signed by tenants states that there will be no firearms "unless prior written consent is received from owner/agent and all other tenants in the rental unit."
As for whether the roommates could face charges within Provo City, Argyle said none are being considered at this time. He did say this crime story is unique.
"We've had people confront vehicle burglars in the past, but this is the first time I can recall where the person has used a firearm to confront someone," Argyle said.
Labels: street property theft, UT
6/26/07
Salt Lake City, Utah
From the June 25, 2007 International Herald-Tribune:
SALT LAKE CITY: Authorities said a prison inmate out for a medical appointment wrested a gun from a corrections officer and killed him, then led police on a high-speed chase in a stolen sport utility vehicle before his capture at a fast-food restaurant.
Curtis Allgier, who wears a swastika and the words "skin head" on his heavily tattooed face, fired a shot in the Arby's restaurant that hit no one before a customer snatched the gun, Salt Lake City police Sgt. Rich Brede said.
"It sounds like he was heroic, even though he's being humble about it," he said of the 59-year-old customer.
...
Police pursuing Allgier placed tire spikes on Interstate 215, but he still was able to drive several miles (kilometers) before bailing out in the Arby's drive-thru lane, police said.
Police arrived at the eatery just as Shirley Smiley, 57, was outside after breakfast with her husband and son. She said she heard a "popping noise" from inside, and police yelled "Get down!"
About six other customers and three employees were inside the restaurant, Smiley said. At least one person was "struck with some object" but was able to walk out, bloodied around the head, Brede said.
Police did not identify the customer who wrested the gun from Allgier, saying he did not want to be identified.
KUTV identified the customer as Eric Fullerton.
"Everybody's calling me a hero. I'm not a hero," Fullerton told the TV station. "I just did what I had to do."
Allgier had been at the Utah State Prison in the Salt Lake City suburb of Draper on a parole violation. On June 14, he was sentenced to nearly nine years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm but had not been transferred yet to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
Labels: altercation, criminal's gun taken away and used against him, fugitive, UT
6/19/07
American Fork Canyon, Utah
From the Salt Lake Tribune of June 19, 2007
Killer bear taken down
Authorities confirm that the animal shot to death Monday is the one that mauled Samuel Ives, 11
The barking hounds told Luke Osborn the bear was near. After hours of trudging up and down a mountain, through thick forests and soft dirt, Osborn and his fellow hunters were closing in.
Then, 10 yards away, he could see five hounds snapping at the bear. Osborn, a federal predator-control hunter, raised his .243-caliber rifle and fired a round into the base of its neck.
With that, the hunt for Utah's first documented killer black bear was over.
The bear is believed to have dragged 11-year-old Samuel Ives from his tent about 11:10 p.m. Sunday. The boy's family - his mother, stepfather and a 6-year-old brother - heard the boy scream "something's dragging me!" and rushed to help, but he and his sleeping bag already were gone.
…
Still, it was the second attack Sunday in the same camping spot.
American Fork resident Jake Francom said a black bear swatted at his tent about 5:30 a.m. The bear hit him twice in the face through the tent wall before he woke up and realized what was happening.
"The first two [swats] were just kind of a feel," Francom said.
The bear struck again, hitting him in the head and knocking him to the ground. He said he felt the bear's claws.
"When he saw me move in there, he gave it hell," Francom said. "The sucker struck right through the tent and tore my pillow.
Francom yelled to his friend, "Troy, get your gun!"
Troy Strode woke, pulled a 9 mm handgun and shot into the air. The bear started running toward a hill about 50 yards away as Strode fired about six shots. Francom quickly put his girlfriend and Strode's girlfriend in his truck.
Then the bear returned to the crest of the hill. "It just stared at us for about 30 seconds," Francom said.
Francom's brother, Kip, threw rocks at the animal and it walked away.
(More)
5/28/07
Salt Lake City, Utah
From the Salt Lake Tribune of May 23, 2007
Shots fired during burglary
A man shot at a burglar who entered his apartment Tuesday night.
Police said a man dressed in black broke into an apartment, at 1100 South block of 200 East, about 11:20 p.m. and told a man inside he would kill him. The resident, who was watching television at the time, tussled with the burglar in the living room and broke free, authorities said.
The resident went to the bedroom and grabbed a gun, shooting three times as the burglar ran away, said police.
The burglar appeared to get away unscathed, police said. He was described as white, in his 20s, 5 feet, 10 inches tall and wearing black shorts, a black shirt and a black hat.
Labels: home invasion, residence burglary, UT
5/23/07
Murray, Utah
From Salt Lake City’s KSL.com of May 22, 2007
Pharmacist Wards Off Robber with Gun
A thief handed a note demanding Oxycontin over the counter of a Murray pharmacy, but the pharmacist had a surprise under the counter.
"I just pulled a gun on him and said 'get out of here," Rod Dunn tells KSL. Pharmacist Rod Dunn is tired of getting robbed for pills, and he's not going to take it any more, so he used a gun to protect his pharmacy and employees.
It happened at Millcreek Pharmacy, a family-owned and run business. The man who tried to rob them quickly learned not to mess with this pharmacy.
Rod Dunn has been robbed before, he says, about 20 times. It's why he made the counters tall and deep and the enclosures high. "So we can just step this way and we'll be out of their sight," he said.
It's also why he has a gun. Just over a week ago, he pulled it out on Joseph Chiazzese, who had come into the pharmacy, left, then came back.
Dunn said, "We could see him on the camera - hoodie, dark glasses, cotton gloves - so we knew something was up."
Chiazzese slipped a note on the counter that read 'Oxycontin.' Behind the enclosure Rod started yelling, then, he says, "I just pulled a gun on him and said, ‘get out of here,' and he took off and I started yelling after him."
Armed with a golf club, Dunn's son Jason, went after him. "The whole time I was running after him, thought he had hurt someone or shot someone, and there was no way I was letting him get away," Jason said.
Jason saw Chiazzese drop his knife and tackled him on 1300 East. "At one point he kept saying, ‘you gotta let me go.' When I had him down on the corner with the golf club over him, he was telling me, ‘my wife's going to leave me,' whatever."
In a head lock, Jason dragged Chiazzese back to the pharmacy, where police arrested him.
Murray police detective Kenny Bass said, "Normally we would tell people not to go after them. Looking back at this one, everything worked out well."
The Dunn's will do this again because they don't want to get robbed again. They hope word gets out to leave their pharmacy alone.
Joseph Chiazzese was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail, and we've learned he has since been released.
Labels: business robbery, UT
5/10/07
Salt Lake City, Utah
From the Salt Lake Tribune of May 10, 2007
Man was sought after robbery and gunshot
A 25-year-old man was arrested after a nearly five-hour standoff with police at a South Jordan motel after a robbery outside a Murray strip club early Wednesday.
Police booked the man into the Salt Lake County jail on suspicion of aggravated robbery after he gave himself up at Motel 8, 10722 S. Frontage Road, about 9:30 a.m.
Murray police spokesman Kenny Bass said a person attempted to rob two men outside the Southern Exposure strip club, at 5142 S. State St., about 1 a.m.
The robber took money from one man, police said, but the other resisted. A struggle for the assailant's handgun ensued, and a shot was fired, apparently grazing the bandit's hand, Bass said.
Hours later, officers looking for the robber showed up at the Motel 8. They called for SWAT, and a standoff ensued, Bass said. Three others with the suspect left the hotel room, leaving him alone in the room, Bass said. The suspect eventually gave himself up, Bass said.
Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, street robbery, UT
4/1/07
Salt Lake City, Utah
From the Salt Lake Tribune of April 1, 2007
14-year-old attempts to rob Millcreek bar
A 14-year-old boy carrying a revolver tried to rob a bar in East Millcreek on Saturday night but instead took a beating. The boy entered the back door of the Catfish Cabana Club, at 3820 S. Highland Drive, held out a revolver and yelled, ''This is a robbery,'' according to sheriff's deputies. That's when the bar owner grabbed the gun and wrestled the boy. The struggle spilled into a back parking lot and ended with customers and the bar owner pinning the boy to the ground until deputies could arrive, Salt Lake County sheriff's Lt. Rob Norton said. Another teen with the would-be robber ran as soon as the robbery went awry, Norton said. Deputies used dogs to search for the teen, who did not appear to have a gun, Norton said. The captured boy was booked for aggravated robbery and held in juvenile jail. ''We've seen a lot of kids with guns in recent years,'' Norton said. ''But the fact that such a young boy attempted a strong-arm robbery is particularly alarming.'' Nobody was hurt in the robbery, except the boy, Norton said. He was bleeding from his head after the struggle.
Labels: business robbery, criminal's gun taken away and used against him, UT
3/26/07
Hurricane, Utah
From the Salt Lake City Tribune of March 26, 2007
Millard, Washington residents fire back, leaving one attacker deadSee previous post for the first incident.
Homeowners in Millard and Washington counties repelled invaders with firearms this weekend, leaving one attacker dead.
Police say the man who was killed had reportedly forced his way into a Hurricane home to beat the occupant with a metal pipe.
…
A similar encounter turned deadly in Washington County, where police say two men - who investigators believe meant to harm someone - forced their way into a Hurricane home on Saturday about 6:45 p.m. and assaulted the occupant with a pipe.
The victim was badly beaten before he grabbed a handgun and fatally shot one of the attackers, said Hurricane Police Sgt. Brandon Buell.
The other man fled and remains at large.
Police did not release the names of the people involved in the Hurricane assault.
The investigation is not complete, but Buell said the shooting appears to be self-defense. He declined to say whether the residents in Millard and Washington counties acted appropriately, only that people have the "right to protect themselves from injury or death."
From the Salt Lake City Tribune of April 15, 2007
Charges filed against mayor's nephew in shootingFrom the Salt Lake Tribune of September 4, 2007
The man shot an alleged intruder, but is charged with illegal possession of a firearm and drugs
Charges have been filed against three people, including the mayor's nephew, in connection with a shooting here that left an alleged intruder dead three weeks ago.
Deputy County Attorney Ryan Shaum said convicted felon Danny Dutton, who is accused in the shooting, was charged Friday with possession of a weapon by a restricted person, a second-degree felony, and two counts of possession of a controlled substance.
Dutton is the nephew of Hurricane Mayor Tom Hirschi.
Court papers say Dutton shot and killed Aaron Barbosa during a March break-in at Dutton's apartment. Barbosa hit Dutton on the arm with a steel pipe when Dutton opened the apartment door, police say.
…
The press releases also stated that the alleged shooter acted in self-defense, even though the investigative report had not yet been handed over to the Washington County Attorney's Office.
Catch-22: Man who killed intruder acted justifiably but will stand trial for illegally possessing the gun
Authorities have determined Danny Dutton acted in self-defense when he shot and killed a violent intruder at his Hurricane apartment earlier this year.
But in a case of legal Catch-22, Dutton has been ordered to stand trial for possessing the gun he used to kill Aaron Rondan Barbosa during a March 24 break-in.
Because of a 2004 felony conviction for cultivating marijuana, Dutton - a nephew of Hurricane Mayor Tom Hirschi - is prohibited from possessing firearms.
Following a June preliminary hearing, defense attorney Gary Pendleton filed a motion to dismiss the charge, citing case law recognizing that even a convicted felon may be entitled to use a gun in a life-or-death situation.
Deputy Washington County Attorney Eric Gentry countered that the motion was premature and that prosecutors are not required at this stage to negate Dutton's claim of self-defense.
Gentry also noted that during the preliminary hearing, the state had produced evidence that Dutton possessed the gun before, during and after the shooting, and was sufficiently aware of its location that he was able to immediately retrieve it.
Judge G. Rand Beacham last week agreed with prosecutors that the defense motion was premature, but he said the issue may be raised again prior to trial.
A scheduling hearing for Dutton is set for Sept. 13. If convicted of the second-degree felony weapons charge, he faces up to 15 years in prison.
Dutton is also charged with three class B misdemeanor counts of illegal possession of a controlled substance in connection with prescription medication allegedly found by police at his apartment following the shooting.
The shooting episode began when Barbosa and another man knocked on the door of the apartment Dutton, 22, shares with a male roommate.
When Dutton answered the door, Barbosa entered and began beating Dutton with a metal pipe, breaking Dutton's arm, according to court documents.
Dutton shouted at the intruders that they had "the wrong man," but Barbosa continued beating Dutton, who retreated to the kitchen, grabbed a .357-caliber handgun and shot Barbosa.
The other man, Juan Gonzalez, fled in a vehicle driven by Lucinda Ann Corral, but later confirmed Dutton's version of events.
Gonzalez also told police that Corral and Barbosa were "discussing payment after the job was done," as they were driving to Dutton's residence, according to court documents.
Corral, 30, has pleaded guilty to second-degree felony aggravated assault and faces up to 15 years in prison when she is sentenced Sept. 24 by Judge Beacham.
Gonzalez has not been charged, according to court records.
Also being prosecuted in connection with the shooting is Dutton's roommate, Shane Leland Norris, 27, and Bow-Dee Woodgeard, 20.
Norris is charged with third-degree felony drug possession, and class B misdemeanor counts of drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Woodgeard, 20, who has a prior felony conviction for manufacture of a controlled substance, is charged with second-degree felony possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person.
Meanwhile, Dutton has been charged in federal court with being a felon in possession of a handgun and ammunition on May 7 in Washington County, a crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Labels: assault, home invasion, UT
Sugarville, Utah
From the Salt Lake City Tribune of March 26, 2007
Millard, Washington residents fire back, leaving one attacker deadSee subsequent post for second incident.
Homeowners in Millard and Washington counties repelled invaders with firearms this weekend, leaving one attacker dead.
…
.
The first attack happened before sunrise in Sugarville, a tiny town in northern Millard County. When a man slinked into the victim's home on Friday about 5 a.m., his entry awakened a woman inside.
The role of victim and attacker then flip-flopped when the woman retrieved a shotgun and chased the man out of the house. As he fled with two others, she reportedly shot at them from a distance. Sheriff Robert Dekker said no one was hurt.
Deputies scoured nearby structures and a field with search dogs Saturday, but didn't find the three men. Investigators say the men were last seen in a dark-colored pickup.
…
The investigation is not complete, but Buell said the shooting appears to be self-defense. He declined to say whether the residents in Millard and Washington counties acted appropriately, only that people have the "right to protect themselves from injury or death."
Labels: home invasion, UT
3/24/07
St. George, Utah
From the St. George Spectrum of March 24, 2007
Police search for wounded burglar
A statewide alert has been broadcast urging police to be on the lookout for a truck with two men in it.
According to the broadcast, the two men allegedly attempted to burglarize a home near Delta.
\The homeowner awoke to their sound and chased them from the residence with a shotgun.
Police reports indicate the homeowner fired two blasts from the shotgun with one shot possibly hitting one of the men in the back and the other striking a truck the men were riding in.
The vehicle is described only as a dark truck.
Labels: residence burglary, UT
2/11/07
Salt Lake City, Utah
From the Salt Lake Tribune of February 11, 2007
Home-invasion suspect is shot
A man was shot multiple times early Saturday morning after he allegedly broke into a Salt Lake City apartment.
He was in critical condition Saturday night at LDS Hospital with wounds to the abdomen, chest and arm, said Salt Lake City police Lt. Dave Cracroft.
About 1:15 a.m., a 35-year-old man kicked his way into an apartment at 1168 S. 500 East and assaulted a man living there, said police Lt. Gary Layton. The resident's grown son retrieved a small-caliber pistol and shot the intruder, Cracroft said. The shooting victim ran to a nearby residence, where he fell in the yard.
Layton said the shooting appears to have been in self-defense and the gunman has not been arrested. He didn't know what spurred the alleged home invasion.
Labels: assault, home invasion, UT
12/7/06
Salt Lake City, Utah
From Salt Lake City’s KSL.com of December 6, 2006
Concealed Weapon Keeps Man Safe in Attempted Carjacking
A Salt Lake City man says his gun saved his life today when a man threatened to take his car. It's a story that adds fuel to the debate over Utah's concealed weapons law.
The suspect in this case has not been caught-yet. It's probably fair to say he'll think twice before ever threatening to steal someone's car again.
Even when running errands, just like he was doing this morning, Mike Taylor is on guard.
Mike Taylor, Concealed Weapon Carrier: "The police have their hands full with everything and I don't think they could be every place at once."
So Taylor was ready when, he says, a man threatened to steal his car.
Mike Taylor: "Finally he told me he was going to kill me and take my car for himself. At that point I felt like he was going to kill me and I feared for my life so I drew my firearm and called police."
He never fired a shot. Clark Aposhian, Bureau of Criminal Identification Chairman says that is what usually happens.
Clark Aposhian, Chairman BCI Board: "We have not seen any type of pattern of abuse or escalation of these types of robberies. We haven't seen blood in the street that a lot of my adversaries or detractors would talk about."
Maura Carabello, with the Gun Violence Prevention Center, believes Utah's permit laws are lax.
Maura Carabello, Gun Violence Prevention Center of Utah: "They could injure themselves, often not well equipped psychologically; they often don't know how to shoot or handle a weapon with proficiency."
She says what happened to Taylor is the best possible outcome, but not always the norm.
Maura Carabello: "My reaction in general, though, is we are lucky. We are lucky the permit holder is safe."
Taylor says he has carried the permit for six years; he didn't think he'd need to use it this morning.
Labels: carjacking, concealed carry permit, UT
12/1/06
Woodside, Utah
First hand account by Dennis Udink, November 19, 2006:
I think my handgun saved my life today. I'll never know for sure what would have happened if I hadn't been carrying it, but I'm certainly glad that I carry it with me everywhere I go. Bear with me folks, this is gonna be a long story.
This morning, I took Michael and Bradley out for a little hike near the base of the Book Cliffs about 3.5 miles northeast of Woodside, where I had been thinking about placing a geocache. We had driven about three miles from the highway on a rough dirt road, and parked where the road ended. We were in the middle of nowhere. From the point where the road ends, there is an old pack trail that winds back and forth to the east all the way to the top of the Book Cliffs. The trail climbs about 1,000 vertical feet in a very short horizontal distance, and we hiked about 1/4 of the way up the trail before it became too steep and rugged for the kids. A few minutes after we'd turned around and were heading back to the truck, I noticed that somebody was standing next to the truck, and we were still about 0.4 miles away. There were no other vehicles in sight, so I assumed that the guy was on foot, and I couldn't figure out what in the hell he was doing in the middle of nowhere on foot. I could barely see what he was doing, but he was snooping around the truck and he even climbed into the truck bed. I was really freaked out, and I yelled down and told him to get the hell away from my truck. I'm not sure if he could even understand me, but I'm sure that he heard me.
He ducked out of sight behind the truck for a minute--I think he was in the truck bed again--then he reappeared and was walking around the side of the truck. I yelled at him again, and he stopped to look up toward me for a few seconds, then went on looking into my truck (luckily, it was locked). At that point I knew that we were in trouble, because if some guy knows that I'm nearby and he continues messing with my truck, he's probably crazy. My voice commands to leave the truck alone went unheeded, so I pulled my handgun out of its holster, told the kids to plug their ears, and fired a round into the ground in the opposite direction from the guy at the truck. I certainly got his attention, but he still didn't leave immediately. He did stop to look up at me again, but then I saw his arm come down in a sweeping motion toward the right-rear tire, and I could hear the air suddenly escaping. He walked to the other side of the truck and slashed the left-rear tire, then he walked off heading south.
Labels: street property theft, UT
9/5/06
Taylorsville, Utah
From Salt Lake City’s ABC4.com of September 4, 2006
Taylorsville man shot in self-defense, prosecutors say
He called it self-defense and prosecutors agreed with him. Two weeks ago, Ryan McManigal fired at alleged intruders at his home.
He went outside in pursuit and fired more shots. Three stray bullets went into the homes of neighbors. "I did what I had to do man, got to protect your house," McManigal told ABC4 News. "They were going to try and kill me."
This week the Salt Lake District Attorney determined that McManigal was justified in protecting himself.
McManigal said the intruders were one time friends. He said one of the men, Randy Harvey got into a fight and nearly broke the jaw of his room mate. He said Harvey left but returned with two more men. He claimed Harvey tried to break down his door.
So he fired warning shots. Then he fired at Harvey, hitting him in the ankle. He also shot at Ricky Archuleta, hitting him in the back of the leg. "I was aiming at the legs I didn't want to kill them," McManigal said. "Once I felt they were going to attack me I just shot at them."
At the time, James Doan was watering his lawn. One of the bullets hit his fence. Another bullet flew by him, missing him by inches. Doan's upset the man who nearly shot him wasn't charged. "Very upset because we're talking about life here," said James Doan.
And other neighbors who didn't want to appear on camera are also angry that McManigal isn't being charged. "I don't think any kind of violence is good especially to go out on the streets especially with people around," Doan said.
McManigal said he never aimed for his neighbors and that the bullet must have bounced off the sidewalk. "It was from a reflection off the driveway," he said. "It wasn't like I was shooting in the air shooting at the house, I feel bad for that."
Prosecutors did file charges against Harvey and Archuleta for burglary and assault.
Labels: assault, residence burglary, UT
8/15/06
Midvale, Utah
From Salt Lake City’s KUTV.com of August 15, 2006
(Great surveillance video of scumbags turning tail and fleeing)
Armed Robber Picks The Wrong Pawn Shop To Hold Up
A man attempting to rob City Pawn decided that wasn't such a good idea when he discovered the clerk at the shop happened to be putting away a gun at the time.
Dumb luck you might call it, the owner of the shop here happened to be putting his guns in the glass case right as the robbers busted in. So he turned the tables on them.
City Pawn owner Bill Marinos says “it’s scary I’ve never experienced that before.”
Bill Marinos is still reeling from a shocking morning. A few minutes after he opened his store some unwelcome customers walked in; three men intent on robbing the place.
Surveillance cameras caught their every move.
Marinos says they, “pulled out the gun, cocked it, pointed it at me.”
Strange coincidence, right then, Bill was pulling out his guns for sale and putting them in the case. He raised the one in his hand and pointed right back at the burglar.
Marinos says the lead robber swore, “and ran out the door.”
He caught the robbers completely off-guard. One hardly made it over the threshold of the door before he was spun around and headed back out.
Bill ran out after them and saw them jump in a getaway car he was able to give police a detailed description.
Sgt. Ken Jarvis of the Midvale Police says, “the suspect vehicle is a red Mitsubishi Eclipse with a spoiler and tinted windows.”
Bill thinks the three men had been in his store the week before casing it. He says he's never wanted to pull a gun on anyone.
“It was more just trying to protect myself,” says Marinos, “protect my store and protect myself.”
This is the first time bill's faced a robber. He's been in the pawn business for 10 years and always has a loaded gun under the counter like a lot of pawn shops, probably not the wisest target for a robbery.
Labels: business robbery, UT
7/27/06
Cedar City, Utah
From Salt Lake City’s Deseret News of July 27, 2006
Deadly shooting in RV probedFrom the St. George Spectrum of September 13, 2006
Police say man forced way into motor home
Police are investigating a deadly shooting inside an RV parked outside a Wal-Mart store in Cedar City.
Police said about 9:47 p.m. Tuesday, a man had knocked on the door of an RV that was parked overnight in the store parking lot. A family of four from Cane Coral, Fla., was inside.
Investigators said the man forced his way into the motor home.
"The tourists inside were in fear for their life," Sgt. Jerry Womack told the Deseret Morning News on Wednesday. "There was a scuffle inside the motor home and the man shot (the intruder) in the head with a shotgun."
On Wednesday, detectives were questioning the family, who had been traveling through the area and stopped for the night.
Womack said detectives were looking into whether alcohol was involved in the confrontation.
"We believe he (the shooting victim) might have been intoxicated," he said. An autopsy was being performed on Wednesday.
Police identified the dead man as Steven Stubbs, 26, of Cedar City.
Stubbs has been convicted of speeding, alcohol violations and interfering with a police arrest, according to records in Cedar City's 5th District Court.
The Cedar City Police Department said Wednesday it was investigating if the use of deadly force is justified. The Iron County Attorney is expected to make a final determination.
No charges filed in shooting case
Iron County Attorney Scott Garrett decided Tuesday to not file charges in a July 25 shooting that occurred in a Wal-Mart parking lot leaving a 26-year-old Cedar City man dead.
After reviewing the case, Garrett determined the force used in the incident was justifiable, and that Carl Coltellino acted in self-defense.
"We just looked at the facts in the case and what the law requires," he said.
The decision comes seven weeks after Steven Stubbs was shot in the head with a shotgun outside the Coltellino's motor home.
The Coltellino family - Carl, Tracy and their two young girls - was traveling through Cedar City on vacation from Florida and decided to spend the night in the Wal-Mart parking lot.
"It's a tragic case," Garrett said. "I feel bad for all the people involved."
Stubbs allegedly knocked on the door of the motor home, and, after entering it, wouldn't leave.
"He wanted to go south," said the Florida mom, Tracy Coltellino, at the time of the incident.
But the Coltellinos tried to make Stubbs leave by shouting and shoving him, she said.
And, after the 26-year-old Cedar City resident wouldn't leave, Carl pulled out a 12-gauge shotgun, which Stubbs allegedly tried to take from the Florida man.
"The fact that he tried to take the gun from him in his home is a pretty key factor," Garrett said.
The report that Stubbs allegedly entered the motor home without permission was another important factor in determining justifiable force.
"There was really nothing that suggested otherwise," Garrett said. "He had two daughters, and he was trying to protect him and his family as well."
(More)
Labels: home invasion, UT
3/14/06
Salt Lake City, Utah
From the March 11, 2006 Salt Lake Tribune:
Police investigate shooting incident in alleyA legally questionable use. If the intruder hadn't been trying to force entry, I would not have included this as a defensive use.
Salt Lake City police on Friday continued to investigate a man who shot at someone who tried to break into his house on Thursday. About 2 p.m., a man heard someone trying to gain entry through the back door of his house, in the 800 South block of Edison Street (145 East), with a crow bar, according to police. Upon realizing he had been discovered, the would-be burglar fled to a nearby truck and drove south through an alley. The man fired a gun at the truck, according to police. Utah law is unclear on whether a homeowner can use deadly force against an intruder who has fled the homeowner's property.
Labels: residence burglary, UT
2/1/06
Layton, Utah
From Salt Lake City’s The Deseret News of February 1, 2006
Intruder is shot in alleged burglary
A victim of an alleged burglary turned a gun on the intruder, sending him to the hospital Tuesday morning.
Police said a man was asleep in his apartment, near 600 West and 1400 North, when he heard a knock at the door about 2 a.m. When he answered the door, no one was there and the next thing he knew, a man had broken the window and was climbing into the apartment, Layton Assistant Chief of Police Craig Gibson said.
The man grabbed his gun and yelled at the intruder, later identified as 19-year-old Eleazer Maya, to leave, and when he didn't comply, shots were fired.
"He shot about nine rounds and struck him three times, two in the leg and one time in the hand," Gibson said.
Gibson said Maya told police he thought it was his own apartment and that the relative living with him just wasn't letting him in. He said Maya may have been intoxicated at the time.
Maya was treated at a local hospital and later booked into the Davis County Jail on alleged charges of burglary.
Labels: residence burglary, UT
11/17/05
Salt Lake City, Utah
From Salt Lake City’s KSL.com of November 16, 2005
Man Caught After Picking Wrong House to Burglarize
A man in is [sic] jail after picking the wrong house to burglarize.
Some homeowners rely on a security system to keep them safe. Others may have a watch dog. Jeffrey Boland takes care of things on his own.
Jeffrey Boland, Stopped Burglar: “I had the gun at him..pointed right at him and i [sic] told him twice before he stopped."
Boland and his wife heard a noise upstairs around five o'clock Wednesday morning. He grabbed his gun, walked up the hallway and discovered the intruder.
Jeffrey Boland, Stopped Burglar: "He turned around and started running toward me. I told him to stop...told him I had a gun and that I would shoot him but he still kept coming toward me. I hollered at him again..'I got a gun..stop or I’ll shoot you' finally, he stopped and looked at me and realized I had a gun and was serious."
Boland's wife was calling 9-1-1.
Dispatch: "Your husband is holding this person down?" Caller: "Well, he has a gun on him. and he's sitting in the front room on the floor."
Jeffrey Boland, Stopped Burglar: "My wife and kids were going through my mind and I knew I’d do whatever I needed to do to keep them safe."
Boland kept his head and held the gun at the intruder until sheriff's deputies arrived. But the situation overwhelmed his wife.
Jeffrey Boland, Stopped Burglar: "With all the commotion she got excited and passed out on the phone with 9-1-1."
Dispatch: What's going on there?......hello?
Deputies found keys to Boland's house and RV in the suspect’s pockets, and the keys to a car he allegedly stole parked outside.
Boland believes his life would have been in jeopardy had he not had the gun.
"He was probably within 6 feet and I told him if you don't stop now I’m going to shoot you."
Boland suspects the man entered his home through an unlocked back door, and took the keys off his refrigerator.
The suspect is behind bars now. Deputies say he injected heroin sometime before the attempted burglary.
Labels: residence burglary, UT
8/27/05
Taylorsville, Utah
From the Salt Lake Tribune of August 27, 2005
Taylorsville man shoots brother
A 24-year-old Taylorsville man, who shot his sword-wielding younger brother during a fight Thursday morning, was questioned by authorities and released after it was determined the man acted in self-defense. Eric Johnston shot 19-year-old Prentiss Johnston in the chest when Prentiss lunged at Eric with a 3-foot sword, Taylorsville police Sgt. Rosie Rivera said. The fight occurred just after 5 a.m. in the 2200 West block of Whitaker Drive. Prentiss Johnston was flown to LDS Hospital in critical condition where he was later upgraded to serious. Investigators detained and questioned Eric Johnston at the home. He was later released after officers decided the shooting was self-defense, Rivera said. No charges have been filed, but the case remains under investigation.
Labels: domestic dispute, UT
7/28/05
St. George, Utah
From Salt Lake City’s KSL.com of July 28, 2005
Resident With Concealed Gun Scares Away RobberAlso covered in the July 29, 2005 Salt Lake City Tribune, which mentions that the shooter had a concealed weapon permit.
A resident told police he used his concealed gun to chase away a knife-wielding robber in downtown St. George.
The resident suffered a minor cut on his neck, police Lt. Mark Brklacich said.
He said the man had cashed a check at about 1:45 p.m. Tuesday at the EZ Cash drive-up window. As he pulled into traffic, he saw a man near a dark SUV waving him over.
Thinking the man was having car problems and needed help, he pulled over.
The resident said the assailant approached him, put a knife against his neck and demanded money.
But the resident "reached down and pulled out his concealed weapon and pointed it toward the suspect," Brklacich said.
The robber ran back to his own vehicle and drove away. He remained at large.
Labels: concealed carry permit, street robbery, UT
11/26/04
Midvale, Utah
From the Salt Lake City Deseret News of November 21, 2004
Homeowner with gun holds 2 burglars at bay
Police say two men who attempted to burglarize a Midvale home Friday were met by the homeowner — and his shotgun.
According to Midvale police, the men broke into the home, located near 200 East and 6900 South, just before 11:30 p.m. Friday. They were then confronted by the home's owner, who held them at bay with a shotgun until police arrived, said Sgt. Ken Jarvis. No shots were fired.
Jarvis said the men began resisting orders while standing on the home's front porch, prompting police to unleash their police dog. One man was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail, while the other was taken to a local hospital for treatment of dog bites.
The men, ages 24 and 29, are being investigated for residential burglary,
Labels: residence burglary, UT
8/7/04
Salt Lake City, Utah
From the Salt Lake Tribune of August 6 2004
Homeowner shoots intruder crawling through dog door
He tried coming in through a dog door early Thursday and got a shot - but not the kind that protects against rabies.
Scott Frankhauser attempted to enter a home near 5100 South and 2900 East, where his estranged wife and children are living.
But the home's owner, seeing that the creature crawling through the dog door was not a canine, shot Frankhauser, said Salt Lake County sheriff's Sgt. Rosie Rivera.
Frankhauser, 33, was treated at Cottonwood Hospital for injuries to his forearm and later booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on suspicion of two counts of burglary and one count of theft, Rivera said.
The homeowner was not arrested but the shooting remained under investigation Thursday afternoon, she said.
5/26/04
Logan, Utah
From Salt Lake City's KSL.com of May 26, 2004
Courier Clobbers Would-be Robber
A would-be robber pepper-sprayed a money courier, who then clobbered him with his gun and held him at gunpoint until officers arrived, police said.
The Loomis Fargo and Co. courier, Tyler Kerby, 23, "is more of a hero than anything," Logan Police Capt. Eric Collins said.
Jason C. Wiberg, 35, Hyrum, was arrested Tuesday afternoon at the Wells Fargo bank branch where the courier had been trying to deliver cash.
Another courier waiting outside in the armored car wasn't aware of the attack, police said.
Police transported Wiberg to Logan Regional Hospital, where he was treated for the wound to his head.
Kerby was treated at the scene, and was not hospitalized.
Labels: street robbery, UT
11/10/03
This Is What Gun Control Advocates Are Trying To Stop...
when they oppose wider issuance of concealed weapon permits. From the Northwest Indiana Times:
MERRILLVILLE -- A 28-year-old Gary woman said she knew what it meant Tuesday when she noticed the man holding a gun to her head was wearing gloves.Funny, but I just received an email from a well-known academic who claimed that legitimate defensive gun uses are quite rare.
She figured she was going to die.
"I've called police on him before. He's tried to threaten me and my entire family. ... He was going to kill me," she said. "He's a friend who wanted to be more than a friend, and it's not possible."
But, the outcome of the incident took a turn when the woman pulled out her own 9 mm pistol and shot her abductor in the mouth, police said.
...
The woman said she was sitting in her car about 9 p.m. at CVS Pharmacy, 5301 Broadway, when two men in another vehicle blocked her car from moving.
A security officer came out of the pharmacy, and the men moved their vehicle, she said. But once the security guard went back inside the building, the men allegedly blocked her vehicle again and forced her into their car at gunpoint.
She said they then drove to an isolated wooded area in Gary and parked, with one of the men continuing to point a gun at her head.
While they were still in the car, a man came out of a nearby house and approached the vehicle.
She said while her abductor rolled down the car window and was momentarily distracted, she pulled out a handgun she had on her hip.
UPDATE: Ah, what the heck. I'll start adding to this entry with all the defensive gun shooting outside of the victim's home, so that I can provide a detailed list for this supposed scholar that such incidents are actually quite common. For example, this incident from September 23.
Lopez allegedly raised a gun toward Hyatt as Hyatt tried to leave the scene with the woman in her car. Hyatt stopped the car, got out and shot the victim in the chest with his .44-caliber Magnum.
"He was either going to shoot at her or at him," said Crowley, adding that interviews with witnesses substantiate Hyatt's claim that the shooting was self-defense. "Everything right now points to justifiable homicide."
Crowley said the man then fired at Hyatt but missed, leading to Hyatt's second shot, which hit the man's lower torso. The man died at the scene. His girlfriend, who ran when the shooting began, returned to the scene when police arrived.
On September 16 in Buffalo, New York.
A gunman attempting to rob a Northland Avenue convenience store is dead after he fired a shot at a clerk Monday afternoon and the store owner returned fire, hitting him in the head, police said.On September 13:
The dead man was identified as Jason A. Cramer, 18, of Gibson Street. Cramer was arrested last month in the robbery of a Fillmore Avenue grocery store at gunpoint and was later released from jail.
PROVO — The wrong end of a gun barrel wasn't what the man who was attempting to rob the Provo Greyhound Freight and Travel depot was expecting Thursday afternoon.
But that's the position a 27-year-old Orem man was facing after demanding money from Scott Windhorst, the independent owner of the Greyhound station at 124 N. 300 West. A concealed weapons permit holder, Windhorst said he didn't hesitate in pulling out his pistol instead of forking out the company's cash.
Labels: concealed carry permit, IN, NY, UT
