Civilian Gun Self-Defense Blog

Business owner shoots intruder

A store owner shot and wounded a man who broke into his business on West Fifth Street Monday morning, police said.

The names of the men involved were not available.

The shooting was reported between 3 and 4 a.m. at The Auction House, said Lt. Johnny Barnes of the Lumberton Police Department.

The man who broke in threatened the store owner with a tire iron, Barnes said. The owner then shot the man in the leg, Barnes said.

The wounded man was taken to Southeastern Regional Medical Center, Barnes said.

The wounded man will be charged with breaking and entering, Barnes said.

The district attorney will decide if any charges should be filed against the business owner, Barnes said.

Labels: assault, NC

One dead after botched home invasion

Deputies say at least one gunman was killed in an early-morning home invasion near Wagram.

Anthony Martin, of Kale Street in Wagram, was shot to death in the failed robbery attempt while two others masked men fled, according to Shep Jones. The sheriff's department did not have Martin's age.

Investigators say one of the robbers was 40-year old William Anthony Strickland, according to Jones. The last-known address for Strickland is 9539 Springview Road in Charlotte. Jones would not say how Strickland was identified as a suspect.

Warrants were obtained for Stricklands arrest on charges of robbery, burglary and felony assault.

Investigators have not released information on the third suspect.

Jones said the trio entered the home of 62-year Edmond Cooper at 23296 Wagram Street at about 12:30 a.m. through the back door, which had been left unlocked.

Debbie Cooper, Edmond's wife, was still up and a suspect knocked her out by striking her over the head. The men then entered the room of the Coopers' 15-year old son. The suspects used ziploc ties to restrain the juvenile. The three men then entered the hallway of the residence, according to Jones.

"Edmond Cooper came out of the bedroom with a gun," Jones said. "He fired several shots, hitting one of the suspects."

He said the two suspects left standing returned fire, while fleeing from the residence.

"Mr. Cooper was shot in the hand," Jones said.

Martin was dead when emergency personnel arrived on the scene, according to Jones. Edmond Cooper was taken to the hospital, where he was treated and released.

Jones said the two suspects may have fled with $1,000 from the residence.

"It shows the times we're living in when families are at home, where they are supposed to be safe, and they are violated," Jones said.

Wagram police have assisted the sheriff's department in this case.

If you know the whereabouts of William Anthony Strickland or have information on the third suspect, contact the Scotland County Sheriff's Department at 276-3385 or anonymously report your tip to Scotland Crime Stoppers at 291-3333.

Labels: assault, home invasion, NC

Police: Suspect treated for gunshot wound then jailed

A man was treated for a gunshot wound to his leg then taken to the Wichita County Jail on assault charges in connection with an incident Monday, said Officer Harold McClure, public information officer with the Wichita Falls Police Department.

Perrion Lavell Warrior, 46, was charged with three counts of aggravated assault family violence in connection with the incident. His bond was set at $60,000 and he was being held Tuesday in the Wichita County Jail.

According to reports:

Police were called to the 500 block of Marconi to check on reports of shots fired about 10 p.m.

Officers talked to a 44-year-old woman who said she was threatened by her live-in boyfriend. She said he was intoxicated and they were arguing in the bedroom.

Her 24-year-old daughter lives next door and came over when she heard the commotion. At about the same time, the victim’s 22-year-old son showed up.

The woman’s children arrived and found the suspect holding a knife to the woman’s throat.

Both children asked the suspect to put the knife down and tried to get him to leave. He threatened them, and said they would all be dead before he left.

The son left the room, came back with a handgun, and shot Warrior once in the left leg.

The suspect was taken to the emergency room in a private vehicle, where police took him into custody and then to jail. His injury was not considered life threatening.

The assault victim’s son does not face any charges for the incident because the shooting was considered self-defense.

Labels: assault, domestic dispute, intoxication, TX

Cell Phone Protects Clerk From Knife Attack in Robbery

A Georgia liquor store clerk credits his police officer son with giving him two life-saving gifts — a cell phone and a gun.

Joseph Wescott says the phone he slipped into his shirt pocket stopped a knife to his chest when a robbery suspect attacked him at the store in a northern Atlanta suburb. He then reached under the counter for the .40-caliber handgun and shot the man.

"The knife that he had looked like it was about 10-foot long," the 67-year-old Wescott exclaimed.

When the suspect lunged at Wescott, he fell back and the knife struck the battery area of the phone, the clerk said. He then fired one shot at the man Monday night.

"That was the first time I had ever fired that gun," he said.

Police said Carlos JeanPeirre, 34, is recovering from non-life threatening wounds and faces multiple charges including aggravated assault and attempted robbery.

Wescott's son, Jason, said he gave both gifts to his father to keep him safe.

"Something like that can happen in a split second and it's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it," Jason Wescott said.

After the attack, Joseph Wescot said he used his cell phone to call 911.

Labels: assault, business robbery, GA

Grand jury: city homicide justifiable

The Weatherford home owner who shot and killed an intruder in March will not face criminal charges, a Parker County Grand Jury recently determined.

After hearing a full offense report, which included witness statements and evidence, jurors declined to indict the elderly shooter.

Weatherford police presented the case April 16. The homicide, which occurred in the 500 block of South Rusk Street, occurred shortly after 1 a.m. on March 4.

On the morning of the incident, Robert Earl Bardwell, 57, of Weatherford, was shot multiple times after police say he forced entry into a residence and started assaulting the elderly owner’s 34-year-old son.

The home owner, identified as a 66-year-old white male, reportedly attempted to warn Bardwell by firing one shot from an automatic pistol into the ceiling. However, when the assailant failed to heed the warning and continued to assault his son, police say the father shot the intruder several times, fatally wounding him.

According to police, Bardwell was estranged from a relationship with a female subject in the home at the time of the incident.

Following the incident, police declined to identify the shooter and his son because neither man was arrested.

Labels: assault, home invasion, TX

Robbery Suspect Dies After Being Shot By Property Owner

A Polk County man shot at two robbery suspects Tuesday morning when he thought they were going to run him down.

One of the suspects was hit in the head and died, and the other is still at large.

The incident happened near a citrus grove on Rifle Range Road in the Wahneta area of Winter Haven.

Property owner Jamie Jones heard a commotion outside while working inside his shed just before dawn.

Jones told detectives a man and woman were driving away in his Land Rover. He said after they saw him, they tried to run him over.

Fearing for his life, Jones pulled the trigger.

One of the bullets hit 21-year-old Nikki McCormick in the head. While she lay bleeding in the passenger seat, the male suspect fled on foot.

McCormick was rushed to the hospital where she later died.

Detectives aren't sure if the male suspect was hit. The property owner last saw him limping down a nearby street.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office searched for him by air and ground for hours but did not locate him. The sheriff's office hasn't been able to identify him.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd says Jones likely won't face charges, and he offers a warning to other would-be robbers.

"The word to the criminal is first -- quit being a criminal, quit stealing," Judd said. "But if you're breaking into someone's house, the homeowner is very likely to shoot you."

Labels: assault, FL, trespassing

Shootings found to be self-defense

Spartanburg County deputies determined that a man who shot two people Monday night outside his residence was acting in self-defense and charged the two men on Tuesday.

Daniel Scott Byrd, 22, of 115 Keith Street, Greer and Josh Duncan, 24, of 207 Church St., Wellford were each charged with one count of assault and battery.

Byrd's stomach was grazed by a bullet and Duncan was struck in the buttocks during a fight Monday night outside a Keith Street residence.

Larry James Pruitt Jr., 41, told deputies that a group of people were causing "a bad ruckus" outside his home and he asked them to keep it down. Pruitt said Byrd and Duncan then came into his yard and began choking and assaulting him.

Pruitt said he pulled a revolver from his pocket and fired several times, then ran into his home, reloaded his gun and waited for deputies.

Multiple people who said they witnessed the incident told deputies Pruitt was truthful about what happened.

When the deputy arrived, Duncan and Byrd were still on the ground outside of Pruitt's home.

Labels: assault, SC

Authorities say fatal shooting was self defense

Authorities say they believe a 49-year-old woman shot and killed her 26-year-old boyfriend in self defense Sunday morning in Denham Springs.

Mark Lockwood was dead at his girlfriend's home when deputies arrived and a spokesman for the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office says Suzanne White told them Lockwood had put a knife to her throat and demanded that she tell him the location of the gun used in the shooting.

She told authorities she convinced him to remove the knife from her throat, but he was still holding it when she reached the gun and shot him.

Investigators believe White shot Lockwood in self defense and Jason Ard, a spokesman for the sheriff's office, said no charges have been filed.

Labels: assault, female, LA

Man who assisted wounded store owner says he knows the suspect in Leonard Short Stop robbery

When Amos Bell spotted the owner of the Leonard Short Stop chasing a masked gunman Tuesday morning, he didn't hesitate to help.

He got out of the car he was riding in, and gave chase.

"(The owner) was running up the street with a gun," said Bell, 18. "I knew it wasn't going to be nothing good."

Bell and the owner, who had been shot in the leg in the 10:40 a.m. holdup, lost sight of the robber, but police caught the suspect a half-hour later hiding in some bushes. Police brought Bell and the hobbled owner, whose name wasn't released, to the scene of the capture to identify the robber.

Once there, it got a little more complicated for Bell: Not only was he a friend to the store owner, stopping to chat every day, but he knew the alleged robber, too.

"It was one of my buddies, that's the bad thing about it," Bell said. "A guy I'm cool with."

Still, he said, he could not defend the robbery, particularly hitting the store, at 1038 Leonard St. NW, that serves the neighborhood and seems to sell virtually everything.

"He's a nice guy," Bell said of the store's owner. "This is the corner store. He's just trying to help us out."

Police caught up to the suspect just after 11 a.m., and found a handgun, too. Officers were responding to a call that a store owner, armed with a long gun, was chasing a man who had just shot him.

The owner told Bell that he was shot in the leg when he refused the robber's demand for cash. Police recovered the $800 reported stolen.

The owner returned to his store after Tuesday's shooting, walking with a limp and the sides of his denims slit for examination by paramedics. Awaiting ambulances soon left after the man said he didn't need to go to the hospital, Bell said.

The store remained closed after Tuesday's shooting.

Labels: assault, business robbery, defender shot, MI

Couple Shoots, Stabs Intruder

Deputies said a man who attempted to rob a Spartanburg couple ended up shot, stabbed and arrested.

Spartanburg County deputies responded to a call of an attempted robbery at a home on West Croft Circle.

Travis Morrow, who lives in the house, and his girlfriend, Aiyetoro Ross, told deputies two men tried to rob them.

Morrow said as he struggled to disarm one of the men, the gun discharged, and hit the suspect. Ross grabbed a knife from the kitchen and stabbed the suspect. Both of the robbery suspects then ran from the house.

Deputies were later called to Mary Black Hospital where man had come into the Emergency Room suffering from a gunshot injury and a stab wound.

The injured man was identified as 20-year-old Ronald Deshawn Rice, of Spartanburg. Rice is charged with one count of attempted armed robbery and two counts of assault with intent to kill.

The second suspect has been identified as 24-year-old Ryan Dwight Ross of Pacolet, SC. He is also charged with one count of attempted armed robbery and two counts of assault with intent to kill.

Labels: assault, criminal's gun taken away and used against him, residence robbery, SC

LR Man Defends Wife, Wounds Would-Be Robber

A trip to Wal-Mart on Cantrell Road ended in a violent struggle for a Little Rock couple.

It happened around 11:20 p.m. Monday night in a Wal-Mart parking lot off Cantrell Rd and Chenal Parkway.

Police say the couple tried to get away from the man, but when it didn't work, they took action.

Monday night, Jamie Bitely left the store and walked into what police say was a couple turning the tables on a would-be robber.

"The first thing I heard was the first gun shot and that's when I turned to see what was going on," says Bitely.

"That's when I saw the man who was apparently the victim and I seen him fire the his fire arm [SIC] a couple more times at that time that's when I laid down on the ground until the shots stop," says Bitely.

According to the police report, a husband and wife were unloading groceries into their Jeep when a man wearing a wig and cap allegedly confronted them, pointing a gun. At that point, the report says the suspect said "'This is a robbery'" and went after the woman's purse.

Police say the suspect allegedly hit the woman and ripped the bag from the woman's arm. Police say that's when her husband took action.

Sgt. Cassandra Davis says the husband fired at Jonathan Terry, hitting him in the rear end.

"The husband than retrieved his own personal weapon. He did ask the suspect to release his wife and the purse. The suspect refused," says Sgt. Davis.

Police say Terry jumped into a waiting car and his friends, Sherry Battle and Tequila Rice drove him to UAMS. "They were at the hospital and our officers took those individuals into custody also," explains Sgt. Davis.

All three are facing Aggravated Robbery Charges. This news put some witnesses like David Rollins only slightly at ease. "I'm a little bit more scared going to Wal-Mart late at night," says Rollins.

Police say Battles and Rice fought with officers and are also facing battery charges.

Today's THV has the couple's names, but since they haven't been charged with a crime, we've decided not to mention them to protect their privacy.

Labels: AR, assault, concealed carry permit, street robbery

One burglar shot, another stabbed in Woodbridge

Police say one burglar was shot and another stabbed breaking into a Woodbridge home Sunday night.

James Baumann Jr., 28, and Jason Lewis Presley, 32, are accused in a burglary in the 15100 block of Georgia Road about 11:30 p.m. Police say one of them was armed with a knife.

The 41-year-old resident of the house heard the burglars and went to investigate, said Erika Hernandez, Prince William police spokeswoman.

When the victim saw the two men, a fight ensued. Police said the resident grabbed a knife from one of the burglars and stabbed him.

Baumann suffered stab wounds and the victim had cuts on various parts of his body, Hernandez said.

After fighting one burglar, the victim grabbed his shotgun and shot the second burglar as he attempted to run.

All three men were all taken to the hospital.

Presley and the resident were treated for their injuries. The resident was released.

Baumann remained hospitalized Monday suffering life-threatening injuries.

Presley, of 14205 Chesterfield Road in Woodbridge, was charged with burglary while armed with the intent to commit larceny.

He was held without bond and is scheduled to appear in court on April, 29.

Warrants were obtained for Baumann, of 1302 Oregon Avenue in Woodbridge, charging him with malicious wounding and burglary while armed with the intent to commit larceny.

Hernandez said an investigation is ongoing.

Labels: assault, home invasion, VA

Woman kills home invader; 2 men booked

Two men have been booked on charges stemming from a home invasion that ended when a Ville Platte homeowner shot and killed a 19-year-old man she said had pulled a gun on her boyfriend, police said Friday.

Gavin Herbert, 18, and Charles Grace, 34, both of Ville Platte, were held on $500,000 bond each in connection with the home invasion late Tuesday that left 19-year-old Antonio Thompson dead, said police Lt. Craig Nicholas.

Herbert is accused of participating in the holdup and home invasion while Grace was suspected of planning it, Nicholas added.

He said Herbert was booked on seven counts of aggravated kidnapping, and one each of armed robbery and aggravated burglary, and Grace on 10 counts of conspiracy: seven of conspiracy to commit aggravated kidnapping, two to commit aggravated burglary and one to commit armed robbery.

According to police, Herbert and Thompson broke into one house Tuesday, waited for residents to return, robbed homeowner Kaninsky Larnette and then took him at gunpoint to the home of Nedra Gallow, his girlfriend.

Gallow, 24, said in a publish account that she answered a knock and found Thompson holding a gun to Larnette.

"He ordered us to get on the floor. He hit me with his gun," Gallow told The Advertiser. "My mama started screaming. He pushed her down, and I ran to get the gun to protect myself and my family."

She and Thompson pointed their guns at each other, she said, and she ordered him to leave.

She said Larnette then grabbed Thompson. While they wrestled on the floor, she shot Thompson once in the leg, according to the report. She also said Larnette grabbed the other man's gun, but she was afraid Thompson had another.

"He kept digging in his pocket like he was going for another gun, and I shot him again," Gallow told The Advertiser. "I was not trying to kill anyone. I hated to do it. But I had to."

Labels: assault, female, home invasion, LA, residence robbery

Alleged intruder shot, killed in Rusk Street home

The victim of an early morning shooting had reportedly broken into a house on South Rusk Street and was assaulting a 34-year-old male in the home, when a resident shot and killed the alleged assailant. Robert Earl Bardwell was pronounced dead at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds.
Weatherford Police report officers were dispatched to the 500 block of South Rusk Street at approximately 1:13 a.m. in regards to the shooting. 
The initial investigation showed Bardwell went into the house without consent of the resident and assaulted his 34-year-old son. 
The resident, identified as a 66-year-old white male, attempted to warn the assailant by firing one shot from an automatic pistol into the ceiling. However, when Bardwell reportedly failed to heed the warning and continued to assault his son; the resident shot the intruder, fatally wounding him.
Police say the 66-year-old has not been arrested.
Whether the shooting was self-defense or a criminal offense will be determined by the Grand Jury.

Labels: assault, home invasion, TX

FERRIS – The Ellis County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a shooting incident that occurred before noon in the 200 block of Newton Road near Ferris.

Sheriff Johnny Brown said the homeowners were in the process of moving when they returned to the residence to pick up another load of belongings. En route, they observed two male suspects coming out of the residence.

As the two suspects went to drive away in an SUV later identified by authorities as stolen, the male homeowner exited his pickup to ask them what they were doing.

The suspect vehicle then struck the homeowner’s pickup and the homeowner, who suffered slight injuries.

“The homeowner opened fire on them at that point,” Brown said.

The suspect vehicle then struck another vehicle that the homeowner’s wife had exited before going out into a field and coming to a stop.

“The passenger got out and ran. The driver-suspect was transported by air ambulance with gunshot wounds,” Brown said.

Labels: assault, residence burglary, TX

Resident Spots Intruder, Fires Shot

A Sacramento resident confronted an alleged burglar in a back yard and fired a gunshot, but the intruder fled and it was not clear if anyone was hurt, police said.

A police report said a resident of 2600 block of Ensenada Way saw someone with a flashlight in the home's yard shortly after 1 a.m. Friday.

The resident told police he believed someone was trying to break into a shed behind the residence.

Authorities said the resident grabbed a handgun and went outside to confront the intruder.

The intruder cut the resident in the face with an unknown weapon and the resident responded by firing one shot in self-defense.

The intruder left. Police said it was not known if the intruder was injured, adding that no blood trail was found.

Labels: assault, CA, trespassing

Store clerk pistol whips would-be robber

A 51-year-old man who police say was pistol-whipped by a convenience store owner Monday night is in the New Hanover County jail, officials said Tuesday. Donald Leroy Frazier of Wilmington is charged with assault with a deadly weapon, according to a statement from Officer Crystal Williamson of the Wilmington Police Department. Officers responded to the Chestnut Food Market at 10:50 p.m. and found Frazier lying on his back in front of the business, bleeding from his face. The store clerk told officers Frazier pulled a knife and pointed it close to the clerk’s chest, according to the police statement. The clerk pulled a pistol and fired a shot but missed. When Frazier refused to leave, the clerk hit him in the face with the handgun, according to the police statement. After the incident, Monday night, Shadie Abdallah, part-owner of the store, said when he was closing for the night, a man who he recognized came in and tried to stab him. The man did not demand money. At the time, police said the suspect was taken to an area hospital. E.B. Davis, who lives near the store, watched as police examined the crime scene and spoke with witnesses. Davis said he has lived in the neighborhood 30 years and he has seen wrecks and shootings in the vicinity of the store. He described it as a corner hangout. Children going to a nearby school pass by the corner and Davis said that concerns him. He said police should do something to clean up the corner. Frazier is being held on a $500 bond.

Labels: assault, NC

Man shoots alleged attacker

A Pell City man is in the hospital with a gunshot wound after he allegedly broke into a Hanceville residence and attacked the owner Saturday.

According to Hanceville police reports, the gunshot victim was 32-year-old Charles Kendrick.

“He was shot once in the stomach with a 25-caliber automatic,” said Lt. Jimmy Rodgers of the Hanceville Police Department. “Further investigation has ruled it was a self-defense shooting.”

Rodgers said the shooting took place at approximately 7:20 p.m. at a residence on Commercial Street.

“The owner of the residence was at home when this guy (Kendrick) jumped on him and began to fight him,” Rodgers said. “The owner went inside and locked the door and retrieved a handgun.”

Rodgers said Kendrick allegedly then began smashing the back windows of the residence and tried to enter.

“The owner pointed the gun at him to prevent him from entering,” Rodgers said. “The gun was unloaded at this point.”

Undeterred, Kendrick allegedly continued to break the window and then entered the home, Rodgers said. The homeowner then went into his bedroom and locked the door.

“The perpetrator kicked in the door, at which point he was shot by the resident,” Rodgers said.

Paramedics treated Kendrick at the scene and then transported him to UAB Hospital.

An investigation revealed the attack was a type of domestic violence situation, Rodgers said.

“The homeowner’s girlfriend has kids by the perpetrator, and apparently he was upset about the kids and took it out on the boyfriend,” Rodgers said.

Rodgers noted Kendrick could face criminal charges once he is released from the hospital, including a charge of burglary.

Labels: AL, assault, domestic dispute

Customer Describes Fatal Shooting Of Robbery Suspect

An eyewitness saw a robber brutally beating a store clerk in Ocoee, so he pulled a gun out of his car at the Kangaroo gas station on Franklin Street and fatally shot the robber.

That witness talked to Eyewitness News about his decision to pull the trigger and said he'd shoot that robber again if he had to.

He's a regular at the store and said he was coming to buy some cigarettes when he heard the clerk screaming. He told Eyewitness News he not only grabbed his cell phone to call 911, but also pulled a loaded handgun out of his car.

"I opened up, popped that out," Chris told Eyewitness News on Tuesday, about 12 hours after the incident.

Eyewitness News agreed to only use his first name, because he's afraid of retaliation, but he showed exactly what he did when he heard the clerk at the Ocoee store being attacked Monday around 11:00pm.

"I pull up like this and said, 'Stop,' and, as he came up, I came straight up, fired, 'Pop, pop,' two shots," Chris said.

Those shots hit and killed 40-year-old Freddie Carson. Public records show he has a rap sheet going back to 1987, including charges like battery and burglary.

"I'm upset. I mean, trust me. I'm not happy about taking a man's life," Chris said.

Police said they're still investigating whether Chris will face any charges by coming to the rescue with a gun. Eyewitness News learned he was been convicted of misdemeanor marijuana possession in 2005 and was re-arrested in 2007 for a probation violation.

"I don't do that no more," Chris told Eyewitness News. "You learn your lesson."

This time, the 26-year-old says he was within his rights when he took his gun out of his car to stop a robbery in progress.

"I was not going to sit there and watch a friend get beat to death. Would I do it again? I'm upset, but, yes, I would do it again," he said.

The store clerk was transported to Health Central Hospital with head injuries, but details on her condition were not released.

Investigators are also looking into whether or not there may have been a second robbery suspect who fled the scene.

**Addendum**

Chris did not have a concealed weapons permit, but he was protected by two other laws that allow drivers to carry guns in their cars and allow gun owners to start shooting if they witness a violent felony.

(More)

Labels: assault, business robbery, FL

Store Owner Shoots Suspected Robbers

The Catawba County Sheriff’s Office said a business owner shot and killed a suspected robber, and hurt another one.

Deputies said it happened at 3:15 a.m. Saturday. Randy Willis, owner of Willis Packaging on Highway 10, went to his store because the alarm was going off. When Willis got there, deputies said he saw a man coming out of his store with a shotgun.

Willis and the robber struggled, and deputies said Willis pulled out a pistol and shot the robber, killing him.

Deputies said another robber, 52-year-old Arnold Ray Jr., had broken into the store. Ray jumped Willis, and Willis shot him as well, this time in the shoulder.

Deputies said the two men had broken into the store through the front window. They also said a woman, Jean Holman, dropped the two men off. Holman is charged with breaking and entering and larceny.

The sheriff’s office said Ray was taken to the hospital. Authorities have not released the deceased man’s name. Authorities said Willis hurt several ribs during the altercations, but did not go to the hospital.

Ray is charged with breaking and entering, larceny, robbery and kidnapping.

Willis was not charged. Deputies said the case will be handed over to the district attorney.

Labels: assault, business burglary, NC

Murder Charges Dropped, Shooting Was Self-Defense

Murder charges have been dropped in a fatal shooting in Windsor County.

Kyle Bolaski, 24, of Springfield, was charged with second-degree murder, for killing Vincent Tamburello, 32, of Springfield, in August during a fight at a park in Chester. Bolaski claims Tamburello was chasing him with an ax, so he shot him twice.

A grand jury agreed the shooting was self-defense.

Bolaski will face aggravated assault charges for allegedly hitting Tamburello with the gun after the shooting.

Labels: assault, VT

Sledge Hammer Wielding Man Shot in Northwest Side Bar

A scary guy with a sledge hammer sounds like a Halloween prop, but it was the real deal this morning for a northwest side bar employee, 1200 WOAI's Michael Main reports.

A maintenance man at the I Don't Know Yet lounge in the 100 block of Babcock stationed himself in a back room at the bar, following a series of bar break-ins in the area around Babcock and Hillcrest.

About four this morning, the maintenance man heard glass breaking and a smashing sound. He emerged to find a man pounding the juke box with a sledge hammer.

When the maintenance man told the intruder to stop, he instead turned toward the maintenance man with the sledge hammer.

The maintenance man responded by firing four shots, and at least two of them struck the intruder, who stumbled to a waiting car and sped off. About fifteen minutes later, a man was dumped in the parking lot oft he emergency room of Northeast Baptist Hospital suffering from gunshot wounds. The car that delivered him sped away. The guy was airlifted to BAMC with life threatening wounds.

Police say they don't expect to file charges against the maintenance man.

The suspect is a suspect in at last four similar bar burglaries in which cash was taken from jukeboxes, including one earlier this morning.

Labels: assault, TX

Woman Shoots, Kills Ex-Boyfriend, Claims Self-Defense

A Hardin County woman shot and killed her ex-boyfriend Monday, but no charges have been filed because the shooter is claiming self-defense.

Kentucky State Police say there's still the possibility an arrest will come.

"She called and reported that this shooting had occurred and she was protecting herself, and we went down there," said Kentucky State Trooper Steve Pavey.

Pavey said it happened at a home where Angie Ricketts, the alleged shooter, lives with her husband and children.

Pavey said Ricketts called police right after she pulled the trigger, killing her ex-boyfriend, 37-year-old Eric West.

"He showed up unwanted yesterday and that he allegedly assaulted her and that's what led to all this," Pavey said.

West, of Magnolia, Ky., was pronounced dead at the scene. Detectives said Ricketts claims this isn't the first time her ex has caused problems.

"She is telling investigators that he is the father of a couple of her children and that he has made threats towards her and her family in the past," Pavey said.

Police said they are still trying to determine exactly what unfolded inside the home, and Ricketts' fate will likely be decided by a grand jury.

"We just want to do a thorough investigation from both sides and just present just the facts," Pavey said.

Pavey said Ricketts will remain out of jail for now, because she insists she exercised a right all Kentuckians have.

"You have the right as a property owner to protect yourself, and under the new law that was passed by the legislature about two years ago, it gives even a little more, with protecting yourself and family and property with deadly force," he said.

Pavey said it could take several months before the case is handed over to the commonwealth's attorney's office and then presented to a grand jury.

Labels: assault, domestic dispute, KY

Guard wounds teen after 3 shot at Hayward bar

An armed security guard at a Hayward restaurant and karaoke bar shot a teenager early Sunday after the teen shot three people in the parking lot outside the bar, police said.

Oakland resident Adrian Dantoc, 18, and two other teenage suspects - John Catolos, 19, and Julian Logan, 19, both of Oakland - fled the scene but were caught by police and arrested on four counts of attempted murder, Hayward police said. All three are in custody at the Santa Rita Jail.

The incident happened at about 1:29 a.m. Sunday, when Dantoc and the two other teenagers allegedly confronted the three shooting victims, who were riding bikes through the parking lot of Manila Garden Restaurant on Hesperian Boulevard, police said.

When a fight started, Dantoc allegedly grabbed a gun from a nearby car and shot the three victims multiple times, police said. A security guard who works in the restaurant on weekends went outside when he heard gunshots and allegedly saw Dantoc firing the gun, police said. The guard told Dantoc to drop the gun and Dantoc allegedly fired at him; the guard then shot him in the leg, police said.

Dantoc and the two other suspects then drove to a home on Lester Avenue in Oakland, allegedly throwing away the gun along the way, police said. Residents at the home called 911 to get medical help for Dantoc's injury, and the three suspects were arrested when police arrived. Dantoc was treated at a local hospital.

The victims - ages 41, 23 and 17 - are all expected to survive. The eldest victim was shot in the torso and was admitted to Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley, where he is in stable condition, police said. The 17-year-old was shot three times - in the face, hip and hand - but none of the wounds were life-threatening, and he was treated and released from a local hospital.

The 23-year-old victim, who was shot in the arm, was also treated and released.

An investigation found that the security guard, a 45-year-old Hayward man who police did not identify, was justified in shooting Dantoc to protect his own life, police said.

"The round that was fired at the security officer went into the building just 2 feet above his head," said Hayward police Lt. Christine Orrey. "He was certainly justified shooting back."

Labels: assault, CA, private security

Homeowner Guns Down MWC Burglary Suspect

Authorities said a homeowner shot and killed a burglary suspect after a confrontation in a rural Midwest City neighborhood.

Oklahoma County Sheriff's spokesman Mark Myers said the resident told deputies he spotted a man breaking into a large shed on his property and confronted him about 2:30 p.m. Thursday. When the suspect got into his car and tried to flee, the homeowner said he stepped in front of the vehicle to prevent the man from leaving.

The homeowner said he fired one shot from a shotgun as the suspected burglar lunged toward him in his car.

Myers said the man died at the scene. The names of the victim and the shooter were not immediately released.

Labels: assault, OK, trespassing

Store Clerk Shoots Teen During Robbery in Memphis

Police say a Memphis store clerk shot a 17 year-old boy during a robbery.

According investigators, it happened around 8:50 p.m., Monday, July 14, 2008, at the Margarita Market in the 6000 block of Knight Arnold Road.

Police say the teen and three other men were shoplifting at the store when the clerk confronted them. The four suspects, ages 17, 19, 20, and 28, attacked the clerk during the confrontation, according to investigators. Police say that is when the clerk shot the 17 year-old in the leg.

Police say the teen was taken to the hospital in non-critical condition. The store clerk was treated for minor injuries to his face, neck, and arms said police.

Detectives say all four suspects are in custody, but no charges have been filed at this time.

Labels: assault, business robbery, minor offender, TN

Woman, .357 blazing, chases intruders from home

Firing a .357-caliber handgun until it was empty, an Ocala woman chased two intruders from her home in the 3800 block of Southeast 68th Street on Wednesday morning.

Later Wednesday, Marion County sheriff's detectives had one home invasion suspect in custody and were looking for the second. Aaron Scott Beardsley, 25, was charged with armed home invasion robbery. Deputies were still looking for a heavy-set Hispanic male, about 6-foot-1 or 6-feet-2, who was wearing black shorts at the time, a dark T-shirt and a bandana.

Sheriff's Detective Art King, in his report, gave the following account of the crime:

Shortly after 8 a.m. Wednesday, 29-year-old Jennifer Ann Hunley; her 27-year-old boyfriend, Michael Joseph Nash; and Hunley's 11-year-old daughter were inside their home when two men entered through the garage door. Nash, who was coming out of a bathroom at the time, saw one of the intruders holding a nail gun near the television set in the living room.

The man demanded money. At the same time Nash saw that the second suspect, armed with a handgun, was also in the living room. The one with the nail gun hit Nash on the head, and when he fell down both men began beating him.

Hunley came into the living room, saw what was happening, returned to her bedroom for a .357-caliber handgun and fired a warning shot into the ceiling.

The intruder with the nail gun ran outside, while the other one ran into a nearby bedroom. He then pointed his weapon, believed to be a small-caliber handgun, and fired at least one shot at Hunley.

Then Hunley, who is 5-foot-3, emptied her handgun, firing four shots at the intruder. The gunman ran out the front door. Neither Hunley nor her daughter were hurt during the exchange of gunfire.

Afterward, sheriff's deputies received calls indicating that the wife of one of the suspects may have driven the getaway vehicle.

And Nash told Detective King that his sister believed Beardsley was responsible for the home invasion because she had had a conversation with him the day before about previous drug activity at her brother's home

King reported that Nash pulled up a picture of Beardsley on the Internet and recognized him as one of the the intruders.

Deputies later found Beardsley and his wife, who is pregnant, and brought them in for an interview. Beardsley said he was innocent, but his wife reportedly told a different story.

She told King that she dropped her husband off close to the Southeast 68th Street address and waited about 20 minutes for him, according to King's report. She said her husband was sweating when he returned to the vehicle. The woman said she didn't ask any questions about what he did or where he went.

Beardsley was then arrested and charged with armed home invasion. He refused an interview request from the Star-Banner.

Labels: assault, female, FL, home invasion

Woman Shoots and Kills Husband in Self-Defense in Arkansas

A woman shot and killed her husband at their home outside of El Dorado, and the Union County sheriff says the slaying was in self-defense.

Sheriff Ken Jones said the incident happened around 10:30 p.m. Saturday, when deputies found 47 year-old Roger Gates dead inside the home. Jones says 37 year-old Kimberly Gates told him that her husband had attacked her and that she was afraid for her life and her baby's. Officials say she was able to get away from her husband, get a gun from the bathroom, and shoot him.

Jones said the case is still under investigation and that the results will be given to a prosecutor, who will determine if charges should be filed.

Labels: AR, assault, domestic abuse

Man shot to death in Mesa driveway

Peggy Abel knew something "really bad" was happening Sunday night in her usually quiet Mesa neighborhood.

The mother of seven heard screams and someone saying "stop hitting me," so she sent her teenage son out to their backyard to investigate.

"He came back in and said, 'We gotta call 911!' " Abel said.

Then, she heard the gunshots.

"Pop, pop, pop," Abel said. "There was a man standing in the middle of the street and a lady screaming 'You blanking killed him.' "

Police arrived in the 3900 block of East Hampton Circle, near Val Vista Drive and U.S. 60, about 11 p.m., just as the shooting occurred. Officers found that the 29-year-old boyfriend of a neighborhood woman had been shot and killed by a 49-year-old homeowner who lives nearby.

The homeowner had come outside after hearing the man and his girlfriend yelling at each other in the front yard.

Although police have stopped short of using the term self-defense, they said the homeowner shot and killed the man because he was "going crazy" with a billiards stick and charged at the homeowner.

The man was found dead on the homeowner's driveway.

"As far as coming out with a gun, he was well within his rights," said Detective Chris Arvayo, Mesa police spokesman. "He was in his yard. He never left his property. He came out with a gun, which is his constitutional right."

Mesa police haven't released the name of the man who was killed, pending notification of his family. Police also wouldn't release the name of the shooter. No charges have been recommended against the shooter, Arvayo said, but the case will be forwarded to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office for review.

"He's not in custody right now," Arvayo said.

Police also said that they learned after the shooting that the man had been hitting things inside his girlfriend's house before he went outside and caused a disturbance.

Abel said she used the incident as an opportunity to talk with her children about anger management.

"That's very tragic," Abel said. "It's senseless."

Labels: assault, AZ, domestic dispute

Homeowner kills man in apparent self defense

A Baden neighborhood homeowner shot and killed a man who struck him in the head with a pipe after the homeowner confronted the man early this morning, police said.

Police would only identify the dead man by his age: 43.

The homeowner, who also is not being identified by police, said that he heard a noise outside of his home in the 9000 block of Edna Avenue early this morning. When he went outside, he found the man, who the homeowner knew, police said.

The man then struck the homeowner in the head with a metal pipe and the homeowner ran back inside his house, police said. The man, still carrying the metal pipe, followed the homeowner into the house.

The homeowner then shot the man several times. The man ran out of the house and collapsed in the street in the 1000 block of Melvin Avenue, police said. The man died.

When police got to the man -- about 4:50 a.m. -- they found a metal bar lying next to his body, police said.

The homeowner was taken to a hospital where he was being treated for a head injury.

Homicide detectives are still investigating.

The dead man's relatives had not been located or notified by 10:30 a.m., so police said they could not release his name.

Labels: assault, MO

Gallagher Will Not Be Charged

No charges will be filed in the shooting death of a Greene County man.

County Prosecutor Jarrod Holtsclaw says after a review of the case no criminal charges will be filed against Michael Gallagher II. Gallagher shot Jarrett Nicholson last weekend during an argument and fight inside Gallagher’s home.

Holtsclaw said that Gallagher’s use of force was justified.

Nicholson was on top of Gallagher punching him in the head when the fatal gunshot was fired. Nicholson had broken into Gallagher’s home and threatened to kill him before the confrontation began.

Labels: altercation, assault, home invasion

Three nabbed after manhunt

Three people are in custody after an all-day manhunt after an attempted home burglary on Sherrilltown Road in the Norene Community, south-southeast of Lebanon, on Thursday.

Wilson County Sheriff Terry Ashe said the incident began around 7 a.m. yesterday when a home on Sherrilltown Road was allegedly broken into. Alan Ricketts, brother of the man who owns the home, and their father, heard the break-in and ran and confronted the three suspects as they were leaving the residence. Ricketts and their father reside nearby.

Ashe said the three suspects tried to run over Ricketts and his father in their truck. Ricketts and his father then began shooting at the three. The gunshots damaged the truck which ended up in a ditch. The three suspects escaped on foot.

The three suspects have been identified as Timmy Dewayne Tomlinson Jr., 22, of Holloway Circle, Lebanon; Jeffery Craddock, 26, of Trousdale Ferry Pike, Lebanon; and Shanna Seibers, 29, of 441 Grant Highway, Gordonsville.

Tomlinson was found and arrested after about three hours, and Craddock was arrested about one hour later, he said.

By coincidence, officers with the Wilson County Sheriff’s Department were in the area assisting in Operation Falcon, a joint group including the U.S. Marshal’s Office, the Tennessee Highway Patrol and other law enforcement agencies that works together to find fugitives from justice.

The U.S. Marshal’s Office and THP officers assisted the Sheriff’s Department in searing for the three people. Ashe noted also that Officer Derrick Way with the Mt. Juliet Police Department and his dog assisted in the search, as well.

THP used its helicopter and reportedly located the three suspects in different locations as officers on the ground worked to get to them and place them under arrest.

“(They) opened fire on them,” Ashe said of Ricketts and his father, adding neither one of them broke any laws.

“I believe in the Second Amendment,” Ashe said, adding he believes homeowners have a right to defend their lives and homes.

The sheriff praised the actions of Ricketts and his father, noting they fired their weapons only to disable the truck the suspects were in and not to hurt them.

“We’re formulating charges," Ashe said, against the three suspects, adding “there will be multiple charges.”

There were no injuries reported as a result of the incident, although one of the suspects was complaining of a sore wrist which Ashe said would be looked at by medical personnel.

Labels: assault, residence burglary, TN

McCreary man shoots intruder, police say

Kentucky State Police are investigating a shooting in McCreary County that happened after a 19-year-old Pine Knot man awoke to being assaulted.

Charles Murphy told police that about 6 a.m. Sunday he woke up to an attack by Rusty L. Hayes, 20, who had entered Murphy's home on Ky. 1651.

Murphy retrieved a handgun and shot at Hayes, hitting him twice, police said. Hayes was taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville for treatment.

No charges have been filed pending completion of the investigation.

Labels: assault, home invasion, KY

Breaking News: Home Invasion

Two people are assaulted in their home, and the intruder suffers a gunshot wound.

The Martin County Sheriff's Office says it happened last night just before midnight.

They say an intruder apparently entered the home of Elmer and Marcella Sauck at 2488 200th Street in rural Martin County.

Mrs. Sauck was physically assaulted, was able to escape and go to the nearby home of her son, Mark. Mark then went to his parents' house and found his father being assaulted by the intruder. Authorities say Mark then ordered the intruder to stop several times as he approached him, but he didn't.

The intruder suffered a gunshot wound to the leg and was airlifted to St. Mary's Hospital.

Mrs. Sauck was also airlifted to Rochester, and Elmer Sauck was transported to Immanuel St. Joseph's Hospital.

Authorities say they're not releasing the intruder's identity because no criminal charges have been filed in the case.

They say the investigation is ongoing.

Labels: assault, home invasion, MN

Bar owner shoots at fleeing suspects

Police are looking for two suspects linked to a clash Thursday night that prompted a bar owner o fire several shots at the men as they fled.

The owner of Stix Bar, 2785 S. Meridian, asked two men to leave the bar shortly before 10 p.m., police said. One of the men reportedly told the owner, "I can do what I want, because I have a gun and you don't."

The suspects went outside and were still in the parking lot when the bar owner stepped outside. He ordered them to leave again, and they got into a red two-door Saturn.

They drove toward the bar owner and struck him with their car, then struck him again as they fled the lot, police said.

The 43-year-old bar owner fired several shots at the car, police said, and three bullets hit an unoccupied house in the 2400 block of West Greenfield. Police don't know if the Saturn was hit.

Police are looking for a 22-year-old man known by name, and an unknown 18-year-old man. He is about 5 feet 6 inches tall, 150 pounds, with dark hair.

The bar owner suffered only minor injuries in the incident and was treated at the scene.

Labels: assault, KS

14-Year-Old Shoots, Kills Teenage Neighbor

Police said a 14-year-old boy who was stabbed by a visiting teen in his south Fort Worth home shot and killed the boy on Wednesday.

Investigators said the 14-year-old told police Danny Allen, 13, was visiting his house on Buffalo Springs Drive near Interstate 35 when he began stabbing him at about 5:30 p.m.

According to police, the two teenagers struggled before the 14-year-old grabbed his father's gun and shot Allen.

Neighbor Charles McDonald found the 14-year-old outside his house covered in blood.

"Blake come running out the door and run across the street, and I got him stopped," McDonald said. "He was bleeding all over; (his) head and shoulders were completely saturated in blood."

McDonald said he tried to keep the teenager calm.

The 14-year-old was taken to the hospital. His family told NBC 5 the boy was out of surgery and in stable condition on Wednesday night.

When asked if he thought his 14-year-old neighbor did the right thing, McDonald said the boy "probably" did.

"I don't know the circumstances. Probably. I would say so. He's not the kind to go around beating people up," McDonald said.

Police said they do not expect to file charges in the case.

Labels: assault, minor defender, minor offender, TX

Store owner fatally shot suspected thief

The owner of an office supply business shot and killed a would-be thief.

It happened on Reveille and Bradford in southeast Houston. The owner heard someone trying to get into his business at midnight. He went outside with a gun and caught a man trying to steal a trailer parked behind his business.

The would-be thief then tried to run over the business owner with his truck and the business owner fired back through the truck's rear window.

Despite being shot, the suspect kept driving his truck for three blocks until he fell out of his truck and died on the road.

Police officers also found tires in the back of that truck, which may have been stolen.

Labels: assault, trespassing, TX

Victims Fight Back in Home Invasion

One robbery suspect is on the loose and another is in the hospital after four victims fought back.

Police say the four victims were barbecuing when two men with guns entered the home. One of the victims said he made a near-fatal mistake by leaving the garage door partially open. The victims, who do not want to be identified for safety reasons, say they ended up fighting for their lives and thought they might die.

"The look in their eyes, especially when they started beating us in the back of the heads with the guns. It was kind of like someone would torture a little animal and then joking about how they were going to love killing us," said one victim.

The men were pinned to the floor with shotguns. "It got ugly when they went back downstairs and decided to tell the women to undress their clothes," the victim added, "The girls were really crying and you could just tell that they were incredibly upset."

The victim told Eyewitness News that one of the suspects who was preparing to sexually assault the women turned his attention away from the guns and let down his guard.

The two male victims saw their opportunity.

"I grabbed him, threw him down on the ground, grabbed a weight from the weight set and smashed him in the head."

The women also joined in the fight, hitting the suspects with a frying pan.

"One of the girls completely nude managed to grab a gun and shoot the guy in the chest area and in the leg."

"She did what she had to do and I have to be thankful that she was able to do what she did and if she didn't I might not be able to give you this story right now."

The suspect who was shot has serious injuries and is in the hospital. The second suspect is on the run and as for the victims, they have minor injuries.

The police are very cautious not to make this seem like a heroic act. They say fighting back can sometimes end with the victims being more seriously hurt.

Labels: assault, criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion, NV, rape

Wheelchair-bound Man Shoots Attacker

A homeowner who is confined to a wheelchair shot and wounded a man who confronted him on his door step, Atlanta police told 11Alive News.

The homeowner was on his way out of his house on Flat Shoals Avenue Friday morning when he ran into a man at his door. The homeowner asked the man to leave, but the man started to assault the homeowner, authorities said.

During a struggle, the homeowner grabbed a gun and shot the attacker in the arm and chest.

The suspect was taken to the hospital. His condition was not known.

The homeowner was not injured.

Labels: assault, GA

El Dorado DA identifies dead suspect; hails gun-wielding neighbor

The El Dorado County District Attorney's Office has identified the 33-year-old man who the DA said was responsible for Sunday's stabbing rampage which left one man dead and one man wounded as Behnam Pazoki.

Pazoki, who family members described as mentally ill, was visiting relatives in El Dorado Hills on Sunday when he grabbed a kitchen knife and chased terrified relatives into the street. During the rampage, which occurred on the 1000 block of Venezia Drive, Pazoki stabbed Vahid Seyedin, 47, the owner of the home he was staying at, and killed his uncle Ahmad Pazeky, 58, according the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office.

Pazoki was ultimately shot by a neighbor, Shahin Kohan, 47, who witnessed the attack and came to the family's aid armed with a handgun, sheriffs said.

In a press release issued today, the district attorney's office said that after Kohan warned Pazoki to stop, Pazoki turned his attention to him and other neighbors that had gathered around watching the horror unfold.

"Mr. Kohan's actions directly prevented other people and himself from being seriously injured or killed," the release said.

El Dorado County District Attorney Vern Pierson called Kohan's actions heroic in the release.

""All too often the term hero is applied to situations where it is inappropriate...," Pierson said in the release. "Mr. Kohan was a bystander whose quick action, done at great risk to him, likely saved lives and certainly prevented additional injuries. Mr. Kohan, by any definition, is in fact a hero."

Sheriff's Deputies briefly detained Kohan on murder charges following the incident, but quickly released him after the facts of the case were reviewed.

Further links:
Homicides in the hills: Two dead after altercation

Labels: assault, CA

Two homicides may fall under new law

...

Christopher Fry, 38, was shot in the upper body at 200 S. Georgia St. Fry walked from the home and collapsed on the curb on the north side of the house in the 2700 block of West Second Avenue. The homeowner shot Fry because Fry was apparently assaulting the homeowner, who felt in fear of his life and his 2-year-old son's life. Fry appeared to have been in a physical altercation prior to knocking on the door at 200 S. Georgia. The two were arguing after Fry asked the homeowner about a dog, which the homeowner did not own. The homeowner was questioned by Special Crimes and later released pending further investigation. The case will be presented to the 47th District Attorney's office for review by a grand jury.

(More)

Labels: assault, TX

Woman shot in the chest after attacking another with cleaver

A cleaver-wielding ex-girlfriend was shot in the chest early this morning at her former boyfriend's home in West Feliciana Parish.

Kimberly Davis was brought to a nearby hospital after she was shot in the chest around 1 a.m. She underwent surgery but her condition was not immediately available. Authorities say Davis will face charges of attempted second-degree murder upon her release.

West Feliciana Parish sheriff's officials say Davis kicked in the door of her former boyfriend's trailer. Investigators say he was in the bedroom with his new girlfriend when Davis, carrying a meat cleaver, stormed into the room. The new girlfriend was cut with the cleaver and then she reportedly pulled out a pistol and shot Davis in the chest.

Captain Spence Dilworth says the pistol used to shoot Davis was a .22 caliber. The sheriff's office say the shooter will NOT be charged.

Labels: assault, female, home invasion, LA

Police: Orlando Cricket Player Shoots Opponent During Match

An argument between several Indian men during a cricket match in Orlando led to an on-the-field shooting that seriously injured one of the players, according to police.

Orange County sheriff's deputies said they responded to a 911 call at 4:20 p.m. Saturday from a cricket match at Cyprus Grove Park and found Francis Singh, 36, shot in the abdomen.
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Officers said Singh apparently became involved in a fight and threatened Devan Bascom, 37, with a cricket bat.

Police said Bascom then pulled a small semi-automatic gun and fired at Singh, hitting him at least once.

"The shooter was defending himself from an attack with a cricket bat which is simlar to a baseball bat but it's flat," Orange County sheriff's Sgt. Spike Hopkins said. "For this man to bring a firearm to a sporting event is odd but then again, he has the right to do so. He has a concealed weapons permit and if, in fact, he was protecting himself, he was authorized by law to do so."

Singh was transported to Orlando Regional Medical Center and was undergoing surgery late Saturday.

There have been no arrests made in the case as the investigation continues.

Labels: assault, concealed carry permit, FL

Man shoots cricket bat-wielding attacker

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a shooting which happened around 4 p.m. on Saturday afternoon at Cypress Grove Park in Orlando.

The victim, Francis Singh, 36, is recovering at Orlando Regional Medical Center and is currently in stable condition.

Deputies say Singh and another man, identified as Devan Bascom, 37, began arguing with each other. During the argument, Singh produced a cricket bat and assaulted Bascom. Upon feeling threatened, Bascom defended himself with a small caliber semi-automatic handgun and shot Singh once in the abdomen.

No arrests have been made in the case, which has been filed with the State Attorney's Office. The investigation reveals that the shooting was in self defense.

Labels: altercation, assault, FL

DeKalb Co. Man Kills Intruder With Shotgun

The DeKalb County Sheriff's Department is investigating an overnight incident where a homeowner apparently shot and killed an intruder. However, the homeowner is recovering from multiple stab wounds himself.

Sheriff Jimmy Harris says deputies got a call just after 2 o'clock Monday morning that a stabbing and shooting had taken place at a home on County Road 764 near Ider.

Ider Police, Henagar Police, and the DeKalb County Sheriff's Department responded, to find Jerry Lee Miller, 41, suffering from numerous stab wounds. Police and deputies searched the home and found a second victim in another room, Joseph E. Williams, 31, of Jackson County. Williams was dead, from a gunshot wound to the stomach.

Witnesses tell investigators Williams allegedly attacked Miller in his sleep with a large kitchen knife, stabing him several times in his back and arms. A family member interrupted the attack, and Miller was able to get a shotgun, and shoot Williams in the stomach.

Investigators have collected evidence at the scene, and the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences is performing an autopsy on Williams' body.

Sheriff Harris says there are no charges at this time.

Labels: AL, assault

Police Say Customer at Norcross Restaurant Fatally Shot Man in Self Defense

Police say a customer, who shot and killed a man at a restaurant early Thursday morning, did so in self defense. It happened at barnacles [sic] on Jimmy Carter Boulevard in Norcross.

Fatal shooting at Norcross bar marks Gwinnett homicide record

Norcross police say they're unlikely to file charges in a fatal shooting at a local bar early Thursday.

The killing — the third homicide within the city limits this year — marks the record for Gwinnett County.

Police identified the dead man as Juan Ojeda, 54, a Spanish national living near Norcross who officers said was a regular at Barnacles Restaurant on Jimmy Carter Boulevard.

Another patron killed Ojeda in self defense, said Norcross Police Detective Jason Carter.

The homicide is the 41st for Gwinnett, according to the county medical examiner's office.

That surpasses last year's record of 40.

In the 1997 Gwinnett had only 17 homicides. But in since 2003, it has had more than 30 every year. Local law enforcement experts have cited the county's skyrocketing population.

Witnesses said Ojeda appeared to have been drinking when he drove up to the restaurant around midnight, Carter said. Ojeda joined a group of four other people — other regulars, but not well acquainted with the man — on the patio and became belligerent when one person asked Ojeda not to be obnoxious.

Carter said Ojeda grabbed one man's neck.

"Imagine a 54-year-old man putting a 26-year-old guy in a headlock," Carter said. Witnesses said that a moment later Ojeda feigned an apology, then lunged at another man and bit him in the neck, Carter said.

Managers and patrons ran Ojeda off, but he returned a few minutes later around 1 a.m., gun in hand, witnesses told Carter. As people on the patio scattered, one of the men he'd been sitting with ran away but drew his own gun, police said. The patron fired once, hitting Ojeda in the head as he stood in the parking lot, police said.

Police did not release the name of the patron who killed Ojeda, citing their continuing investigation. But they characterized the event as an apparent act of self defense.

The group remained at the restaurant after the shooting and gave police statements.

"They've been totally cooperative," Carter said.

Calls to relatives and co-workers of Ojeda were not returned.

"If you came in here in the afternoons, you'd recognize him," general manager Mike Ogozelec said of Ojeda, referring further questions to the restaurant's corporate office.

Labels: assault, GA

No charges for man who shot drunk U. of C. student

A man who shot a threatening University of Chicago student in the chest Wednesday night acted in self defense and will not be charged, authorities said today.

The student, who was reported to be in critical condition, threatened to hit a fellow apartment-building dweller with a vodka bottle and kicked in the door of the man's Hyde Park apartment, police said.

The incident began about 7:30 p.m. as the student and shooter were riding together in an elevator of their apartment building in the 5400 block of South Cornell Avenue, Chicago Police Officer Laura Kubiak said.

The 24-year-old student, who was drunk and carrying a vodka bottle, followed the man out of the elevator and down the hall, threatening to "hit him in the head with the bottle," Kubiak said. As the man entered his apartment, the student kicked the door and pushed it open, continuing to yell threats, she said.

The apartment's resident retrieved a handgun and shot the student once in the chest as he entered the apartment, Kubiak said.

The student was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was in critical condition as of Wednesday night, Kubiak said. An update on his condition was not available this morning.

Detectives questioned the gunman, who was released without charges after prosecutors decided he had acted in self-defense, according to Kubiak.

Labels: assault, home invasion, IL, intoxication

Lumberton teen shot, in critical condition

A 15-year-old boy was shot Monday night after pointing a shotgun at a man’s house, according to authorities.

The incident happened about 11 p.m. near a residence on the 500 block of East 21st Street.

The 15-year-old is in critical condition at Southeastern Regional Medical Center.

Investigators say the teenager was in a vehicle with four others. The driver parked the car next door to a residence. Four people, including the teen, got out of the car. The juvenile had a shotgun in his hand, said Sgt. Howard Reaves of the Lumberton Police Department.

Jeremy Locklear, 26, told lawmen he was sitting in his car in his driveway when he heard his dogs barking. He got out of his car to see what was going on when he saw the group near a building next to his residence. They came toward the house, and the teen pointed the shotgun in Locklear’s direction, Reaves said.

Locklear had a shotgun in his vehicle. He shot at the teenager, Reaves said. The teenager was struck on the right side with buck shots, he said.

The other men with the teen ran from the scene, he said. One person who remained in the car during the shooting was questioned by lawmen.

Investigators are still trying to determine why the men came to Locklear’s residence, Reaves said.

No charges had been filed as of Tuesday.

Labels: assault, NC

Man swinging bottle shot by driver at Highway 2 rest area

The Chelan County sheriff's office says a man seeking a ride was critically wounded while harassing a driver who stopped at a Highway 2 rest area.

The sheriff's office says 45-year-old Jay Kneer of Renton was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle Wednesday night with a head wound.

Investigators say 66-year-old Dennis Shaw of Lynnwood and his wife had stopped at the Nason Creek rest area 14 miles west of Leavenworth where Kneer asked him for a ride.

When Shaw refused, Kneer became angry, followed Shaw to his car and struck his vehicle window with a glass bottle.

Shaw told investigators the attack continued when he pointed a handgun at Kneer. Shaw says he fired in an attempt to scare Kneer and hit him in the head.

The Shaws were not injured.

Labels: assault, WA

Shots Fired At Apartment Complex

The sound of gunfire overnight at a Tulsa apartment complex. Tulsa Police say it happened about 1 am Thursday when a security guard at the Normandy Apartments near 36th & Sheridan fired a shotgun blast at a car.

Police officers say the driver in the car has a history of violence and had been banned from the apartment complex. The security guard told police, he fired when the man backed the car towards him. The driver ran off but has been arrested.

No one was hurt in the incident. Tulsa Police continue to investigate.

Labels: assault, OK

Police: Broomfield Intruder Shot After Door Kicked In

Police are investigating an early-morning shooting involving a man armed with a pool cue and a renter trying to get some sleep.

According to police, the renter was sleeping at about 2:30 a.m. when the female owner of the house showed up with a friend and didn't have her keys. She woke the renter to be let in.

Police said the renter asked the woman's friend to leave around 4 a.m. because they were being loud and he was trying to sleep. The man left, but returned a few minutes later, and police said he was carrying a pool cue.

The renter told police the man with the pool cue kicked in the door and threatened him with the pool cue. That's when the renter shot the man. He was rushed to a local hospital for surgery after suffering a gunshot wound to the stomach, police said.

No names have been released and the investigation is continuing.

Labels: assault, CO

Gunfight Leads To Man Getting Shot, Gunman Wanted

A man remains in critical condition after being shot by a rifle during a fight near the Bexar County / Atascosa County line.

Investigators with the Bexar County Sheriff's office say two men got into an argument, one man left, but came back with a rifle and began shooting at the house.

Deputies say that's when the other man came outside with a handgun and began shooting back. Within minutes the man with the handgun was shot two twice, once in the neck and once in the arm.

Deputies say they know who the gunman is, and are expected to make an arrest in this case pretty soon.

Labels: assault, defender shot, TX

Man Killed in Act of Self Defense

Investigators say a man from Gainesville was shot to death, while robbing his neighbor's home. The accused shooter says it was an act of self defense.

A Gainesville man is shot to death and deputies say his neighbor is responsible, but he isn't facing any charges.

Alachua County deputies say 33-year-old John Wilds shot 42-year-old Robert Aden in the chest while they were at Wilds home.

Wilds and a witness told deputies that Aden tried to forcefully enter Wilds home, and even broke off the front door's handle. Wilds then grabbed his 22 caliber handgun, told Aden to leave, and fired a warning shot in the air. Aden then came at Wilds with his fists clenched and shouting obscenities. Fearing for his life, Wilds shot Aden in the chest. Wilds isn't facing charges at this time, but deputies say they will talk with the State Attorney's Office about possible charges when the investigation is complete.

Labels: assault, FL, home invasion, residence robbery

Prosecutor Won’t File In Killing

No charges will be filed in the July 27 shooting death of a 25-year-old Fort Smith woman, according to Crawford County Prosecutor Marc McCune.

McCune said Thursday an investigation by the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office turned up no evidence to refute a claim of self-defense by Edna Higgins, 69, of Mountainburg.

Higgins said she shot Heather Dyanne Mizell with a .22-caliber rifle as Mizell threatened her with a hammer in the Mountainburg woman’s residence.

According to investigators, Mizell, who was married to but separated from Higgins’ grandson, Jimmie Mizell, was at Higgins’ house to pick up money Higgins had promised to give her to replace a tire on her vehicle.

Mizell had earlier dropped off her two daughters, Katie, 4, and Megan, 1, with her estranged husband’s parents.

Crawford County Chief Deputy Ron Brown said Higgins told him after she gave Mizell the check, she turned around and Mizell was brandishing a hammer.

Higgins grabbed the rifle and fired twice, Brown reported. Mizell was struck once in the chest. A second shot apparently grazed her.

The shooting victim was taken to St. Edward Mercy Medical Center, where she died during surgery.

Mizell’s mother, Becky Sides of Fort Smith, reacted angrily to news of McCune’s decision.

“This case is not going to close,” she said. “I know it was murder and everyone else knows it was murder. If (McCune) can’t see that, I don’t know what his problem is.”

Sides said she has been told that Mizell’s fingerprints were not found on the hammer. “Without that hammer, it’s murder,” she said.

Sides said her pleas for convening a grand jury, or having a second, independent investigation of the shooting, have so far been unsuccessful.

“When you have a major medical problem, you are entitled to a second opinion. This involves a death, and we don’t get a second opinion,” she said.

She said she continues to contact “civil rights people” and organizations she hopes can help her in her quest for justice.

Sides has assembled a Web site, www.heathermizellmemorial.com, dedicated to her daughter’s memory and family. On it, she reports that Heather, a university student and rack driver for the Times Record, “had so many plans of what she was going to do. Her life was just starting to go the way she was wanting it to go.”

Heather’s husband, Jimmie, died Aug. 11. This week, custody of their daughters was awarded to Heather Mizell’s father, Ed Sanders, who lives in Texas.

“At least something has gone right,” Sides says of the children’s custody. “At least one judge had the common sense to do the right thing.”

Labels: AR, assault

Father Attacked During Home Invasion

A man posing as a police officer forces his way into a home and terrorizes a San Antonio family. The fake police officer attacked the father inside that house, as children and wife watched.

"He hit me with a crow bar in the face threatening to kill me," said the father, who did not want to his identity revealed because he still fears for his family.

He did reveal all of his stitches and staples from the attack.

"All the blood was in my eyes," he said.

He tells News 4 WOAI that he woke up about 3:30 in the morning because someone was trying to pry open the door.

"[The attacker] was posing as a San Antonio Police Department and it was a house raid," said the father. "Two other men came around with pistols and forced their way into the house."

Police say the three men demanded money from him and his wife, while his kids stood by them.

"A three year old and an eight year old scared out of their mind," the father said. "They didn't know what he was going on."

Scared for his family, the father fought back.

"I wasn't going to lay down and let them do what they wanted in my home," said the father. "Good Lord only what they would have done if I would have cooperated they could have killed all of us."

But they didn't because this father managed to get to his gun and fired several shots scaring all three men out of his home.

"We plan on moving out of the neighborhood," said the father. "I've lived here over 30 years, and it's just not safe."

Labels: assault, home invasion, residence robbery, TX

Beaten Man Says 911 Dispatcher Had Him Return To Scene

A disabled east Orange County man says a 911 operator told him to return to the scene where he was allegedly beaten by a group of thugs. When he got there, he said, he was almost beaten again by the same group until he used his gun to defend himself.

John Holloway says a group of thugs tried to rob him after he picked up some groceries at a State Road 50 Circle K. He said he was punched and the men broke the windows out of his truck before he escaped.

Holloway was then shocked to be told he needed to come back to the scene to get the address of the only Circle K in Christmas.

"Hit me three times in the head with his fist," Holloway said.

In the serene sounding town of Christmas, with one prosthetic leg and another leg paralyzed, Holloway was no match for five men surrounding to rob him.

"All the sudden they're kicking and beating on my car and hollering at me, 'We're gonna get you! 'We're coming to your house. We're gonna get you and after we kill you, we're gonna take everything you have,'" he said.

Holloway said he quickly drove away, but not before the thugs beat him and his Tahoe, even smashing his windows out. He called 911, but was shocked when the operator insisted he go back to the only Circle K in Christmas to get an address.

"I said, 'Please don't make me go back there, because they're still there,'" he said.

Holloway's account is confirmed in the incident report, which also describes what happened when he finally went back.

"I was scared for my life at that point. I was afraid to go back there. I was afraid they were gonna beat me down, if not kill me," he said.

Holloway said, when he went back, he had his pistol in his hand and, when they attacked again, he fired one shot and scared the men away.

The sheriff's office listed both Holloway and his attackers as victims and suspects. Apparently Holloway's mistake was firing his weapon to scare the men away. He said he did what he felt he had to do for his protection.

There was no word if the 911 operator will be reprimanded for sending Holloway back to the scene.

Labels: assault, FL, street robbery

Intruder holds gun to man's head, flees home

Gunshots were allegedly fired as an intruder fled a Council Bluffs residence early Saturday morning.

According to a Council Bluffs Police Department report, an unidentified suspect entered the residence of Josh Konfrst, 21, about 2 a.m. and held a handgun to his head.

When another person in the house, Justin Woodman, 21, of Glenwood, pointed a hunting gun at the intruder, the suspect ran from the residence, the report indicated.

The report indicated Konfrst, Woodman and others in the house heard two to three shots fired as the unknown suspect fled.

The report did not indicate that anything was taken from the house, located at 1104 18th St.

Labels: assault, home invasion, IA

Jury acquits murder suspect; man killed in self-defense

A Jacksonville man facing a life sentence in prison was found innocent Wednesday of murdering a man during a struggle outside his girlfriend's apartment.

Shedrick Cosby, 34, was arrested in December after the shooting death of Shelly Banks. Police charged that Cosby shot in a jealous rage after seeing two men leaving his girlfriend's apartment on Old Kings Road South in the Southside.

Cosby, whose face and neck were severely cut with a knife, testified he shot in self-defense after someone jumped him from behind and held him in a headlock. Cosby was a security guard at Forrest High School and had a permit to carry a concealed firearm, said Assistant Public Defender Debra Billard.

Billard said Cosby fired two shots blindly, and that evidence showed one bullet passed through a door before hitting Banks. The other bullet struck the apartment building's second story, she said.

She said the fact that just two bullets and two casings were recovered also contradicted testimony by prosecution witnesses, who described a larger number of shots being fired.

The six-person jury deliberated about three hours.

Labels: assault, concealed carry permit, FL

Man says he shot someone who threatened him

A Jacksonville man told police he shot someone Wednesday night after the man approached him on Ring Lane off Emerson Street and pointed a gun at him.

Gregory L. Christopher, 47, of Welford Road said he pulled out a gun himself and shot Larry S. White, 56, of San Diego Road, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office. White was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Police aren't releasing further details as the investigation continues.

According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, White has an extensive criminal history, including weapons, burglary and robbery charges. Christopher has had a clean record in Florida over the last 20 years.

Labels: assault, FL

Jury acquits Pittsburg County man in killing

A Pittsburg County jury on Wednesday acquitted a man of first-degree murder in the death of a former employee.

Jurors deliberated a little more than an hour before finding Mike Krebbs not guilty of murder in the Aug. 3, 2006, death of Ty Mordecai outside Krebbs' home near Blocker. The panel also acquitted Krebbs, 34, of the lesser charge of first-degree manslaughter in the heat of passion.

As the jury foreman read the verdict, Krebbs, who had been leaning forward with his eyes closed, slowly exhaled. Mordecai's mother, Kathy Mordecai, who had gathered signatures on a petition for a grand jury investigation of her son's death, sat in silence.

Mordecai had once worked for Krebbs' construction company and the two men had been friends.

Krebbs testified on Wednesday that he shot Mordecai, but did so after he was assaulted. Witnesses also said that Mordecai had threatened Krebbs previously.

On the stand, Krebbs said Mordecai had called him earlier that night wanting to fight him and had threatened to burn his house down if he didn't come home. When Krebbs returned to his residence around 1:30 or 2 a.m., he saw a strange car parked outside his driveway and another one pulling out from his home, according to his testimony.

He said he put a clip in a handgun he had in his truck, and when he pulled up close to his house, he saw Mordecai waiting for him.

Krebbs told the jury that Mordecai attacked him as he sat inside his truck.

“He was coming in through the window,” Krebbs told the jury. “I shot, not to kill him, just to get him away from me.”

Krebbs also said he fired several more shots because he didn't know if Mordecai had a weapon. None of the other bullets struck Mordecai, according to testimony.

Emily Redman, the district attorney for Bryan, Atoka and Coal counties who was appointed to try the case, told jurors that Krebbs ran after Mordecai and shot at him with a pistol at least five times.

Redman was assigned to the case after the recusal of Pittsburg County District Attorney Jim Miller, who knew Krebbs.

When Miller declined to file charges in the weeks after the shooting, Kathy Mordecai gathered signatures to urge authorities to take action in the case.

Labels: assault, OK

Luling Woman Kills Intruder, Deputies Say

St. Charles Parish deputies said a 22-year-old woman shot back at two men who barged into her home early Wednesday morning, killing one and wounding the other.

Jason Jammal Todd and Chris Avila approached Nathaniel Evans as he was leaving for work at about 4 a.m., officials said.

At gunpoint, they forced Evans back inside and then approached his girlfriend.

Avila forced her to lie on the floor, deputies said, and one of them shot Evans.

The woman got a gun from her bedroom and fired at the two intruders, deputies said.

Todd was pronounced dead at the scene. Avila was hit in the lower torso and was found in a nearby field. He's listed in guarded but stable condition.

Evans, meanwhile, is in an intensive care unit in guarded but stable condition.

Deputies said both Todd and Avila had previous arrest records.

An investigation into the case is ongoing.

Labels: assault, home invasion, LA

Police: Man shot dead after kicking in door

A 20-year-old man was shot and killed early Sunday after he kicked down the front door of another man's home in Creola, authorities said.
…

In Creola, the two men had been arguing over the phone before Justin Cox went to the home just off U.S. 43 and kicked the door off its hinges, said Cpl. Gary Davis of the Creola Police Department.

Ronnie Freeman, who was at home with his wife and baby, shot Cox with a rifle, Davis said. So far, Freeman does not face any criminal charges, Davis said.

Investigators believe Cox intended to hurt Freeman, Davis said.

The case remains under investigation and will be presented to a Mobile County grand jury, Davis said. The shooting took place about 1:30 a.m. on Carroll Lane, Davis said.

Labels: AL, altercation, assault

3 killed in Burke Co. shooting rampage

Neighbor allegedly goes from trailer to trailer before getting shot to death; 2 others injured in attacks

It wasn't unusual to hear gunshots fired in this neck of Connelly Springs.

Mostly it was just men shooting targets, though a wayward bullet recently cut through a neighbor's occupied trailer -- straight through.

On Thursday night, the shots turned deadly, and in the space of about 10 minutes three men lay dead, including the shooter. Two others were hurt.

Burke County sheriff's Lt. Becky Brendle said it happened like this:

Just after 10:30 p.m., a man walked up to the camper home of Frank James Clark and shot him dead with a rifle.

He then walked the 150 feet across a driveway and yard to the trailer home of William and Shirley Clark, Frank's brother and mother, where William Clark was working on an ATV in the sultry heat. The man asked him where Clark's mother was.

Clark knocked the man's rifle toward the ground and ran inside the trailer before the man started firing through the front door. Clark grabbed his mother and pulled her to the floor, where the two laid as bullets passed through the home and Clark called 911.

Next, the man left the trailer, walked about 15 yards through the woods behind the Clarks' and knocked on the trailer home of William Clark's other two brothers, Edward and Wayne. He was told to come inside.

When the man walked in he started shooting the rifle. He shot Edward at least twice, killing him, shot a woman and man who were visiting, and then started shooting at Wayne, who ran to a back bedroom.

Wayne grabbed a rifle from the bedroom and waited until he heard the man's gun click. He assumed it was empty, so he stepped into the hall and saw the man there with the rifle in one hand and a handgun in the other.

Wayne, he told investigators, shot the man through the heart.

When it was over, Frank James Clark, 46, Edward Leroy Clark, 47, and 61-year-old Charlie Clinard Jackson, a neighbor of the Clark brothers, were dead, and Janet Elizabeth Lefler and Scott Elliott Campbell hurt.

Investigators say Jackson was the shooter and that nobody seems to know why he did it.

Friday, gauze pad wrappers dotted the yard where it all started. The front door of William and Shirley Clark's trailer sported several bullet holes, while more holes pocked the back of the home where at least three of the bullets exited.

Empty beer cans and junk vehicles lay about and a hand-lettered sign on the front porch read, "No Jehovahs Witnesses."

Neighbor Glennie Lail said gunshots in the area had concerned neighbors with children in the past, including herself.

She said she knew Jackson, whose brother also lives nearby. Her son would sometimes go to the brother's house to play with his dogs but would come home when Jackson showed up because he was scared of him.

(More about Jackson)

Labels: assault, home invasion, NC

Wal-Mart shooting justified, Gibbons says

Battery charges expected against shooter’s alleged assailant

Fifth Judicial Prosecuting Attorney David Gibbons has declined to prosecute a man who shot an acquaintance in the leg July 18 in the Wal-Mart parking lot on East Main Street.

William Garfield Farr, 50, was arrested later that night in connection with the shooting after he fled the scene without notifying authorities of the incident, a circumstance Gibbons called “troubling” in a memo sent Wednesday to Russellville Police Department Det. Mark Frost, which was provided to The Courier.

A witness recorded Farr’s license plate number as he drove away, according to a July 20 article by Scott Perkins and Janie Ginocchio.

In a July 20 bond hearing held at the Pope County Detention Center, District Judge Don Bourne ordered Farr held on a $25,000 commercial bond. At that time, the alleged victim, Ben Lopez, was in stable condition at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center, according to testimony by Frost.

Gibbons cited Arkansas Criminal Act 5-2-607 in the memo, which provides that “a person is justified in using deadly physical force upon another person if he reasonably believes that the other person is: (1) Committing or about to commit a felony involving force or violence; (2) Using or about to use unlawful deadly physical force; [or] (3) Imminently endangering his or her life.”

In the memo, Gibbons wrote despite Farr’s failure to call police and fleeing, “from the evidence, it is clear that Lopez was the initial aggressor and entered Farr’s vehicle while possessing a knife. Farr retreated to the passenger side of his vehicle, a point beyond which he could go no further with complete safety.”

“Although disputed by Lopez,” Gibbons continued, “the credible evidence is that Lopez struck at Farr with the knife injuring Farr’s lip. At that point, Farr shot Lopez in the leg with a handgun which he was authorized to carry under Arkansas Law.”

Frost testified July 20 officers found a knife at the scene. During that hearing, Farr appeared to have a small cut on his upper lip consistent with a superficial knife wound.

Gibbons wrote he anticipates filing battery charges against Lopez in connection with the incident.

It remains unclear how the two came to meet in the parking lot, as well as what caused the encounter to turn violent.

Labels: altercation, AR, assault, concealed carry permit

Prosecutors Decide Parking Lot Shooting Was Self-Defense

Hillsborough County prosecutors have decided not to pursue aggravated battery charges against a Pinellas County car salesman accused of shooting a man who was charging at him outside an Oldsmar bar this year.

The ordeal was captured on a 911 tape, recorded after the shooter called for help but before he fired his .45-caliber handgun.

Craig Auclair was arrested on aggravated battery charges after he shot Scott Baptista, a 40-year-old seasonal employee of Tampa Bay Downs who lived at the track. Hillsborough County sheriff's deputies said the shooting occurred after a barroom squabble over cigarettes.

Assistant State Attorney Morris J. Fonte Jr. said it was a clear case of self-defense, even though Auclair started the initial fight.

The altercation began inside KD's Pub on the northeast corner of Hillsborough Avenue and Race Track Road just after midnight Feb. 26 when Auclair, 25, and Baptista fought.

Auclair, of 507 Longfellow Court, Apt. D, Safety Harbor, was kicked out of the bar, deputies said, and as he walked toward his vehicle, Baptista and a friend followed.

An independent witness told prosecutors that Baptista and his friend backed Auclair up about 90 feet before Auclair, who had retrieved a handgun from his vehicle and had called 911, fired a warning shot into the air.

Because he was so close to the county line, Auclair's 911 call was connected to Pinellas County dispatchers.

While Auclair was on the telephone, the two men continued to approach him and Baptista dared Auclair to shoot him, witnesses said.

Fonte said that although Auclair was the aggressor inside the bar, "in no way was he the aggressor outside. He gave every opportunity for the men to back off." Baptista told Fonte that he followed Auclair outside "to get his licks in."

Shots were fired; two hit Baptista, deputies said. He was treated at St. Joseph's Hospital.

Auclair's attorney argued that his client's actions were self-defense.

"We are very pleased with the decision by the state attorney's office not to pursue this matter," said defense attorney John Lauro of Tampa in a prepared statement issued Monday. "We believe that Mr. Auclair acted entirely in self-defense and within his rights under Florida's new Stand-Your-Ground Act."

Labels: altercation, assault, FL

Monroe man shot with own pistol after fight

When David Brown pulled out his 9mm pistol Monday morning, he was ready to use it.

But when the gun jammed on Brown, Greg Cooper, the would-be victim, took the weapon and used the handgun to beat Brown with it. The weapon fired, hitting Brown.

Police responded to a report of shots fired just after 9 a.m. at 713-B Lacy St. When officers arrived, they could not find an assailant or a victim but followed a blood trail from where the shooting took place to the back porch of 717-A.

“It appears the two men got into an argument, one pulled a weapon out, cocked it, and it misfired,” Investigator Alicia Martin said. “It then proceeded into a physical altercation. Once the gun misfired, the victim took the gun away and proceeded to use it against his assailant.”

A 9mm shell was located in the driveway, according to reports seven to eight feet away from where the blood started.

Brown, 28, of 735 Lacy St., was later located at his house and transported by Walton EMS to Athens Regional Hospital. Reports were that he had several lacerations to his hand and was shot in the wrist of his left hand.

Monroe Police Department officials expect to issue warrants for Brown’s arrest by the end of the week.

Labels: altercation, assault, criminal's gun taken away and used against him, GA

ASU student shot, killed - Man mistaken as an intruder

The father of a Rowena man says his son inadvertently entered the wrong house early Saturday, then he was mistaken for a burglar and shot to death by a homeowner in San Antonio.

San Antonio police reported they found Tracy Glass, 19, dead near the home of Raymond Lemes, 48. According to a police report, Lemes told officers he was asleep when he heard a scream and realized an intruder was in his northwest San Antonio home.

The intruder ran, and Lemes chased him down the street, the report said. When he caught up with the suspect, Lemes said the man lunged at him, so he shot him, according to the report. Upon arriving at the scene, police found Glass face down, dead with gunshot wounds to the chest, neck and arm.

The police report said Lemes has a license for his .40-caliber Glock pistol.

The homeowner told police the intruder likely gained access to his home through a broken sliding door.

Burnell Glass said Monday that his son was visiting his sister at a house near Lemes’ residence. He said Tracy Glass went for a walk in the early morning and returned to what he thought was the home where he was staying.

When he heard a shout from the home, Tracy Glass turned and left, his father said. When Lemes followed him, Burnell Glass said his son turned around and was shot.

“This was a very tragic accident,” Burnell Glass said.

He said his son was a good person who simply made a mistake.

“He was not a thief,” he said. “He was not troubled or into drugs.”

Media Service Officer Joe Rios of the San Antonio Police Department said the incident is still under investigation. No charges have been filed against Lemes, Rios said.

“My son is dead, and nothing will bring him back,” Burnell Glass said.

“I have no reproach for the man. I will pray for him.”

Tracy Glass most recently worked in San Angelo at El Mejor restaurant and Dean’s Marine, his father said. He will be remembered by family and friends as a man who committed his life to God and to his family, Burnell Glass said.

Tracy Glass graduated from Miles High School in 2006 and was attending Angelo State University. A memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Rowena.

Rowena is about 20 miles northwest of San Angelo.

Family struggles to understand son's slaying

Carmen and Burnell Glass, two God-fearing cotton farmers from the fields of West Texas, are looking to a higher law these days in grappling with the sudden, violent death of their son.

For others, the slaying of Tracy Glass raises questions embedded firmly in the Texas Penal Code.

The case, experts said, hinges on whether a Northwest Side homeowner thought deadly force was his only option to protect himself or recover property when he chased the unarmed college student to the street and shot him to death.

Raymond Lemes, 48, found Glass inside his house early Saturday morning. Believing Glass was an intruder, Lemes grabbed his .40-caliber handgun and chased the young man outside, where he shot him in the neck, arm and chest, according to a police report.

The report does not indicate whether Glass, 19, took anything from the home. Lemes later told police he meant to detain Glass until authorities arrived, but he fired when Glass "lunged at him," the report says.

Buoyed by their Christian faith, the Glasses already have forgiven Lemes, whom they've never met. But the grieving parents also believe that the slaying of their son was a terrible mistake triggered when he mistakenly entered Lemes' house and then turned to face the homeowner.

"Tracy was not a violent person. He was not a thief," said Burnell Glass. "He was taught when you step on somebody's toes, you turn around and say, 'I'm sorry.'"

Glass, a sophomore at Angelo State University who grew up on his family's farm, had been staying at his sister's house on Autumn Evening the night he died.

That house is painted white with blue trim and is on the right side of the cul-de-sac. Lemes' house is also white with blue trim and is on the right side of another cul-de-sac, Autumn Star. One home is directly behind the other.

Living in a rural area, Glass had picked up the habit of taking late-night walks to get better reception on his cell phone, his father said. On Saturday, he sent a text message to his girlfriend and left his sister's house.

"When she called back, there was no answer," Burnell Glass said.

What happened next remains under investigation, said police spokesman Gabe Trevino.

(More, including several sidebars of interest)

Labels: assault, concealed carry permit, intruder, TX

Man shot in the back

A man was shot in the back with a pellet gun following an argument that broke out Monday afternoon while he and two other men were drinking and cooking on a grill in Saraland, authorities said.

Investigators believed that the three men were cooking when the homeowner asked one of the men to leave, according to a news release from the Saraland Police Department.

The man refused to leave, so the homeowner went inside his house at 223 Short St., located near Bayou Sara, said police spokesman Sgt. Leroy Smith.

The man followed the homeowner in and attempted to hit him, the release said.

The homeowner grabbed a pellet rifle and shot the man in the back, the release said.

No charges have been filed, and the case will be presented to the next available Mobile County grand jury, Smith said. The victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries, the release said.

Labels: AL, altercation, assault

Mandarin Slaying Possibly Self Defense

Gunman Cooperating With Investigators

A 26-year-old man died Sunday night after he was shot inside a Mandarin convenience store and homicide detectives are trying to determine if the shooting was in self defense.

Police responding to a report of a gunshot at the BP gas station at the corner of Old St. Augustine and Losco roads about 9:45 p.m. found Isaiah Williams lying on the ground. He transported to Shands-Jacksonville Medical Center, where he died a shot time later.

The store clerk told Channel 4's John Dunlap that the shooting followed a confrontation that began with Williams cursing a man in line behind them.

"He went out and he came back with a friend," BP manager Reddy Kandala said. "That time, there was a fight."

Kandala said the shooter, whose name was not released by police, told Williams and his friends he had a gun. Kandala said Williams left the store again, but when he entered for a third time, he was shot.

The gunman is cooperating with police and the entire incident was recorded by surveillance cameras. Police and the state attorneys office will review the evidence and witness statements to decide if the shooting was in self defense or if the gunman should be charged with a crime.

Labels: assault, TX

Woman fatally stabbed by her ex; he's fatally shot by a bystander

A Seattle mother of four was fatally stabbed early today despite a court protection order against her knife-wielding ex-husband.

The 33-year-old victim was stabbed nearly two dozen times while attending a birthday party about 1 a.m. at the Veterans of Foreign Wars hall in the 9100 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Way South.

The 39-year-old assailant burst into the hall, grabbed the victim and slashed her with a large knife, witnesses told police. The weapon was recovered at the scene.

A 32-year-old Kent man who was at the party pulled a hand gun and shot the suspect who later died at Harborview Medial Center.

Police spokeswoman Renee Witt said the party guest had a concealed-weapons permit. She said he likely won't face charges since he acted to prevent further harm.

Another partygoer who tried to save the victim suffered minor cuts. He drove himself to Virginia Mason Medical Center and was later released.

Although identities had not been formally released this evening, court records indicate that the victim and 39-year-old assailant obtained a court separation March 30 of this year.

Court records also show that the attacker had a previous record of violence including multiple counts of assault in April this year.

Labels: assault, domestic abuse, WA

Two die in gun battle outside Rialto club

Two people were killed and a third was critically wounded after an early morning gunbattle Sunday outside a Rialto nightclub, police said.

About 1:45 a.m., a crowd had gathered outside the El Patio Nightclub at 333 E. Foothill Blvd. when a confrontation broke out and a man pulled a handgun and opened fire, police said.

The man fatally shot Adrian Alvarado, 17, of Rialto, in the head and wounded Eduardo Marin, 25, in the torso before the club's armed security fatally shot the gunman, Rialto police Sgt. Tim Lane said Sunday.

Alvarado and Marin had been standing in the parking lot when they were hit by gunfire, police said. The club's private security then confronted the gunman, whose identity has not been released, and exchanged gunshots, police said.

The gunman at the scene and the private security guard, whose name was not released, was not injured, police said.
Alvarado and the suspect died at the scene, while Marin was taken to a local hospital where he was in critical condition on Sunday, Lane said.

Police interviewed and released the private security guard, and authorities will forward the case to the San Bernardino County district attorney's office for review, police said.

Labels: altercation, assault, CA, minor offender

Murder jury acquits Callahan

Morgan Circuit Court panel believes 2006 shooting of Cullman man was self-defense

A Morgan County jury sent Mark Anthony Callahan home Friday to raise his five children.

The jury acquitted Callahan, 38, in Circuit Court of murder in the July 1, 2006, shooting death of Ricky Gilley, 30, of Cullman.

The jury believed the shooting was in self-defense.

"He's certainly elated and just wanted to get home with his children," Callahan's attorney, Larry Madison, said after the verdict.

Assistant District Attorney Paul Matthews scrutinized Callahan's testimony about what happened the night of the shooting.

Callahan said he feared for his and his five children's lives. He said Gilley had gotten Callahan's gun and threatened him. He said he managed to wrestle the gun away and shot Gilley.

Callahan said an argument between him, Gilley and his girlfriend preceded the shooting.

Gilley's girlfriend, who is also Callahan's first cousin, testified that Callahan rubbed her leg and that is what caused the fight.

Testimony revealed that the three had consumed one bottle of liquor and had started on another bottle before the shooting. A pathologist testified that Gilley died from a gunshot wound to the chest. He said the shooting occurred at close range, no more than 21/2 feet away.

Madison used that testimony to argue his case, saying it proved Callahan wrestled the gun from Gilley.

Matthews told the jury that Callahan could have walked away and that there was no sign of a fight inside Callahan's home at Somerville.

"Cussing someone doesn't justify killing them," Matthews argued. "You tell him today he's not justified. He's guilty of murder."

Madison told the jury that Callahan didn't have to leave his home.

"This man was in his home and his children's home," Madison said.

He asked the jury for an acquittal, and a little less than an hour later the jury returned the verdict.
Circuit Judge Steve Haddock discharged Callahan and told him he was free to go.

He left the courtroom and, on the way out of the courthouse, kissed two of his five children whom he said he is raising alone.

Callahan told the jury Thursday that his wife abandoned him and the children more than a year ago when she left with another man.

Labels: AL, assault, criminal's gun taken away and used against him, domestic dispute

Bell acquitted in 06 [sic] shooting

A 31-year-old Bridgeton man was acquitted Thursday on charges of first-degree attempted murder in connection with a 2005 shooting incident in Gouldtown.

Leroy Bell, of Hampton Street, was also acquitted on various weapons charges, with the exception of fourth-degree possession of a firearm without a permit, for which he was convicted.

Bell was found guilty of two counts of aggravated assault as well. However, jurors found he acted in defense in connection with those charges, negating those convictions.

Because Bell was convicted of a felony, Superior Court Judge Timothy Farrell ordered him to turn over all firearms he may own.

In a 2005 statement to detectives, Bell admitted shooting at the alleged victim in the case, 20-year-old Douglas Lawson, of North Pearl Street, Bridgeton, but only after Lawson shot at him during an incident on Longview Avenue in Fairfield Township on Aug. 30, 2005.

Neither Bell nor Lawson were injured in either of the two incidents.

Detectives who testified during a one-day trial Wednesday said that they found no evidence corroberating Bell's assertion that he was acting in self-defense.

Lawson declined to testify against Bell.

Lawson is facing charges of attempted murder himself, in connection with a separate incident that also occurred on Longview Avenue on Aug. 30, 2005, in which its alleged Lawson fired a gun at Bell.

The only witnesses in the trial were two detectives who worked on the case, although several other people were said to have been at the scene of the shooting.

Bell was facing a potential prison sentence of 30 years to life in prison if convicted of attempted murder.

Labels: assault, NJ

Skrappy's settles suit over shooting death

Insurer pays part of $250,000 to man's parents

The parents of a 27-year-old Mesa resident who was shot and killed in the parking lot of Skrappy's youth club Downtown have settled their lawsuit with the club and the man who shot him. Ray "Darrin" Pierson's parents settled the lawsuit for $250,000, said Tucson attorney James Dyer.

Skrappy's has agreed to pay Phoenix residents Jeffrey Pierson and Julie Maynard, Ray Pierson's parents, $150,000.
Jordan Asch's homeowners insurance has agreed to pay the remaining $100,000, Dyer said. Asch, who shot Pierson, was not charged in the case.

The county attorney ruled the shooting justified

Ray Pierson was shot and killed Dec. 7, 2005, outside the club at 201 E. Broadway.

Despite the settlement, what happened that night remains a hotly contested issue.

One side maintains Pierson died protecting the crowd from a Columbine-type massacre.

The other insists Pierson was a member of a national group known for provoking melees and Asch shot him in self-defense.

The group, FSU, is known in some circles as Friends Stand United. Others contend the initials stand for a vulgar expression related to creating disturbances.

In a prepared statement faxed to the Arizona Daily Star, Sue Krahe-Eggleston, executive director of Our Family Services, the nonprofit organization behind Skrappy's, expressed her relief that the lawsuit has been resolved.

"While we do not believe Skrappy's was in any way at fault for causing this unfortunate incident, we welcomed the opportunity to settle as a way to avoid the costly legal fees of continuing the case.

"We would not characterize the actions of Darrin Pierson as that of a hero. While our hearts go out to his family, we believe he and his accomplices were the initiators of an unwarranted and violent attack on a number of innocent concertgoers."

While one of five bands playing that night was performing, a large group ran into the crowd and began hitting people, according to police reports. Others began throwing microphone stands, speakers and amplifiers into the crowd.

A member of Skrappy's management turned on the lights and told everyone to leave, that the police had been called.

According to some accounts, Asch, who sometimes acted as volunteer security for the club, went to his car to get an assault rifle to prevent the situation from escalating further.

Asch's friends insisted Asch was persuaded to put the rifle back into his truck and it was while they were at his truck they were attacked by a mob carrying pool balls in socks, hammers, baseball bats and machetes.

Asch, who is now 25, told police one of the men "went to the passenger (door) and busted out my window and started climbing in after me with the hammer in his hand, so I shot him center mass."

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Labels: assault, AZ

Man involved in Thursday's fatal shooting says it was in self-defense

The man who was involved Thursday's shooting in east Spokane that left a 24-year-old man dead spoke out for the first time on Saturday.

Allan Turnipseed carries a gun with him at all times. But he'd never had to use it until Thursday. He says his life, and the lives of his family, were in danger.

Thursday afternoon's shooting was a small incident that spiraled out of control. That is the story from Turnipseed, the man accused of shooting 24-year-old Joshua Smith.

Turnipseed has not been jailed and is currently a free man. He declined to go on camera, but spoke from his home. He says on Wednesday evening, he witnessed two young men driving down 8th Avenue, one of them tossing a beer can out the window. He confronted the pair, and as he went to call police, they left.

On Thursday, Turnipseed says he was driving down Ferrall when he saw the same Mazda, with the same men inside and Smith driving. Sensing trouble, Turnipseed says he moved his car to block the young men from coming near his home.

He then alleges Smith drove up to the car and said he wanted to take a crowbar to his face, then took a crowbar out and began making threats. Turnipseed says he pulled his .380-caliber gun and tried to make a citizen's arrest. He then stood in front of Smith's car to keep them from leaving. Seconds later, Smith allegedly tried to run Turnipseed over. Turnipseed was hit, and as he clung onto the hood, fired two shots into the car.

Turnipseed believes the men were drinking, and adds that he'll accept any charges that may come. Police say it is illegal to make a citizen's arrest in Washington. The shooting is still under investigation.

Labels: assault, WA

Business Owner Holds Alleged Crook At Gunpoint

A business owner takes the law into his own hands and holds a suspected crook at gunpoint until police arrive. The suspect was allegedly breaking into cars at a business complex on North Cascade.

Just after midnight, something strange was going on outside the businesses. "He had taken a transformer off of Roger's truck and was beating on a car window. That was thumping noise I heard," Kristi Lyons told 11 News.

Her husband, Mike, grabbed his gun and ran outside. They knew there was an intruder when they saw the plastic window on their car sliced open.

Kristi said the suspect was caught red-handed, hiding behind and underneath cars in the parking lot.

"Mike had him at gunpoint. He said, ‘We can do this the easy way or the hard way.’ I called police." She was on the phone for about 5 minutes while she watched Mike go after the suspect.

"Mike had the kid at gunpoint. He started advancing toward Mike with a knife and Mike fired off a shot to let him know that he wasn’t kidding."

Police arrested 24-year-old Richard Richardson.

"I wish he would've shot the guy," said Lisa Yunker who owns the business next door. She said the row of businesses has been broken into several times. “Everyone is sick of it, this whole complex. We don't know why we're targeted."

For now, everyone who works there thinks of Kristi's husband as a hero. Kristi told 11 News she’d do it all over again if another intruder came onto her property, but “With a bigger gun."

Richard Richardon is behind bars charged with criminal mischief, trespassing and assault. Police said they had been looking for him earlier in the night for allegedly attacking a kid with a baseball bat.

Labels: assault, CO, trespassing

Man questioned in fatal Dallas shooting

One person is dead and another was being questioned Sunday afternoon after a confrontation reportedly led to a shooting in north Dallas.

Dallas police say a couple was moving out of their apartment in the 9500 block of Forest Lane when the wife saw “an individual” walking down the street. She told her husband that the person had robbed her of her cell phone on Saturday, Dallas police spokesman Jamie Matthews said in a statement.

The husband told police that he confronted the alleged robber on the street and that the person reached for a gun. The husband pulled his own gun and shot the victim in the head, he told police.

The victim was pronounced dead at Medical City hospital. Police have been unable to identify the individual.

No arrests had been made as of Sunday evening.

Man killed may have robbed shooter's wife

A man who was shot and killed Sunday may have been involved in a robbery the day before in Dallas.

Police said the deceased man was in possession of a cellphone that was taken from the shooter's wife during the robbery at 7 p.m. Saturday. The couple was moving out of Snug Harbor Apartments in the 9500 block of Forest Lane about 12:19 p.m. Sunday because of the robbery.

Sunday's confrontation started as the woman's mother noticed a suspicious man walking across the street. The mother had received harassing phone calls from the stolen cellphone, police said. Her son-in-law confronted the man, who pulled out a gun. The son-in-law, who has a concealed handgun license, shot the man.

The shooting victim was taken to Medical City Dallas, where he was pronounced dead.

Police have questioned the shooter and released him, said Sgt. Gene Reyes. The case will be referred to a grand jury.

Labels: altercation, assault, concealed carry permit, TX

Early Morning Shooting Outside Puerto Rican Social Club

Investigators are calling Sunday morning's deadly shooting outside Puerto Rican social club in Orange County self-defense.

It happened a little before one a.m. in the parking lot at the Asociación Borinqueña de Florida Central on Econlockhatchee Trail near Colonial Drive.

Police believe it started when a fight broke out between two groups during a Vietnamese concert at the club.

The fight spilled into the parking lot and that is when shots were fired.

Sheriff's investigators say 31-year-old Long Pharm of Largo fired a number of shots but hit no one. Another person then shot at Pharm, killing him.

Police say that at this point they are treating it as a self-defense killing.

The case has been turned over to the State Attorney's Office. It will decide if any charges will be filed.

Labels: altercation, assault, FL

Titusville police: Killing looks like self-defense

Titusville Police said this afternoon they’re confident William Herring shot two men with a handgun — one fatally — in self-defense after they broke into his garage and attacked him with a pipe and tire iron.

Herring was working in his garage at 908 S. Washington Avenue in downtown Titusville when he spotted two men on his property “in an area they didn’t belong,” Assistant Police Chief John Lau said. The two men attacked Herring, who grabbed a gun and fire three shots, Lau said.

Herring then called 9-1-1 to report the shooting. When officers arrived at 12:30 a.m. they found 44-year-old William Wade Hose of Mims dead.

Christopher J. Zagorski, 47, also of Mims, was transported to Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne with serious injuries.

“Both shooting victims knew the (resident), and there appears to have been some type of feud between them,” Hutchinson said in a news release.

Investigators this afternoon are still trying to establish the relationship between the three men.

A pipe and tire iron found in the garage were taken into evidence.

Herring had injuries consistent with being hit by blunt objects, Lt. Todd Hutchinson said.

The investigation is expected to take several days. Detectives have not been able to interview the surviving shooting victim, Hutchinson said.

New facts come out in Titusville shooting

Homeowner knew 1 intruder

A Titusville man who told police he fatally shot one intruder and wounded another in an act of self-defense grew up with one of the man in Long Island, N.Y., the man's sister said Friday.

Police said one of the intruders was carrying a gun when the shooting occurred.

The home's resident William Herring has not been charged, and authorities have said the preliminary investigation indicates self-defense. But prosecutors will review the case, Titusville Lt. Todd Hutchinson said.

"At this point the physical evidence matches the shooting suspect's version of events," he said. "However, the complete findings and facts will be shared with the state attorney's office, and together we will determine whether there are any criminal charges applicable in this case."

According to police, Herring was working in his garage at 908 S. Washington Ave. when he said he spotted two intruders on his property. He said Christopher J. Zagorski, 47, of Mims and William Hose, 44, of Mims attacked him with a pipe and a tire iron. Herring grabbed a handgun he kept in the garage and shot three times, killing Hose and seriously injuring Zagorski.

Hose, the son of the York County, Pa., Sheriff Bill Hose, was shot first in the stomach and then in the back, Hutchinson said.

Sheriff Hose declined to comment to FLORIDA TODAY.

It was the shot to the back, which hit between the shoulder blades and out the chest, that killed the younger Hose, said Rodney Belcher with the Brevard County medical examiner's office.

The medical examiner's report listed the second bullet wound as entering the front of the left thigh and came out the left buttock, Belcher said.

Titusville police said they recovered a handgun from Zagorski. Detectives are investigating what sparked the incident, including the possibility of a debt Herring may have owed the men.

"Our investigators are looking into whether the shooting suspect owed these victims money," Hutchinson said.

Shooting of sheriff's son likely in self-defense

A Titusville man who told police he fatally shot one intruder and wounded another in an act of self-defense grew up with one of the men in Long Island, N.Y., the man's sister said Friday.

Police said one of the intruders was carrying a gun when the shooting occurred.

William H. Hose, the son of York County Sheriff Bill Hose, was killed during the alleged break-in, police said.

The home's resident William Herring has not been charged, and authorities have said the preliminary investigation indicates it was self-defense. But prosecutors will review the case, Titusville Lt. Todd Hutchinson said.

Labels: assault, FL, home invasion

Man shoots trespasser twice in legs

A northwest Harris County homeowner says he shot a man in the legs on Friday because the man trespassed on his property.

The homeowner told deputies he heard dogs barking so he went outside and saw a man in his backyard.

He confronted the suspect and that's when the suspect pulled out some type of hammer or ax.

The homeowner then shot the suspect twice in the legs.

The suspect jumped the fence and ran off into some nearby woods.

A police dog found him a short time later. He was taken into custody on a stretcher.

Labels: assault, trespassing, TX

Judge: Shooting outside MedCentral was self defense

Kevin Teague acted in self defense when he shot a fellow Mansfield teenager in the face, according to Richland County Juvenile Court Judge Ron Spon.

The judge on Thursday acquitted the 15-year-old Teague of attempted murder and two counts of felonious assault. Spon found him guilty of carrying a concealed weapon.

The decision followed a three-day trial during which the Richland County Prosecutor's Office argued Teague shot and intended to kill Jacques Sutton outside MedCentral/ Mansfield Hospital on Feb. 18.

The judge didn't agree.

Spon said the prosecution failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Teague intended to kill the victim.

"The defense ... successfully argued their case that what Kevin did was in self-defense," Spon said, claiming defense attorney Ralph Bove proved three specific points:

First, Teague was not at fault in creating the altercation between himself, the victim and four other juveniles accompanying the victim.

Spon cited testimony from witnesses saying the victim and his friends antagonized and bullied Teague for a lengthy period of time. On the day in question, one of the victim's friends got Teague to let his guard down, then punched him.

Second, Teague had a "bona fide belief of immediate danger and bodily harm requiring the use of force to escape."

Testimony and evidence indicated five juveniles pursued Teague and his acquaintance for at least one city block before getting to MedCentral. From there, security video shows five juveniles attempting to surround Teague to keep him from entering the hospital.

"The video was chilling," Spon said. "It was like watching sharks circle in for the kill. Frankly, the line (Sutton) said that they were only going to the hospital because they were hungry and wanted to use the vending machines to get something to eat was a ploy."

Third, the defense proved Teague did all he could to retreat from the altercation.

"This was a long pursuit," Spon said. "He was retreating the entire distance of at least one block."

Spon said Teague had the gun in his possession during the pursuit, but had it pointed down until the moment Sutton caught up to him outside the hospital entrance.

"The prosecution has argued that (the victim) had his hands out the entire time," Spon said. "But the video showed (the victim) had his right hand in his pocket," suggesting the victim had a weapon for which he was reaching.

"In short, Kevin was being relentlessly pursued by five people with the intent to cause bodily harm," he said. "The defense proved in that moment, his only means at hand was the use of force."
…

Spon ordered Teague, who spent 158 days detained in the Juvenile Justice Center, to be released into house arrest under the supervision of his family while a pre-sentence report is filed. Spon will sentence Teague on his concealed weapon conviction within 30 days.

Labels: assault, OH

Wounded man faces charges

A man Jackson County deputies found shot in the stomach Saturday has been charged with burglary and attempted aggravated as-sault.

Deputies responded to call at 4317 Knowlcrest drive in reference to a possible intruder, according to a news release from Jackson County Sheriff Mike Byrd.

Deputies discovered Shontile Leprice Keys, 24, 5119 Meridian, Moss Point, with a gunshot to the stomach. Keys was take to Singing River Hospital, Pascagoula.

It was determined Keys had broken into the residence to await the arrival of the homeowners, according to the report. When the homeowners arrived, Keys attacked them but he was eventually shot, the report said.

No bond has been set and Keys remains in the hospital, according to the report.

Labels: assault, MS, residence robbery

Neighbor Shoots Naked Man: Claims Self Defense

A naked man was shot to death in West Palm Beach as he was lunged at a resident who was trying to protect a woman and her children.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said Jonas Morisma may have been under the influence of drugs when he ended up at the woman's apartment complex early Tuesday. Witnesses told police Morisma first attacked a tow truck, banging on the driver's windows and tearing off its lights. He then reportedly began banging on apartment doors and punching through windows.

Police say Morisma was disrobing while doing all this.

A resident came out of his apartment with a gun and told Morisma to leave as the woman and her children sought cover nearby. According to authorities, that's when Morisma lunged at the resident, who fired one shot. Police have not released the name of the man who shot Morisma to protect him from retaliation.

Labels: assault, FL

Suspect Shot During Gunfire Exchange in Burton

Beaufort County deputies responded to a report of shots fired on Monday afternoon in Burton, South Carolina. Rodmond Singleton, 24, and his brother, Titus Singleton, 18, were reported in the backyard of a residence on Goethe Hill Road getting ready for some target practice when the incident occurred.

The men told investigators they saw a dark-colored Lexus pull into the driveway. A black male, whom Titus identified as Antoine Robinson, 19, got out of the vehicle and pointed a handgun at them.

According to the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office, Robinson fired shots toward the Singletons and they returned fire with weapons they'd had ready for target practice. Robinson drove away and investigators don't yet know the motive behind the attack.

Antoine Robinson later turned up at Beaufort Memorial Hospital with a gunshot wound to his upper left arm.
During the gunfight, the residence across the street from the Singletons' was apparently struck by stray bullets, though no one was injured.

Investigators found and seized a Lexus matching the description provided by the Singletons in Beaufort, where Robinson lives.
The Singletons turned their guns over to investigators at the scene. Both are registered to Rodmond Singleton.
No gun linked to Robinson has been found.

Robinson has been charged with and arrested on two counts of assault and battery with intent to kill. After his release from the hospital Monday night, he was taken to the Beaufort County Detention Center.

This incident remains under investigation by the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office.

Labels: assault, SC

Man Shot After Fight at Downtown Orlando Nightclub

The victim of a downtown Orlando shooting is recovering this afternoon.

The shooting occurred around 3 a.m. on Garland Ave., shortly after the victim left Club Element on Pine Street. Police believe a confrontation between the victim and four other men began early Tuesday morning at the bar.

Police say that while the victim and a passenger were traveling north on Garland Ave. near Concord St., two cars pulled up and blocked the victim's vehicle. Multiple shots were fired out of one of the suspect cars.

The victim was shot in the head and transported to Orlando Regional Medical Center. His injury is not life-threatening and he is cooporating with detectives.

Police say the victim was followed from the club and probably boxed in just south of Colonial. Passenger in the victims car shot back in self-defense. No word on whether anything will happen to him but police have his gun. Two cars fled when passenger shot back but only description police gave us is they're a Silver car and a Blue car.

Labels: assault, FL

An Eastern Kentucky Shooting Sends One Man To The Hospital

An investigation is underway this morning into a shooting that sent one man to the hospital.

It happened just before five last night on Kentucky 589 in Morgan County.

Police say Oakie Fannin drove to the home of his ex-wife Tameila Burchett, just minutes after he called her and threatened her husband.

Authorities tell us that Fannin then drove through the yard, then turned and headed directly for Charles Burchett.

That's when Mr. Burchett fired several shots at Fannin in self defense, hitting him several times.

Police say Fannin wrecked not long after leaving the home.

He is in stable condition this morning. So far no arrests have been made.

The case is expected to be presented to the Morgan County Grand Jury.

Labels: assault, domestic dispute, KY

1 dead, 3 jailed after scuffle inside RV

Charles Oxner doesn't drink, smoke or dip, he says. He has never been in trouble with the law. On Wednesday night, three men he worked with forced their way into his recreational vehicle and began beating him, he says. He shot one of them, and now he's charged with murder.

Dale McGee, 46, died two hours later at Harris Methodist Fort Worth Hospital. Argyle police charged the other two men with burglary with intent to assault.

"I never had no dealings with the law, not even a speeding ticket in the last 15 years," Mr. Oxner, 38, said Thursday afternoon at the Denton County Jail. "I walked out of that trailer of my own free will. They handcuffed me and stuck me in a car, and here I am now."

Mr. Oxner's bail has been set at $100,000.

He has a black eye he says one of the other men inflicted with a boot. He has visible bumps on his forehead and says there are many more on the back of his head. Under a bandage on his left hand is a bite wound.

"There was three of them whalin' on me, and I don't know what I was supposed to do," he said. "I sure didn't invite them in there."

Texas Ranger Tracy Murphree, who helped with the investigation, said Thursday that a decision was made to jail everyone.

"We had a mobile crime scene. We had people who live in other states. We had a man who was dead and a man who shot him," he said. "It is not the duty of police to decide whether it was justified. Lawyers and judges make those decisions."

The shooting happened in Corral City. Argyle police patrol the small city, which consists mostly of a mobile home park just off Interstate 35W. Argyle Police Chief Tom Tackett said officers responded there about 7:30 p.m. and found Mr. McGee, of Lobelville, Tenn., with at least two gunshot wounds.

"Oxner and McGee worked together for a pipeline company laying a gas line," the chief said. "There was an altercation on the job, and some of the men left. Witnesses and Oxner told us that after he arrived home, three men came to the travel trailer to confront him. They all ended up inside the trailer. There was a scuffle, and there were gunshots. It was really crowded in there."

Bail for Landle "Bubba" McGee, 38, from Linden and Justin Ainsworth, 26, of Collins, Miss., was set at $60,000.

Landle McGee, who is Dale McGee's brother, and Mr. Ainsworth could not be reached for comment.

"It is our belief they went inside to assault Mr. Oxner," Chief Tackett said. "We are going to gather all the evidence and let the grand jury decide."
…

"I was trying to get him off of me. I didn't mean to kill him," Mr. Oxner said.

Man who shot co-worker in RV won't face charges

A Denton County grand jury has declined to indict Charles Oxner, who shot a co-worker to death after the victim and two others burst into Mr. Oxner's recreational vehicle and began beating him July 11.

Assistant District Attorney Jamie Beck said grand jurors felt Mr. Oxner was acting in self-defense.

The shooting happened in Corral City. Argyle police, who patrol the incorporated mobile home park just off Interstate 35W, responded there about 7:30 p.m.

They found Dale McGee, 46, of Lobelville Tenn., with multiple gunshot wounds. He died two hours later.

His brother Landle "Bubba" McGee, 38, and a friend, Justin Ainsworth, 26, were outside. Mr. McGee and Mr. Ainsworth were indicted on the burglary charges; they are free on bail.

Labels: assault, home invasion, TX

Homeowner shoots man

-- A homeowner who caught a man in his yard with an armful of tools shot and seriously wounded him Wednesday night when the man would not stop walking toward the resident, Irving police said.

The unidentified man is an 18-year-old Irving resident, police said. He was shot in the torso and was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas. He is expected to survive, but his condition was unavailable Thursday morning, police said.

The shooting happened about 10:15 p.m. Wednesday in the 200 block of Tucker Street.

The 34-year-old homeowner told police that he heard noises in his backyard, and believing someone was stealing his property he grabbed his shotgun.

Once outside, the homeowner found a man walking out of his backyard with an armful of tools, police said.

The resident ordered the suspect to lay on the ground, police said.

The suspect put the tools down and began to walk toward the homeowner, police said.

After the homeowner repeatedly warned him to stop and get down, the suspect was shot, police said.

The resident was not arrested, police said.

Irving homeowner shoots burglar

An Irving homeowner who shot a man stealing tools from his home will not face any criminal charges, police said Thursday.

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Labels: assault, residence burglary, TX

Two People Hurt In Home Invasion

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

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

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

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

None of the names of those involved have been released.

1 Stabbed, 2 Shot During Confrontation At KC Home

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

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

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

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

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

Police are still investigating.

Labels: assault, domestic dispute, home invasion, MO

Houston lawmaker shoots suspected intruder

A state representative here in Houston shot a suspected burglar Sunday night, claiming his life was threatened.

Rep. Boris Miles was working on a leak at his house on Scott and South MacGregor around 7:30pm Sunday when he heard a noise. Miles says that previously, he had heard noises or people around the house while he was doing work there. Because of that, he had his gun with him.

"He came out and approached the two suspects, confronted them," said HPD Officer Joanna Abad. "At that time, one of the suspects threw a knife at him. Mr. Miles pulled out his weapon and shot at him once."

Miles says the two men were either pulling piping or cutting wires at the house, which is why he confronted him.

One of the suspects was shot in the leg and taken to the hospital. The other intruder got away.

At this point, no charges have been filed in the case. Miles represents District 146.

Texas lawmaker shoots would-be thief, police say

A state lawmaker who opposed a bill giving Texans stronger right to defend themselves with deadly force pulled a gun and shot a man he says was trying to steal copper wiring from a construction site, police said Monday.

Rep. Borris Miles told police he was fixing a leak on the second floor of the Houston house he's building Sunday night when he heard a noise downstairs and saw two men trying to steal the copper. After Miles confronted the pair, one of the men threw a pocketknife at him, Houston Police spokesman Victor Senties.

Miles, a former law enforcement officer, shot the man in the left leg, police said. The wounded suspect was being treated at a Houston hospital. Police were trying to identify the other suspect.

Charges of aggravated robbery are pending against the wounded suspect, Senties said.

Police said Miles, who is in his freshman term, is licensed to carry a concealed weapon. No charges have been filed against Miles, Senties said.

Miles, a Democrat, voted against a bill that gives Texans stronger legal right to defend themselves with deadly force in their homes, vehicles, and workplaces.

The so-called "castle doctrine," passed by the Legislature this year, states that a person has no duty to retreat from an intruder before using deadly force. The law goes into effect Sept. 1.

Labels: assault, concealed carry permit, residence burglary, TX

Wounded shooter may be charged

A Park City man may face charges after police said he shot into a home Wednesday - if he survives several gunshot wounds suffered when the person inside the home returned fire.

Kentucky State Police were called to 96 Tisdale St. after shots were fired and found Terry Conwell lying in the roadway, said Trooper Todd Holder, spokesman for Kentucky State Police in Bowling Green.

Conwell, 33, of Park City arrived at the residence and began shooting at the house with an AK 47, Holder said. Conwell then broke into the house by shooting off the doorknob.

When inside, Conwell continued shooting and Matthew Pulley, 20, of Bowling Green returned fire striking Conwell several times, Holder said.

The shooting occurred at 6:45 p.m., according to a state police report.

Conwell was removed from the scene, initially taken to The Medical Center and then transferred to Vanderbilt University Medical Center where he is in critical but stable condition, Holder said.

“Detective Forest Winchester will seek an indictment against Conwell with the Barren County Commonwealth's Attorney's Office based on his release from the hospital,” Holder said.

Conwell could face anticipated charges of attempted murder and first-degree burglary, according to state police.

There will be no charges filed against Pulley, Holder said. Monica Wilson, 19, and Joyce Davidson, 42, both of Park City, were inside the house as well when shots were fired.

Pulley, Wilson and Davidson were not injured, according to state police.

“There were some rumors this may have been because of an ongoing feud, but at this time those are just rumors,” said Barren County Sheriff Chris Eaton.

Conwell was attempting to get into the house because of an ongoing domestic situation, Holder said.

Labels: assault, domestic dispute, home invasion, KY

Police: Suspect dead in home invasion, shot by victim

Little Rock police are investigating a home invasion in which 1 of the suspects was shot dead by 1 of the victims. Police say the incident began early this morning when someone banged on the apartment door of 27-year-old Julian Armstrong and demanded to see someone named "Steve."

Armstrong told the person he had the wrong apartment. A while later, the man returned with a second person. Armstrong told police the men kicked in his door and that he exchanged gunfire with the second suspect.

Police say Armstrong sustained a gunshot wound to the abdomen and that the suspect was shot dead. Police say Armstrong's injury isn't life-threatening. No name has been released for the dead suspect, and police said they have not been able to find the other assailant.

Police say the shooting at southwest Little Rock apartment occurred at 2:20 a.m.

Labels: AR, assault, defender shot, home invasion

Hobart man arrested after he's shot

A shooting last week led to an arrest Monday -- the person who was shot.

Lawrence Halt, 43, took two shots to the chest and hand in from a handgun fired by Michael Peco, 39.

Peco shot Halt in his own home, apparently acting in self-defense, said Lt. Leo Finnerty of the Hobart Police. The Lake County Prosecutor's office is not filing charges against Peco.

Instead, Halt was charged with four felony counts Friday for trespassing, strangulation and two counts of criminal confinement.

Shortly before 6:30 p.m. June 26, Halt walked from his home in the 100 block of North Guyer Street and approached Peco, sitting on his porch on the 100 block of North Wilson Street.

Halt told Peco he wanted to work on his air conditioning unit, but Peco refused, according to court documents. Eventually, Halt made threatening comments against Peco and placed him in a chokehold.

Peco struggled loose and went inside. Halt entered Peco's home without permission. Peco retrieved his .25-caliber handgun from the bedroom moments before Halt grabbed him again, placing him in another chokehold, court documents state.

During the struggle, Peco shook loose and fired his gun at Halt. Peco then called 911.

Halt was found by police in the street, standing in a small pool of blood. He told officers that Peco came outside to shoot him. Police found a trail of blood leading from Peco's home.

Paramedics transported Halt to the St. Mary Medical Center, where tests showed his blood alcohol content level to be 0.28 percent. Halt was discharged two days later.

Nearly two hours before the shooting, Halt confronted another neighbor, Anne Allendorf, 46, in an alley between Guyer and Wilson streets, according to court documents.

Halt told Allendorf he wanted to shake her hand, and then grabbed her arm, pulled her closely and refused to let go. Allendorf broke loose and ran to her mother's house on Wilson Street, across from Peco's home. Allendorf and her son told police that they saw Halt choking Peco on his porch before the shots were fired.

Labels: assault, home invasion, IN

Police say shooting could be self-defense

A Hobart man is hospitalized after a fight ended with a shooting Tuesday evening that police believe could be ruled self-defense.

Witnesses say Lawrence Halt, 43, was in an argument in front of his next-door neighbor's home in the 100 block of North Guyer Street when he put Michael Peco in a headlock. Police believe they were fighting over whether Halt would be allowed to do home repair work for Peco, according to police.

Halt followed Peco into his home, where police believe he again put Peco in a headlock. During a struggle, Peco drew a .38-caliber semiautomatic pistol and shot Halt, once in the hand and again in the chest, said Detective Lt. Leo Finnerty.

"He was in fear, and he shot him twice," Finnerty said.

Halt was hospitalized but he was awake and alert Wednesday morning when he was interviewed by police, he said.

Police continue to interview witnesses.

The results will be referred to the Lake County prosecutor, who will determine whether charges will be filed and against which man.

Labels: assault, IN

Suspect sought in Pittsburg barber shop gunfight

Police are looking for a gunman in connection with a morning gun battle at a local barber shop that left at least one of the shooters injured.

At 11:10 a.m., police received calls of gunfire at Phatcuts in the 3900 block of Railroad Avenue, said Lt. Brian Addington.

Officers on the scene found a 31-year-old Antioch man, who is a barber at the shop, bleeding from several gunshots to his legs. He is in stable condition at a nearby hospital, Addington said.

No customers were reportedly in the store, and no other injuries were reported.

The barber told police that he was alone inside the barbershop when a man walked in and started spraying gunfire.
The barber pulled out a .45 caliber handgun that he had in his waist band, and returned fire, Addington said.

The gunman fled and jumped into a Buick Park Avenue that sped away.

Nearly two hours later, police received a call from an area car dismantler and salvage yard about a suspicious car that had just been left there. A man dropped it off minutes before wanting to buy windshields to replace the car's front and back windows, which had been shot out, Addington said.

The car was also punctured by myriad bullet holes. The driver fled the scene before officers arrived at yard, Addington said.

Detectives are actively investigating leads to the gunman's identity, Addington said.

Labels: assault, CA, defender shot

Intruder shot at church fireworks stand

A Muskogee man was stable following surgery for a gunshot wound to the chest Sunday in connection with an assault at a church firecracker stand.

Police got a condition report on Darnell Gilbert from a Tulsa hospital about 9 p.m. Sunday.

Darnell Gilbert was shot about 3 a.m. Sunday by Wagoner Church of God Youth Pastor Charles Donnelly, 44. Donnelly and a 17-year-old member of his youth group were staying all night at the stand when a group of about five or six individuals arrived in one vehicle, he said.

The group had been to the stand about 20 minutes earlier, seemingly casing the firecracker stand, Donnelly said. But at the 3 a.m. visit, several individuals went into the back of the large tent stand, where the juvenile was, Donnelly said.

The youth was attacked and hit in the mouth, knocked down and then rolled outside the tent, screaming for help.

“Three subjects rushed Donnelly about that same time, who was outside the tent,” said Muskogee Assistant Police Chief Johnny Teehee.

“I shot — I was in fear of my life and Daniel’s life — I feel I did what I had to do,” Donnelly said in a Sunday night phone interview. “I’m angry. I’m glad he (Gilbert) is going to be OK but angry they put me in that position.”

The youth was taken to Muskogee Regional Medical Center and later released, Donnelly said.

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Labels: assault, OK

Police: D'Iberville Man Shot Dead After Threatening Wife

An overnight shooting in Harrison County has left a man dead. Deputies say it happened about 1:30 Friday morning at a home on Windsor Hill Drive in D'Iberville.

Gene Hudson, 52, was shot to death by his estranged wife after police say he threatened her with a gun.

No charges have been filed, but a Grand Jury will hear evidence in the case.

Police: Woman fatally shoots husband

Authorities say they aren’t likely to file charges against a woman accused of fatally shooting her husband until a grand jury looks at the case.

The shooting happened early Friday morning. Police say that during a heated argument, Gene Hudson pointed a gun at his estranged wife. She pulled out her own gun and fired, according to police.

Police found Hudson, a 52-year-old Moss Point man, in a “large pool of blood” around 1:30 a.m. Friday, said Harrison County Coroner Gary Hargrove.

Investigators believe Hudson’s estranged wife, whose name has not been released, shot him several times after an argument at her home, according to a written statement from Harrison County Sheriff George Payne. She was not injured.

Police found Hudson on the ground down the street from his wife’s home, according to sources. He was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

Harrison County Sheriff’s Capt. Ron Pullen said investigators are continuing to look into the case, but it’s unlikely any arrest will be made before a grand jury review.

“I’m not calling it self-defense at this point, but there was enough evidence there that suggests we should let the grand jury look at it,” he said.

Husband was shot three times
He had pulled gun on his wife

In new details revealed Monday, police said Gene Hudson's estranged wife shot him three times with a .38-caliber handgun after an argument at her home last week.

According to police, Hudson pulled a gun on his estranged wife and threatened to kill her during a domestic dispute early Friday morning. Instead, she grabbed her own gun, pointed it at Hudson and fired three rounds.

Labels: assault, domestic dispute, MS

Shooting In Springfield Kills Man

Police were outside a home on the 2000 block of Portage Path in Springfield on Friday morning to investigate a shooting from Thursday night.

The man who was shot and killed has been identified as 32-year-old Michael Lewis Jr.

Witnesses told Springfield police that Lewis and the man who lives in the Portage Path home had been arguing.

Lewis started to leave the property in a car but stopped the vehicle and went back up to the homeowner and punched him in the face, police said.

Witnesses said that the 59-year-old homeowner shot Lewis once in the chest, police said.

Lewis died at the scene and the homeowner was taken into custody for questioning, police said.

Police said no charges have been filed and this case could be heard by the grand jury at the end of June.

Labels: altercation, assault, OH

Man turns himself in after fatal shooting

A man suspected of shooting and killing another man in self-defense gave himself up to authorities and was released Monday by the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office.

Floyd Boggs turned himself in shortly after the incident, which occurred at Thornton and Hanna roads near Casa Grande. Authorities said Boggs shot and killed Don Crawford in the neck with a rifle after Crawford attacked him with an axe handle.

The two were arguing over welding equipment that Crawford accused Boggs of stealing. After further investigation, the Pinal County Attorney’s Office decided that Boggs acted in self-defense. Detectives, however, are still looking into the case.

Labels: assault, AZ

Police: Ex-cop shoots attacker, who had been served divorce papers

A retired Kent police officer who was serving legal papers to a town man in a divorce proceeding shot the man in the chest twice yesterday after the man attacked him with a police baton, state police said.

Officers went about 4:30 p.m. to 33 Lincoln Road, where 66-year-old Dennis Illuminate had gone to serve divorce papers on Douglas Greenwich, said Capt. Keith Corlett of the state police.

Greenwich, 52, who was at the house to pick up a dresser, became enraged at the sight of Illuminate, who had served him with legal papers on two previous occasions, Corlett said. Illuminate, who is also a former Kent councilman, fired his licensed .25-caliber handgun, striking Greenwich in the upper torso, but the men continued to struggle, Corlett said. Illuminate fired a second round, which also struck Greenwich in the chest, he said.

Greenwich, who was found lying in the driveway by state police, was airlifted to Westchester Medical Center, where he underwent surgery and was listed in stable condition last night.

"It looks like this may be a classic self-defense case," Corlett said. "We're in the process of discussing the case with the Putnam County District Attorney's Office, which will make the decision as to whether any charges will be filed."

Greenwich, an electrician, had moved out of the house and told his wife he was coming by yesterday to pick up a dresser, police said. His wife called her lawyer, who had been having difficulty locating Greenwich to serve him with the legal papers. The lawyer, in turn, called Illuminate to tell him Greenwich would be at the house.

The two men were alone at the house when the incident took place, Corlett said.

Illuminate, a Carmel resident, retired from the town of Kent Police Department 24 years ago and has been an active process server for many years, Corlett said.

Labels: assault, concealed carry permit, NY