Civilian Gun Self-Defense Blog

Mira Loma man kills home-invasion suspect

On Sunday at 8:11 a.m., deputies from the Jurupa Valley Station responded to a report of shots fired in the 31000 Block of Chardonnay Way in the community of Mira Loma. Deputies found a deceased male adult in the street.

Investigators from the Jurupa Valley Station and the Sheriff’s Central Homicide Unit responded to the location and assumed the investigation.

Investigators learned the victim of the homicide and a female companion had participated in a home invasion robbery. During the robbery, a struggle ensued between the suspects and the homeowners. The male suspect dropped his firearm during the struggle with the homeowner. The homeowner retrieved the firearm and fatally shot the suspect during the struggle for the weapon. The suspect attempted to flee the residence after he was shot, but collapsed in front of the residence.

The identity of the deceased male is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

Update: The female suspect in the home invasion robbery was located by the Ontario Police Department in the area of Walnut and Cucamonga on Sunday at 7:15 p.m. The suspect was identified as Amy Schinzel (pictured), 30 years of age, from Ontario. She was arrested and booked for murder.

Labels: CA, criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion

Gunman Shot to Death During Home Invasion

A home invasion turns deadly after one of the robbers is shot by the homeowner.

It happened on Moss Landing Drive in Antioch around 1:00 a.m.

Dennis Nicholson told detectives that he was confronted by 22 year old Elijah Minnard (pictured left) at the home.

Nicholson says Minnard had a shotgun, and 17 year old Jeremie Thomas (pictured right), had a pistol.

Police say the men forced Nicholson inside, and Minnard held Nicholson and 25 year old Lincoya Stephens at gunpoint upstairs while Thomas searched the downstairs area of the home.

Police say Stephens grabbed the shotgun to try and disarm Minnard, but Stephens was hit in the leg by a shotgun blast.

Police say Stephens and Nicholson still managed to get the gun away from Minnard.

Officers say Stephens then pulled a pistol that was concealed in his waistband and shot and killed Minnard.

Thomas, hearing the gunfire, went to check on Minnard.

Stephens opened fire on Thomas, and he fled the house.

At 2:15 a.m., police say Thomas, with gun in hand, jumped in front of a driver on Hamilton Church Road and yelled for her to stop.

The driver accelerated as she and her four passengers ducked.

Thomas was caught by officers a short time later.

Detectives say Thomas told them he and Minnard went to the home to commit a drug-related robbery.

No drugs were found in the residence.

Stephens is hospitalized with a gunshot wound to his leg and has not yet been interviewed by detectives.

The investigation is continuing.

Thomas is charged at Juvenile Court with two counts of aggravated robbery, two counts of unlawful weapon possession, attempted criminal homicide, four counts of aggravated assault, and attempted aggravated robbery.

Thomas is being held in juvenile detention pending a hearing.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion, minor offender, residence robbery, TN

Homeowner shoots would-be intruder

A homeowner confronted a pistol-wielding, bandana-wearing man at his front door, wrestled the weapon away and shot the would-be intruder late Saturday, deputies said.

The Manatee County Sheriff's Office said Christopher Mullins, 23, answered the door at his Bradenton home about 11 p.m. Saturday and found Tron Calloway, 26, on the doorstep.

The two struggled over Calloway's gun and Calloway fired several shots, wounding Mullins, the sheriff's office said. Mullins got control of the weapon and shot Calloway.

Mullins was treated and released from Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petesrburg, the sheriff's office said.

Calloway was taken to Tampa General Hospital, where he is listed in critical but stable condition.

No charges have been filed and the investigation is continuing.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, defender shot, FL, residence robbery

Gun Turned On Would-Be Robber

A 16-year-old was shot and wounded with his own gun Thursday morning during an attempted robbery on Detroit's west side, police said.

Two teenagers, one carrying a rifle and the other a handgun, approached a man at the BPS Gas Station on Plymouth Road and the northbound Southfield Service Drive around 6:40 a.m.

The robbery victim grabbed a gun out of the teen's hand and shot him with it.

The wounded teen jumped into a vehicle and attempted to drive away, but crashed into several cars on Forrer Street.

He was transported to Sinai Grace Hospital and is in stable condition.

The other robber fled the area. There are unconfirmed police reports that the second robbery suspect was arrested in downtown Detroit.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, MI, minor offender, street robbery

Suspect in home invasion robbery shot during struggle

A 21-year-old Evansville man was shot in the hand this afternoon as he wrestled with a man he was trying to rob, authorities said.

Bassil Mohammad Kamali was booked into the Vanderburgh County Jail after being checked out at Deaconess Hospital for a minor wound.

He is being held without bond pending an initial court appearance Monday. Preliminary charges are listed as robbery with a firearm, armed burglary, intimidation with a weapon and criminal recklessness, all felonies.

Evansville Police Department Sgt. Greg Motz said Kamali was armed with a handgun when he knocked on the victim's door in the 900 block of Douglas Drive. It happened shortly before 2 p.m.

Motz said Kamali, who also lives in the area, heard that the victim had just sold a stereo and believed he had cash on him.

The victim was asleep and his two children - ages 6 and 8 - answered the door. The children started screaming when the armed suspect barged in, Motz said.

"(Then the victim) comes out and wrestles with the guy with the gun and pushes him out," Motz said. "At some point, the gun goes off and shoots the suspect in the hand."

A man nearby heard the children screaming for help during the struggle, Motz said. He then stopped Kamali from fleeing and physically held him on scene until authorities arrived.

"The guy jumped over the privacy fence when he heard the kids screaming," Motz said. "It was a heroic act."

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion, IN

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Two people were shot Monday during an Anchorage home invasion and police said one of the robbery suspects may also have been wounded.

The homeowner, Tupo Santini, ran outside for help during the robbery. He managed to wrestle a gun away from one of the assailants and fire at him before all three fled, police said.

One man who may have been involved showed up at a hospital with a gunshot wound to his stomach but the other two were at large Monday morning, said police spokesman Lt. Dave Parker.

"We do not know who they are yet," Parker said.

Just after midnight, three armed men wearing dark "hoodies" broke into a mobile home in south Anchorage, intending to rob the home, police said.

Santini was at home with his five children. Police said his girlfriend, Christina Dau, had left to go to a store but his brother, Lofia Santini, and his girlfriend, Amy Itta, were visiting.

The men demanded money and one struck Tupo Santini on the head with a pistol. Santini suffered a cut to his head and the gun fired.

Lofia Santini began struggling with a suspect and Itta tried to crawl down a hallway.

Lofia Santini was shot twice in the chest and Itta was shot in the back. Police said their injuries were serious.

No children were injured.

Tupo Santini ran to get help and was chased outside by a gunman. Santini managed to wrestle the gun from the assailant and fire at him. The assailants then left.

Labels: AK, criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion

Police: Resident shoots, kills intruder in Midvale apartment break-in

Police say they are looking for as many as eight or nine assailants after a home invasion early Tuesday at a Midvale apartment that ended when one of the residents shot and killed a suspect.

Midvale police believe a female assailant was also shot, leaving a trail of blood outside the Springs of the Country Woods apartment complex at 1039 E. Watercress.

Four people, including two sisters, ages 14 and 22, were inside a third-floor apartment at the complex at about 1:30 a.m. when someone knocked at the door, Midvale police Sgt. John Salazar said.

When the 26-year-old uncle of the sisters opened the door, a group of up to 10 tried to force their way inside. In a struggle at the door, one assailant stabbed the uncle in the hand, Salazar said.

As the struggle continued inside, one assailant hit the 22-year-old woman, angering her 23-year-old boyfriend. He fought with another assailant, got hold of the man's gun and fired about four shots inside, and possibly three outside, Salazar said.

Three of the shots inside struck a 31-year-old suspect, who died at the scene. He was armed with two knives and a handgun, Salazar said.

Everyone else scattered in different directions, and the lone woman in the group appeared to have been shot outside, witnesses told police.

"I'm amazed that no one else was hurt," Salazar said, noting that the bullets fired inside did not go through walls into neighboring apartments.

Police found a sawed-off, 12-guage shotgun and a 40-caliber handgun on the roof of a parking structure nearby. They forced their way into a neighboring garage, but did not find anyone hiding there.

The uncle was hospitalized for his knife wound, and will be OK, Salazar said. Investigators, who were wrapping up their work at the scene by about 10:30 a.m., don't yet have a motive for the home invasion.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion, UT

Man wrestles gun from intruder in Pittsburg home invasion

A Pittsburg man fought off two men who broke into his home early Friday morning, wrestled away a shotgun and shot one of the suspects with it as he fled, according to the victim and police.

The wounded suspect left the scene but was arrested after being treated at a hospital, said Sgt. Steve Albanese. Police also arrested a second suspect and are still searching for more people connected with the home invasion.

The incident happened just after midnight when two men with guns broke down the front door and entered the home on Calistoga Drive.

The male homeowner, who declined to be named, said he was awakened and came out of his bedroom to investigate the noise. He said he was confronted by one man with a sawed-off shotgun and a second man with a handgun. He wrestled the shotgun out of the suspect's hand, and the man fell on him, he said.

The second suspect then reportedly shot at the victim's wife but did not hit her. The victim, whose stepson was also in the home, said he got up, recovered the shotgun and began shooting in the direction of the suspects.

The suspects fled, and the victim fired one round as they ran across a neighbor's driveway, hitting one man in the upper torso, Albanese said.

The victim said there was nothing in his house worth stealing and guessed that the suspects may have targeted the wrong address.

"We don't have valuables or anything," he said.

Police could not release further details because they are still investigating the incident, Albanese said.

Labels: CA, criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion

Palm City Woman Shot In Home Shoots Suspect

A Palm City woman was shot Thursday morning during a home invasion, but she was also able to shoot the suspect, who fled and was apprehended a short time later, neighbors and authorities said.

The incident occurred at a home in the 1500 block of Southwest Crossings Circle shortly before 9 a.m.

Neighbors said they heard a loud noise and came outside to find Linda Schultz, who turned 47 earlier this month, bleeding from a gunshot wound. She was airlifted to St. Mary's Medical Center, but her condition was not immediately available.

According to the Martin County Sheriff's Office, Christopher Reber was arrested in connection with the crime. Deputies located him in a room at the Suburban Lodge in Stuart after one of his family members told them where he was shortly after 10 a.m.

Reber, 23, suffered a gunshot wound and was also airlifted to St. Mary's Medical Center.

Neighbors said Schultz came running out of her home carrying the suspect's gun.

"She was trying to describe to the police what had happened and what the gentleman looked like, what he was driving and that she had shot him," neighbor Linda Smyth told WPBF News 25. "She knew she shot him."

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, defender shot, female, FL, home invasion

80 Year Old Store Owner Takes Gun From Would Be Robber

Talk about turning the tables. A robber walked into Sugar Hill Package Liquor near 56th and Ames Wednesday morning, probably thinking Floyd Westbrook was an easy target.

He's an elderly man working in the store by himself at one in the morning. But the robber was wrong. He's the one who ran away... afraid.

Store owner Floyd Westbrook runs his own cash register from 10:00 am until close...
That's one in the morning. and a long shift for anyone.

Floyd is 80 years old.

At closing time Wednesday, Floyd wasn't tired for his one last customer. He recalls, "The guy comes in and says 'this is stick up, gimme your money'."

A man wearing a ski mask and black gloves pulled out a gun. He wanted Floyd's hard earned cash. Floyd wanted the gun out of the robber's hands. "He had that gun sticking out right on me when I handed him the ones, I grabbed the gun. He got too close to me, " Floyd says.

You don't want to mess with Floyd. First of all, he doesn't look 80. This man stands 6'4" and weighs 230 and his own weapon.. large, strong hands. Floyd says, "When I was a young man, I could break any man's hands. I was strong in my hand."

The fast, handy move surprised and scared the robber. Floyd says, "He run yelling, 'don't shoot! Don't shoot!' and flew out that door".

As for Floyd, who looked down the barrel of the gun, he says, "I'm not scared of no man, that's the main thing. He's just a man." Floyd says, "Well, I wouldn't say he messed with the wrong man. I got lucky. Let's say it like that (laughs)."

The robber still ran off with $19. Floyd got the gun off the streets and wasn't hurt. He says when police arrived, they checked the chamber, the gun was loaded.

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

Glen Burnie family thwarts armed robbery attempt, police say

A Glen Burnie family tackled an armed man who broke into their apartment, grabbed his handgun and held him down until officers arrived late Wednesday, Anne Arundel County police said.

Shortly before midnight, two men burst into an apartment in the first block of Normandy Drive, brandished a shotgun, fired a handgun and tried to take property from one of the residents of the apartment, police said.

The residents, described as a couple in their 40s and their 20-year-old son, fought one of the suspects to the ground and took his weapon away while the other man ran away, police said.

When police arrived, they arrested Joshua Edward Frazier, 26, of the 300 block of Melvin Ave. in Grasonville and charged him with first-degree assault, first-degree burglary, armed robbery and related offenses.

Police were unable to find the second assailant, who was described as a light-skinned black man between the ages of 20 and 27 with acne, wearing a faded red hoodie, black jeans, a red bandanna on his face and a black winter vest.

Anyone with information is asked to call Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion, MD, residence robbery

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

Centerfield resident Antonio Ramos, 42, was killed when one of the women he was robbing grabbed his gun and shot him in the head. Surveillance video from the store captured the robbery and Ramos' final moments on tape.

"[There's] a lot of talk about, wondering what went wrong and what happened for sure. Until we are done, fully, with our investigation, there will those questions like there would be in any small town," said Centerfield Police Chief Stewart Jensen.

This is the first robbery Jensen has ever dealt with in his 10 years on the force in Centerfield, which is located south of Gunnison.

Just after midnight, police say Ramos approached an employee as she was taking out the garbage, pointed a gun at her and forced her inside.

Ramos told one employee to tie up the other, and then tried to tie up the second worker himself. A few moments later, video shows the gunman put down his .22-caliber rifle and slip it onto the counter.

The clerk who was already tied up appears to remain calm and, in a brief moment, goes for the gun.

She grabbed the rifle and fired, striking the robber once in the head. When police arrived, Ramos was dead.

"They did a good job defending themselves, under the circumstances. They had no idea what was going to happen to them after they were tied up, so I think they did what they felt they needed to do," said Sanpete County sheriff's Sgt. Greg Peterson.

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

Man wrangles handgun from would-be robber

When a New Castle area man found himself being held up at gunpoint early today, he managed to wrestle the weapon away from the would-be robber, a woman, police said.

The bandit, who was unsuccessful in the robbery attempt, then ran off before New Castle County officers arrived.

The incident occurred about 12:30 a.m. at the Georgetown Village Apartments, county police spokesman Cpl. Trinidad Navarro said.

Officers were called to Building R in response to the robbery report and spoke with the 51-year-old victim, who still had the woman's gun.

He told the officers that he was about to enter his apartment building when he heard someone run up behind him.

He turned around to see a woman approaching the building, so he held the door open for her only to be accosted at gunpoint.

The man was able to wrestle the handgun away from the woman, run to his apartment and call police.

The woman, meanwhile, ran out of the building and disappeared.

Officers searched the area with a police canine, but the dog lost the scent nearby, which indicated that the would-be bandit probably escaped in a car, Navarro said.

The woman is described as petite, in her early 20s, with black hair and weighing 100 pounds.

She was dressed in dark green pants, a dark green shirt and a blue knit cap.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 395-8110 or Delaware Crime Stoppers at (800) TIP-3333.

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

Two crime victims kill their attackers in metro Atlanta

Two crime victims in metro Atlanta fought back on Saturday and killed their attackers, authorities reported.

In Cobb County, police said a man shot in his own garage grabbed the would-be robber’s gun and shot and killed the man.

In Atlanta, police said a woman fatally stabbed a home-invasion robbery suspect who broke into her apartment while her 11-year-old child slept.

No charges have been filed in either case.

Cobb police spokesman Sgt. Dana Pierce said Richard Ellis, 38, of Cauthen Court in Marietta was getting out of his car in his garage late Saturday night when he was approached by a man with a handgun. The man demanded money from Ellis and shot him in the leg, police said. Pierce said the incident was not a random crime and that the two men had “previous contact” in the past.

“Within moments of being shot and while the male is briefly distracted, Ellis grabbed the gun and a fight ensued in the driveway of the residence over control of it,” Pierce said. “Detectives believe that Ellis was eventually able to wrestle the weapon away from the male before shooting him twice with it.”

The wounded man, identified as John Harrison, 33, of Palmetto, ran to the front porch of a nearby house and collapsed, Pierce said. Harrison was taken to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital but died of his injuries. Ellis was treated at the hospital for his wound and released.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, defender shot, GA, street robbery

Police: Wounded wife grabbed gun, killed husband

Neighbors on a rural road in Baldwin County didn't pay much attention to the Cowan residence until gunfire erupted there two days before Christmas, revealing a deadly case of domestic violence.

Investigators said an enraged James Cowan Jr., 39, shot 42-year-old Pamela Cowan in the chest about 5:30 a.m., following a stretch of abuse that started the night before.

He had poured gasoline throughout their small home, dousing his wife and the bed in which she lay.

Then he stacked cushions from furniture on and near his wife and blocked the door with furniture as officers arrived.

But his wife managed to pick up the .357-caliber handgun he had put down briefly and shot him in the head, sheriff's spokesman Maj. Anthony Lowery said.

James Cowan was airlifted to a Mobile hospital where he was pronounced dead. Pamela Cowan was treated at a Pensacola, Fla., hospital and was expected to recover.

A county grand jury later will review the evidence, but Lowery said no charges were filed.

"There's no reason to believe she didn't act in self-defense," Lowery told The Associated Press in an interview Tuesday in his Bay Minette office.

During the 13-year marriage, Pamela Cowan had obtained two protective orders against her husband, citing his violent moods, then tried to revoke both, including one about two weeks before the shooting. She told a judge in a letter that her husband needed "one more chance" to change his life. She wrote she had seen a therapist and hoped to save her marriage.

There was no indication the protection order was revoked. The judge in her case did not immediately return a phone message Wednesday.

...

As the investigation continued Wednesday, it was not immediately clear what set off last week's shooting. Lowery was among the officers on the shooting scene.

"She was fairly coherent when we were in there," he said, adding that details at the scene matched her account. The gasoline fumes made it "tough to stay in there," he said.

Pamela Cowan's father, Charlie Wilson of Loxley, told the Press-Register, "At times she is all right; at times she is down." Wilson could not be reached for further comment.

A public fundraising effort has been set up to pay her medical bills.

A funeral director in Robertsdale said Wednesday services for Cowan were incomplete.

Labels: AL, criminal's gun taken away and used against him, domestic abuse, female

Lillington, N.C. — Harnett County authorities are investigating a shooting that happened late Thursday night during a home invasion in Lillington.

Sheriff Larry Rollins said Derrick Womack, 31, was at home with his wife and stepson around 10 p.m. when four men entered his home at 232 Tacia Drive and tried to rob them.

Womack said he heard banging on the door and that when he opened it, he saw a man pointing a handgun at him.

Womack said he wrestled the gun away from the man and that in the process the gun went off.

He noticed another man on his porch and two others in his yard and with the gun, started shooting. He also said he believed another assailant had a shotgun and might have shot a third assailant.

Rollins would not say how many guns were involved or how many shots were fired. He said Womack did not have a gun.

Womack, who was shot in the hand, was taken to a hospital, treated and later released.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, defender shot, home invasion, NC

A Westville man remained in critical condition in a Tulsa hospital Thursday from a gunshot wound to the head, Adair County Sheriff’s Investigator Jack Smithson said.

Darrel Fouse, 39, was shot after he violated a protective order and entered his rural home and allegedly began assaulting his wife, Smithson said.

Fouse’s wife, Marilyn Fouse, 39, told law enforcement her estranged husband entered the home about 2 p.m. Tuesday, hit her in the head, grabbed her arm and was assaulting her when a gun fell out of his fanny pack.

“She grabbed it and shot him,” Smithson said.

“She put a blanket over him, got her two girls (ages 11 and 14) out of their bedroom, and they ran across a field to a great-grandmother’s house.”

No charges have been filed. The shooting remains under investigation, Smithson said. An employee in the Adair County District Court Clerk’s Office said a protective order was filed Oct. 10 and that records show it was served on Darrel Fouse.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, domestic abuse, female, OK

Man Uses Would-Be Robber's Gun To Defend Himself

Miami-Dade Police say a resident turned the tables on three home invaders who tried to rob him in Southwest Miami-Dade Monday night.

Out of the three armed men that tried robbing the man, police say one ended up hurt and was dropped off by the other two accomplices at Jackson South Hospital.

They say three Latin males with thin builds attempted to rob the man at Southwest 152nd Street and 93rd Avenue, but they got into a struggle with him instead. The victim was somehow able to get the gun and shot at one of the would-be robbers, critically injuring him.

Police say they fled in a blue or green Chevrolet Astro van, which they used to drop off the injured man at the hospital before taking off.

The man in the house only suffered a bump to his head.

Police are looking for the other two men involved.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, FL, home invasion

Baltimore Police Blotter

Police were seeking two men and a woman who attempted to rob three males at Hammershire and Reisterstown roads about 9:30 p.m. Friday. While the men walked down the street, a man armed with a handgun and a woman also carrying a handgun exited a silver Toyota Camry occupied by a second man and demanded their money. When one of the victims grabbed one of the guns, the two fled back to the car and drove off with no money or property.

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

Liquor store clerk disarms would-be robber

Raul Gruezo said he got angry last night when a would-be robber walked into Garcia Liquors, pointed a loaded gun at him and demanded money.

"I'm so mad, I'd like to hit him," the 59-year-old package store clerk said.

Gruezo said he stared the man down, then grabbed hold of the gun with his right hand, and used his left hand to pull it away from the intruder, who then fled the store.

"I look at him, like a cat, then take it away," Gruezo said, demonstrating how he snuck his right hand onto the weapon as he looked at the intruder. His left hand was injured and bandaged from the scuffle.

"This is the first time in my life that somebody pointed a gun at me," he said. "But I don't scare. I'm not nervous. I'm just mad."

Gruezo said he used his size advantage to pull the gunman toward him and push the gun so it pointed toward the ceiling instead of at his face.

The robbery suspect, who is described as 5-foot-5, with a stocky build, fled the store after losing his gun. Police said they will review a store surveillance tape in an effort to identify the gunman.

(More)

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

Would-be robber shot with his own gun after struggle

Police say a man who tried to rob a Savannah convenience store ended up being shot with his own gun after a clerk refused to hand over any money without a fight.

According to police, the clerk managed to wrestle away one of the 19-year-old’s two guns and shoot him in the leg Thursday afternoon. The suspect dropped the other gun, which wasn’t loaded, as he ran away.

Police initially couldn’t find the man, but officials say he turned up later in the day at Memorial University Medical Center.

He had not been charged as of Thursday evening, and police didn’t immediately identify him because investigators were still interviewing witnesses.

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

Crook Caught After Losing Gun During Robbery

An armed robbery suspect in Tampa learned a valuable lesson on his latest caper – hang onto your gun.

Armed with a pistol Jerome Haggins, 42, burst into a home Saturday evening and demanded the six men inside to lie on the ground, according to police. He then demanded they hand over their wallets and jewelry. Once he had the loot, Haggins reportedly told the men to take off their clothes; that's when he noticed one of the men was still wearing a bracelet.

The men told police Haggins put his gun on a table and then snatched the bracelet off the man's arm. While Haggins was taking the bracelet, police say another man grabbed the gun and turned the tables on Haggins. They then held him at gunpoint until police arrived.

Haggins faces multiple charges, including armed robbery.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, FL, home invasion, residence robbery

Attempted Robbery Ends With Shooting

A 22-year-old man is under arrest after a morning shooting that started as an armed robbery attempt.

Police say C.L. Phillips got into 29-year-old Antwonne Hudson's car on Searles Avenue, pointed a gun at him, and tried to rob him. Phillips drove the car to Sablewood Drive where there was an altercation, he got his hands on the gun, and shot Phillips in the foot.

Phillips was treated and released at Rockford Memorial Hospital. He is now charged with Unlawful Use of Weapons by Felon and Armed Robbery.

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

Unarmed, Shop Owner Turned Tables on Gunmen

Some would-be robbers picked the wrong shop owner to rob in Brooklyn on Monday night.

Even though he was unarmed, the shop owner, identified by neighbors as Youssouf Drame, 35, wrested a gun away from one of the men and fatally shot two of them. The police say that two other suspects — it’s unclear whether they entered the store — are at large.

Mr. Drame, the owner of the variety store at 1051 Nostrand Avenue in Crown Heights, was also shot multiple times during the struggle and remained in critical condition at Kings County Hospital Center on Tuesday, the police said.

His wife, Soriah Williams, 35, said on Tuesday evening that he had had surgery in the morning but was still in intensive care and not talking.

She said that he had been shot several times and had also been hit in the head.

“Nothing surprised me about what he did,” she said outside of 300 Sullivan Place, about three blocks from the store, where they live with their five children. “The gun would not scare him.”

Drummond Dignott, 19, a clerk, said he was working in the back of the store when the armed intruders entered about 8:20 p.m. He said a customer was also in the store, buying a T-shirt.

“They came in and said, ‘Everybody get down!’ ” Mr. Dignott said. One of the men hit Mr. Drame hard, “and then shots started going off.”

The police identified one of the two men killed as Leon Harris, 26, of 1212 Lincoln Place in Brooklyn. Mr. Harris was pronounced dead at Kings County Hospital Center.

The other man who was shot, whose identity had not yet been released on Tuesday, was dead at the scene, the police said. Both had been shot in the torso, the police said.

The store owner is not expected to face any charges, the police said.

Paul J. Browne, the chief spokesman for the Police Department, said, “Normally we advise people to try to get out of harm’s way, but that is not always possible.” He added that it is unusual for a victim to disarm an attacker.

Mr. Drame is well-known along Nostrand Avenue, a busy commercial strip lined with salons, Caribbean restaurants and 99-cent stores. His store, near Lefferts Avenue, has no sign out front, but it has items for sale displayed in the window and is known as Aliyah’s, according to a neighbor.

Customers who are short of money are often extended credit by Mr. Drame, neighbors said.

He also lets customers duck inside to charge their cellphones, said Troy Wilson, 40, who grew up nearby.

On Tuesday morning, a small, brown-handled pistol lay on the sidewalk against the grate of a beauty salon next door, guarded by the police as they waited for crime scene investigators. One of the store’s windows, which displayed dozens of video game boxes, was broken and shards of glass were scattered in front with splotches of what looked like dried blood.

Neighbors said Mr. Drame opened the store about 10 years ago. Christopher Johnson, 38, who lives on the fifth floor of Mr. Drame’s building, said he has known Mr. Drame for about 12 years.

“A lot of guys try to test him,” Mr. Johnson said. “Why do these guys try to mess with him?”

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

Texas Homeowner Grabs Robber’s Gun, Kills Him

A homeowner in North Dallas who answered his door Sunday night to find a man pointing a gun at him killed the would-be-robber.

Police say the resident grabbed the man’s handgun and used it to shoot the would-be robber.

A second would-be-robber escaped on foot.

The homeowner wasn’t injured, but the man he shot later died at an area hospital.

Names of the homeowner and the victim were not released.

Police Senior Cpl. Kevin Janse told The Dallas Morning News that the resident “was protecting himself."

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion, TX

Homeowner thwarts home robbery attempt

Wichita police are looking for three suspects involved in an attempted residential robbery early Monday morning.

A 54-year-old man said a man kicked open the front door of his house in the 2000 block of South Madison at about 12:40 a.m. Monday and pointed a gun at him and his 21-year-old daughter.

The man told police he grabbed the gun and forced the suspect to the front lawn, where he saw two others.

One of the other suspects fired a shotgun at the victim, and the suspects ran north from the yard. As the suspects drove away from the area, the victim said, one of them fired a handgun at the house.

No injuries were reported.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion, KS

MARION COUNTY, Fla. -- A homeowner apparently wrestled a gun away from a home invader Wednesday afternoon and shot the man, Marion County sheriff's deputies said.

Three males kicked in the door of a home on Pine Run Terrace in Marion County around 1:15 p.m. and beat two residents at gunpoint, deputies said.

The homeowner somehow retrieved the assailant's gun and shot him, according to the Marion County Sheriff's Office.

The culprits, including the one who was shot, then fled the home, deputies said.A short time later, a 19-year-old man identified as Latwain McLaren was dropped off at Munroe Regional Medical Center suffering from a gunshot wound, deputies said. He underwent surgery in critical condition, according to the sheriff's office.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, FL, home invasion

Robbery victim wounds assailant

A man shot by a robber at a Northeast Side apartment complex wounded the gunman after he dropped his gun during their struggle, police said.

The incident happened about 9:30 a.m. in the 4600 block of Thousand Oaks Drive at The Crest of Thousand Oaks apartments.

Police Chief William McManus said the gunman was wearing a ski mask when he approached the victim, later identified as Terry Hoover.

“They struggled over the weapon,” McManus said at the scene. “The complainant was shot in the thigh.” The victim managed to get the gun, however, and he shot the robber in the torso.

The men were rushed to a hospital in separate ambulances. The suspect, Troy Curtis, 40, is charged with aggravated robbery with bodily injury. He was being held in Bexar County Jail on $50,000 bond.

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

Police: Employees Disarm, Hold Would-Be Robber

Officers were called to a drive-in restaurant Tuesday night where employees disarmed and restrained a robbery suspect.

Employees at Boots and Sonny’s Drive-in on East Henry Street said that an armed man had come into the business through an unsecured rear service door at about 9 p.m.

They said that the man pointed a silver handgun at employees and demanded money from the safe.

The employees scuffled with the man and disarmed him. They restrained him in the kitchen until officers arrived.

Officers arrested 21-year-old Alvin Dean Edwards of Spartanburg. He was taken into custody without further incident.

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

Police say Akron homeowner turns table on home invaders

An Akron homeowner turned the tables on two home invaders who broke into his house with guns, demanding money.

Police said the owner of a home on 2nd Street SW called police at 11 p.m. Thursday to say two men burst in -- armed with a shotgun and a gun -- and demanded money.

The resident and a guest scuffled with the intruders and were able to grab the guns away.

The two intruders were injured in the scuffle and were taken to local hospitals. No shots were fired. The two suspects were still in the hospital late today with injuries that were not life threatening, police said.

Kevin Chambers, and Franklin Rodgers, both 24 and from Akron, each face two counts of aggravated robbery and one count of aggravated burglary when they are released from the hospital.

The homeowner was not charged. Police are still investigating, but Lt. Rick Edwards said it appears to be a case of self-defense.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion, OH

Robber Disarmed by Employees

Police are praising four employees of a Forest Park, Georgia furniture store for a bold stroke of self-defense, for turning the tables on an armed robber, for risking their lives to disarm and capture the masked man, who had invaded their store Tuesday morning.

"I was basically praying," during the robbery, said the general manager of the business, Carlus Burndette. "And I guess God gave us the power to get an opportunity to get the weapon."

On Thursday, Burndette and the other employees were able to watch the surveillance video of the entire confrontation, and they were thanking God they're alive.

"I was pretty much scared, we didn't know what to do," said Carlus Burndette. "The only thing I was feeling was a bullet, a bullet to hit me" or the others, which. he says, thankfully never happened.

Tuesday morning a man wearing a green mask stuck a handgun in the back of one of Burndette's employees as the employee was entering the front door.

The surveillance video shows the gunman marching the employee inside the store, across the furniture showroom, straight into the office, and then forcing all four employees onto the floor, face down.

Burndette said the gunman threatened to kill everyone.

"At the time he pointed a gun to my face, the only thing I could think of is, you know, just life or death."

The surveillance video shows the man forcing one of the employees to scoop out all of the money from the cash drawer and hand it to him.

"It seemed like he wanted to harm somebody," Burndette said, so they all cooperated at first.

"At the time he got the cash, he did not leave, he just stayed in there. He wanted to shoot someone at that time."

Burndette said the gunman demanded that one of the employees disable the surveillance cameras and give him the video tapes to take with him. And, for a split second, the gunman turned away.

"That's when we had the opportunity to grab the suspect," Burndette said. "The opportunity was that when he actually turned his back, when he asked for the camera, when he approached the guy, when the associate approached and said the tape was not in the camera, in the VCR, that's when he turned his back and was getting ready to, I guess, fire."

Darren Marshall, the store's accounts manager, was the first to grab for the robber's gun.

"Yeah, that's the hero," Burndette said as he watched the video. "This dude here had the heart and the guts to grab that wrist with that weapon inside of it. He was brave enough to approach the guy with the gun still in his hand. Anything could have went off with him trying to reach at that gun."

The video shows the employees finally getting control of the gun and falling in a heap on the gunman, keeping him on the floor until police arrived a few minutes later.

"What the [police] officers said was, 'Oh, Man, job well done,'"

Burndette said with a smile. "I'm glad all my associates are still here, I'm glad we're doing well."

Marshall ended up with a gash and 16 staples in his head from the struggle, but Burndette said Marshall will soon recover and return to work.

Forest Park Police said the gunman is 21-year-old Shawn Henderson of Jonesboro, GA. Henderson had to receive treatment in a hospital for injuries he received in the struggle. He's now in jail, charged initially with: · Armed Robbery · False Imprisonment · Kidnapping · Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony · Aggravated Assault · Carrying a Pistol Without a License · Battery · Unlawfully Wearing a Mask or Hood in Public

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

OLDSMAR - After he was forced into the back seat of a car at gunpoint, kidnapping victim Gregory Longley saw his opportunity.

When one of the kidnappers - sitting next to Longley - put his gun on his lap to text-message someone, Longley grabbed the gun and killed him, according to the Pinellas sheriff's office. Longley also shot and wounded another kidnapper sitting in the front passenger seat, the sheriff's office said, and told the driver to stop the car.

A clearer picture of the Sunday night kidnapping and shooting – along with the names of those involved – was released this morning by the sheriff's office.

Longley, 20, of 7823 Bay Drive, Tampa, was kidnapped at the Aday Motel, 501 Bayview Blvd., Oldsmar, at about 11 p.m., Sgt. Jim Bordner said. The three suspects were looking for a man with whom there had been a dispute over stolen coins, but they kidnapped Longley instead, believing he could lead them to the man they were seeking, Bordner said.

Longley was forced into the back seat of a white 2000 Chevrolet Malibu at gunpoint, Bordner said. Sitting next to him was Javon Strange, 18, of 4717 N. Habana Ave., Apt 711, Tampa; in the front passenger seat was Juan Carlos Morales, 17, of 12510 Memorial Highway, Tampa; and driving was Abdusbasiyr A. Blake, 18, also of 12510 Memorial Highway, Bordner said.

Near the motel after the kidnapping, Strange laid his handgun in his lap to text-message someone, and Longley grabbed the firearm and fatally shot Strange, Bordner said. Then Longley shot and wounded Morales, Bordner said.

Longley then ordered Blake to stop the car, Bordner said. Longley got out of the car and called 911 to report what happened, the spokesman said, and Blake drove to a nearby McDonald's restaurant at 4085 Tampa Road.

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

2 intruders shot, 1 killed, at North Texas home

Police say a homeowner wrested a shotgun from an intruder and shot him and a fellow intruder in his suburban Fort Worth home.

One of the men died of his wound in the shooting early Wednesday in Blue Mound, while the other is hospitalized in Fort Worth.

Keith and Kellie Hoehn (HAYN) tell police the intruders kicked in their front door and pointed a shotgun at Mrs. Hoehn's head. She brushed the barrel aside, and a struggle ensued. The husband disarmed the armed intruder and shot both.

Investigators say the homeowner is unlikely be charged. They say he shot the men out of concern for his sleeping children.

Police say they believe the intruders had broken into the garage of another house nearby earlier in the night.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion, TX

Intruder shot in Muskogee home robbery

A Muskogee man was being treated Wednesday night at Muskogee Regional Medical Center for gunshot wounds he sustained during what appears to be a home invasion, police said.

Police Lt. Bert Poole said the investigation so far shows that Bernard Harlin, 36, was in the house at 1420 Fremont St., when Anthony Irving, 36, entered the residence.

Officers said Harlin lives in the Muskogee residence during the week and in Wagoner on weekends.

Poole said Irving came into the residence carrying a gun, which discharged as he scuffled with Harlin. It went off again, striking Irving.

Harlin then ran outside, yelling for a neighbor to call 911.

That neighbor was Lillian Harlin, who said she was standing in her backyard at the time. She said she did not hear the gunshots because her air conditioner was running.

She ran into her home and called for help and later saw the victim being removed from the house on a stretcher. She said she did not hear or see anything else. She also said she did not know her neighbor.

District Attorney Larry Moore said the evidence so far in the case indicates the homeowner was defending himself against an intruder.

Moore said he doesn't expect to file charges against the homeowner but will consider charges against the intruder.

According to Oklahoma Department of Corrections records, Irving has prior convictions for drug possession and distribution of drugs. His last conviction in Muskogee County was in 2006, when he received a suspended sentence for possession of a controlled dangerous substance

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion, OK

Family Fights Back In Home Invasion

A family fought back against a group of armed intruders that broke into a Kansas City, Kan., home early Friday morning, police said.

Police received a 911 call from a house near North 74th Court and Oakland Avenue just after midnight.

A man who lives in the house said when the men burst into the house, his son was able to escape and get help while he and his brother were held at gunpoint.

"These guys had us in there for about 20 minutes. One of them came outside and tried to get in my Escalade. When that guy went outside, my brother, who was here with me, jumped up and grabbed the gun from him. I went downstairs and grabbed my gun, and the shootout was on after that," the man said.

Two of the alleged intruders were wounded in the shooting.

Police took three of the four suspected home invaders into custody.

The homeowner said he thinks these were the same men who broke into his home days earlier. Following that incident, the family decided to get an alarm installed. It was scheduled to be activated on Friday.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion, KS, residence robbery

Man shot with own gun while trying to rob Van Nuys bank, police say

A would-be bank robber was shot with his own gun this afternoon during a botched heist attempt in Van Nuys, police said.

The gun-toting man walked into a branch of Wells Fargo bank in the 6800 block of Van Nuys Boulevard around 12:30 p.m. and tried to pull off a one-man caper, said Officer Kate Lopez, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Police Department.

A security guard confronted the man and "a struggle ensued," Lopez said. The robber, whose identity has not been released, was shot as the two wrestled for control of the weapon.

No other details of the altercation were available and no bank patrons or employees were injured.

The suspect was transported to a local hospital and his condition is not known. The guard suffered minor injuries that did not require medical attention.

Labels: CA, criminal's gun taken away and used against him, private security

Moving men best would-be robber

One determined store owner. Eleven bulky employees to back him up. And a nervous would-be robber pointing a gun at them.

The result?

A very bad attempt at robbery, said Raymond Palma, 37, owner of D& R Moving.

The botched robbery Wednesday morning sent the alleged robber to the hospital with two self-inflicted gunshot wounds, no money and a charge of aggravated robbery.

“This ought to be on ‘Dumbest Criminals,’ Palma said. “To come into a moving company with men who lift and haul things for a living – 12 guys, five or six bullets. You do the math.”

The robber, identified as Ahmad Parker, 21, of Roselawn, was in surgery at University Hospital Wednesday evening for gunshot wounds to the leg and arm, Cincinnati police said.

Palma said when Parker walked into the business, 465 Elberon Ave., around 9 a.m. and pointed a .380-caliber semiautomatic pistol, demanding everyone empty their pockets, Palma thought he was joking.

“Then he said it again and put the gun right to my head and that’s when I knew he’s not kidding anymore,” Palma said. “But you could just tell he was a rookie. He hesitated for a couple seconds and he didn’t know what the heck he was doing, apparently.”

The handgun’s safety was still on until Parker noticed it halfway through the robbery, Palma said.

He said he waited until Parker turned his head then grabbed the gun. Four employees joined in. During the scuffle, the gun went off several times, striking Parker twice and an employee once.

Employees held Parker down until police arrived.

The employee, William Davis, 31, Palma’s brother, was grazed in the leg and refused medical treatment, police said. Palma suffered minor cuts and scrapes.

“To be honest, I was scared the entire time,” he said. “I don’t recommend anybody doing that because when I did it, I put everybody’s life in there at risk. If it happened again, I don’t think I would handle it that way.”

Palma said it was the first time there has been an attempted robbery at his business and hopes it’s the last. He plans to install security cameras and an ATM to store his money.

“Everybody tells me I shouldn’t, but I feel bad for that young fella,” Palma said. “He’s 21 and he made the worst mistake of his life. I don’t feel angry no more.

“But I’m disappointed and upset.”

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

Teenager fends off would-be robbers

Two suspects are on the run after a teenager in the house they were robbing turned one of the criminals' guns against them.

At about 8:30 a.m. Saturday, police said two robbers broke into Danielle Gardin's home in north Charlotte.

"One guy opened up the garage, let the van in and then they started going upstairs," Gardin said.

Gardin wasn't home, but her 14-year-old son Dante was. He had locked the door to his room at the top of the stairs, called 911 and hid in the closet.

"One of the guys kicked the door in, and then he started going through Dante's stuff," Gardin said.

The teenager had armed himself with a pocket knife. And with the stranger in his room distracted, Dante attacked.

"That's when he came out of the closet and that's when he stabbed the guy in the stomach," Gardin said.

While the two struggled in the room, the robber's gun fell to the floor. Dante picked it up and aimed it at the would-be criminal.

The man then took off down the stairs then sped away with his accomplice in the getaway van, damaging part of Gardin's garage in the process.

"I watch the news all the time and see this on the news all the time," Gardin said. "You just never think that it's going to happen to you, but, hey, you can't ever rule yourself out."

Hours after the ordeal, the damage to the home was already being repaired. And Gardin said she knows it could have been much worse.

"I was scared not knowing if he was OK," she said. "Just to know that he is OK, mentally and physically, was just the most important part for me."

Police said both suspects are black males with dreadlocks. One of the suspects was wearing a long-sleeved black T-shirt and jeans. The other was wearing a blue polo shirt with white stripes.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, minor defender, NC, residence burglary

St. Pete resident shoots burglar during break-in

St. Pete police say a burglary suspect was shot and killed during a break-in.

Investigators says the resident arrived at his home at 1018 22nd Ave. S. at 12:28pm only to be confronted by a masked man armed with a gun.

The resident fought with the intruder and during the scuffle, the suspect's gun fell to the floor.

That's when detectives say the resident picked up the gun and shot and killed the intruder.

The names of the victim and the suspect have not yet been released.

Man kills burglar in his apartment

A masked intruder was shot dead with his own gun Friday after a struggle with the man whose apartment he was burglarizing, police said.

Jack Donaldson, 27, arrived home about noon to find the burglar inside, armed with a semiautomatic handgun. A struggle ensued, and the burglar dropped the gun.

Donaldson picked it up and shot him dead.

He then saw another man running away from his apartment, located on the west side of a duplex at 1018 22nd Ave. S.

He fired at least once, but apparently missed. He then called police. Donaldson could not provide a detailed description, saying only that the man was wearing all black, police said.

When police arrived at Donaldson's apartment they found the body of Lajuan Dandy, 39, still wearing a cloth mask and gloves, said police spokesman Bill Proffitt.

Dandy, whose last known address is 650 60th Ave. S, has a long criminal history including charges for aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer and drug possession.

Police aren't sure if anything was taken.

Detective J. De Luca said police will refer the case to prosecutors but probably will not recommend criminal charges.

"It appears to be more of a self-defense," De Luca said.

Police shut down part of 22nd Avenue S during the investigation. Spectators surrounded yellow crime scene tape as word spread about what happened inside the duplex.

"Who's to say they won't hit you?" asked Vincent Jackson, 42, who said he lives about a block away. "It could have happened to anyone. You can never say."

Cecilia Williams said she likes the neighborhood and feels safe despite the shooting. She's raising four children down the street from the duplex.

She hears gunfire and sees suspicious activity sometimes but knows the neighbors on her street are good people, she said.

"It's terrible when anybody dies," she said, adding she also sympathizes with Donaldson. "I wouldn't want to walk into my house and see somebody in my house."

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, FL, home invasion

Suspected would-be robber dies after being shot by Flint store owner

A man has died after police say he was shot by a Clio Road store owner Friday evening in what was believed to be an attempted robbery.

A male entered LT's Clothing & Accessories, 3014 Clio Road, shortly after 9 p.m. Friday and pulled a handgun on the store's owner. The two grabbed at each other and the owner took his own gun and shot the man, a news release said.

That man was pronounced dead at Hurley Medical Center and police today hadn't yet identified him.

The case will be sent to the Gensee County prosecutor's office for review, police said.

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

Grandpa Comes to the Rescue, Grabs Shotgun from Intruder

A community garage sale brings all sorts of guests, but at the Sutton family home, in Carrollton, one visitor was not so welcome.

Amy Sutton, 25, was in the kitchen, about to go back out into the garage to see if any customers had arrived. Just then she noticed the door knob turning. As the door to the garage swung open, Sutton came face to face with an intruder.

"The guy just came in and looked straight at me and pointed his gun at me," said Sutton.

At first Sutton thought it was a joke, but as the man approached her, she knew her life was at stake. She started screaming for help as she turned and ran for the front door. The gunman ran after her, grabbing her and slamming her up against the wall.

"I screamed," Sutton said, and the intruder said, "Don't do that. Don't do that. I'll take your kids," Sutton told Fox 8.

Sutton's two children, Nicholas, 3, and Nathan, 1, were playing in the family room.

What the gunman didn't realize was that Sutton's 72-year-old grandfather, Joe Sabol, was also in the family room, sitting in a chair, when the gunman came into the house. If the intruder had turned around, he would have seen Sabol plain as day. Instead, he kept his back to the family room.

"He didn't know I was sitting here because when he opened that door he couldn't see me. He just went straight that way," Sabol explained.

Sutton says her only thought was getting the intruder as far away from her kids as possible. She wanted to get out of the house and scream for help, in hopes that other neighbors would hear her. She figured someone would -- since everyone was outside of their homes for the community garage sale.

Sutton, however, never made it that far. After being slammed up against the wall, she took off running again, but the gunman was close behind. He grabbed the back of her shirt. She kept going.

When Sutton got to the front door, the gunman had-had enough and went to shoot her in the back. Sutton heard him cock the shotgun.

"I just closed my eyes 'cause I'm thinking if he's gonna shoot me, so be it, just as long as my kids are safe," explained Sutton.

That's when Joe sprang into action. The great grandfather sneaked in on the gunman for a surprise attack of his own. He quietly walked up behind him.

Sabol saw his opportunity when the gunman turned the barrel of the gun to the floor as he cocked it. Sabol seized the moment.

"I reached down then and I got a tight grip on the stalk of the gun and when I got a hold of (it) there was no way he was gonna get that back," said Sabol.

Sutton says she looked back and saw her grandfather wrestling with the intruder.

"All I know is I look back and my pap is tackling the guy with a gun," said Sutton.

When the struggle was over, Sabol had control of the gun. The intruder turned on his heels and ran back the way he had come in, through the garage, and off into a wooded area.

Sutton quickly called the Carroll County Sheriff's Department. Deputies came out to search the area. They found 30-year-old Jason Haught hiding in the woods. He's been charged with one count of aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, and kidnapping, all of them are felonies of the first degree. He also faces a charge of burglary and theft, both third degree felonies.

Carroll County Sheriff Dale Williams says Sutton is very lucky to be alive.

"I feel sure that if grandpa hadn't been there, this would've turned ugly. We could've been investigating a homicide," said Williams.

According to court records, Haught has a criminal past, including a prison term served for domestic violence in 2007, another domestic violence case in 2005, drug paraphernalia in 2004 and in 1999 a DUI -- just to name a few of the charges.

Sutton says she's always considered her grandfather a hero, but now he is in everyone eyes.

"He saved my life! If he wasn't here I would've been shot on the porch. Who knows what he (the gunman) would've done to my kids," Sutton told Fox 8.

Sabol says God must have given him strength in his time of need. Sabol is not only missing a lung, but he's had two open heart surgeries following a heart attack, and he has diabetes. He doesn't consider himself a hero. "Just gotta do what you gotta do. Yea. They're my pride and joy, all of them!"

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion, OH

Intruder shot during robbery is a juvenile

Montgomery County — A 17-year-old boy shot during a failed robbery attempt is in stable condition and facing possible arrest by Montgomery County Sheriff's deputies.

The juvenile allegedly entered an apartment at 5121 Northcutt Place in Northland Village Apartment Complex at about 3:10 p.m. Monday, May 26, in an attempt to rob the place, according to sheriff's Capt. Jeff PaPanek.

The apartment is undergoing renovation, and a construction worker living in the building was asleep inside when the boy entered. When the man awoke, the juvenile brandished a gun and a struggle ensued.

The construction worker wrestled the gun away from the juvenile and then shot him in the upper chest, PaPanek said.

The juvenile fled the scene but was later picked up by Dayton police and transported to Miami Valley Hospital for non-life threatening injuries.

Investigators are waiting until the boy recovers from his injuries enough to speak before pursuing any charges, sheriff's Chief Phil Plummer said.

The man in the apartment suffered a minor cut on his hand.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, minor offender, OH, residence burglary

Store Owner Shoots Robber With Robber's Gun

A store owner wrestled a gun away from an armed robber and shot the man three times Monday, Phoenix police said.

The would-be robber entered Soccer City shortly before 6 p.m., pointed a gun at owner Lionel Sanchez and demanded money, according to police.

Sanchez told police the robber was talking to someone on the phone and indicated he planned to shoot.

When the robber momentarily let his guard down, police said, Sanchez lunged for the gun and wrestled it away, then shot the intruder.

The robber was taken to a hospital in stable condition. Police did not release his identity, but said he would be jailed upon his release from the hospital.

Sanchez will not face charges.

"Right now, initially, it looks like it's a case of self-defense," said Sgt. Phil Roberts.

When asked why he was bold enough to go after the gun, Sanchez revealed he has studied karate for the past five years.

Labels: AZ, business robbery, criminal's gun taken away and used against him, illegal alien

Suspect killed in Inver Grove Heights liquor store robbery

Fearing he would be shot if he let the liquor store robber tie him up, Matt Huerta made a grab for the gun.

As the two men struggled for control of the weapon at Trail Liquors in Inver Grove Heights Thursday morning, it fired several times. The suspect was hit in the chest and died several hours later. Huerta was able to call 911 for help and is recovering at a St. Paul hospital.

Minutes before the scuffle, the suspect had walked into the store and demanded money from the cash register.

The suspect then walked Huerta, the store manager, to a back room and demanded he open the safe.

Huerta, the only employee in the store at about 10:30 a.m., told the man he didn't know the combination.

"The robber wanted to tie Matt up, and Matt thought if he was tied up, he could be shot,'' said Kathleen Schneider, the store's co-owner. When the man put the gun in the top of his pants, Huerta went to grab it, she said. That's when the scuffle began. The gun apparently discharged several times, she said.

Shots hit the suspect in the chest and the manager in the leg, according to investigators.

The manager then called 911 to report an armed robbery, said Lt. Jerry Salmey, a spokesman for the Inver Grove Heights police.

Huerta, 57, of Rosemount, was listed in good condition at Regions Hospital in St. Paul on Thursday. He declined requests for interviews.

The suspect's name won't be released until family members are notified, the Ramsey County Medical Examiner's office said Thursday night.

Huerta is in "disbelief" over what happened, Schneider said. "He said it probably all happened in 15 minutes, but it felt like 15 hours."

"You just never think something like this is going to happen,'' Schneider said. "It's so tragic to think that someone would try to do this for a couple hundred dollars."

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

One person was shot today during an alleged kidnapping and robbery which unfolded at an Oak Street address. The victim of the kidnapping and robbery was apparently the person who struggled with one of the alleged offenders and caused a gun to go off.

Police were called to 383 Oak St. SW after being alerted of the incident.

Luis Velasquez was found bleeding from his head and face, according to reports. Josh Dunn, 20, has been charged with especially aggravated kidnapping and especially aggravated robbery.

A second suspect has not been charged; however, warrants are pending against Josh Snyder, 19.

Snyder was reportedly shot when Velasquez began to try to wrestle the gun away from Snyder.

According to reports, the suspects went to Velasquez' door and asked him to help them jump start a vehicle.

One of the suspects pulled a gun, then forced Velasquez back into his home.

At that point, Dunn and Snyder allegedly demanded money from Velasquez.

Reports indicated the suspects began to beat Velasquez after he stated he had only a small amount of cash.

During the alleged beating, Snyder apparently cut his hand and had placed the gun under his arm while attempting to clean blood from his hand.

Velasquez then went for the gun and it discharged, according to reports.

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

Robbery victim kills intruder

The victim of a robbery in Queens fatally shot one of the three intruders early Tuesday morning with a gun they left behind, police said.

A man and his girlfriend were returning to their Middle Village apartment about 4:50 a.m. when they were confronted by three men, police said.

According to the victim, the men forced the couple into the apartment, where they tied them up with plans to rob the place, cops said.

Somehow, the victim was able to get loose and grab a gun one of the suspects had left unattended, he told police. He shot one of his attackers in the head, killing him.

The other two fled.

No arrests had been made last night.

Police continued to question the victim, who neighbors said kept odd hours and was unfriendly.

"We didn't think they belonged in a neighborhood like this," said one neighbor in the family friendly area. "No one ever said hello or goodbye to them, and we preferred it that way."

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion, NY, residence robbery

Homeowner Shoots Burglar

An early-morning break-in turned fatal when the homeowner shot the intruder, Mesa police said.

The homeowner, his wife and another person woke to the sound of someone breaking into their home shortly after 2:15 a.m., police said.

The wife ran to a closet to call 911 while her husband confronted the armed intruder.

Police said the husband struggled with the intruder and shot the burglar with his own gun.

Rescue crews pronounced the burglar dead at the scene.

Police said a second would-be intruder was waiting outside the home and was arrested.

Investigators said the incident may be drug-related.

Labels: AZ, criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion

Clerk Wrestles Gun From Would-Be Robber

A gas station attendant was back on the job Thursday night, days after he wrestled a shotgun away from a would-be robber.

Dramatic surveillance video of the incident at the Shell station at 38th Street and Capitol Avenue was released Thursday, 6News' Cheryl Jackson reported.

Clerk Deme Momar found himself in a fight for his life soon after the would-be robber came into the store.

"The clerk recognized him from coming in and out and being around the neighborhood," said Indianapolis Metro police Detective Leon Benjamin.

The man waited for a customer to leave the store, then convinced Momar that he needed help with the ATM machine.

"His plan was to lure the clerk from behind the secure area where the cash register was located," Benjamin said.

Momar made an exception to store policy and went to help the man, after which he was greeted with a sawed-off shotgun.

"It's not easy if someone pulls out a gun on you and you are between life and death," Momar said. "He ... pulled out a shotgun on me and we fight and I take the gun out of his hand."

The struggle continued for several minutes, until Momar was able to get the gun away from the man.

"I let him go because I didn't know what ... to do. I couldn't shoot him, and he was begging me to let him go," Momar said. "Even if I go back there and give him the money, he will shoot me, too."

When Momar got the gun, the would-be robber's demeanor changed from attack mode to defenseless.

"He thought I was trying to shoot him, so he said to me, 'Please, I'm begging you, don't shoot me. Let me go. Let me go,'" Momar said.

Police and Momar both said they think the man lives in the neighborhood.

"He stay around here, not so far, and he used to drive a green (Ford) Explorer, two-door," Momar said. "That day, he was walking."

Momar said he decided not to let the robbery attempt keep him from returning to work.

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

Cigar-store clerk foils robbers by taking away gun

A cigar store clerk foiled an armed robbery attempt by two men and a woman Saturday, San Diego police said.

The three entered a cigar store on Balboa Avenue near Genesee Avenue in Clairemont about 1 p.m., and the woman pulled out a gun and demanded money, police said.

The clerk managed to take the gun away, and the three left empty-handed.

The woman was described as white, 30 to 35 years old, heavy-set with long blond hair. She wore a blue jacket and blue jeans.

The men were described as white, 30 to 35 years old, with medium builds and average height. They wore blue shirts and blue jeans.

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

Druggist wrestles shotgun away from would be robbery

A gunman who tried to rob a Carmel pharmacy Tuesday afternoon was subdued by the pharmacist after a violent struggle.

The robber, armed with a sawed-off shotgun, attempted to rob the store of narcotics.

The incident unfolded at about 12:35 p.m. at the Rite Aid Pharmacy in the ShopRite Plaza on Route 52 in Carmel.

The suspect, identified as David Both, 49, of Kent, allegedly walked up to the pharmacy counter, pulled the shotgun and demanded narcotics from the pharmacy staff.

Both then walked around behind the counter as the pharmacist, Mark Gallagher, complied with his demands by placing drugs into a bag.

When the suspect pointed the shotgun toward two female employees, Gallagher, who later told police he feared the suspect was going to shoot the women, grabbed the weapon. After a struggle, the pharmacist was able to wrest control of the gun from Both and fought him off.

Someone in the store called 911 and patrols from the Putnam, Sheriff’s Office, Carmel and Ken Police and the State Police rushed to the store. Both was taken into custody.

As a deputy was unloading the shotgun, police said it accidentally discharged and fired a slug into a rear wall of the store. No one was injured. Police think the gun may have gone off because it was damaged during the struggle.

Gallagher was not injured in the altercation.

Another store employee, a 64-year-old woman, later experienced chest pains while be interviewed at the Sheriff’s Office. She was taken to the hospital for evaluation.

Both was charged with attempted robbery in the first degree.

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

Braddock store owner pins would-be robber

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(More)

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

Wounded man shoots intruder

A Gaston man shot and killed one of two intruders he discovered in his house Thursday night, Northampton County Sheriff Wardie Vincent said this morning.

Sheriff's office investigators are still looking into the shooting, in which 20-year-old Walter Daniels of Gaston died.

Vincent declined to discuss whether investigators are looking into the possibility of self-defense on the part of Monte Arrington, 21, who fired the shot during a struggle with Daniels.

Vincent said the fatal shooting occurred around 10 p.m., at Arrington's residence at 544 N.C. Highway 48, which is just inside the town limits of Gaston.

Arrington and his girlfriend were returning to the residence and were confronted by two men as they went in the home.

The best information investigators have thus far is that Daniels was armed and drew the weapon. That's when a struggle between Arrington and Daniels began. During the struggle, Arrington was stabbed but managed to grab the gun and shoot Daniels in the upper chest. It is believed Daniels died immediately, the sheriff said.

Arrington was transported to Halifax Regional Medical Center in Roanoke Rapids and then airlifted to Pitt Memorial Hospital in Greenville. His condition was not known.

Vincent said authorities continue to look for the other man in the house, who fled. The sheriff declined to disclose the man's name.

“The best we can understand is they broke in to burglarize the residence,” he said.

The State Bureau of Investigation was called in for assistance and the Gaston and Garysburg police departments helped with processing the crime scene.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, NC, residence burglary

Burglar Shot In Struggle With Resident

A man who lives at a house on East 79th Street came home and saw three men in his home stealing his belongings, Kansas City police said.

He grabbed one of them, who had a gun, and during the struggle, shots were fired.

All three of the men ran away, but one of them was hit.

He got as far as a nearby corner, where he ran into a restaurant and asked for help.

Adrian Gardner, an employee, called 911 and then the shot man passed out on the floor.

Medics and police arrived, and the man was taken to a hospital by ambulance.

Police were still looking for the other two men.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, residence burglary, VA

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

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion, TX

Teen bandits flee after store clerk takes gun

A store clerk turned the tables on a pair of armed robbers during an attempted holdup at a convenience store, Dover police said today.

Two teens walked into the Little Grocer convenience store on East Division Street about 9 p.m. Sunday and demanded money, Lt. James Hosfelt said.

When one of the bandits brandished a sawed-off shotgun in the direction of the clerk behind the counter, the gunman and clerk got into a physical confrontation, Hosfelt said.

The clerk refused to hand over any money from the register and then grabbed the shotgun out of the hand of the would-be robber.

After the clerk established control of the situation, the two bandits went running from the store, Hosfelt said.

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

Tallassee home invasion turns deadly

A man apparently was fatally wounded by shots from his own firearm when it was taken away from him during a Christmas morning home invasion in Tallassee, authorities said.

Investigators said two men had forced their way into the residence shortly after 2:30 a.m. Tuesday while the occupants were asleep. Once inside, one of the intruders held an occupant at gunpoint, but at some point had the handgun wrestled away and several rounds were fired at him.

Both suspects fled the scene, and Tallapoosa County sheriff's officers said Lee Antion Donaldson, 29, of Montgomery was admitted to Baptist South in Montgomery at 5 a.m. Wednesday with gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead a short time later.

Tallapoosa County Sheriff Jimmy Abbett told The Alexander City Outlook his department is working with the Montgomery Police Department to determine if Donaldson was at the scene of the Tallassee home invasion.

The sheriff said Thursday that Donaldson's possible connection to the home invasion was still under investigation.

Labels: AL, criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion

Man turns tables on thief, wrestles gun away

A man turned the tables on a gunman Saturday by wrestling a rifle from him, turning it around and firing.

Police said the pistol-grip shotgun either misfired or was empty, and the robber and an accomplice ran off.

The incident began about 5 p.m. Saturday on the side of the Ross clothing store building near Power Road and Southern Avenue. The victim was seated in his car when two men in their late teens or early 20s pulled their car alongside and parked. They approached the victim on foot, showed the gun and demanded money. The victim struggled with the man and was able to get the gun from him and fire it. The second thief helped get the gun back and they took some items from the vehicle before fleeing.

The robbers' vehicle was described as a dirty white four-door sedan, possibly a Crown Victoria or a Mercury.

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

WVC man shoots and kills one of two home invaders

Police say a West Valley City man put a deadly end to a home invasion robbery last night.

Police are now looking for the second invader, who fled the scene, and a woman who had knocked on the resident's door shortly before the men broke in about 10:21 p.m. Thursday.

KUTV reports today that the men forced the man's wife to sit in a chair while they searched for valuables. One gunman allegedly took the husband into another room, and that's when the resident wrestled the gun away from the invader and opened fire.

KUTV says that neither the resident, his wife nor their child were injured.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion, UT

EDEN — Murder charges have been dismissed against a man accused of killing his girlfriend's son in a domestic dispute.

The first-degree murder charge against Emmett Jasper "Bo" Kennon Jr., 42, was dismissed Nov. 21, according to court documents.

Kennon was arrested in late October and charged in the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Travis Clark of 183 Brightwood Road in Eden.

Travis Clark was the son of Kennon's girlfriend at the time, Lynette Clark.

Rockingham County District Attorney Phil Berger Jr. said Friday that the case proved to be one of self-defense rather than murder.

"We're deeply sorry for the loss that the Clark family suffered," Berger said. "It was a tragic situation."

Deputies were called to the Brightwood Road home about 11 p.m. Oct. 30 about a shooting. A sheriff's office news release described Kennon as being "irate and uncooperative." Travis Clark was found in the house with a gunshot wound.

Lynette Clark and Kennon had been arguing, sheriff's spokesman Dean Venable said in October, and Travis Clark got involved in the altercation.

Berger said information from three witnesses provided evidence that Kennon shot Travis Clark in self-defense.

Berger, citing information that witnesses gave, said Travis Clark put a gun to Kennon's head.

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

Robber shot in Jefferson may have been killed by intended victims

A would-be robber was shot to death in Avondale, and authorities say he apparently died at the hands of his intended victims: a man and a boy who wrestled away his 9 mm semiautomatic handgun.

Sheriff's deputies responded to a report of gunfire about 7:40 p.m. Monday and found a man lying dead in the middle of an Avondale street, area residents and Col. Robert Garner of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office said.

Detectives believe the dead man had tried to rob the two other people just outside or inside a nearby house. He was shot at least once and staggered into the street.

It was not immediately known whether the dead man broke into the home, what he demanded or took, or whether he was shot just inside or outside the home. Garner said he didn't know whether the man and boy were residents of the home.

Further links:
Robber shot in Jefferson may have been killed by intended victims

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

Homeowner sends burglars to hospital

Investigators say two armed burglars invaded a home Friday night around 8:30pm on the 3000-block of Tate Rd.

A struggle occurred between the homeowner and one of the men. The homeowner was shot in the arm, but was able to get the gun away from the burglars to shoot back.

The two burglars drove themselves to the hospital where they were arrested.

The two men have been identified as Montrelle Teasley and Marcus Turner. Both will be charged with armed robbery, burglary, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during a crime.

Teasley is a juvenile, but will be charged as an adult.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, defender shot, GA, home invasion, residence robbery

Mother Turns Tables On Carjackers

Police Investigate Carjacking On Suburban Road

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

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

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

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

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

Police said the gun went off in the struggle.

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

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

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

Three arrests made in botched burglary attempt

Three men were arrested by police Monday night shortly after a botched burglary attempt.

According to a Tuscaloosa Police Department news release, Aaron Phelps, 23, Rhett Phelps, 19, and Jeremy Porter, 20, were arrested on first- degree burglary charges. Police say they tried to burglarize a residence in the 3400 block of Second Street Northeast about 8:15 p.m. Monday.

Police said the resident was watching TV when he heard a knock at his front door. When he opened the door to see if anyone was outside, he saw a man armed with a shotgun and wearing a Confederate flag bandana over his face.

The resident slammed the door and ran into the kitchen, police said. But he was caught by the man with the shotgun, who had forced his way in through the front door, and another man.

Police said the burglars held a shotgun to the resident's head and demanded money, but the resident pushed the shotgun aside and began fighting with the burglars.

At some point during the fight, the resident grabbed the barrel of the shotgun while the intruder was still holding the other end, stepped outside his home and yelled for help.

While wrestling over the shotgun outside, the assailant pulled the trigger, but the shot missed the resident.

The resident managed to pull the shotgun from the assailant's hands and both intruders fled into the woods nearby. Police said a third person joined the pair as they fled. The investigation led officials to the three, who were taken into custody and confessed, police said. Bail was set at $25,000 each. The resident suffered minor injuries.

Labels: AL, criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion

Employees, Customer Tangle With Armed Robber

AutoZone Employees Wrestle Armed Man In Struggle

An armed robber was hospitalized after three would-be victims decided to fight back, Indianapolis Metro police said.

Investigators said while they would not recommend what two employees and one customer of an Indianapolis AutoZone store did, they called the actions very brave, 6News' Tanya Spencer reported.

Police said the employees who were working Sunday morning got suspicious as soon as Michael Jones, 41, walked in to the store, in the 6100 block of East 46th Street, on the city's northeast side.

"He was wearing a black hat and a hoodie, so the employees got kind of suspicious when he walked in dressed the way he was," said IMPD Detective Leon Benjamin.

Police said Jones pretended to shop, waiting for all customers to leave, then went to the counter and asked how much brake pads would cost for an older-model Cadillac.

"The clerk … turned around to check the pricing on the computer. When he turned back around, the suspect had a gun pointed directly at his head," Benjamin said.

The clerk then made a split-second, what some would call crazy decision, grabbing the gun and wrestling with the attacker.

A second employee jumped in to help, fighting the attacker out the door of the business and to the ground.

"When they fell to the ground, the gun was knocked loose from the suspect," Benjamin said.

The only customer in the store at the time grabbed the gun and called police, and the two employees held the man down until police arrived.

Police said the second employee only has one arm.

"His other arm is actually a hook, and he was able to use that hook … as a weapon in subduing the suspect," Benjamin said.

Police normally suggest victims do what a robber said. In this case, the clerk's reaction paid off.

Police said Jones had previously been incarcerated twice in robbery cases, and that he told a detective that he owed some money and needed quick cash.

Jones and the first employee during the struggle were taken to hospitals to be treated for cuts and abrasions but neither was seriously hurt.

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

Police: Woman Shoots Suspect With His Gun

A woman confronted by two home invasion suspects in Westside apartment on Wednesday morning wrestled a gun away from one of them and shot him, police said.

According to the Jacksonville Sheriff's office, two suspects posing as maintenance men entered the woman's apartment in the 4400 block of Confederate Park Road.

When one of the men pulled a gun, the woman got it away from him and shot him. The man was rushed to Shands-Jacksonville Medical Center in serious condition. His name has not been released.

The other suspect ran away and is being sought by police.

The woman was not hurt.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, female, FL, home invasion, residence robbery

Clerk rifle-whips bandit - with bandit's gun

A would-be bandit carrying a rifle tried to rob a Salt Lake City convenience store Monday, only to be beaten with his own gun when the clerk fought back.

The 38-year-old man entered the EZ Mart near 600 North and 200 West around 2:15 p.m. and demanded money.

The clerk and the man began fighting, knocking money and store items across the counter, police reported.

The clerk then grabbed the rifle and began beating the would-be robber. Police arrived and arrested the 38-year-old man.

The clerk suffered chest pains and was taken to a local hospital as a precaution.

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

Restaurant employees 'Wok N Roll' on robber

Employees at a Jacksonville Wok N Roll restaurant not only disarmed a robber Saturday night but also got his sweatshirt.

Police responded to the robbery call about 10:40 p.m. at the 8011 Merrill Road restaurant where employees said they had left the front door propped open because of the heat. That's when a gunman walked in and pointed his weapon at two of the employees behind the counter, the Sheriff's Office report said.

One of the employees opened the register and handed the cash to the gunman. As the man grabbed the money, the 5-foot-8, 150-pound employee grabbed the handgun and he and his co-worker chased the robber out the store. The victim threw the gun at the assailant's head but missed, according to the Sheriff's Office report.

The other employee grabbed the robber's hooded sweatshirt and pulled it off, the report said. But the man ran through the parking lot into the Paddock Club Apartments and jumped a wooden fence into the Sandy Beach Lane neighborhood. He got away with about $480, the report said.

The victims gave police the sweatshirt and gun, which turned out to be a BB gun.

The robber was described as a black man with a goatee, about 35 years old, 5-foot-8 and 170 pounds. He was wearing a white, hooded sweatshirt, dark shorts and red shoes.

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

DALLAS — Dallas police say a man in a wheelchair disarmed and fatally shot a home intruder with the intruder's own gun.

The shooting happened just before 3 a.m. Friday at the man's apartment in the Village Oaks Apartments in the Fruitdale neighborhood, south of downtown Dallas.

Investigators say the man was able to wrestle the gun away from the intruder and shoot him. The suspected burglar died a short time later at Baylor University Medical Center.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion, TX

Police Say Would-Be Robber Shot, Hospitalized

A would-be robber was hospitalized early Sunday morning after his alleged victim shot him multiple times, Jackson police said.

Jerriod Peters knocked on the door of a home on McKee Street at about 5:30 a.m., officers said. But when the homeowner answered, he apparently took the handgun from the [sic] Peters and shot him.

Peters is listed in critical condition at University Medical Center.

The homeowner hasn't been charged in the shooting.

man shot in alleged robbery dies


The latest in a spate of suspected criminals to encounter an armed Jackson resident died Monday morning.

Jerriod Peters, 21, was the second man to die in just over two weeks after being shot during an apparent botched robbery.

Police haven't released the name of the man who shot Peters. They've said the man reported Peters knocked on his door, in the 300 block of McKee Street, about 5:30 a.m. Sunday.

Peters and the homeowner had guns, and they exchanged fire. Peters was hit multiple times and died shortly after midnight at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

Hinds County Coroner Sharon Grisham-Stewart said autopsy results are pending.

No one in the neighborhood would talk about the incident on Monday. Several men outside the duplex where it happened said they knew nothing about the shooting.

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

Victim And Alleged Attacker Come Face-To-Face In E.R.

A Milwaukee pizza delivery driver managed to fight off two would-be robbers, but was surprised when he ran into one of his alleged attackers at the hospital.

Police said a gunman tried to hold up the Pizza Hut driver while he was out on a delivery near 23rd Street and Verona Court just after 7 o'clock Wednesday night.

While the driver was fighting with the suspect, a second man attacked him.

That's when police said the pizza man grabbed the gun and began pistol whipping the first attacker.

The pizza driver went to St. Francis Hospital to get treatment and saw the first suspect sitting in the emergency room.

The victim called police, and the suspect was arrested.

Officers are still looking for the second suspect.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, pizza delivery driver, street robbery, WI

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

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

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

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

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

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

Anyone with information is asked to contact police.

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

Deli clerk thwarts robbery

A deli clerk is credited with averting a robbery in the City of Newburgh.

City Police said on Friday morning, October 5 at about 6:15 a.m., a man walked into the Star Grocery at 111 William Street, walked behind the counter and pointed a shotgun at the clerk.

The clerk grabbed the weapon, struggled with the would-be robber and pulled the shotgun away from him.

The suspect fled with another employee chasing after him. The robber got away and the employees called the police.

Police said that despite the heroism of the employees, they do not recommend that store clerks wrestle shotguns away from anyone committing a robbery. “This could have very easily been another homicide had the gun been loaded and gone off,” said Lt. Charles Broe, Sr.

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

Frayser Home Invasion: Man Fights Back

A man fights back three robbers after being forced inside his Frayser home at gunpoint.

It happened just after 11 a.m. on Tuesday, October 2, 2007 at a home in the 700 block of Frayser Drive.

Family members say 31 year-old Kevin Hill was approached by a guy with a gun while getting out of his SUV after running some morning errands.

That's when two other guys came up and forced Hill inside his home and up into the attic to rob him.

Police say Hill struggled with his attackers and managed to take away one of their guns and fire.

Police say no one was hit but several shots were fired inside of the home.

The robbers ran from the home, jumped in Hill's SUV and sped off. Police later found the SUV after the trio crashed it on Syndey Street in North Memphis.

Officers were able to take all three robbers into custody.

The Robbery Division is investigating. So far no charges have been filed.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion, residence robbery, TN

Man Fights Off Attackers, Accidentally Shoots Self

Police are investigating a bizarre shooting in southern Vermont.

It happened on the East Road in Shaftsbury. Police say a 49-year-old man went to check on his neighbor's home after he saw a suspicious car pull into the driveway. When he got to the home, the victim claims either two or three masked men jumped him and pointed a gun to his head.

A scuffle ensued, and the victim was able to grab the gun. He then accidentally shot himself in the hand.

The suspects fled.

The victim was treated at the hospital.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, defender shot, VT

Clare Couple Fights Off Armed Attacker

The quick thinking of a Clare County couple helped them fight off a man who broke into their home and held them at gunpoint.

It happened just before 4 a.m. on Monday on Edgewood drive in Hayes Township of Clare County.

Helen Barker and Jeff Haley were sitting in the living room of Barker's home when a 24 year-old Travis Howell broke through the window, pointed a gun to Haley's head and demanded money and pills.

Haley was able to wrestle the gun away from Howell while Barker called the police.

Howell ran from the home, but was arrested shortly after by police.

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

Robbery Victim Turns Tables on Bandit

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The tenderhearted 27-year-old still feels bad.

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

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

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

Oops -- robber leaves gun behind

A bumbling robber attempting to hold up a north Minneapolis convenience store left a crucial piece of evidence behind: his gun.

The suspect walked into the E & L Market at 2211 Lowry Av. N. Thursday night and demanded money.

The robber covered his face with something in one hand so he could not be identified. But then he made a critical error.

"He set his gun down on the counter to pick up the cash," said Sgt. Tammy Diedrich, a Minneapolis Police Department spokeswoman. "The clerk grabbed the gun."

The robber dropped the cash and fled.

No one has been arrested.

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

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

Two men shot during botched robbery

Police have cleared crime scene tape, but the investigation is far from over. Dried blood on a neighbor's front stoop is a reminder of the struggle that happened on Edith in south Memphis early Wednesday morning. Two people were shot during an apparent home invasion robbery. One victim was one of the men held at gunpoint. The other was the gunman.

"When someone pulls a gun on you demanding property, which is the definition of a robbery, anything can happen," say Lt. Joe Scott of the Memphis Police Department. Investigators tell us they responded to a call at 536 Edith around 2:30 Wednesday morning. Initial reports say a man knocked on the door asking to use a telephone. Someone inside answered the door and stepped away.

Lt. Scott says, "When the individual came back to the door, the suspect displayed a firearm. Another individual there began to struggle with the suspect and was shot." The man who answered the door managed to strip the gunman's weapon away and shot him. Both shooting victims were taken to the Med in critical condition.

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

Police: Man Shot During Burglary; Man Kills Suspect with Gun

A man is in the hospital after being shot during a burglary Monday afternoon at his south Reno home.

The incident happened just before 1:45pm on Britney Avenue in southwest Reno behind Walmart.

Police say a resident came home from the grocery store to find a suspect burglarizing his home. Both ended up fighting over a gun.

The unidentified resident was shot. He suffered non-life threatening injuries.

But police say he then managed to get the gun away from the suspect and fatally shot him.

The resident is currently recovering at Renown Regional Medical Center.

An investigation is underway.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, NV, residence burglary

Employee Foils Gunman's Donut Shop Robbery On L.I.

A gunman held up a doughnut shop, pistol-whipped an employee and forced her to open a safe but then ran away empty-handed after another employee grabbed his weapon, police said.

The gunman, Karsheam Simpkins, entered the doughnut shop just before 1 a.m. Sunday, confronted the two employees and ushered them toward an office in the back, Nassau County police said. He smacked a female employee with his gun and made her open the safe, they said.

But while he was going through the safe, a male employee snatched his gun from him, police said. He ran out a back door, they said.

Two police officers saw the robber running away and arrested him as he was entering his home a few blocks away, they said.

Simpkins, 31, was charged with robbery and criminal possession of a weapon. He was to be arraigned later Sunday. His home telephone number was unlisted.

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

Bar owner chases down .44 Magnum-toting robber

Herb Ott doesn’t like to be robbed. In fact, he takes it pretty darn personally.

On Thursday around noon, a man in a camouflage mask and clothing and carrying a .44 Magnum handgun and a bag walked into Ott’s bar, Poor Nate’s Tavern, in the township of Dellona about 50 miles northwest of Madison.

The bartender, who declined to give her name, said the robber never pointed the gun at her, but went straight to the money drawer. She began screaming for Ott, who was upstairs doing the bar’s books, as the robber headed out the back door with nearly $5,000 in his bag.

The 68-year-old Ott came charging downstairs and burst out the back door after the robber, shouting at him to stop.

"I told him, ’Give me my frickin’ money back,"’ Ott said.

Ott followed the robber through the countryside behind the bar, careful to keep his distance. The robber ducked from tree to tree, looking back at him from time to time, Ott said.

He ran up a hill toward some rental cottages before Ott found him trying to hide behind a shed.

Ott began to swear at the robber - "I used the Lord’s name in vain. I think he was scared" - and the robber handed the money bag and loaded gun over to him.

"I says, ’Why did you do it?’ He said, ’I’m sorry, but I’m broke,"’ Ott said.

Ott walked the robber back to the bar and made him sit at a table until Sauk County Sheriff’s deputies arrived.

Ott said he recognized the 31-year-old robber once he had the mask off him. He had come into the bar in the past to cash checks, Ott said, which explains how the robber knew where the money was.

The man offered no explanation for the robbery or his decision to surrender, Ott said.

"He just said he was sorry after I found out who he was," Ott said.

Ott has owned Poor Nate’s Place, on State Highway 23 between Reedsburg and Wisconsin Dells, for more than 30 years. He thinks he’s been robbed at least twice before. The police always have recovered his money, he said, but this time he took matters into his own hands.

"I wasn’t going to let him just walk away with a bag of money," Ott said. "Why would a guy just let him walk away?"

Sauk County Chief Deputy Chip Meister said chasing down a man who has a .44 Magnum may not have been the wisest move, but it worked.

"Obviously, it wasn’t the safest action. However, because of his efforts the suspect was apprehended," Meister said.

Ott said he didn’t have a plan when he went out the back door.

"I just wanted to follow him and, I guess, see where he went to and see if he got in a car and get a license number or whatever. I just stayed my distance and yelled at him and finally he gave up. He just handed me the gun and the money and that was it."

Ott said he expected the robber to turn and open fire. But he knew what he would have done:

"I figured if he’s going to shoot, I’m going to duck."

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

Burglar's Gun Taken, Pointed At Him

A burglary victim grabbed the burglar’s .40-calibre handgun and held him at gunpoint until police could arrive, according to Louisville Metro Police.

According to a police report, Douglas L. Speaker Jr. broke into a home in the 7000 block of Bronner Circle on Sunday around 8 a.m. when he was apprehended and held at gunpoint with his own gun.

Speaker has been charged with robbery, burglary and possession of a handgun by a convicted felon.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, KY, residence burglary

Police Continue Investigation Into Esplen Shooting

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

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

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

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

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

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

Police say neither Triplett nor his girlfriend was injured.

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

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

76-year-old man wrestles gun away from robber

A 76-year-old Pensacola man wrestled a gun from a 64-year-old man trying to rob him Friday, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies responded to reports of an armed robbery at Tall Oaks Campground about 11 a.m. and found Jay Robbins, 64, of Pensacola being held at gunpoint by Paul Ehler, 76.

According to investigators, Ehler said he was sitting in his office chair when Roberts walked in and said he was going to rob Ehler.

Ehler told investigators Roberts wanted him to sit in a chair to be bound. But when the suspect fumbled with the rope, Ehler came around the desk and attacked him, the report said.

After a brief struggle, Ehler got the gun away from the suspect and held him until deputies arrived.

Robbins was arrested for one count of armed robbery and taken to Escambia County Jail where he is being held on $50,000 bond.

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

One hurt in Des Moines shooting

A man armed with a gun allegedly accosted a second man late Friday in Des Moines, but was the one who ended up being hurt.

Des Moines police said they were called to an apartment complex in the 2400 block of South 222nd Street at about 11:30 p.m. for the reported shooting.

When they arrived, they found a 40-year-old man who told officers he had been accosted by an armed man in the parking lot. The victim told police a struggle ensued and at least two shots were fired.

The attacker fled, driving off in a car and leaving a gun behind, which police took.

A short time later, a 21-year-old man showed up a local hospital with a gunshot wound to his leg. Police questioned the man, but did not arrest him.

The shooting remains under investigation.

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

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

Store Robbery & Standoff

A store clerk fights back after an armed robbery in Albany. Tonight, a suspect is in custody following a stand off with police.

The robbery happened at Quail Street News around 5:20 A.M. Store clerk Hafiz Alam was behind the counter when a man walked in the door and demanded money. Alam opened the register and handed over the money, but while putting the cash away, the robber made a mistake. The man set his shotgun on the counter and while he wasn't paying attention Alam grabbed the gun.

The robber ran out the door while Alam called for help. Moments later, the robber came back in, struggled with Alam, and one shot is fired. Luckily, no one is injured and the robber made off with the gun and the money.

Outside, a city worker spotted the man's license plate number and thats how police tracked the suspect to his home at 71 Westerlo Street.

Police shut down streets and evacuated homes while attempting to get the man out of the house. When they got no answer Albany Police fired tear gas into the home. The suspect came out of the building and was taken into custody. He is behind bars tonight, police say he will face charges in the robbery.

Alam, the clerk in the robbery, says he will return to work for his next shift.

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

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

Would-be victim sends armed robbers running in Leavenworth

A 57-year-old Leavenworth man turned the tables on two armed robbers who invaded his home Tuesday.

Authorities say that when two masked men armed with handguns got into the man's home Tuesday night, he confronted them, grabbed one of their guns and shot one in the hand.

The two masked men then fled, said Chelan County Undersheriff Greg Meinzer.

Two men from Snohomish County were later arrested after one of them flagged down an ambulance.

The wounded man, 24, from Everett, was treated at Central Washington Hospital. The other suspect, a 24-year-old Lake Stevens man, is charged with first-degree assault and burglary. The wounded man was not immediately charged.

Meinzer did not release the homeowner's name and says he isn't sure whether the homeowner knew the masked men or if the attempted robbery was a random crime.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion, residence robbery, WA

Pets Help Resident Fight Back Intruder

Police said a mother and her family pets fought back a gunman who tried to rob her at her south Nashville home.

The incident happened on Martin Street, just a few blocks from the state fairgrounds around 10 p.m. Tuesday.

Ronda Hill said she, her 2-year-old son and her mother were walking inside their house when a man jumped a fence, pointed a gun at them and demanded their belongings.

Hill said her dogs then went after the intruder.

"When they attacked him, he dropped the gun, and I picked it up, and I fired at him. He then took off running," said Hill.

She said she fired the gun two times and is not sure if any of the bullets struck the robber.

Police are still searching for the intruder.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion, residence robbery, TN

Would-be Thief Ends Up in Hospital

An overnight robbery attempt landed a gunman not in jail but in a hospital. Shortly before midnight, according to Danville Police Lt. Tommy Merricks, a gunman approached two men on Rocklawn Drive and attempted to rob them. One of the men grabbed the gun, however, and tried to take it away. The gun went off and struck the would-be robber in the head. He fled the scene.

Shortly afterwards, the police heard of a man being taken from Glenn Street to Danville Regional Medical Center.

He was later transported to the University of Virginia Medical Center with a reported gunshot wound to the head that likely fractured his skull, according to the police.

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

Suspect injured in failed robbery

A robbery suspect wound up at NorthBay Medical Center Friday night, according to Fairfield police, who report that he was shot with his own gun.

The suspect was identified as 18-year-old Vedell Chew, a Fairfield resident. At approximately 6:30 p.m., the suspect reportedly approached a group of people who were gambling in the backyard of a residence in the 1800 block of Barbour Drive, according to police.

Police allege that as he attempted a robbery, one of the people in the group struggled with the suspect and grabbed his gun.

Meanwhile, several of the gamblers hit and kicked the suspect, according to police.

During the struggle, the suspect was shot in the leg with his own gun by one of his intended victims, according to police.

He was transported to NorthBay Medical Center by a waiting car.

The suspect's injuries are reportedly not life-threatening, and police intend to charge Chew with counts of robbery and assault with a deadly weapon, police said.

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

Police seek man who was shot during alleged robbery

A Detroit man, 21, is wanted on three felony counts in connection with an attempted robbery.

The man allegedly tried to rob a house in the 100 block of Second Street armed with a handgun about 11:39 p.m. Thursday, the Jackson Police Department said.

During a struggle, the resident and a friend took the gun away from the man and shot him, but the wound wasn't life threatening, police said.

Jackson Police are still trying to find the man, whose name is not being released. Charges of assault with intent to rob while armed, felony possession of a firearm and using a firearm to commit a felony are pending.

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

Clerk shoots robber

Police say a store employee has shot a robber on East Lake Avenue.

It happened around 3 p.m. at the Yasmin Food Mart. That's at the intersection with Potter Street.

Detectives say 17-year-old Xavier Pierre Whitehead came into the store with a gun and was wearing a Spiderman mask.

"He demanded money, told them to open the till and get all the money out and that's when the struggle started, and the struggle over the gun and the shot was fired," said Tampa police spokesperson Andrea Davis.

Whitehead was taken to Tampa General Hospital. There's no word yet on his condition.

Masked robber is shot during Tampa hold-up

There was a hold up and a shooting at a Tampa convenience store Friday afternoon.

Police say a teenager wearing a Spider-Man mask walked into the Yasmin Food Mart, located at 2409 E. Lake Avenue, north of I-4 and east of I-275, and demanded cash.

The owner decided to fight back and struggled with the teen over the gun. A second employee joined the struggle. As the three wrestled for the weapon, it fired, striking the suspect in the upper body.

The robber was rushed to Tampa General Hospital as a trauma alert. He was identified as Xavier Pierre Whitehead, 17, of 2619 E 26th Ave., Tampa. Police say he was a regular at the store.

Officers are reviewing surveillance tape of the robbery.

Labels: business robbery, criminal's gun taken away and used against him, FL, minor offender

Police: Suspected Robber Shot With Own Gun While Attacking Limo Driver

Police said a suspected robber was shot with his own gun Friday morning during an attack on two limo drivers. It happened at about 3 a.m on South Tryon Street just south of Clanton Road in southwest Charlotte.

Officers said three men with guns attacked the drivers of two limos and threatened to kill them. But as one robber reached for a laptop computer in a limo, the driver grabbed the attacker's gun and shot him. Police said that man was later dropped off at a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The other two robbers got away. The limo drivers were not hurt.

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

“I was talking to my dad on the phone and I was like that's not fireworks, he's shooting him. I was thinking this is crazy. ”

“The store clerk got up, grabbed his gun, came out of the store, and yelled at them to stop. One of the males turned around pointed the gun at the store clerk and said, 'I will shoot you.' At that point, the store clerk did shoot the bad guy. ”

“The man who shot the other man forced him at gunpoint to get back over into the property over there and then man who was shot was screaming for an ambulance. ”

"I'm glad they got him. I'm really glad because the store has been hit, they've had a pick up truck driven through the front door, they had people come through the roof, and they've ad all the phone and electric lines cut, not long ago actually. I'm glad they finally got somebody. ”

Merchant shoots robbery suspect

The store owner holds the man at gunpoint until the police arrive.

A shop owner who had just been robbed chased two men down a South Tampa street Tuesday, shooting one and holding him at gunpoint until police arrived.

Police are still investigating the shooting, which injured Clifford Darden, 48, one of the men accused in the robbery.

"They were robbing him, " police spokeswoman Andrea Davis said of the shop owner's actions. "He did fear for his life."

Just before 2 p.m., two men walked into a Kwik Stop Food Store at West Shore Boulevard and Ohio Avenue.

One ordered a sandwich, then he walked behind the counter and pulled out a gun.

The robber demanded money from the shop owner, who opened two cash registers. The second robber joined the first, and both men grabbed cash, said Davis. The men also took lottery tickets and snatched surveillance equipment.

They ran outside, heading east on Ohio Avenue. The shop owner chased them, gun in hand, Davis said. One, described as a black man about 200 pounds, 5 foot 9 to 5 foot 10 inches tall, wearing a red shirt, jacket and ball cap, got into a maroon Ford Taurus with tinted windows and disappeared.

The shop owner, whose name was not released, shot at the second man. Neighbors heard between four and six shots. Police said Darden had bullet wounds in his arm and abdomen.

The shop owner told police that as he ran after the robber, the man paused, turned toward him and pointed a gun. The shop owner shot him, then tried to get the robber's gun. The two wrestled on the grass between two parked cars, and the shop owner got the gun and told the robber not to move until police arrived.

Once investigators arrived, Darden was taken to Tampa General Hospital. His condition was unavailable. He will be booked into the Hillsborough County jail once he is treated, Davis said.

Darden is a mason with a Miami address, state records show. He has been arrested eight times in Florida, beginning in 1986, when he was convicted of marijuana smuggling in Miami, records show. In 1994, he was convicted of robbery with a firearm in Marion County.

His most recent arrest was in 1994 for violating probation.

Tuesday afternoon, Fuad Salem, 27, watched police examine the scene. He said his cousin was the shop owner.

"He was by himself in the store, " Salem said. "They had the gun right against his head."

Victoria Schmidt, 51, who lives across the street from the shop, heard the shots and thought it was a car backfiring. She looked out her front window and watched the shop owner and Darden struggle on the ground.

"I've never seen anyone being shot before, " she said. "He could barely walk."

She saw blood running down Darden's leg and heard him yell, "Get me an ambulance!"

Schmidt said she often sees suspicious behavior in the area, and has found baggies of drugs on her front lawn.

Police records show seven calls for service to the shop since October 2004, including two burglaries and a shooting into an occupied building.

Deborah Beal, 52, watched it all unfold. A self-proclaimed "nosy neighbor, " she has a police scanner and watches Ohio Avenue from her front window.

She said she saw a green Lexus drive by slowly out front, then saw three men running down the street.

Then, she said, she saw the shop owner shoot the man.

"He was shooting him as he was running after him, " she said.

So is a shop owner allowed to chase down and harm a robber?

It's a subject that lawyer John Fitzgibbons knows much about.

He represented Lawrence Storer, a Thai restaurant owner accused of hitting and killing Shantavious Wilson, 24, with his Ford Explorer after Wilson robbed him at gunpoint at his downtown Tampa restaurant.

Fitzgibbons said it's a tricky area of law, and much depends on the facts of a case, but communities are often sympathetic to store owners protecting themselves from robbers. Quick, emotional decisions can also be a reason for the action to be considered justifiable.

"When you cause the death or the injury in the heat of passion, that can be a defense, " he said.

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

Victim turns tables on burglar

50-year-old man wrestles gun from teen

Sheriff's Investigator Julie Webb wishes every home invasion could have such positive results.

"It worked out awesome," said Webb, the lead investigator on the case. It was a burglary where the occupants of a River Hills Drive residence awoke to find an armed burglar in their home, only to wrestle away his weapon, chase him from their home, and later identify him for the arrest.

"We had wonderful victims that handled themselves as well as you could ask for," she said.

At about 1 a.m., a male resident awoke at his usual time, but noticed that some things were out of place, Webb said.

"He said it took him a minute to register," she said, but he quickly found a masked man with a rifle in a bedroom.

The masked man, Craig Majors, 19, who gave a 211 Al Orta Drive address, pointed the rifle at him and "told him not to look at him, turn around, or he would kill him," Webb said.

Majors then demanded money, to which the victim responded that they use debit cards and don't keep money in the house. Majors decided to take the victim to a nearby ATM to withdraw his money.

Still holding the gun at the victim's back, Majors led him to the garage where he found some bungee cord to tie him up with. As he tied him up, Majors held the gun under his arm, which turned out to be a mistake.

"(The victim) said to me he realized that was his opportunity," Webb said. "He turned around and jumped on this man, and the fight was on."

The victim, who is in his 50's, yelled as he fought Majors, and his wife awoke to find them fighting in the garage.

She then struck the burglar in the side of the head.

The male victim was able to get an upper hand in the fight, Webb said, as the gun lay on the ground. Majors then got on top of the victim, but the victim was able to kick him off and down a staircase. He then picked up the gun and attempted to fire it, but it didn't fire, so he started swinging the gun at Majors who ran, Webb said.

The couple watched Majors sped away in a dark colored, four-door car, the same vehicle deputies found abandoned no more than a mile down the road, after it struck a tree.

(More)

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