Statesville, North Carolina
From April 17, 2008 WSCO channel 9:
STATESVILLE, N.C. -- Statesville officers drove slowly and watched closely as they patrolled the neighborhood where gunshots erupted along School Street on Wednesday afternoon. A day care center is just yards away.
Margaret Campbell, a concerned neighbor, said, "It's dangerous for the day care and the neighbors. I'm a senior citizen I can't walk fast, much less run."
Detectives said the frightening incident started when a man with a gun broke into a house, demanded money and then fired a warning shot. That's when a robbery turned into a shootout.
According to detectives, the gunman shot at the house while he ran away. At the same time, two of the victims inside shot at the robber.
Southbury, Connecticut
From Rocky Hill’s WFSB.com of November 4, 2007
Man Shoots Home Intruder In Southbury
Intruder Involved In Car Crash, Police Say
State police said they received a call Sunday from a man who said he had encountered an intruder at his house.
John Nagy told police that he may have shot the intruder at his home, located at 44 Berkshire Road in Southbury.
Nagy told police that he was awakened at about 2 a.m. by a noise in the basement area of the house. Nagy said he went to investigate the basement area armed with a weapon.
He stated that he encountered a man who had entered the basement. The man advanced in the direction of the Nagy, and Nagy said he shot his gun in the direction of the intruder and left his home to wait for police.
Nagy told state police that he believed that the intruder was still in the basement.
State troopers entered the home with a state police K-9 to search for the intruder, police said.
The intruder was located by troopers in the basement of the home suffering from an apparent single gunshot wound.
EMS responded, provided emergency care at the scene and transported the wounded suspect to Waterbury Hospital, where he underwent surgery for his injuries.
The identification of the suspect is being withheld pending notification of family, police said.
Initial investigation by state police determined that the man was in fact the operator of a vehicle that had been involved in a one-car crash on River Road in Southbury.
The man fled the crash scene on foot and walked for about a half a mile and then entered the Nagy's house, where he encountered the homeowner.
State Police Western District Major Crime Squad will handle the investigation at the crime scene by collecting physical and forensic evidence and conduct follow-up investigation, police said.
Nagy was not injured in this incident, police said.
At the conclusion of the investigation, all facts and circumstances of this incident will be reviewed with the state's attorney, officials said.
New Bedford, Massachusetts
From New Bedford’s SouthCoastToday.com of October 24, 2007
Shooting victim now charged in connection with house break
A 24-year-old city man, allegedly shot in the neck during an armed house break, has been arrested on home invasion and gun charges in connection with the break.
Brandon L. Medeiros of 450 Kempton St. is charged with four counts of armed home invasion with a firearm, two counts of armed assault with intent to commit robbery with a firearm, two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, unlawfully carrying/possession of a firearm, discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building, armed burglary with a firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition, according to New Bedford police.
Gregg Miliote, a spokesman for the district attorney’s office, said Mr. Medeiros will be arraigned on the charges today in New Bedford District Court.
He added that prosecutors will seek a dangerousness hearing to hold the suspect for up to 90 days while awaiting trial.
He said Steven Gagne, an assistant district attorney, has had preliminary discussions with Christopher Markey, the defense attorney for Mr. Medeiros, and a dangerousness hearing has been tentatively scheduled for Friday in New Bedford District Court.
The charges stem from a house break at 33 Sycamore St. about 8:15 p.m. Monday when a gun discharged during a scuffle between two suspects and the male occupant.
Mr. Miliote said prosecutors allege one of the suspects is Mr. Medeiros.
Mr. Medeiros was taken to St. Luke’s Hospital, New Bedford, and then flown by medical helicopter to a Boston hospital. Police found Mr. Medeiros when they responded to a report of a man shot laying in the street near 74 Parker St.
Mr. Miliote said Mr. Medeiros was not seriously injured in the shooting and will be present in court for his arraignment.
The spokesman did not identify the second suspect in the house break and said he remains at-large.
Flagstaff, Arizona
From Flagstaff’s Daily Sun of October 24, 2007
Man shoots, kills home invader
A Flagstaff resident shot and killed a man he knew who broke into his home Monday morning.
Flagstaff police received a 911 call at about 10:36 a.m. Monday to respond to a home on North Center Street in Sunnyside, said Sgt. Tom Boughner of the police department.
Once officers arrived, the resident told police that he had shot an intruder, who was a man he knew, Boughner said. How the resident knew the man who was shot is still under investigation.
"He said he heard a crash in one of the back rooms," Boughner said, adding that the resident stated he saw the intruder and knew him.
"He reported he felt threatened by the intruder," Boughner said. "He then shot at the intruder six times with a .45-caliber pistol."
The intruder, who was shot three times, has been identified as Edward Matthew Duran, 22, a Flagstaff resident, Boughner said.
Duran is a convicted felon who was released from prison in November 2006 after being convicted in Coconino County Superior Court of three separate violent felonies, according to court records.
Boughner said the shooting does not appear to be drug- or gang-related, and that the resident has been cooperative with police.
The resident has not been arrested or charged with a crime.
(More)
Kansas City, Missouri
From the Kansas City Star of October 15, 2007
Shots exchanged during KC home invasion
An intruder who forced his way into a Kansas City home early this morning was chased off when a resident fired a shot through his closed bedroom door.
Kansas City police were called to the house in the 4100 block of South Benton St. about 1:50 a.m. and found signs that the front door had been pried open.
A 69-year-old man told officers that he was awakened by the sound of the door being forced open. The man said that as he heard the intruder approach his bedroom he fired a shot from a .40-caliber handgun. The suspect fired a return shot and fled.
Another man was sleeping in the house, but neither resident saw the intruder, according to police reports. The residents were not injured and there were no signs that a bullet hit the intruder.
Sacramento, California
From Sacramento’s CBS13.com of October 3, 2007
Manhunt Underway For Home Invasion SuspectFrom the Sacramento Bee of October 3, 2007
A manhunt is underway in the Florin Road area of Sacramento for a suspect following a viiolent [sic] home invasion.
Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies say a suspect broke into a home on Florin Road and the homeowner fired several shots at the man.
The suspect then took off on foot.
Deputies are going door to door looking for the suspect in the area around Florin Road between Watt and Florin Perkins.
They have even brought out dogs to search the area.
It's unclear if the suspect was hit by the gunfire.
Apparently the homeowner was not injured.
Homeowner shoots at man during attempted break-in
An alleged burglar left a critical piece of evidence behind when he attempted to break in to a south Sacramento home early Wednesday morning: his car.
James Villapando, 34, of Sacramento, parked his Toyota sedan in the driveway of a home on Florin Road, just west of south Watt Avenue, before allegedly attempting to enter the home through a window around 3:35 a.m., Sacramento County Sheriff's Sgt. Tim Curran said.
The homeowner heard the man trying to get in, armed himself with a gun and fired several shots, Curran said.
Villapando was not injured and ran away from the home, leaving the car in the driveway, Curran said.
Deputies found Villapando hiding out in the area about two hours later.
Villapando, who was an at-large parolee, was arrested on suspicion of burglary and is being booked into Sacramento County Jail.
Kansas City, Missouri
From Kansas City’s KCTV5.com of September 19, 2007
Homeowner Shoots Home Invader
A homeowner shot a man who he said broke into his home around 4 a.m. Wednesday.
Police answered a burglary call in the 6200 block of Forest Avenue early Wednesday morning.
The man who lives in the house said he was home alone when a man broke in through a window.
A struggle ensued and shots were fired.
The home invader was shot but managed to get away in a vehicle driven by another person, the homeowner said.
Police were nearby when they heard the call. They followed a car they saw leaving the scene and took two men into custody just a block away who they believe were involved in the home invasion.
One of the men in the vehicle had a gunshot wound. He was taken to the hospital with a serious, but non-life-threatening injury.
Surry County, North Carolina
From Winston-Salem’s WXII12.com of September 17, 2007
Authorities: Surry County Intruder Shot, KilledFrom the Mount Airy News of September 27, 2007
Deputies are investigating a breaking-and-entering case in which they said the intruder was shot and killed.
The incident occurred just after 8 a.m. Monday in Surry County.
Authorities said a man woke up and found another man climbing through a ladder and going through his window.
The homeowner confronted 55-year-old Howard Jones as he came off the ladder, investigators said.
Jones was shot twice with a rifle and later died at a local hospital, according to the Surry County Sheriff's Office.
Authorities said it wasn't the first time Jones had broken into the home.
No charges have been filed.
The case is still under investigation.
No charges filed in shooting
No charges will be filed against a homeowner stemming from his fatal shooting of a suspected intruder last week, Surry County Sheriff Graham Atkinson said Wednesday.
This determination in the case involving the shooting of Ky Howard Jones, 55, was reached after officials with the sheriff's office met this week with District Attorney Ricky Bowman and members of his staff.
Jones, for whom no official address has been given, was shot on the morning of Sept. 17 while trying to burglarize a home he once owned at 484 Surry Gadsberry Road in the Pilot Mountain area, according to earlier accounts.
Authorities have said that Jones had propped a ladder against the house and was attempting to gain entry through a window when he was confronted by Jayme Gullatt, the homeowner, who was awakened by a loud noise and grabbed a .223-caliber rifle.
The intruder then began to advance on the homeowner, who fired two warning shots into the ground, based on Gullatt's statements to investigators. Despite the homeowner's actions, Jones continued to approach Gullatt and got to within a few feet of him before being shot once in the upper body. Jones was transported to Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, where he died later that day.
Atkinson said Tuesday that after reviewing the evidence with the District Attorney's Office, it was determined that the homeowner had acted reasonably and within his rights.
As a result, no charges will be filed against Gullatt, whom authorities ruled was trying to protect himself.
North Carolina law states that a lawful occupant within a residence is justified in using any degree of force that the occupant reasonably believes is necessary to prevent a forcible entry or terminate an intruder's unlawful entry. Deadly force is allowed if the occupant reasonably believes that the intruder might kill or inflict serious injury to someone in the home or commit a felony there.
A lawful occupant does not have a duty to retreat from an intruder in such cases, under state law.
Jones earlier had been convicted of breaking into the house on Surry Gadsberry Road and was a suspect in another illegal entry there which occurred in the days before he was fatally shot.
Detroit, MIchigan
From ClickOnDetroit.com of September 10, 2007
Man In Wheelchair Shoots Intruder
A wheelchair-bound man shot an intruder in his home in the 8100 block of Alpine Road in Detroit Sunday night.
The man said he saw the intruder as he was getting out of the shower.
The homeowner told police he shot the man to protect his home and he feared for his life.
He said he does not feel safe anymore, so he will be moving out of his home.
Police said the intruder drove himself to the hospital. He is listed in critical condition.
Harris County, Texas
From the Houston Chronicle of September 9, 2007
Homeowner shoots suspected intruder
Detectives are questioning a man who shot a suspected intruder early today inside the northwest Harris County home he was remodeling, authorities said.
After the homeowner stopped by the house in the 7900 block of Shady Grove about 7:45 a.m., "he found an intruder inside," said Sgt. Joe Freeman of the Harris County Sheriff's homicide division.
In the ensuing confrontation, a suspect in his late teens to early 20s was shot, and subsequently taken to Ben Taub General Hospital, authorities said. His condition is unknown.
Deputies placed paper bags over the homeowner's hands to preserve any gunpowder residue from the shooting. He wasn't injured, authorities said.
Detectives haven't determined if the entry was forced or how long the suspect had been inside.
Olivehurst, California
From the Marysville Appeal-Democrat of September 7, 2007
Pot grower takes shot at possible intruder
An Olivehurst man said he was defending his medical marijuana garden when he fired his shotgun in the middle of the night at an apparent intruder, according to the Yuba County Sheriff’s Department.
Deputies responded about 3:30 a.m. Thursday to a reported shot fired from a residence in the 1600 block of Broadway Road and contacted the owner, a man in his mid-40s who was not identified because the incident is still under investigation, said Sgt. Stephanie Murray.
The owner said he thought he saw a gun barrel poking through a backyard fence near his marijuana garden and heard a clicking noise as if the gun were being cocked, said Murray.
The man fired one time, hitting the fence. Deputies found shotgun pellets in the fence but no sign that anyone had been hit, she said.
“He said he was defending his property,” Murray said about the shooter, who was not arrested. He had a doctor’s prescription for the marijuana, she said.
Dallas, Texas
From the Dallas Morning News of September 4, 2007
Carter Albrecht, musician with Sorta, New Bohemians, dies in shootingFrom Corpus Christi’s KRIStv.com of September 4, 2007
The local music community was left stunned Monday by the fatal shooting of a well-known musician who authorities say beat up his girlfriend and then tried to kick in a neighbor's door in an apparent drunken rage.
Jeffrey Carter Albrecht, 34, died early Monday after being shot in the head by the neighbor, who thought he was a burglar. Police said the girlfriend had bruises on her face but did not suffer serious injuries. The couple did not have a history of domestic violence, police said.
Mr. Albrecht, who went by his middle name, was a guitarist and keyboardist best known for his work with the Dallas rock band Sorta as well as with Edie Brickell & New Bohemians.
"It's a sad day for Dallas music," local concert promoter Mike Snider said. "He was a musical genius, a real prodigy — everything came to him naturally. He was an incredible instrumentalist — when he played, you could really see the joy he got out of playing."
According to police, Mr. Albrecht and his girlfriend had been partying at a Greenville Avenue bar. He had gotten drunk, and she had driven them to her home in the 9000 block of Santa Clara Drive, just east of White Rock Lake, police said.
The girlfriend told police that Mr. Albrecht slammed a drinking glass on a table, cutting his hand. He then struck the girlfriend in the face several times with his fist, knocking her to the floor at about 4 a.m. Monday, the report said.
He hit her in the back while she was on the floor, the report said. She broke away from Mr. Albrecht and ran outside. He followed her, according to the report. She then went around to the back yard and through the back door, locking Mr. Albrecht out, the report said.
Mr. Albrecht "attempted a few times to gain access to the … residence by knocking and banging on the door," but could not get in, the report said. Police believe Mr. Albrecht then went to the back of nearby neighbor's home.
The neighbor told police "he was awakened when he heard his wife screaming that someone was breaking into the house." The man was kicking and banging at the door, and the homeowner yelled at him to stop.
When the man, identified as Mr. Albrecht, didn't stop, the homeowner who was armed with a handgun "shot one time at the top of the door," the report said.
"He was trying to shoot over his head to scare him away," but Mr. Albrecht "is rather tall," said Sgt. Larry Lewis, a homicide supervisor, estimating the musician's height to be 6-foot-5.
Mr. Albrecht was shot once time in the head and died at the scene.
Police did not release the name of the homeowner who shot Mr. Albrecht. Investigators said the case will be referred to the grand jury to determine whether any charges will be filed.
A new law, nicknamed the "Castle doctrine," eliminates the requirement that someone has to retreat before using deadly force to defend themselves. The law already allows a person to use deadly force to prevent someone from committing a break-in at night.
Dallas police believe shooting of keyboardist was self-defense
The shooting death of a member of Edie Brickell and New Bohemians appears to fall under state law permitting deadly force in self-defense, police and prosecutors said Tuesday.
A grand jury will decide whether the man who shot Jeffrey Carter Albrecht will be indicted, but Sgt. Larry Lewis said Dallas police aren't pursuing charges.
Police said Albrecht, 34, was inebriated and had been fighting with his girlfriend Monday before he was shot by a neighbor of the girlfriend.
"I am heart broken," Edie Brickell wrote in an e-mail to The Associated Press on Tuesday.
The neighbor, who was not immediately identified, woke up around 4 a.m. to his wife screaming that someone was breaking into the house, police said. The neighbor yelled through the door for Albrecht to leave and then fired his handgun through the door, hitting Albrecht in the head.
"He yelled several verbal warnings, 'I'll shoot! I'll shoot!'," Lewis said. "From what we gather, he fired near the top of the door, hoping he would scare the person away."
The homeowner was not arrested.
The shooting came two days after the enactment of a new state law, nicknamed the "Castle Doctrine," that gives Texans a stronger legal right to defend themselves with deadly force in their homes, cars and workplaces.
Lewis, however, said the shooter appeared to be protected under an earlier law that allows a person to protect their property with deadly force to "prevent the other's imminent commission ... of criminal mischief during the nighttime."
Dallas District Attorney Craig Watkins said that in shootings like this, he'd be surprised to see a grand jury return an indictment.
"In an incident like that you're well within your rights under the old law, as well as the new one, to use deadly force," Watkins said.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
From Pittsburgh’s KDKA.com of September 2, 2007
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
Orange County, Florida
From the Orlando Sentinel of August 25, 2007
Orange homeowner shoots burglary suspect
A 65-year-old Orange County homeowner shot a man late Friday as he was breaking into his home in the 2200 block of W. Pine St.
Harvey Lee Williams, 22, was shot in the right arm and taken to a hospital for treatment.
The homeowner, who fired from inside his house, does not face charges, Orange County Sheriff's Cmdr. Bruce McMullen said. Williams has not been charged, but the investigation is not complete.
From WFTV of August 25, 2007
Elderly Man Shoots Suspected Burglar
Orange County deputies responding to a report of a burglary found a man with a gunshot wound to his right arm just after midnight Saturday morning.
Their investigation discovered that the shooting victim had been burglarizing a home on West Pine Street and had been shot by the homeowner, a 65 year old man.
Fire rescue transported Harvey Lee Williams to Orlando Regional Medical Center,
The wound to Williams was considered non life threatening.
He was charged with burglary, and later booked into the Orange County Jail.
The elderly homeowner was not charged.
Newark, Delaware
From the Wilmington News Journal of August 16, 2007
New Castle County police are investigating the shooting of a man Wednesday afternoon during a break-in. Shortly before 3 p.m., police were called to the first block of Christiana Crossing Drive in Newark, where a 31-year-old male resident of Christiana Farms town houses said he had shot someone trying to break into his home, said spokesman Cpl. Trinidad Navarro. A female witness drove the intruder, a 39-year-old, to Christiana Hospital with a gunshot wound to the upper torso, Navarro said. He was reportedly in stable condition.
Mesa, Arizona
From Phoenix’ ABC15.com of August 15, 2007
Man breaks into home, finds self held at gunpoint
A man broke into a Mesa home and found himself held at gun point.
Edward Linton walked into the home through the garage door where the resident confronted him.
The resident then threw him outside and held him at gunpoint while he waited for police to come.
Right now Linton is in police custody.
No word yet on if he'll face any charges.
San Antonio, Texas
From GoSanAngelo.com of August 7, 2007
ASU student shot, killed - Man mistaken as an intruderFrom MySA.com of August 10, 2007
The father of a Rowena man says his son inadvertently entered the wrong house early Saturday, then he was mistaken for a burglar and shot to death by a homeowner in San Antonio.
San Antonio police reported they found Tracy Glass, 19, dead near the home of Raymond Lemes, 48. According to a police report, Lemes told officers he was asleep when he heard a scream and realized an intruder was in his northwest San Antonio home.
The intruder ran, and Lemes chased him down the street, the report said. When he caught up with the suspect, Lemes said the man lunged at him, so he shot him, according to the report. Upon arriving at the scene, police found Glass face down, dead with gunshot wounds to the chest, neck and arm.
The police report said Lemes has a license for his .40-caliber Glock pistol.
The homeowner told police the intruder likely gained access to his home through a broken sliding door.
Burnell Glass said Monday that his son was visiting his sister at a house near Lemes’ residence. He said Tracy Glass went for a walk in the early morning and returned to what he thought was the home where he was staying.
When he heard a shout from the home, Tracy Glass turned and left, his father said. When Lemes followed him, Burnell Glass said his son turned around and was shot.
“This was a very tragic accident,” Burnell Glass said.
He said his son was a good person who simply made a mistake.
“He was not a thief,” he said. “He was not troubled or into drugs.”
Media Service Officer Joe Rios of the San Antonio Police Department said the incident is still under investigation. No charges have been filed against Lemes, Rios said.
“My son is dead, and nothing will bring him back,” Burnell Glass said.
“I have no reproach for the man. I will pray for him.”
Tracy Glass most recently worked in San Angelo at El Mejor restaurant and Dean’s Marine, his father said. He will be remembered by family and friends as a man who committed his life to God and to his family, Burnell Glass said.
Tracy Glass graduated from Miles High School in 2006 and was attending Angelo State University. A memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Rowena.
Rowena is about 20 miles northwest of San Angelo.
Family struggles to understand son's slaying
Carmen and Burnell Glass, two God-fearing cotton farmers from the fields of West Texas, are looking to a higher law these days in grappling with the sudden, violent death of their son.
For others, the slaying of Tracy Glass raises questions embedded firmly in the Texas Penal Code.
The case, experts said, hinges on whether a Northwest Side homeowner thought deadly force was his only option to protect himself or recover property when he chased the unarmed college student to the street and shot him to death.
Raymond Lemes, 48, found Glass inside his house early Saturday morning. Believing Glass was an intruder, Lemes grabbed his .40-caliber handgun and chased the young man outside, where he shot him in the neck, arm and chest, according to a police report.
The report does not indicate whether Glass, 19, took anything from the home. Lemes later told police he meant to detain Glass until authorities arrived, but he fired when Glass "lunged at him," the report says.
Buoyed by their Christian faith, the Glasses already have forgiven Lemes, whom they've never met. But the grieving parents also believe that the slaying of their son was a terrible mistake triggered when he mistakenly entered Lemes' house and then turned to face the homeowner.
"Tracy was not a violent person. He was not a thief," said Burnell Glass. "He was taught when you step on somebody's toes, you turn around and say, 'I'm sorry.'"
Glass, a sophomore at Angelo State University who grew up on his family's farm, had been staying at his sister's house on Autumn Evening the night he died.
That house is painted white with blue trim and is on the right side of the cul-de-sac. Lemes' house is also white with blue trim and is on the right side of another cul-de-sac, Autumn Star. One home is directly behind the other.
Living in a rural area, Glass had picked up the habit of taking late-night walks to get better reception on his cell phone, his father said. On Saturday, he sent a text message to his girlfriend and left his sister's house.
"When she called back, there was no answer," Burnell Glass said.
What happened next remains under investigation, said police spokesman Gabe Trevino.
(More, including several sidebars of interest)
Labels: assault, concealed carry permit, intruder, TX
Tequesta, Florida
From the Palm Beach Post of August 3, 2007
Resident shoots Tequesta man he thought was breaking in
A man is dead after a resident shot at him with a handgun because he thought the man was trying to break into his house.
Shortly before 2:30 a.m. on Thursday, police responded to a call about a burglary in progress at the home of James and Sabrina Fantin, according to a news release. They found Paul Mantwill of Tequesta lying injured outside the home at 198 Golfview Drive.
Mantwill, 41, was flown to St. Mary's Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at about 8 a.m. that same morning.
Police are investigating the incident as a possible homicide, spokesman Peter Allen said.
The preliminary investigation indicates that 41-year-old James Fantin thought Mantwill was trying to break into his house, and Fantin fired two shots from a handgun. Allen said Friday that it was inconclusive whether Mantwill was struck by the shots, and that police are waiting on the medical examiner's ruling for a cause of death. An autopsy on Mantwill was being done Friday.
Mantwill's neighbors on Yacht Club Place described him as a nice, gentle man who lived with his parents, tending to his mother, Pauline, before she died of cancer in February.
Pete and Joan Gomez, who lived on the small waterfront cul-de-sac with the Mantwill family, said that Paul Mantwill spent his Sundays ushering the 10:30 morning mass at St. Jude Catholic Church and was a member of the Knights of Columbus, they said.
"Every time we were out, he'd come over and talk, he was very friendly," Joan said.
"I'm surprised he was out that early in the morning," her husband said Less than a mile away, the Fantin's butter-colored home seemed vacant. The blinds on the front windows were closed shut, the driveway was empty and yellow "caution" tape sealed off the back yard. The Fantins could not be reached for comment.
Lexington, Kentucky
From the Lexington Herald-Leader of July 16, 2007
Women with guns discourage home invaders
Lexington police are looking for two men wanted for a home invasion over-night and one of the suspects should be easy to spot. He's wearing only one shoe.
Police say the two men kicked the door open and rushed inside. Two armed women residents confronted the intruders and ordered them to their knees.
The shirtless men were not fools. They fled on their knees as fast as they could crawl. That's when one of them lost a shoe. A police dog sniffed the shoe, but no arrests were reported as officers searched the area.
Labels: home invasion, intruder, KY
Idaho Falls, Idaho
From Idaho Falls’ Idaho8.com of July 6, 2007
Stranger Found Lying On Child's Floor
Imagine checking on your 5-year-old daughter in the night and finding a complete stranger sprawled out on the floor next to her.
That's exactly what happened to an Idaho Falls family Thursday night.
"Went in kids bathroom and his hat and his shorts were on the floor and I thought that's weird and so I ran to my husband and I said Brock there's someone in the house," said Shannon Hayward.
A stranger was out cold on the floor, sleeping next to Hayward's 5-year-old step daughter.
"I froze, you know, you don't know what you'll do in that situation until it happens, I kept asking my husband, what do I do?
The man is identified by police as 21-year-old Daniel Stanton of Idaho Falls.
"Really shaggy, brown hair, about to his chin, piercing all over his face, about 6 foot tall," said Hayward.
While Shannon spoke with 911 dispatchers, her husband grabbed a rifle and ordered Stanton out of the room at gun point.
"He kept saying I don't know where I am, my husband kept saying what are you doing in my house? He was out of it, really out of it," she said.
The police report says Stanton's blood alcohol was nearly twice the limit at 8 in the morning. The Hayward's think he was partying at a house nearby.
They say the experience was enough to triple check their locks every night before bed.
Daniel Stanton was cited for unlawful entry and released.
Lakeland, Florida
From TampaBay.com of June 23, 2007
Polk Deputies: Intruder shot and killedFrom MyFoxTampaBay.com of June 24, 2007
Polk County Deputies spent the early morning hours on the scene of a deadly home invasion in the Lakeland area.
Deputies tell us around 9 pm last night the person who lives in the home shot a man trying to get inside.
This happened at 534 Timberlane. The home is in a neighborhood just south of the E. Main Street and S. Combee Road Intersection.
When deputies got on the scene, they found the alleged intruder dead.
They plan to release more details on the investigation later this morning.
Home invasion leaves suspect deadFrom the Lakeland Ledger of June 26, 2007
Police say a man trying to rob a Lakeland home was shot and killed by a resident.
James McArthur Johnson Junior, 31, died from a bullet wound. His alleged accomplice, 39-year-old Elvin Tolliver, escaped, but was later arrested.
"Both suspects had guns in their hands and were wearing masks - Jason type masks - with gloves," said Chief W.J. Martin, with Polk County Sheriff's Office.
"They forced themselves into the home and began to rob folks in the home. The homeowner fired a gun and killed one of the suspects, the other managed to get away," Martin said.
Investigators say when the two entered the home, they demanded jewelry and money. Several people were in the house at the time. As the suspects entered the bedroom, a man pulled a gun, fatally shooting Johnson.
"Obviously, the victims were in fear for their lives as they should have been and they did what they had to do to protect themselves," said Martin.
Police say the victims didn't know their attackers, although James Johnson did live right across the street. Neighbors describe him as a 'nice person', but Johnson did have a rap sheet, including charges for robbery and aggravated battery dating back to 2002.
Some residents expressed frustration that another murder had occurred in their neighborhood. About one year ago, a drive by shooting just two houses away claimed lives. Since then, police and homeowners say things had gotten better, until now.
"We've worked hard to clean this neighborhood up," said Tim Lauzon, who's lived in the neighborhood for six years. "And we still have a few we're trying to root out of here, and eventually they'll be gone."
Another neighbor, Glenn Martin, pointed out patched up bullet holes that riddle the outside of his home, scars from the drive-by shooting.
He didn't live there at the time, but Martin says he's heard the stories. Now, another murder next door is about as much as he can take.
"Scary, very scary," Martin said. "It's the only incident that's happened since I've been here and it's enough to make you want to leave."
Police arrested Elvin Tolliver late Saturday. He's a registered sex offender with warrants out for his arrest before the break-in.
Police: Defensive Shooting Justified
A man who shot an intruder in his home Friday will not be arrested, officials say.
The Polk County Sheriff's Office's decision not to arrest a Lakeland man who shot and killed a man who broke into his apartment Friday would have been the same without the state's 2-year-old so-called "Stand Your Ground" law.
James McArthur Johnson, 31, was killed after he and an accomplice showed up at a small party in Lakeland on Friday night.
Sheriff's spokeswoman Elizabeth Smokay said Johnson and Elvin J. Tolliver, 39, walked up to a party at 545 Timberlane W., Apt. B, on Friday shortly before 9 p.m. They brandished handgun-style BB guns at partygoers, demanding their money and jewelry.
One of the men pistol-whipped a guest, she said.
The burglary was foiled by the apartment's resident, James W. Miranda, who shot Johnson with a shotgun as he opened the door to come into a bedroom.
Chief W.J. Martin, who is in charge of the sheriff's Criminal Investigations Division, has said that his agency does not intend to pursue criminal charges against Miranda in the shooting.
Even before the "Stand Your Ground" law - which took effect in October 2005 and no longer requires a person who feels threatened to retreat before using deadly force - victims already were permitted to use deadly force to stop an attacker from committing a forcible felony.
Those include any "felony which involves the use or threat of physical force or violence against any individual," in this case, burglary of an occupied dwelling, which is one of the charges facing Tolliver, who surrendered to authorities Saturday night.
The new law states that a person is "presumed to have held a reasonable fear of imminent peril of death or great bodily harm," and therefore can use deadly force, if the assailant had, among other things, "unlawfully and forcibly entered" a residence.
It also provides immunity from criminal and civil prosecution of the victim.
"These guys were armed and (Miranda's) life was threatened, and he was justified in shooting them," Martin said.
For his part, Miranda is keeping quiet. Attempts to interview him have been unsuccessful.
Ultimately, the final decision about whether or not to charge Miranda in the shooting lies with the State Attorney's Office.
Spokesman Chip Thullbery declined to comment on the case Monday, because detectives had not yet completed their investigation.
Once a report is submitted, prosecutors will review the case and will make their own determination about filing charges.
Depoe Bay, Oregon
From Portland’s KPTV.com of June 16, 2007
Alleged Intruder Held At Gunpoint By Homeowner
A Depoe Bay homeowner took matters into his own hands Friday morning when he found an intruder in his house.
Lincoln County Sheriff''s deputies responded to a home on Breeze Street shortly after 1:30 a.m. Friday after the homeowner called police to report that he was holding a suspected intruder at gunpoint.
The homeowner told police he saw the man trespassing in the back yard and that the man entered his home without permission. There were three people inside the home, one of which was a small child.
Authorities took 25-year-old Justin James of Portland into custody on charges of first- and second-degree criminal trespassing.
Stewart is being held in the Lincoln County Jail on $10,000 bail.
Labels: intruder, OR, trespassing
Youngstown, Ohio
From Youngstown’s WFMJ.com of June 12, 2007
Intruder Shot on Belden AvenueFrom the Youngstown Tribune-Chronicle of June 13, 2007
One man is shot after an apparent home invasion on Belden Avenue.
Police say the intruder was shot by the home owner after trying to break in to the house.
The victim allegedly fled the scene.
There is no word on if police found the intruder or that person's condition.
Bloody fight in home involved ax and gunFrom the Youngstown Vindicator of June 14, 2007
A father credits his 13-year-old son with shooting an intruder with his own gun late Monday at a South Side home.
But the man who was shot, Dennis Pixley, 18, Woodcrest Avenue, told police he never had a gun.
Chief of Detectives Capt. Kenneth Centorame said about the only thing police know for certain is there was a violent struggle in the home.
He said police do think that the son of Forrest Adams, 38, 3411 Belden Ave., did fire the shot that wounded Pixley, but are waiting for the results of a gunshot residue test just to make sure.
Adams could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
About 12 hours after police responded, no one answered the door at the well-kept home, although there were several splotches of dried blood on the front porch and walk with broken pieces of a vase that also was covered in blood.
Adams told police Monday he and his son had returned to the home about 11 p.m. after an outing, and a man holding a gun came onto the front porch, demanded money and forced them inside.
He said he was able to ambush the gunman when he went into a closet to look for something. Adams grabbed for a gun, which went off while the two were struggling, police said.
Adams told police he also managed to dislodge the intruder’s bulletproof vest at some point in the struggle. Adams said the intruder fell down a flight of stairs and when he went into the kitchen, Adams grabbed the ax off a wall and the intruder grabbed a knife. Adams told officers he was stabbed in the chest, but continued swinging the ax, connecting with the intruder’s shoulder and chest, according to the police report.
The intruder grabbed a larger knife and stabbed Adams in the hand, leaving a gash, the report states.
As the two struggled over the ax, Adams said his son appeared with a pellet gun. Adams told police he was about to fall down the stairs and yelled at his son to get the intruder’s gun, which he did, firing a shot and wounding him. The pair continued struggling until the intruder ran out.
Centorame said that story differs substantially than the one Pixley gave to detectives Tuesday morning from his bed in St. Elizabeth Health Center.
Centorame said Pixley said he knows Adams and denied having a gun and a bulletproof vest.
‘‘The truth is probably somewhere in the middle,’’ Centorame said.
(More)
An ax, gun and vest, part II: Suspect lied
The suspect, Derrick Harman, is a felon paroled seven months ago.
Forrest Adams said his blood-splattered kitchen "looked like a murder scene."
He pointed to blood on the stove and floor and a bullet lodged in a kitchen drawer that wasn't discovered until Wednesday. The bullet, fired by his son, 13-year-old Galen Hobdy, tore through an intruder around 11 p.m. Monday.
Adams, 38, gave a tour of his Belden Avenue home to a Vindicator reporter and photographer, pointing to blood smears and a broken glass coffee table. Family members are helping with the cleanup. The house has a fresh lemon smell from the scouring products.
He showed the basement where the intruder's bandanna still clings to a wall. A bulletproof vest that came off during their struggle and tumble down the basement steps was taken by police.
Adams sat on the porch Wednesday afternoon to talk about the ordeal that left him with knife wounds to his left hand and upper arm. It took 32 stitches to close the gaping wounds, and surgery will be needed for his hand. The cuts came from a kitchen knife the intruder snatched after dropping his gun.
"I took the buyout from GM and was going to truck driver school, but I can't drive," Adams said, holding up his injured hand. "I had only three weeks to go. They said I've got six months to finish."
He also has cuts on his knees and shins. He managed to slice the unwanted visitor with a heavy ceremonial ax that he grabbed from the living room wall. A second decorative — but lethal — ax remains on the wall. Police took the one used to cut the intruder.
False identity
Police said the man axed by Adams and shot by Galen during the home invasion was not 18-year-old Dennis Pixley, but Derrick Harman, a violent felon paroled from prison seven months ago. Harman, 28, who listed an Eastway Drive address, remained in critical condition at St. Elizabeth Health Center.
Police filed charges of aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary and two counts of felonious assault against him. He will be arraigned once released from the hospital.
Capt. Kenneth Centorame, chief of detectives, said Harman's girlfriend identified him, police compared photos and Harman himself admitted his true identity, saying he has used Pixley's name from time to time because Pixley has never been in trouble.
After seeing news reports, Pixley's mother alerted police, telling them her son's wallet was lost or stolen a year ago and she feared someone was using his identity.
Harman offered a variety of reasons for giving a false ID when confronted at the hospital, Centorame said. "He was scared, being on parole," the captain said.
Adams said his son, who lives in Akron with his mother, had been visiting for the summer but returned home until things quiet down. "He's fine, just worried about me," the father said.
Adams said he had the intruder in a headlock and moved a bit so that Galen could shoot the man. Galen fired once and then the gun jammed. The gun was Harman's, dropped during a struggle with Adams, police said.
Early on, Centorame said the case presented many inconsistencies, with Harman (then calling himself Pixley) saying he knew the homeowner on Belden and had been invited into the house. The investigation now holds up the homeowner's version of what happened, he said.
Surprised on the porch
Adams and Galen told police that a gunman wearing a bulletproof vest and a bandanna to cover his face surprised them on the porch when they arrived home around 11 p.m. Monday and forced them to open the door. The intruder screamed that he wanted all their money and threatened them with the gun.
Adams and his son were told to strip to their underwear before being marched into the dining room and ordered to lie on the floor. When Adams told the intruder he had no money, the suspect, now identified as Harman, fired one round into the floor and then yelled: "Don't [expletive] with me — I will shoot your kid!"
Harman then ordered Adams and his son upstairs and into a bedroom. While they sat on the bed, the intruder rummaged through the room, finding nothing, reports show.
In the hallway, Harman opened a closet and, while searching inside, lowered his weapon. Adams grabbed the gun and yelled for his son to go downstairs as he slammed the suspect into the wall. During the struggle, Harman fired one shot before falling down the stairs, hitting his head on the bannister and dropping the gun.
Adams said he saw the intruder run to a waiting car that left skid marks as it sped off. Police said a woman dropped Harman off at the hospital.
In October 1998, Harman pleaded guilty in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to assault and three counts of aggravated robbery. Two of three firearm specifications were dismissed in a plea agreement, records show.
Harman was sentenced to three years in prison for the firearm specification and five years for the robbery convictions. He was incarcerated from Dec. 16, 1998, to Nov. 25, 2006, and then began five years' parole.
Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, intruder, OH
Albuquerque, New Mexico
From the Albuquerque Tribune of June 7, 2007
Albuquerque police: Man shoots neighbor's intruder
A man coming to the aid of his West Side neighbor shot an intruder, even as the intruder beat him with a crowbar, Albuquerque police say.
Police said Gregory Lawrence Powers, 36, broke into the West Side yard around 10 p.m. May 26.
After a neighbor arrived with a gun, Powers attacked him with a crowbar, according to a Metro Court criminal complaint. Powers continued beating the Good Samaritan even after being shot three times, the complaint said.
Powers was taken to University of New Mexico Hospital and treated for gunshot wounds to the chest and groin. He was released into police custody Monday, a hospital spokeswoman said.
Powers is charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. The neighbor was treated and released from UNMH.
Vail/Corona de Tucson, Arizona
From Tucson’s AZStarNet.com of June 7, 2007
(Scroll down)
6 A 33-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage at 2:56 a.m. May 13 in the 13600 block of East Aviara Place. A resident told deputies he and his family were awakened by loud noises in the backyard. He said he and his son went outside and held the man at gunpoint until deputies arrived. Patio furniture was thrown around the yard. Several pieces of furniture were in the pool. A flower pot and a pool basketball hoop were shattered. A cell phone that did not belong to the residents was found at the bottom of the pool. The man was drunk and told deputies he thought he was at a different house. He also was arrested on suspicion of criminal trespassing and booked into the Pima County jail.
Birmingham, Alabama
From the Birmingham News of June 5, 2007
Suspected intruder shot, killed at Hayes High School
An alleged intruder was shot and killed this morning during a struggle with a Birmingham City Schools security officer at Hayes High School.
Two school security officers were dispatched to the school at 3 a.m. after they were alerted to a break-in, said school system spokeswoman Regina Waller. When they arrived, they saw a man exiting the school through a window.
As one of the officers was trying to handcuff the man, the suspect turned and tried to attack him, Waller said. They fell to the ground in a struggle, and the security guard's gun discharged.
The intruder was taken to University Hospital, where he underwent surgery and died, Waller said.
Birmingham police evidence investigators remained on the scene at 10:30 a.m.
Jefferson County Chief Deputy Coroner Jay Glass identified the dead man as 24-year-old Alfonzo Turner of Birmingham.
Waller said the school security officer has been placed on administrative leave pending the investigation.
Jefferson, Oregon
From Portland’s KOIN.com of April 7, 2007
Juvenile Shot During Alleged Break-InFrom the Salem Statesman Journal of April 8, 2007
A 16-year-old Jefferson boy is recovering from a gunshot wound after he was found in another man's home.
Just before 3:30 a.m., deputies were called to a home on High Street on reports of a robbery and shots fired.
Michael Vogler, 59, told the police that he had confronted a male in his house with a gun. At some point the male suspect assaulted Vogler and tried to get the gun away from him. During that struggle, one shot was fired. The juvenile ran into the garage of the home, dove head-first through a window and ran from the area on foot. Vogler had minor injuries to his head and neck as a result of the assault.
At about 6 a.m., Albany Hospital staff contacted the sheriff's office to report that the juvenile had come to the emergency room with a single gunshot wound to the abdomen and a cut on his elbow.
The juvenile was treated and released to his parents to recover from his injuries. The investigation is continuing and criminal charges for the juvenile will be forthcoming. The extent of those charges has yet to be determined.
Home intruder flees after being shotFrom the Salem Stateman Journal of April 11, 2007
16-year-old found at Albany hospital seeking treatment
The shooting occurred just before 3:30 a.m. when deputies were called to 470 High St. in Jefferson on a report of a robbery in which a gun was fired, Rau said.
The homeowner, Michael Vogler, 59, told deputies that he had confronted a male intruder in his house, Rau said. Vogler fired one shot during a struggle in which the intruder tried to get Vogler's gun.
After the shot was fired, the intruder ran into the garage of the home, dove head-first through a window and ran from the area, Rau said. Vogler suffered minor injuries to his head and neck during the struggle.
Vogler's wife, Trudy, was home at the time of the shooting but was not involved, Rau said.
About 6 a.m. Albany hospital staff contacted sheriff's officials to report that a juvenile had come to the emergency room with a gunshot wound and a laceration on his elbow.
This is not the first time that a homeowner has shot a teenage intruder in Marion County. Linn Stordahl of South Salem shot and killed Anthony Chance Choate, 16, in April 2003 when he found the Aumsville boy starting a fire in his garage. Choate, a suspected burglar, died from a gunshot wound to the neck.
A Marion County grand jury cleared Stordahl in the shooting.
Man recounts shooting teen intruder
Police identify male who tried to rob Jefferson home
Authorities have identified the suspect in a Saturday home invasion in Jefferson.
A homeowner shot a 16-year-old intruder early Saturday during a struggle inside the man's house, Marion County Sheriff's Sgt. David Cornforth said.
The Sheriff's Office has identified the youth, age 16, but the Statesman Journal is withholding his identity until he is indicted.
The youth is being held at Marion County's juvenile detention center on charges of first degree robbery, first degree criminal mischief, first degree burglary, second degree assault and third degree theft, Cornforth said.
It is the policy of the newspaper not to name juveniles who are arrested, even for so-called Measure 11 crimes, until they are indicted. Under Measure 11, youths younger than 18 will be treated as adults if indicted for certain crimes. First-degree burglary and robbery are two such crimes.
The suspect fled from the house after the shooting. He was located at Samaritan Albany General Hospital, where he sought treatment for a gunshot wound to his abdomen, Deputy Kevin Rau said. The suspect was taken into custody after receiving treatment.
The shooting occurred just before 3:30 a.m. when deputies were called to 470 High St. in Jefferson on a report of a robbery in which a gun was fired, Rau said.
The homeowner, Michael Vogler, 59, said his wife woke him up and told him someone was in the house. Vogler said he took his 0.357-caliber Magnum from a locked cabinet and moved quietly through the dark house.
"Being in a dark house, and you know somebody's there -- talk about being scared," Vogler said Sunday.
He said he heard noise in the laundry room between the kitchen and the garage, and crept toward the sound. Vogler said he kicked the laundry room door open and saw a shadowy figure charge him. He fired one shot during a struggle with the intruder.
"That was the first time I fired that gun in 25 years," he said.
The last time he shot the gun, he had been testing it after buying it.
After the shot was fired, the intruder ran into the garage of the home, dove head-first through a window and ran from the area, Rau said.
Vogler suffered minor injuries to his head and neck during the struggle.
About 6 a.m. Albany hospital staff contacted sheriff's officials to report that a juvenile had come to the emergency room with a gunshot wound and a laceration on his elbow.
Vogler said the incident cast a pall on his family's Easter celebration the next day. He also said he hadn't realized the intruder was so young.
"I don't feel good about it, but I didn't know if he was 11 or 90," Vogler said. "It was just a person in the shadow in the dark, and I was just trying to keep my composure and protect myself and my wife."
Labels: assault, intruder, minor offender, OR
Dallas, Texas
From Dallas’ NBC5i.com of April 2, 2007
Police: Man Shoots IntruderFrom Dallas’ NBC5I.com of April 3, 2007
Police said a man shot an intruder who kicked down his door.
Dallas police said an intruder tried to break into a unit at the Chenault Creek Apartments in the 2900 block of Dilido Road.
Police said the suspect was taken to Baylor Medical Center in Dallas. The suspect’s condition is unknown.
Police: Man Fatally Shoots Intruder
Dallas police said a resident shot and killed someone who was trying to break into his apartment overnight Monday.
Emergency operators received the home invasion call at about 5 p.m. Monday to the Chenault Creek Apartments. A few minutes later, a second call notified officers of a shooting at the same address on the 2900 block of Dilido Road.
Officers said the burglar kicked in the door to the man's apartment and was confronted by someone inside. During the confrontation, the intruder was shot several times.
The shooting victim was transported to Baylor Medical Center in Dallas where he later died.
So far, police have not filed any charges with the resident in connection with the shooting.
Rogers, Arkansas
From Northwest Arkansas’ NWAonline.com of March 27, 2007
Man Shoots Intruder
A confrontation between a man in his home and an intruder ended badly Monday night -- for the intruder.
Joshua Nicholson, 26, 425 Sheppard Road in Avoca, was asleep when someone broke into his home through the back door, according to a Benton County Sheriff's Office news release.
Upon hearing a disturbance, Nicholson grabbed his gun, a .380-caliber pistol, and walked down the hallway. Nicholson saw a man entering the residence and fired one shot, believing he hit the man, according to police.
Also in the home at the time were Marty Martin, 31, Nicholson's roommate; Sarah Enkler, 25, and her two children. Enkler and her two children were staying at the residence to escape an abusive relationship with her husband, according to police.
Richard Deshields, 37, Enkler's husband, checked himself into a hospital in Joplin, Mo., suffering from a gunshot wound. Joplin Police Department officials contacted the Benton County Sheriff's Office.
Officials with the Sheriff's Office have requested the Joplin Police Department arrest Deshields in connection with a felony charge of residential burglary and a misdemeanor charge of first-degree criminal mischief. Deshields will be transported to Benton County as soon as his condition allows, the release states.
There are currently no charges pending for Nicholson.
Miami, Florida
From Miami's The Miami Herald of March 23, 2007
Man having coffee on porch shoots intruderA man having his morning cup of coffee on the back porch pulled a handgun and shot an intruder Friday, Miami police said.
The incident happened at 8:48 a.m. in the 1100 block of Northwest 37th Street. John James was relaxing when, he told police, a man broke into the fenced yard and threatened to assault him and break into the home.
James grabbed the .22 Magnum and opened fire, striking the intruder multiple times.
''I guess he was trying to get what he wanted to get,'' said the shooter's brother, John Lee James. ``And he got more than that. He got a bullet in the ass.''
The intruder, described as heavyset by neighbors, was taken to the hospital. His condition was not immediately known.
Police were talking to the shooter about what happened. His brother John Lee, with whom he lives, rushed home from work when he learned of the incident.
''I'm just happy my brother is safe and nothing more serious happened,'' John Lee James said.
Hall County, Georgia
From Jefferson’s MainStreetNews.com of January 24, 2007
Hall man shoots, kills home intruder
A South Hall homeowner shot and killed a man who attempted to break into his home late last Sunday night.
The incident occurred on the 4000 block of Winder Highway.
The homeowner, who has been reported to be Doug Magnus, a businessman in South Hall, killed 37-year-old Robbie Bailey, who was disguised, armed and attempting to enter the house.
Magnus and his wife had heard a noise in the house shortly after midnight, whereupon Mr. Magnus grabbed a pistol and approached the sound.
A Hall County Sheriff’s Office press release states that Magnus was confronted at the door by Bailey, who was wearing a ski mask and brandishing a pistol.
Bailey fired several shots toward Magnus but missed. Magnus then fired his small-caliber pistol at Bailey and hit him in the head, killing him.
Magnus was not injured during the incident.
The HCSO statement reports that Bailey had no identification on him at the time of his death. Finger-print data revealed his identity.
Bailey had parked his red Jeep Cherokee in a nearby field, about a quarter-mile from the Magnus home and walked the rest of the way.
HCSO Major Jeff Strickland says that home invasions usually do not occur while residents are at home.
“Normally the home invasions occur after the intruder has made sure no one is there,” Strickland said.
The district attorney in Hall County has said he will not charge Magnus in the incident, seeing as how the homicide was in self-defense.
Dublin, New Hampshire
From the Boston Globe of January 5, 2007
Would-be robber loses pants at gunpoint
A would-be thief found himself foiled, under gunfire -- and without pants.
Police said a homeowner discovered an intruder one night last week. The homeowner pulled a gun, fired what police described as warning shots, and told the intruder to shed his pants and shoes.
The two scuffled and burglar ran from the home, barefoot and pantless.
"I believe his thinking was that by taking away the suspect's pants, it would slow him down or prevent him from trying to get away, or make it easier for us to find him if he did get away," New Hampshire State Police Sgt. Christopher Aucoin said.
The homeowner called police, who swarmed the area with search dogs. Police are still looking for the man, and it's not clear if anything was stolen.
The homeowner wasn't hurt.
Will County, Illinois
From the Joliet Herald News of January 3, 2007
Police: Local man shot by homeowner
ALLEGED BREAK-IN
A homeowner shot an intruder early Sunday, police said.
Will County Sheriff's spokesman Pat Barry said deputies were called just after 3 a.m. to a break-in to a house in the 18000 block of Manhattan Road.
"Deputies arrived and learned a woman had fallen asleep in the living room and was woken up after hearing noises and seeing a figure near the entryway of the living room," Barry said.
The woman woke her husband, who went to the front door and told deputies he saw an SUV he didn't recognize parked in the driveway.
The vehicle started up and drove away and the man reportedly retrieved a handgun from an upstairs bedroom and began to search the house.
"He went out to an attached garage and saw the service door was open," Barry said. "He went out into the yard and came around the corner to see a man wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans crouched against the wall. He was so startled (at seeing someone) that the gun went off."
The man allegedly ran after the shot was fired, and the homeowner said he saw him get into an SUV parked on Manhattan Road. The man told investigators he did not see the intruder's face before he ran away and did not see if the shot he had fired hit the suspect.
Barry said nothing was reported missing from the house. The couple and their teenage daughter, who had been sleeping upstairs, were unharmed.
The homeowner has a valid firearm owner's identification card.
Barry said detectives saw mud had been tracked into the house from the garage area and there were signs someone had been walking around outside the home.
Police asked other local agencies to report any gunshot wounds. The Manhattan Fire Department called them a short time later.
Paramedics had been dispatched to 18427 Breen Road in Elwood to treat a man with a bullet wound to his left shoulder.
The gunshot victim, who lives at that address, 19-year-old Neil Severson, told investigators he had been shot while in Preston Heights that evening, but would not elaborate.
Severson was taken to Silver Cross Hospital where he was treated for injuries that were not life-threatening.
Barry said police are confident ballistic tests will show Severson was shot while trespassing at the house on Manhattan Road.
"Detectives told the family about Severson," Barry said. "They are familiar with him, but he did not have permission to be on the property."
Barry said the case will be presented to the state's attorney's office later this week and likely will result in charges against Severson.
"At this time, all indications are that the homeowner did not do anything illegal," Barry said.
Federal Way, Washington
From the Seattle Times of December 27, 2006
Homeowner fatally shoots intruder in Federal Way
A homeowner who was roused from sleep by an intruder armed himself with a shotgun, confronted the 31-year-old Federal Way man who had broken into his house and killed him, according to Federal Way police.
Around 11:40 a.m. Tuesday, a man called 911 to report that he had just shot an intruder, said police spokeswoman Stacy Flores.
Detectives went to the house in the 30600 block of 4th Place South, where they interviewed the homeowner and found signs of a break-in, she said.
The King County Medical Examiner's Office today identified Justin Herycyk as the man who died from a shotgun wound to the torso. His death was ruled a homicide.
Flores did not know whether Herycyk was armed when he broke into the man's house.
The case is still under investigation, she said, adding that the homeowner has not been arrested.
Norman, Oklahoma
From Oklahoma City’s KOCO.com of December 22, 2006
Police: Norman Man Shoots, Kills IntruderFrom the Norman Transcript of December 22, 2006
Norman police said a man was shot and killed Thursday after breaking into a northeast Norman home.
Responding to a 911 call from the resident, police said they found the body of Keith Dewayne Robinson, 23, in the home about 11:45 p.m.
Capt. J.D. Younger said the resident told officers he returned home from work about 11:30 p.m. and found Robinson inside.
The man told detectives he fought with Robinson and then shot him.
The man's name hasn't been released, and Younger said detectives are still investigating the shooting.
Resident shoots late-night intruder
A man who police say broke into a northeast Norman home was shot to death by the resident late Thursday.
Keith Dewayne Robinson, 23, was pronounced dead at the home on Princeton Circle shortly before midnight. Police said the home’s occupant, Ernest Bernal, 49, arrived at home about 11:30 p.m. Police said Bernal discovered Robinson inside the home.
“A confrontation between the resident and the intruder ensued in which the resident shot the intruder,” according to a police press release.
Norman police received the call about 11:40 p.m.
The shooting death is under investigation by Norman police department’s criminal investigation’s division.
Kansas City, Missouri
From Kansas City’s TheKansasCityChannel.com of November 27, 2006
1 Shot To Death At South KC Home
A man was shot to death Monday evening in south Kansas City, officials said.
Police were called to a home at East 118th Place and Food Lane shortly before 5 p.m. When officers arrived, the homeowner told police he had shot and killed an intruder. The homeowner said he didn't know the man.
The homeowner was taken in for questioning, which is routine in a shooting investigation.
No names were released.
Kansas City, Missouri
From the TheKansasCityChannel.com of November 16, 2006
East-Side Homeowner Fires At Intruder
No One Injured
An east-side homeowner is keeping his rifle handy to scare away a persistent robber, KMBC's Jim Flink reported Thursday.
The 68-year-old veteran, who didn't want to be identified, said he was watching TV before going to bed when he heard an intruder and grabbed his rifle.
"I heard the glass break and I looked around, and I see an arm coming through the window and I fired," the homeowner said .
He said he fired one shot, but he didn't injure the intruder.
"If I had taken the time to really draw a bead on him, I could have hit him, but I just looked in that direction and fired," he said.
He said he regrets the act of violence, but this is the third time someone has broken into his home.
"I would hate to kill anyone's son, but you've got to think if someone is willing to break into your home in the middle of the night, for whatever reason, you have to expect them to have a weapon," the homeowner said. "I hope I frightened him enough to where he won't come back here anymore."
Houston, Texas
From the Houston Chronicle of November 17, 2006
Woman kills intruder at a southwest Houston home
A woman fatally shot a man around 7:30 p.m. Thursday in southwest Houston after she felt "forced to use deadly force to protect herself and her children," Houston Police Sgt. Mark Newcomb said.
The man entered the woman's apartment at 10211 Sugarbranch at the Forum Park Three Townhomes where he was shot once, fled the apartment, and collapsed and died nearby.
Two witnesses, one of whom is a security guard at the complex, will be charged with possession. The woman also was in possession of narcotics at the time of the incident and was an acquaintance of the victim, Newcomb said. The woman's children are in the care of relatives.
Salem, Oregon
From the Salem Statesman-Journal of November 16, 2006
Gunfire follows house blaze
Iraq veteran says he found intruder at site a day later
A two-alarm fire damaged a Salem home Tuesday night, displacing the family of a National Guard sergeant who told police that he exchanged gunshots with an intruder inside his house the morning after the blaze.
Brian Mumey, who was not home when the fire broke out, told police that he returned to his house at 225 Stark St. N after the blaze to check his damaged possessions and saw an unidentified man inside his bedroom Wednesday morning.
Mumey, 43, said the intruder, described as a white male in his 50s, fired a shot at him, prompting him to fire five to six rounds back. After another exchange of gunfire, the unidentified man reportedly fled.
Mumey called 911 to report seeing a man inside his home. His house no longer had a front door because of the fire.
"I saw a light and I thought, 'Great, my house is burnt, and now I'm getting robbed,'" he said.
Salem police did not find any evidence of a suspect inside Mumey's home or any shell casings from a second weapon, said Sgt. Kevin Halvorsen. They did find evidence of gunshots from Mumey's firearm, which he has a permit to carry.
Labels: assault, concealed carry permit, intruder, OR
Tyler, Texas
From Tyler’s KLTV.com of November 11, 2006
Home Invasion Ends In Deadly Shooting
A well-known business owner in Tyler has his home broken into, and ends up shooting the alleged would-be burglar to death. The shooting happened early Saturday morning in a neighborhood police say does not see a lot of criminal activity.
Police responded to a house on the 900 block of Watkins Street in Tyler around 4:30 a.m. Saturday morning, after they received a call that a man had been shot.
Tyler police say the owners of the home in South Tyler were asleep when a man tried to break into their home. "They were woken by hearing something beating on the front door, and then the door was actually caved in as the person was making entry," said Tyler Police Department Sergeant Bill Goecking.
Police say the homeowner, Robert Delk, grabbed his handgun for protection. When the alleged intruder got the door open, police say the homeowner shot and killed the man. "We arrived and the subject was taken to medical center hospital and pronounced dead at the hospital," said Goecking.
Police identified the alleged intruder as Justin Herrera, 22, of Tyler. Police say Herrera just recently moved to East Texas from Fort Worth and is a student at UT Tyler. According to authorities, records in Tarrant County show officials there have dealt with Herrera, but the details are unknown.
Police sayDelk did not know Herrera. Delk is well known in the Tyler community for his photography business located in South Tyler. Police say they don't often get called out to Delk's neighborhood.
"The neighborhood's been pretty calm," said Goecking. "This is a very unusual thing for this neighborhood, especially the 900 block of Watkins."
The big questions that remain are why Herrara chose Delk's home and what was he going to do once he got inside.
Police say an autopsy will be performed on Herrera to see if drugs or alcohol were a factor. At this time, police say no charges will be filed against Delk, but it is still an ongoing investigation.
Lehigh Acres, Florida
From November 3, 2006 NBC channel 2:
Deputies say a teen was caught breaking into a house Wednesday, but he wasn't trying to take anything. Instead, deputies say he was breaking into the home to watch porn on TV.
When the Brito family opened up their most recent DirecTV bill, their jaws dropped. What is usually a $60 invoice ended up being closer to $300 and said they had ordered films such as Girls Gone Wild and other pornography.
So, the family asked their neighbors to watch the home when they were gone in an attempt to figure out what was happening. What they found was hard to believe.
"We realized when we got the DirecTV bill. That's when we started thinking something was up," said Jasmine Brito. "They tell you, 'You know you're being charged and that person agreed to it.'"
The Brito's then resorted to asking their neighbors for help. They asked them to watch the house while they were gone during the day. Peggy Lalor did just that.
"I peeked through the window and I saw this guy ducked down running across the hall," said Lalor.
Seeing a threat, Lalor took drastic action.
"I went in, got my shotgun and I told him if he didn't come out, I was going to blast him through the window," said Lalor.
She fired one shot in the air and 16-year-old Readchy Pellaire surrendered.
Deputies say the high school senior skipped classes, broke into the home, ordered porn in the bedroom of the home, and watched TV while sitting on the bed of one of the Brito children.
High Point, North Carolina
From the Greensboro News-Record of October 13, 2006
High Point homeowner shoots intruder
A 40-year-old intruder was shot in the chest by a homeowner Thursday night, police reported today.
Residents of 306 Cedar St. told High Point police they were inside when they heard a loud noise in the front.
When they went to investigate, they found that the front door had been forced open and there was an intruder in their house, police said in a press release.
Terry Zimmerman, of 515 Hill St. in High Point, was walking into the residence when the homeowners confronted him in the front hallway, police said.
The homeowner, whom police did not identify, shot Zimmerman once in the chest.
He then called 911 and reported what happened.
Zimmerman was taken to High Point Regional Hospital before being transferred to Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.
Zimmerman was listed in critical condition as of Friday morning, according to police.
No charges have been filed, police said.
Portland, Oregon
From Portland’s The Oregonian of October 9, 2006
Police identify man shot during break-in
Southeast Portland - The suspect dies after being shot by an apartment tenant
Portland police identified a man who was shot and died after he broke into a Southeast Portland apartment Saturday night as 39-year-old Galen Patrick Sloan.
Sloan, who had a lengthy criminal record, was shot by a tenant inside the apartment as he and a companion broke in, said Officer Catherine Kent, a Portland Police Bureau spokeswoman. The three knew one another and had had a previous altercation.
A person inside the apartment called to report the shooting in the 9100 block of Southeast Crystal Springs Boulevard just before 9 p.m. Saturday, and police arrived minutes later, Kent said.
They found Sloan wounded, and transported him to Oregon Health & Science University, where he later died. An autopsy Sunday concluded that Sloan died of two gunshot wounds to the torso.
Fort Collins, Colorado
From the Fort Collins Coloradoan of October 5, 2006
Homeowner justified in shooting intruder, DA says
Man to face misdemeanor charge, though
A Fort Collins homeowner who shot a man on a stoop outside a side door was justified in doing so, the District Attorney's office decided Wednesday, but the homeowner still will face a misdemeanor charge related to the incident.
Steven Ray, 58, faces one count of prohibited use of a weapon stemming from the early-morning shooting that occurred Aug. 28 outside his home in the 300 block of High Pointe Drive, according to a news release issued by District Attorney Larry Abrahamson.
Ray said barking dogs woke him around 1:30 a.m. and he noticed someone in the backyard when he looked outside.
The power was out because of an unrelated outage, and when David Ebner refused to identify himself when asked by Ray, the statement said, Ray retrieved a .45 caliber handgun from his basement.
According to the statement, Ebner was reaching for a door handle when Ray returned, a struggle ensued and Ray fired three times. One shot struck Ebner's cell phone and another struck the back of the shoulder, according to the statement; that shot exited through Ebner's chest.
The third shot, Abrahamson said in the release, was an un-aimed shot fired several seconds later and Ray had no idea as to where the bullet was going. This shot, Abrahamson said in the statement, placed all those within range at risk and warranted the misdemeanor charge.
Ray's attorney, Patrick Renworth, said he and Ray were relieved more serious charges were not pressed, but Renworth added he disagrees with the misdemeanor charge.
Ray did not feel out of danger when Ebner was retreating, Renworth said, and was worried he could be circling around the house.
Stephen Cook, Ebner's attorney, said he and his client both thought the prosecution decision to not charge the felonies recommended by Fort Collins police a "shocking disbelief."
Abrahamson said the office did not feel it could prove that Ray's actions were unreasonable if charges had been filed relating to the first two shots.
Ebner will not face charges, according to the statement, because his blood alcohol levels were very high and justice would not be served by prosecuting him.
McMinn County, Tennessee
From Chattanooga’s WDEF.com of October 2, 2006
McMinn County Shooting
The McMinn County Sheriff's Department investigates a weekend shooting.
Detectives say Susan Miller was shot in her left shoulder at a trailer off of County Road 609.
The homeowner told authorities he shot in self defense when Miller attempted to break-in through a window.
After looking into the situation, detectives discovered that Miller filed a false report with Athens police.
The investigation is on-going and charges against Miller are pending.
Miller was treated and released from the hospital.
Hillsborough, North Carolina
From Raleigh’s WRAL.com of October 2, 2006
Orange County Homeowner Shoots IntruderFrom the Raleigh News-Observer of October 2, 2006
Orange County investigators will sort out the details involving a fatal weekend shooting.
The Orange County Sheriff's Office said a homeowner shot and killed an intruder on Cedar Valley Road near Hillsborough shortly before 6 p.m. Sunday.
Authorities said the shooting happened after the homeowner returned to his house and found intruders inside.
According to investigators, the homeowner got a gun and a fight broke out. Authorities said one of the intruders was shot to death.
Shooting victim was intruder, sheriff's office saysFrom the Durham Herald Sun of October 3, 2006
One of two alleged home intruders was shot dead Sunday evening by a resident of the house, and a second was arrested and charged with breaking and entering, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
Ken Powell and Greg Freshour broke into the home of Danny Jones Jr. at 5666 Cedar Valley Road, while Jones was working on a boat at a neighbor’s house, according to a Sheriff's Office release.
Jones, 18, went home after hearing a crash at his house, according to the release. Powell was holding a crowbar and approached Jones, who ran to his truck and got a pistol, the release said.
Powell grabbed Jones by the legs, and both men fell to the ground. Jones shot Powell in the upper torso, and the man fell on top of Jones, according to the release. By the time Jones got Powell off of him, he saw the other man drive away.
Greg Freshour, 24, of 720 Brice Court, Cedar Grove, later stopped at a local convenience store and told the people at the store what happened. Freshour was later arrested and charged with breaking and entering.
Freshour’s bail was set at $25,000, and officers continue to investigate, according to the release.
Teen shoots, kills intruder after struggle
Authorities will not file charges against an 18-year-old Orange County man who shot and killed an intruder at his home in the northern part of the county Sunday evening after the intruder chased the teen out of the house and began fighting with him.
...
The investigation is continuing, and if investigators find evidence that brings into question Jones' version of what happened, charges could be filed against him, Woodall said. However, Freshour's version of what happened also appears to corroborate what Jones told deputies.
Investigators also told Woodall that evidence at the scene matched Jones' description of what happened.
Saginaw, Michigan
From the Saginaw News of September 30, 2006
Police log
A 24-year-old Saginaw man shot outside a West Side home this week will face a court date and possibly time behind bars once he emerges from the Intensive Care Unit at Covenant Medical Center.
The man suffered at least one gunshot wound on the porch of a home on Throop near North Bond in Saginaw about 12:40 a.m. Friday, Police Chief Gerald H. Cliff said.
Officials at Covenant said they could not release information about the victim's condition, but Cliff said he "will survive" the shooting.
Detectives determined the shooter, whom they declined to identify, acted in self-defense, Cliff said.
Oakland Park, Florida
From the September 20, 2006 Miami Herald:
A man shot and killed an intruder who was breaking into his parents' townhouse in Oakland Park, according to the Broward Sheriff's Office.
The intruder has not been identified, but is believed to be a teenager.
Richard McKinley, 27, was sleeping in his parents townhouse at 3259 NW 44th St. around 11:54 a.m. when he was awakened by a noise, according to BSO.
McKinley noticed that an intruder was in the house, and shot him.
Deputies are investigating, and have set up a perimeter search for two possible accomplices to the home invasion.
Less than two hours after the shooting, Paul and Victoria McKinley returned t