Kyle, Texas



From the San Antonio Express-News of November 25, 2003:

Hays resident shoots intruder



A Hays County homeowner shot and killed an intruder who was struggling with two sheriff's deputies in his back yard Sunday evening.



Claude Lefuma Labasa, 37, of Raleigh, N.C., was pronounced dead at the scene by Hays County Justice of the Peace Beth Smith.



Hays County investigators said they do not know why Labasa was in the Kyle area, but said he surprised two couples who were in the Stagecoach Road home at about 6:15 p.m. Sunday.



"Apparently he was a complete stranger to the people there," said Sheriff's Department Sgt. Allen Bridges. "He simply walked in the back door on them."



They called police, who arrived about 10 minutes later.



"There was no physical altercation with the people in the house," Bridges said. "I have no idea what the conversation was like."



Two sheriff's deputies arrived and tried to question the intruder, but Labasa was uncooperative, then fought with the deputies when they tried to arrest him.



The fight spilled out into the back yard, Bridges said.



While the deputies were trying to subdue the man, the homeowner, Stanley Hughson, fired one shot, hitting the intruder.



Investigators would not say where the bullet struck Labasa. After being shot, he ran from the deputies, who caught and subdued him in front of the house.



An ambulance was called to the house, but Labasa was dead by the time it arrived. Smith ordered an autopsy by the Travis County medical examiner's office.



Reached by telephone, Hughson declined comment Monday. He gave investigators a statement at the department's San Marcos headquarters on Sunday night.



Authorities did not immediately release the names of the deputies, both of whom were treated for minor injuries at Central Texas Medical Center and released.



No charges have been filed against Hughson. The results of the investigation will be handed over to the Hays County district attorney's office, Bridges said.

UPDATE Austin American-Statesman, January 9, 2004:

Stanley Hughson will not face prosecution for the fatal shooting of a North Carolina man who entered his house uninvited and later fought with authorities.



A grand jury decided Wednesday not to indict Hughson for the Nov. 23 shooting of Claude Lubasa Lufuma, 37, of Raleigh.