Wiggins, Colorado



From the Fort Morgan Times of January 30, 2004

Auto theft suspect nabbed after chase



A man on foot kept law officers busy Wednesday as they tracked him with dogs and put up a perimeter to find him after he allegedly tried to take autos in Wiggins.



It was teamwork among law enforcement agencies and Wiggins area residents which finally resulted in a man being taken into custody Thursday morning. The suspect was captured after an incident that began Wednesday when he abandoned one stolen vehicle northwest of Wiggins, tried to steal two others and entered an occupied residence where he was confronted at gunpoint by one of the homeowners, said Morgan County Sheriff Jim Crone.



The suspect fled that residence and managed to elude law enforcement until early Thursday morning when he was caught after an attempt to steal yet another vehicle.



The man, who has yet to be positively identified, was captured in the Kiowa Creek bottom just west of Wiggins at approximately 6 a.m. after Wiggins Police Chief Leroy Dilka and Morgan County Sheriff's Deputy David Kallweit pursued the man on foot for about half a mile before he was tackled and taken into custody.

Spokane, Washington



From Spokane's KHQ-TV of January 30, 2004

Burglary Suspect Arrested After Earlier Shots Fired



An attempted burglary, gunfire, and a suspect on the run. It all started at a house at 26th and Havana Thursday morning.



It all started just before 7am Thursday morning.Sheriff's deputies rush to a home at 26th and Havana, after the homeowner tries to stop a burglar.Sheriff Mark Sterk said, "He confronted the suspect, ran, struggled, pulled shotgun. At least one round went off."



The suspect got away, witnesses say in this white commercial van. A short time later deputies responded to a home on south Ferrell near 8th, where the suspect allegedly dumped the van. "He went in the house, told them he'd been shot, and needed to borrow the car, he left in the green Cadillac," Sterk said.



About four hours later that green Cadillac was tracked to a home near 6th and Conklin. Officers surrounded it and called for the suspect to come out.



Forty-four year old Phillip Moore appeared, dressed in a suit, yelling out to officers down the street, before finally surrendering. The sheriff says there's strong evidence tying Moore to the Havana burglary. "He does have a minor injury to one of his legs, so it does tie him to the information we've got," Sterk said.



Moore is in jail, facing first-degree burglary and firearm charges. But detectives say given the crime scene is spread out over three neighborhoods, this investigation is far from over.

Mesa, Arizona



From the Mesa East Valley Tribune of January 30, 2004

Mesa resident cuffs intruder at front door



Dan Adams has been burglarized not once, not twice, but three times since Jan. 14. By Thursday afternoon he’d had it.



So when he was awakened by someone walking into his Mesa home about 1 p.m., he grabbed his semiautomatic and headed down the hallway.



Standing just inside his front door was a stranger, a young man in a red shirt and shorts tentatively calling out "Hello? Anyone home?"



Adams said he carefully slid the slide back on his .40-caliber handgun and confronted the man.



"The guy was surprised to say the least," said Adams, 38.



Within seconds Adams had the intruder handcuffed and trapped in a bathroom, a gun pointed straight at him. He called 911 and waited for Mesa police to arrive.



"I told him about 10 times that I was going to kill him and he tried to talk his way out of it, he kept saying he knew how to get my stuff back," Adams said.



A longtime Mesa resident, Adams said he moved into his home in the 800 block of North Quail about three months ago. The area, near Greenfield and Adobe roads, is a nice one, even with the burglaries, he said.



About $5,000 worth of electronics and tools has been stolen in the burglaries, Adams said. The last burglary, on Wednesday, netted the burglar a carton of cigarettes and Adams’ albino ferret, Ferret.



Adams, who restores homes for a living, said he stayed up until 4 a.m. Thursday setting up four surveillance cameras in the hopes of catching the burglar in the act the next time around. He set out the handcuffs he bought when he was a security guard and one of his guns.

Indianapolis, Indiana



From the Indianapolis Star of January 29, 2004

Alleged burglary attempt leaves 1 dead; 3 arrested



Indianapolis police arrested three men in connection with an apparent burglary on the Near Northside that resulted in the death of another suspect, authorities said.



Police who responded to a disturbance in the 1400 block of West 34th Street on Tuesday afternoon encountered a resident who said he had shot an intruder, said Indianapolis Police Department spokesman Lt. Paul Ciesielski.



Antoine Moffett, 21, 3100 block of North Barnes Avenue, was declared dead at Methodist Hospital after the shooting, police said.



He and three other men, Antwain Coleman, 22, Ulysses Poston, 22, and Roddell Green, 21, entered the house shortly after 2 p.m., Ciesielski said.



The owner, Jaon Barlow, 41, opened fire with a shotgun, hitting Moffett, who also was armed, police said.



The three other suspects took Moffett to Methodist, police said, where he died a short time later.



Coleman, Poston and Green face preliminary charges of burglary and felony murder, Ciesielski said.



Charges were not expected to be filed against Barlow.

Somerville, Massachusetts



From the January 23, 2004 Boston Herald:

A Somerville homeowner shot and wounded a man who broke into his home near Davis Square yesterday afternoon, police said.



The homeowner, whom police declined to identify, told detectives he had just come out of the shower shortly before 1 p.m. when he heard the back door being forced open.



The homeowner, who is licensed to possess firearms, confronted the burglar and shot him in the shoulder, according to police.



The burglar ran, and police followed a trail of blood to the nearby Davis Square MBTA station. The suspect was arrested minutes later outside the Porter Square MBTA station.



Stephen P. Callinan, 37, of Somerville was being treated at Massachusetts General Hospital and was expected to be charged with breaking and entering, police said. Police did not say whether Callinan was armed.

UPDATE: A little more detail about Callinan from the January 29, 2004 Somerville Journal, and it isn't surprising:

The intruder, 37-year-old ex-con Stephen P. Callinan of 127 North St., has a history of arrests and convictions for construction scams and break-ins. He was formally arrested by Somerville Police on charges of breaking and entering and malicious destruction of property Sunday after being released from the hospital for his gunshot wound.

Houston, Texas



From Houston's Click2Houston.com of January 22, 2004

Homeowner Reportedly Fires Shots At Intruders



A northeast Harris County homeowner opened fire on two people who invaded his home early Thursday morning.



Officials told News2Houston the intruders broke into a home in the 21800 block of Baumgartner Drive around 2:15 a.m. The intruders reportedly made it into the man's bedroom where the homeowner and a woman were asleep.



The man woke up, grabbed his gun and started shooting as he chased the two intruders outside.



Authorities said one of the intruders fled in a vehicle; the other on foot.



Officials were not sure if either of the intruders were hit by a bullet.

Houston, Texas



From Houston's Click2Houston.com of January 22, 2004

Customer Shoots, Kills Auto Shop Robber



Police told News2Houston three men wearing masks, carrying guns, kicked in the front door of Pawn's Tire and Wheelz on West Little York at Stuebner Airline in north Houston around 6:30 p.m.



"One of the suspects went to the rear of the business. There was a shooting between one of the customers and a suspect," Houston Police Department investigator Steve Straughter said.



The other two robbers ran away.



Several other customers were in the business at the time, but none of them were injured.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania



From the Philadelphia Inquirer of January 22, 2004

Robber fatally shot by store owner in North Phila.



A store owner shot and killed a would-be robber last night inside his shop in North Philadelphia, police said.



Police said the robber entered the grocery store on the 1400 block of North Franklin Street about 7:30 p.m., brandished a gun, and announced the robbery. He shot one employee in the hip before being shot in the head by the store owner, police said.



The employee was taken to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition. The robber was pronounced dead at Jefferson. The names of all those involved were not released last night.

Tallahassee, Florida



From the Tallahassee Democrat of January 22, 2004

Bullets fly during home invasion



Professional football player Corey Fuller wants to know who shot up his Tallahassee house while trying to rob him. And he's willing to pay $10,000 for the information.



Fuller, a former Florida State University and Rickards High standout, announced Wednesday a $10,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest, prosecution and conviction of the man who accosted him earlier in the day.

....



Fuller, who formerly played for the Minnesota Vikings and Cleveland Browns, said he went out to his Range Rover sometime after 2 a.m. with a friend who was staying with him. He heard a rustling in the bushes next to the house, then a man's voice yelling at them to "get down," he said.



Fuller ran into the house, and the would-be robber kicked in the side door and began firing what Fuller thinks was a .40-caliber handgun, he said.



Another friend who was inside installing Fuller's new television pulled a gun from Fuller's nearby safe and returned fire, Fuller said.



Fuller also told The Associated Press that the gunman had someone inside a waiting getaway car and that he returned fire with a .38-caliber revolver, which also was inside the safe.



More than a dozen bullet holes could be seen in the walls of the kitchen and one of the bedrooms, including in a bed headboard. No one was injured, Tallahassee police said.

Adelphi, Maryland



From Washington's WTOPNews.com of January 20, 2004

Homeowner Shoots, Kills Intruder in Maryland



A would-be burglar is dead after the owner of the home he was trying to break into shot him. Police say at this point no charges have been filed against the homeowner, but police will be consulting with the Maryland state attorney.



Police in Prince George's County got a 911 call Tuesday morning from a man who lives in the 1900 block of Ruatan Street in Adelphi.



He allegedly got out a ladder and tried to get into an upstairs window.



"He advised us that someone was trying to break into his home," said Corporal Fred Merkle. "The suspect placed the ladder against the side of the victim's home and we believe he was attempting to gain entry into the home"



Police say the homeowner came outside and confronted the burglar, then shot him once in the chest. The burglar died at Washington Hospital Center.



Investigators are still trying to determine if the homeowner will be charged.

Charlotte, North Carolina



From Charlotte's WCNC.com of January 19, 2004 (requires registration)

Clerk fires shot at suspect after armed robbery, police say



Charlotte-Mecklenburg police are looking for a second suspect involved in a late night robbery and shooting.



The incident happened just before midnight when police said two men walked in to the Union 76 gas station at the intersection of Monroe Road and North Wendover. They robbed the station and shot the clerk in the arm.



The employee shot back and hit one suspect, the other fled, according to police.



Both victims were taken to Carolinas Medical Center.

Boise, Idaho



From KTVB Channel 7's website for January 13, 2004:

BOISE – Ada County Sheriff's detectives say they know who fired shots that wounded two men in the leg at a south Boise home Monday night. But, it may be a little while before they can put all the pieces of the crime together, because some witnesses are not cooperating in the investigation.



Two men were hospitalized with gunshot wounds following a shooting at 5245 Chaps Place that occured shortly after 5 p.m. Monday. The victims have been identified as 20-year-old Travis Tucker and 22-year-old Shane Tucker. Their injuries are not life-threatening.



According to Undersheriff Gary Raney, the two men went to the home to settle a dispute over ownership of a gun with Vance Thumm. The dispute moved outside into the front yard where the 23-year-old Thumm fired shots from a 9mm assault pistol, striking Shane and Travis Tucker.



...



Deputies learned that the two men discarded a firearm behind the residence. A revolver, that was later determined to be stolen, was recovered in the front yard along with several empty casings.

Bartlesville, Oklahoma



From Tulsa's KOTV.com of January 19, 2004

Bartlesville homeowner shoots and kills burglary suspect



The investigation continues into the weekend shooting death of a would-be burglar.



Bartlesville Police say early Saturday morning a homeowner shot and killed a man he caught breaking into his home. The homeowner's wife was on the phone with police dispatchers when it happened.



The name of the homeowner and the man who was killed have not been released.

Jackson, Mississippi



From the Jackson Clarion Ledger of January 19, 2004

Shooting of intruder won't bring charges



Jackson resident Sinartha Bradfield won't face charges for killing a suspected burglar in September.



A Hinds County grand jury has decided Bradfield should not be indicted in the death of ex-con Anthony Mayers, 31.



"It was best for the grand jury to decide the facts of the case," Hinds County District Attorney Faye Peterson said. "It was an independent body of citizens who looked at it."



The case was reviewed in December.



The district attorney's office has yet to ask grand jurors to hear the case of a second Jackson homeowner who shot to death a suspected burglar. That shooting occurred about seven weeks after Bradfield's shooting.



Bradfield, 31, said he fired his shotgun through his bedroom window at 1807 Linda Lane when he heard the glass being broken out on Sept. 3.



...



State law says a homicide is considered justifiable if a person is protecting himself from being killed or from becoming the victim of a felony.

Indianapolis, Indiana



From the Indianapolis Star of January 17, 2004

Patron shot by bartender is in serious condition



An Indianapolis man remained in serious condition Friday after a bartender shot him in a case that police say was self-defense.



Police say Cecil D. Sanders, 29, and another person had an altercation with a patron at the Sports Bench Tavern, 2023 Southeastern Ave., on Wednesday night. Police say Sanders then threatened to harm the bartender, John E. Hansen. As Sanders was coming over the bar, Hansen, 31, shot Sanders once in the chest.



Depending on his medical prognosis, police intend to arrest Sanders on a preliminary battery charge, said IPD spokesman Sgt. Steve Staletovich. Sanders was being cared for at Methodist Hospital.



Staletovich said three witnesses and a videotape of the encounter support Hansen's story.

Boise, Idaho



I was watching local TV news (channel 6) last night, and they covered this story. The Idaho Statesman, however, had the story as well. These aren't exactly poster children for gun ownership, but the police didn't charge them with any weapons violation--only for drug possession:

Boise police are investigating a report of home-invasion in which one of the intruders may have been shot Friday morning.



Two residents of the home were arrested on drug charges.



Police arrested Freddy Molina, 25, and Edwin Lyn Lundquist, 29, residents of the home in the 2300 block of Canal Street, Boise police spokeswoman Lynn Hightower said.



Molina was charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and grand theft by possession of a stolen credit card.



Lundquist was charged with possession of methamphetamine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia, Hightower said.



Police believed the shooting might have been drug-related, and obtained a search warrant Friday afternoon.



The men were arrested inside the home on Canal Street, she said.



Officers were sent to the house around 9:10 a.m. Friday after dispatchers got a 911 call from the home, according to reports.



The two men told police they were sleeping when two intruders woke them up, saying, “This is what happens when you owe us.” A struggle ensued, and one of the residents grabbed a gun and fired once, possibly hitting one attacker, according to police reports. The residents told police that another shot was fired outside the home as the intruders fled.

Channel 6's coverage emphasized that the victims were arrested only on the drug charges--not for shooting the intruders.UPDATE: Here's KTVB Channel 7's January 16, 2004 coverage of this event.

Longtown, Oklahoma



From the McAlester News-Capital of January 16, 2004

Combs gets his man



As Longtown resident Bruce Combs prepared to pull his pickup off Kiamichi Street onto State Highway 9, he noticed something unusual.



Combs had stopped to let a truck and trailer heading west on Highway 9 go by before he pulled on the road.



Watching the approaching vehicle through the early-morning darkness last Sunday, Combs started to wonder about the other driver.



"The driver had his lights off; I thought that was odd," Combs said. He also thought the trailer looked kind of familiar.



Then, as the truck and trailer by him passed by, Combs suddenly realized why the trailer seemed so familiar to him.



"He drove by and I thought 'Hey, that's my trailer!'" Combs said.



Combs recognized the trailer as the C&C Quality Building trailer he had left parked at his store, Longtown Texaco.



Already fed up after previous break-ins at the store, Combs swung his pickup behind the other driver. He tried to call 911, but wasn't sure if there was a link to Longtown so he wasn't surprised when that didn't work.



As the driver in front of him started to pick up speed, Combs threw the phone in his pickup seat, pulled into the passing lane and grabbed a pistol he carried with him.



"I pulled up next to him and yelled at him to pull over," Combs said. When the other driver ignored him, the determined Combs hit the gas pedal and quickly swerved his pickup in front of the other vehicle.



"He pulled off the highway" and into the parking lot of a nearby restaurant, Combs said.



With both vehicles stopped, Combs said he jumped out of his pickup and leveled his pistol at the other driver.



"I said 'Get out of your truck and keep your hands where I can see them,'" Combs recalled. He said he also ordered a woman who was with the driver out of the truck. He let a boy with them remain inside the vehicle, he said.



The other driver tried to negotiate, according to Combs.



"He said 'I'll take your trailer back,' and I said 'No, you won't,'" Combs recalled.



"I told him to keep his hands up. He had on a long black leather coat and he kept putting his hands down and I couldn't see his left hand, so I fired a shot into the ground" Combs said. "He quit doing it after that."



Combs called the Pittsburg County Sheriff's Department. He said Deputy Dave Grider, who was in the area, made it to the scene in a few minutes.



Grider arrested the other driver, identified as Everett Whittaker, 33, of Pryor, who has been charged with grand larceny and second-degree burglary.

Atlanta, Georgia



From Atlanta's WXIA11.com of January 16, 2004

Woman Pulls Weapon on Home Intruders



Armed with a 9mm handgun, a 44-year-old woman turned the tables on two would-be home invaders Thursday evening.



Morrow police Chief Kenny Smith said Vanhxay Khottavong had left her home at 1028 Skylark Drive after 6 p.m. to make a financial transaction. At some point, two men – only described as Asian – deduced where Khottavong lived and that she was going to retrieve money.



Police say they decided to return to Khottavong's home and wait for her. The men knocked on the door and were let in by the woman’s 25-year-old son. They assaulted the son and his father, who had been injured in a car accident and was in bed.



Police said people had been visiting the father at this home since the accident and the son assumed the two suspects had come to see his father.



The suspects restrained the father and son and met Khottavong when she walked into the home, police said. Realizing the situation, the woman pulled out her gun and exchanged gunfire with the suspects.



Police say Khottavong and her son were struck while the two suspects escaped. She was later taken to Grady Memorial Hospital. The conditions of Khottavong and her son have not been released, but they were considered non-life threatening.



No descriptions of the suspects have been released.

Grand Junction, Colorado



From Grand Junction's NBC11NEWS.com (KKCO) of January 14, 2004

GUNMAN MAY NOT BE CHARGED IN APARTMENT SHOOTING



An investigation reveals the man who was shot inside a home in the Villa San Marcos apartment complex was one of two men who allegedly barged into the home of the shooter looking for someone who owed one of the suspects money. One man involved in the crime is behind bars, the other is in a hospital bed recovering from a gun shot wound to the stomach. The resident of the apartment where the shooting happened, Joseph Moyano, 25, told police the suspect who's now in custody, Claudio Baca, 24, of Grand Junction and another man who's identity has not been released, broke into his apartment about four o'clock Tuesday afternoon. The two were apparently looking for a woman who's known to frequent the apartment. Once the two men entered the house a scuffle ensued between Moyano and Baca. Both men had guns. Moyano's gun fired hitting the unidentified suspect. So far police say Moyano was justified in the shooting. Baca is being held in the Mesa County Jail on felony charges of 1st degree burglary, menacing and kidnapping. The two suspects allegedly held a friend of the woman they were looking for against her will during the incident. She's been identified as Crystal McFadden, 21. Charges against the injured suspect are pending.

Corpus Christi, Texas



From the Corpus Christi Caller-Times of January 16, 2004

Wife not charged in killing



A Nueces County grand jury decided not to indict a 22-year-old woman arrested on charges of fatally shooting her estranged husband.



The jury dismissed the case against Noelle Richardson, who was accused of shooting John Washington Richardson in the face with a handgun on Dec. 10. Noelle Richardson could not be reached for comment Thursday.



"What great news about Noelle Richardson," said Catrina Steinocher, Women's Shelter of South Texas executive director. "This was not a crime of passion, or anything like that, that we like to write things off as. There had been a history of violence, and law enforcement had been called to her home more than once." However, Steinocher said, the shelter doesn't condone deadly force in domestic violence cases.



John Washington Richardson, 23, broke down the door of an apartment where Noelle Richardson was staying, and had a history of violence against his wife, police said.



After the shooting, police reported that John Washington Richardson was discharged from the Navy for ongoing domestic violence. They also said his wife made local police reports against him.



Steinocher said she could not confirm or deny whether Richardson is or has been a client of the shelter. But she did say that she was disappointed when she heard that Richardson had been arrested.

Shreveport, Louisiana



From the Shreveport Times of January 15, 2004

Store co-owner shoots alleged armed robber



Four hours after shooting the man who allegedly was robbing his family-owned gas station at gunpoint, Elvir Cehajic praised God for the one thing he was most thankful for Wednesday evening - his life.



"I'm just happy to be alive and to be with my family."



The 36-year-old reportedly fired two shots as a man took money from a cash register at Citgo at Line Avenue at East 70th Street in Shreveport about 11:30 a.m. Wednesday.



"He came in and pointed a gun at my head," Cehajic said. "It seemed like eternity, but it was just for a minute."



The robber fled with someone who was waiting behind the store in a brown Chevrolet Malibu, Shreveport police Detective Lane Smith said.



Minutes later, police responded to a call at a residence in the 7300 block of Altus Loop regarding a man who had been shot.



They reportedly found Brandon Young, 19, of Shreveport with a single gunshot wound to his chest.



Young has been charged with armed robbery. He remained in LSU Hospital in Shreveport, where he was listed in fair condition Wednesday evening, Smith said.



"I'm glad that (he) is alive and not in life-threatening condition," Cehajic said. "Hopefully, he will learn something out of this."



Cehajic has not been charged.



"Right now, it looks like it is going to be a justifiable shooting," police spokeswoman Kacee Hargrave said.

UPDATE (from Clayton): Also covered by January 14, 2004 KTBS Channel 3 TV.

Sun City, Arizona



From the Arizona Republic of January 14, 2004

Robbery suspect shot in Sun City



A robbery suspect was wounded Tuesday during an attempted noontime holdup at a strip-mall smoke shop.



The suspect was shot twice by a merchant after he entered Smokers Domain, 10914 W. Bell Road, and brandished a weapon, authorities said.



The bandit was wounded in the upper body when the owner of the business grabbed a gun from under the counter and fired.



The suspect ended up with nothing for his effort except "a bunch of lead," said Capt. Ron Stoner, a Maricopa County Sheriff's Office supervisor.



Deputies are investigating whether the man is responsible for nearly a half-dozen other Sun City robberies during the past month.



One of them is a Christmas Eve stickup at the same smoke shop, Stoner said.



...



The suspect, a man in his 30s, was flown to a Phoenix hospital with wounds that were not considered life-threatening, said Sgt. Paul Chagolla, a sheriff's spokesman.



The weapon used in Tuesday's holdup turned out to be a replica handgun that fires plastic pellets, Chagolla said.



Witnesses said the robber tried to flee after being shot, but the merchant chased him down and held him at gunpoint until deputies arrived.

Grand Prairie, Texas



From the Dallas Morning News of January 13, 2004 (requires registration)

Grand Prairie man fatally shoots men who were trying to rob him



Police were questioning a Grand Prairie man on Tuesday who said he fatally shot two men who were trying to rob him.



The man reported to police that the suspects took him against his will from his home to a local bank. There, he said, he was forced to withdraw cash from an ATM.



According to Grand Prairie Police Detective John Brimmer, the man said the suspects then drove him back to his residence where one of them threatened him with a baseball bat. The man said he feared for his life and fatally shot them with a pistol he had been carrying in his pocket.



He called 911 around 8:30 a.m. and stayed on the phone with the dispatcher until police arrived.



Police said the man, who was in his 60s and was not injured, had a concealed-weapons permit.



Brimmer said the two suspects had not been identified, but both looked to be in their 30s, and one was wearing a ski mask.



Their bodies were being taken to the Dallas County Medical Examiner's office for autopsy.

UPDATE (by Clayton): This news story from NBC 5 on January 14, 2004, reports that "Police now say they think a shooter in Grand Prairie did not have to use deadly force." But the news story contributes nothing new--two criminals force entry, force this guy to withdraw money from an ATM, and he shoots the bad guys.

High Point, North Carolina



From a North Carolina paper, the News-Record of January 12, 2004:

HIGH POINT -- Ernest Galloway could have easily killed the man who broke into his property twice in one night.



On his first visit, the intruder tore down doors, broke windows and demolished filing cabinets.



On his second visit, Galloway was waiting inside, rifle in hand.



His friends say he should have pulled the trigger.



"I bet three-fourths of all the people who have talked to me have said, 'You need a bigger gun. You should have shot him when he walked in,' " Galloway says softly. "But when I was standing there looking at him, I couldn't pull the trigger."



It's a potential life-or-death situation to which many people confidently say they know how they'd react. Galloway says he did too, until he found himself in the moment, with no time to spare.



"When I was sitting in the dark, before the guy showed up, I would have said I would have shot him," Galloway says. "When I was facing him, looking at him, it was totally different. I couldn't bring myself to shoot."



But the 77-year-old licensed pilot and Air Force veteran did shoot the intruder, only, he says, after it became clear that his own life might depend on it.



Police charged Terry Wayne Combs, 42, of 109 E. Peachtree Drive, High Point, with two counts of felony breaking and entering and one count of felony larceny. He was treated at High Point Regional Hospital and later released.

Houston, Texas



From Houston's ABC13.com (WTRK) of January 12, 2004

Police say man fatally shoots would-be carjacker



A man who says he was being carjacked shot and killed the person trying to rob him. Officers say two men were stopped in a truck on Keegans Ridge and Ruffino when they were approached by the suspected carjacker. The driver says the man demanded money and the truck.



The driver happened to have a concealed weapons license and a gun in the car. He pulled it out and shot the man allegedly trying to rob him. That man died at the scene.



Officers say a group of accomplices were waiting in a nearby car and took off. Police are still looking for them.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania



From Pittsburgh's thepittsburghchannel.com (WTAE-TV) of January 12, 2004

Resident Exchanges Gunfire With Home Invaders



One man is dead and another man is in critical condition following what appears to be an attempted home invasion in Pittsburgh's Homewood section, Channel 4's Kelly Frey reported.



Two masked men armed with pump-action Mossberg shotguns tried to enter a home on Hale Street around 11:20 p.m. Sunday, according to police. One of the three people inside also had a gun, and shots were exchanged.



One of the alleged invaders was found shot to death on the front porch. The second fled the scene, but police do not know if he was wounded.



Jeffrey Hammond, 44, was shot four times. He was in critical condition Monday afternoon at UPMC Presbyterian.



Hammond's brother, Barry, told Frey that the situation started when they heard someone knock on the door and ask for help with a broken-down car. When they opened the door, the two men opened fire and tried to come inside.



Barry Hammond said he and his brother do not know the men.



Police are still investigating.

Durham, North Carolina



From the Durham Herald-Sun of January 10, 2004

Man opens fire on attempted armed robbers after work



The table was turned on a pair of armed robbers when one of their would-be victims opened fire on them Thursday night at the Oxford Commons shopping center.



Kelly Royster, 21, a five-month employee of Nationwide Warehouse, said he and a female co-worker were leaving work around 8:15 p.m. when the two robbers approached them.



The pair went straight for the woman, who was carrying the night's deposit, and demanded the bank bag, Royster said.



Since the business is behind the 3500 N. Roxboro Road shopping center and in close proximity to several apartment complexes, Royster said he had anticipated getting robbed at some point and had armed himself for the eventuality.



"I just pulled it out and got to shooting at them," Royster said. "I was trying to keep track of how many I was firing, because I only had one clip."



The robbers, apparently shocked by the turn of events, threw their gun at Royster and took off shouting for mercy, he said. A van parked nearby proved to be their salvation.



"They threw their pistol at me, they were screaming, 'Let me go, let me go,' " Royster said. "I could have hit them if I shot through the van, but I didn't want to shoot out a window."



The robbers hid behind a Dumpster, occasionally looking out at Royster, he said.



"They wouldn't come out from behind the Dumpster," he said. "Every time he ducked his head around the Dumpster, I was shooting at him."



Royster said he fired a total of five shots and held the pair at bay until police arrived. It turned out the suspects were armed with nothing more than a BB gun, but Royster said he didn't know that until police arrived.



"If I would have known it was a BB gun when he threw it at me, I would have gone behind the trash can and gave it to him," Royster said.



Police charged Stanley Lamont Hasty, 27, of 2920 New Haven Drive, with attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon, injury to personal property, communicating threats, assault with a deadly weapon and assault on female, a misdemeanor probation violation and an order for his arrest on charges of driving while license revoked. He was jailed on a $48,000 secured bond.



Meanwhile, Calvin Earl McCallum Jr., 20, of 3613 Wishart St., was charged with attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon, police said. He was jailed on a $25,000 secured bond.



Durham police Cpl. David Addison said different people have different reactions when faced with a traumatic event.



"If someone is definitely in fear for their life, then by all means, they have to do what's necessary, whether it's fighting back or succumbing," Addison said. "Flight or fight depends on each circumstance and the variables involved."



Addison, who was not familiar with the case, said Royster might have crossed the line when he continued shooting after Hasty and McCallum had dropped the weapon.



"The way the law is written is that you can use equal force that was enacted upon you," Addison said. "When he throws the gun down and that threat is no longer apparent, you can no longer use deadly force."



However, it appears that police are not seeking charges against Royster, who said he was just defending himself.



"They had a BB gun," he said. "They could have died for $1,000."

Independence, Missouri



From KMBC-TV, Kansas City, Missouri, January 8, 2004:

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. -- Gunfire erupted at Kern's Liquor Store at 9014 East 40 Highway on Thursday after robbers burst into the store, KMBC's Martin Augustine reported.



The robbers and the clerk were armed, and a shootout took place between them. The clerk was shot in his chest, but the wounded man managed to hit the alarm, and police were dispatched to the scene.



Officers called an ambulance for the clerk, but said he does not have life-threatening injuries.

There's surveillance camera video available here. And this story here suggests that has been a recurring bad habit.



Thanks to Wince & Nod for the pointers!

Sacramento, California



From Sacramento's The KCRAChannel.com of January 7, 2004

Police: Homeowner Kills Alleged Intruder



Sacramento police are investigating a fatal shooting involving a homeowner and a pair of alleged intruders in his home.



The shooting happened at a home on Wakefield Way near Florin Road.



Police said the homeowner, whose name has not been released, told officers that he and his wife heard a knock at their front door about 8:30 a.m. They found two Hispanic teenage boys at the door who said they were looking for the man's grandson.



After being told the grandson was not at home, police said the two came back a second time, but this time the homeowner was armed with a gun when he answered the door.



"The same two male Hispanic teens forced their way into the residence. One of them was armed with a handgun. The (homeowner) retreated and took cover behind a chair where he does exchange a couple rounds of fire," Sacramento Police Department Sgt. Justin Risley said.



The shooting continued as the homeowner ran down a hallway to a bedroom, where police said he shot and killed one of the intruders.



The other intruder fled the home on foot, and police searched the surrounding area on the ground and from the air, alerting neighbors of his description. He remains at large.



A man who would not give his name told KCRA 3 he was the homeowner's grandson.



"Let this be a lesson to be learned ... if anybody comes in the house -- anybody's house -- you never know what could happen to you," the man said.



Police said the homeowner has not been charged with any crimes.



"All indications are that the man was protecting his life and the life of his wife," Risley said.

Toledo, Ohio



From Toledo's NBC24.com of January 7, 2004

Several Area Robberies Over The Weekend Top Sunday's Street Beat



Several businesses were robbed over the weekend, Including two Stop-N-Save stores. Police say the robberies happened within a half hour of each other.



At both stores, investigators say a man wearing a black jacket and ski mask came into the store brandishing a silver handgun and demanding money.



But at the Stop-N-Save on Western Avenue, the owner reportedly pulled out his own gun and fire two shots at the suspect. The suspect ran out without getting any money.



No arrests have been made.

Houston, Texas



From Houston's Click2Houston.com (KPRC) of January 7, 2004

Store Owner Shoots Alleged Robber



A southeast Houston convenience store owner shot an alleged robber Tuesday afternoon, police told News2Houston.Investigators said a man walked into the Lawndale Food Mart, 5545 Lawndale, around 12:45 p.m. and tried to rob the owner. The suspect was armed with a knife. The owner then pulled a gun and shot the man, before he could get to the money.



(The suspect) charged him with a knife behind the counter and attempted to rob him. It was an attempted robbery," said James Rachel, with the Houston Police Department.



"You hear on the news and you worry about that kind of thing, but it has never happened before," said Humaira Sadiq, the owner's wife.



The Sadiqs have owned the store for nearly two years.



"I was real worried, definitely. I was real worried," Sadiq said. "I don't know if he's telling me the truth or not -- that he's OK. You always worry. It's just normal.



"The alleged robber was taken to Ben Taub Hospital with a gunshot wound to the stomach. His condition was not released.



The owner was not injured, but was shaken up over the incident, officials said.

Joliet, Illinois



From the Suburban Chicago Herald News of January 7, 2004

Joliet store owner fends off knife-wielding man



A West Jefferson Street store owner may have fended off a would-be robber armed with a kitchen knife when he threatened to shoot him, police said.



The store owner told police a man wearing a red cap, gray ski mask and gray cap walked into Mexcom, his 901 W. Jefferson St. business, shortly after 9 p.m. Monday.



The store was closed when the man walked in, police said, and the owner and his wife were shutting it up for the night.



The masked man reportedly told the owner he had something for him, and when asked what that might be, he replied that he had gold to sell.



The owner told police he noticed the man was holding a kitchen knife, and he and his wife started to back away.



The masked man repeatedly told him not to move, the owner said, and this frightened him.



The owner told the intruder that he would shoot him if he did not leave, police said, and the masked man ran out of the store. He then fled east on Jefferson Street.

Autauga County, Alabama



From the Montgomery Advertiser of January 7, 2004

Man foils burglary, 2 arrested



Michael Spearman got a rude awakening Tuesday morning when the north Autauga County man heard a noise and rose to find two men rifling through his gun cabinet.



Armed with a .357-caliber Magnum revolver, Spearman confronted the invaders in his home on Autauga County Road 59. He fired once at a burglar as he fled but kept the other at gunpoint until sheriff's deputies arrived. A second man was captured about two hours later following a manhunt that included deputies from two counties, state troopers, a state police helicopter and a dog tracking team from the Alabama Department of Corrections.

...



Authorities believe the suspects were driving around, looking for homes to break into. Johnson believes three burglaries in Autauga County can be attributed to them, and his office is working with the Chilton County Sheriff's Department to see if more cases can be made.



Spearman downplayed his role.



"I just heard a noise and knew something was wrong," he said. "I didn't know what to think when I saw two men in my house. One just kept advancing at me. I had to do something."



Johnson praised the actions of the homeowner.



"I'm proud of him; he did a good job," the sheriff said. "Every person has the right to defend themselves and their homes. This man had the presence of mind to handle the situation. He captured one suspect and was able to give us a good description of the other. Thanks to him, we will probably clear up several burglaries."



Autauga County deputies recovered firearms, jewelry and electronics in the car the suspects were using. Burglaries of occupied homes are "extremely rare" in the county, Johnson said.



"They happen, but not very often," he said. "Criminals know folks in Autauga County have guns and know how to use them."

Lansing, Michigan



From the Detroit's WDIV ClickOnDetroit.com of January 6, 2004

Alleged Thief Confrontation Ends In Death



Police think a man who was shot to death tried to rob another man in an apartment and got into a gunfight. Officers arrived at a Lansing apartment complex around 11 p.m. Sunday to find an unconscious man in the hallway and another man in an apartment shot twice in the torso, Lt. Bruce Ferguson of the Lansing Police Department told the Lansing State Journal Monday. The man in the hallway died later. He had not been identified by Monday evening.



Investigators said they believe the dead man tried to rob the other man in his apartment, but the confrontation ended in gunfire. The surviving gunshot victim, a 36-year-old whose name Ferguson would not release, was in serious but stable condition Monday evening at a local hospital.



Police planned to question the hospitalized victim as soon as he was able to talk.

Pitttsburgh, Pennsylvania



From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette of January 4, 2004

Store owner wounds man during robbery attempt



A man was injured last night while trying to rob a convenience store in the Hill District, city police said.



Police said that around 8:30 p.m., two men entered Ann's Market at Webster Avenue and Somers Street, brandished a firearm and demanded money from the store owner.



The owner, who had been robbed before, pulled out a gun and fired five times at the robbers, police said. One of the suspects was hit in the chest and both ran out of the store.



The injured man ran to a house about a block away on Webster Avenue. Medics were called to the scene and the man was taken to UPMC Presbyterian, where he was in critical condition last night. The other assailant fled.



Police said no charges will be filed against the store owner, and charges are pending against the wounded suspect.

Albuquerque, New Mexico



From Albuquerque's KOBTV.com of January 4, 2004

Intruder Shot trying to Burglarize Albuquerque Home



The intruder who was shot while trying to burglarize a Northwest Albuquerque home is in stable condition.



APD says Jacob Lopez Broke into Vior Perin’s home Saturday night near Cordova and 4th streets. Perin and his Neighbor, Rocki Herrera, got into a fight with the intruder.



Lopez beat Perin with a lead pipe and Perin then shot Lopez.



Perin, the homeowner was released last night from the hospital after being treated for lacerations.



Herrera suffered minor injuries.Lopez will be charged with larceny, aggravated burglary, kidnapping, robbery and assault.

Houston, Texas



From Houston's KHOU.com of January 1, 2004

Houston homeowner shoots alleged intruder



A man, who police say attempted to break into a home, was hospitalized after being shot by a homeowner Wednesday night.



Houston police report that the man apparently tried to break into a home on Lomax in north Houston around 9:30 p.m., when the homeowner allegedly shot the man through the door as he tried to enter the home.



There is no word at this time if charges will be filed against the homeowner. The case has been referred to the D.A.'s office.

Clifton Springs, New York



From the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle of January 4, 2004

Suspect in burglary shot in face



Ontario County sheriff’s deputies said a man is recovering from facial injuries after he was shot by a homeowner early Saturday.



Deputies said a resident of 1294 King Road called 911 to report a burglary in progress after hearing glass break and seeing someone outside the home with a flashlight at 2:19 a.m.



While the caller waited for deputies to arrive, the suspect attempted to lift a rear window to gain entry into the home.



A man inside the house got a .22-caliber rifle from his bedroom and fired three rounds through the window, deputies said. The suspect, who was struck in the face by one round and numerous glass shards, was found on Route 96, they said.



The injured man was flown to Strong Memorial Hospital by Mercy Flight Central and was in stable condition, deputies said.

UPDATE: Good news from the January 5, 2004 Finger Lakes Times:

The teenager who sheriff’s deputies say was shot as he tried to break into a King Road house early Saturday has been charged, but the homeowner won’t be.



Nathan J. Rosekrans, 16, of 3145 Route 96, Clifton Springs, is accused of second-degree attempted burglary and possession of burglars’ tools.

Claremore, Oklahoma



From the Claremore Daily Progress of January 02, 2004

Burglary suspect remains hospitalized after being shot



A burglary suspect remains hospitalized after being shot early Thursday morning.



Investigator Larry Elkin with the Rogers County sheriff’s office said Benjamin James Marshall, 22, was shot in the chest with a .45 caliber handgun.



Richard Young, 65, shot Marshall after he allegedly discovered Marshall in his business at 24906 S. Highway 66. The business is listed as B&S Light Industries.



Marshall had allegedly broken into the building and Young confronted him through a window.



Elkin said Young stated Marshall was making “aggressive moves” and Young feared Marshall was going for a weapon.



Young fired on Marshall, striking him once under the arm. Marshall was taken to St. Francis Hospital where he was treated for a single gun shot wound.



Elkin said the exterior lights at the business had been broken out, apparently by Marshall.



...



After the incident, sheriff’s deputies attempted to contact Marshall’s father, James Kirk Marshall, but were advised he was currently in prison serving time for manufacturing methamphetamine.

Columbus, Ohio



From Columbus' nbc4columbus.com of January 02, 2004

Suspect Shot In Home Invasion Attempt



Two home invasion suspects were in custody and another was hospitalized Friday morning following a shooting during their attempted invasion, NewsChannel 4 reported.



The three robbers broke into a woman's house on North Roys Avenue, but police said the woman got a gun and fired at them. A robber who was hit showed up several blocks away on North Wheatland Avenue with injuries. He was taken to a local hospital.

Also, WBNS Channel 10 covered the story:

A Columbus mother grabbed a gun and defended her family against armed robbers. Columbus police say four juveniles with a gun kicked in the door of a home on North Roys Avenue near West Broad Street early this morning. A mother in a bedroom fired on the robbers to defend herself and her two young children. One suspect was hit in the buttocks. He dropped his gun and all four fled.