Cooke County, Texas



From the Gainesville Daily Register of July 26, 2004

County investigates shooting of alleged burglar



The Cooke County Sheriff's office investigators are continuing to look into a shooting that occurred Sunday when a homeowner surprised a would-be burglar leaving his house.



Sheriff Mike Compton said Jack Anthony Smith, 40, arrived at his house at 3503 Hemming Road in southern Cooke County with his wife about 9 p.m. Sunday and saw a man leaving it with bags of their household's items. Compton said the door to the house had been kicked in to gain entry.



"He tried to get him to stop," Compton said. "He couldn't get him to stop."



Smith then shot William Wayne Elliot, 27, in his left leg with a .45 handgun as he ran down the Smith's driveway in order to keep him from leaving with the family's possessions, according to Compton. The sheriff said where the gun was located prior to the shooting was part of the case and declined to say if Smith had the gun in the car or the house.



Elliot, who is formerly of Whitesboro but now with an unknown current address, was transported by CareFlite from the scene to Harris Methodist Medical Center in Fort Worth. Monday morning Compton said Elliot was listed in stable condition.



Compton said the sheriff's department is preparing burglary charges to file against Elliot.



As for if charges will be filed against Smith, Compton said the case remains under investigation and declined to say.



"This is a case of a homeowner defending his home," he said.

No subsequent stories about this incident were found

Orange Park, Florida



From Jacksonville’s Jacksonville.com of August 28, 2004

1 killed as robbery goes bad



Home invasion suspects encounter card players with guns in hand, too



Three armed men burst into an Orange Park-area home late Wednesday, pointing guns at four men who were playing cards inside.



Several of the card-players responded with gunfire, killing one of the intruders and prompting the two others and a possible accomplice waiting outside to flee, said Clay County Sheriff Scott Lancaster.



Two of the men who may have been responsible for what was apparently a home invasion robbery gone awry were quickly identified after a witness who noticed a "suspicious vehicle" in the neighborhood at the time jotted down its license tag and notified the sheriff's office, Lancaster said.



"We're always talking about partnerships with our community and these partnerships can solve crimes," Lancaster said. "Even before we had begun processing the scene, we got a call from a witness ... and within an hour we had two suspects."



Those two suspects were arrested and charged with attempted home invasion robbery and felony murder. They were being processed into the Clay County Jail early Thursday afternoon and their names had not been released. The third suspect, the possible accomplice who did not enter the house, was still at large.



The name of the intruder who was killed was being withheld pending notification of next of kin.



The names of the people in the house also had not been released. Lancaster said his office and the State Attorney's Office determined they acted in self-defense and would not be charged with the shooting.

Muncie, Indiana



From the Munster Northwest Indiana Times of August 28, 2004

Robbery suspects were in no hurry to help wounded comrade



Four would-be bandits drove nearly 90 minutes before they decided to get help for one of them who had been shot in the stomach when their robbery attempt turned into a shoot-out, police said Thursday.



And when they did get help, the other three wouldn't go to the hospital.



Instead, fearing they would be caught by the police, the men, all from the Chicago area, dropped their accomplice off with a friend in Johnson County.



The injured would-be bandit, identified by police as 20-year-old Dustin Fredericksen of Lowell, Ind., was being treated late Thursday at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis.



Fredericksen was shot when he and three other men, two of whom are now in custody, walked into Prairie Creek Pawn Shop wearing masks. Before anyone exchanged a word, Fredericksen held a revolver to a potato as if it was a silencer and fired it at the head of owner Adam Kennedy who immediately drew his own gun and fired back, according to witnesses and police.



In all, at least four shots were fired within 10 seconds as Kennedy and three of the men stood about 10 feet from each other.



Investigators said Thursday they believe that the four men planned to shoot Kennedy and then rob him.



"They were going to shoot him right off the bat," Muncie Police Sgt. Al Williams said. "It was by the grace of God [Kennedy] didn't get shot."

…

Since the robbery, Kennedy has reopened his pawn shop, although it was closed for nearly a day while he cleaned up pieces of the potato splattered throughout the store when Fredericksen tried unsuccessfully to use it as a silencer.



The owner said he plans to install some "security devices" to protect him in the future.



As for the gun. It's still going to be at his side.



"If I didn't have my gun, I wouldn't be talking right now," he said. "I always wondered what I would do in that situation. Now I know."

Hardeeville, South Carolina



From the Beaufort Gazette of August 25, 2004

Police: Man killed breaking into home



A Hardeeville man shot and killed an intruder who broke into home early Monday morning, Jasper County Sheriff's officials said.



Michael Jenkins, 32, of Hardeeville, was shot in the leg and face by Michael Grant, 28, when he broke down Grant's door at 12:41 a.m., according to police.



Maj. Sam Woodward of the Jasper County Sheriff's Office said Grant shot the intruder with a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol moments after his home security alarm went off.



"The suspect tried to enter the house using a crowbar and kicking in the door," Woodward said. "When he kicked the door in, the homeowner fired shots."



Jenkins was taken to Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah, where he was pronounced dead at approximately 4:30 a.m., Woodward said.



Grant, who lives alone, was questioned by police, but was not charged in the incident, Woodward said. The Solicitor's Office will make the final call on whether charges are warranted, he said.



Woodward said the case is under investigation, and that police believe there was another suspect with Jenkins before he was shot. No one was in custody as of Monday evening.



South Carolina laws regarding the use of lethal force by a victim in a home invasion are less strict than in other states, said Prof. Kenneth Gaines, a criminal law professor at the University of South Carolina School of Law.



"A lot of states say there has to be a gun or other serious weapons involved before you can use deadly force," Gaines said, adding that Grant will most likely not be charged in the shooting. "If (Jenkins) was in the house, I would doubt there will be any prosecution. In South Carolina, if somebody is breaking into your home, you can assume they are coming in to do something to you, and you are allowed to use deadly force."

Sunset Hills, Missouri



From the August 25, 2004 St. Louis Post-Dispatch:

A homeowner in Sunset Hills fatally shot an intruder who pushed his way into the house and used a "stun gun," police said. It happened about 6 a.m. Wednesday in the 12600 block of Old Gravois Road, at a relatively-isolated house surrounded by trees.



Police said the owner retrieved a small-caliber handgun before answering a knock on his back door. A man standing outside asked for gasoline and then forced his way in, shocking the resident with an electric stun gun, investigators were told. The owner fired one shot into the chest of the intruder, who turned and ran about 200 yards before falling dead.



Sunset Hills police said it appeared to be a justified use of a firearm in self defense. They said there was no apparent connection between the men, and surmised that the intruder had picked the house at random for a robbery. Nobody else was seriously hurt. The homeowner's name was not released.

Gainesville, Florida



From Orlando’s WESH.com of July 12, 2004

Woman Claims Self-Defense In Man's Death



A Gainesville woman who killed her boyfriend over the weekend said it was a case of self-defense.



No charges have been filed against Shannon Cherise Allen. She said Willie Love Alston threatened her with a knife before she shot him at their home early Sunday. Alston died at a hospital Sunday afternoon.



Investigators talked to Allen for several hours before deciding not to file any charges. The case is being turned over to the State Attorney's office, so charges are still possible after further review.

No subsequent stories about this incident were found.

Montgomery, Alabama



From the Montgomery Advertiser of August 24, 2004

No charges in shooting deaths



The district attorney calls it self-defense and the Autauga County grand jury ruled no crime occurred, but the mother of a man killed Dec. 11, 2002, at a Prattville drug house calls it murder.



The grand jury didn't return any indictments in the case in which Marcus DaWayne Seago, 46, of Prattville and Irving Jackson, 29, of Montgomery were killed.



The grand jury wrapped up deliberations last Thursday and released its report Monday. District Attorney Randall Houston said the men were there to rob the place of money and drugs. No arrests had been made before the grand jury took up the case.



"We feel there was illegal activities going on in the home; drug-related activities," Houston said. "But the people at the home have the right to defend themselves. Marcus Seago and Irving Jackson went there to rob the place, and they got killed for their trouble."



(More)

Chesapeake, Virginia



From Norfolk’s WAVY.com of August 23, 2004

Chesapeake Police Seek Three Suspects After Shots Exchanged With Homeowner



Chesapeake police are looking for three suspects after they say a homeowner exchanged gunfire with the three early Monday morning.



According to officials, a man in the 1700 block of Cedar Road heard his dog barking in his Deep Creek backyard just before 4:00am.



When he went to investigate, police say he found three individuals that appeared to be stealing equipment from his neighbor's truck.



The man - who police have not identified - says when he confronted the three, they fired gunshots towards him. He then returned fire with his own gun.



No one was hurt.



Police say they are looking for three black males driving a black Ford Explorer.



The trio could be charged with attempted malicious wounding.

Las Vegas, Nevada



From Las Vegas’ KLAS-TV.com of August 20, 2004

Homeowner Kills Intruder Neighbor



It was a strange day on the city's southeast side Friday. A man shot and killed his neighbor after the neighbor broke into his home. It all happened around 2 a.m. near Hacienda and Pecos.



Sgt. Mike Thompson, with Metro Homicide, said, "It was a struggle -- blows between the suspect and victim."



The incident was the result of a bizarre home invasion leaving one man dead and one family traumatized. "About 1:30 this morning, both residents heard a loud crash. The homeowner armed himself with a pistol," Sgt. Thompson continued.



What's unusual was that the intruder and the victims were backyard neighbors. The strange chain of events started when the intruder -- identified by friends as George Morrelli -- started banging on a neighbor's door and then broke into his backyard neighbor's home.



But the homeowner there was armed and ready. Sgt. Thompson said, "He met the intruder and got involved with the intruder. He discharged his weapon."

…

Sgt. Thompson said, "He appears to have some type of mental illness. He apparently exhibited some strange behavior over the last few months."



The man's bizarre behavior included smashing his own satelite dish and shooting his own TV set. No one knows what made George Morrelli snap. But neighbors say he was heavily medicated and had difficulty coping with his Vietnam War experience.



It is unlikely the homeowner will face criminal charges since police say he was defending his life, his family and his home.

Palmer, Massachusetts



From the August 18, 2004 Boston Herald:

As Al Jurkowski tells it, the 300-pound black bear had murder in his eyes when he ambled out of the night and onto his front porch.



The bear had already terrorized the Palmer farmhouse twice, taking a swipe at Jurkowski's Chihuahuas and downing a bag of birdseed. At 9 p.m. Sunday, the bear returned, this time getting so close Jurkowski said he could feel its breath.



``The thing was right in my face and I let him have it four times with my Ithica (shotgun),'' he said. ``I'm not a vengeful person, but I had to do something.''



The bear, a 3- to 5-year-old male, died on Jurkowski's lawn as his wife prayed in a locked bedroom. Environmental police said the shooting was justified given the bear's proximity to the house.



Jurkowski, a 56-year-old carpenter, said the bear had been stalking his family for a week. The first encounter happened Aug. 8, when the bear reached through a window and took a swipe at one of Jurkowski's three dogs.



He returned again about 8 p.m. Sunday while Jurkowski and his wife, Marjorie, were watching the Olympics. ``He was standing on the porch with his paws up as high as he could stretch and he had a 100-pound bag of sunflower seeds in his mouth,'' Jurkowski said.



Jurkowski rushed inside and told his wife to call 911. Palmer police arrived minutes later and chased the bear into the woods with flashlights and sirens. The cops told the Jurkowskis not to worry; the bear would probably be too scared to return.



But less than an hour later, Jurkowski saw the hulking animal heading for his doorway, which was guarded only by a flimsy screen and his three yapping Chihuahuas.



``He was 5 feet away when I fired my first shot,'' Jurkowski said. ``I shot three more times and then my gun jammed. He gave a humongous roar, and I ran into the house.''

Aurora, Colorado



From the Aurora Daily Sun & Sentinel of August 10, 2004

Officials: No charges in Sunday shooting



Colorado’s Make My Day Law will likely keep an Aurora man from facing charges after he shot a gun-toting intruder in the face Sunday morning, police said.



Police said the a 19-year-old man and another 20-year-old man were surprised about 10:30 a.m. Aug. 8 when two armed men barged into the house at 805 Oakland St.



One of residents got a gun and a gunfight erupted inside the house. At one point, one of the intruders was shot in the face, and the two intruders fled.



The injured man later turned up at an area hospital for treatment and was arrested. He was later identified as 21-year-old Johnathon Vann. Police said neither Aurora man were injured. The other suspect was not identified and remains at large.



Charges are not expected to be filed against the resident of the house because he is protected under Colorado’s Make My Day Law, police said.



The Make My Day Law allows residents to use “justifiable use of force” against intruders into their homes as long as residents have reason to believe that an intruder may commit a crime other than the illegal entry and have a legitimate belief that the intruder will physically harm them.

Texarkana, Texas

From the Texarkana Gazette of August 17, 2004

Pistol-packer scares thieves

One of four burglars pointed a pistol at a Bowie County homeowner but then fled when the homeowner shot at him.

Investigators with the Bowie County Sheriff's Department are looking for the four men, who fled in a dark-colored four-door Ford Escort.

Investigators are not certain if the one thief was injured.

"He (the homeowner) is not sure if he hit him or not," said Bowie County Sheriff James Prince.

The incident occurred about 3 p.m. Monday on County Road 1303 off U.S. Highway 67.

"The resident had left the house for about 10 to 15 minutes and when he returned, he found four men in the process of breaking into his home," Prince said.

The burglars had taken guns and a DVD player, Prince said.

As the homeowner pulled into the yard, one of the suspects pulled a pistol on him, Prince said.

However, the homeowner had a pistol in his truck and used it to shoot at the suspect, Prince said.

Prince said the homeowner had every right to protect his home and property.

"Especially if he (a burglar) is pointing a gun at you," he said.

Smithtown, New York



From Long Island’s Newsday of August 16, 2004

Robbery foiled



An adult video store clerk shot a robber in the arm, and then himself in the hand, while fending off the assailant who came in demanding money Saturday afternoon, Suffolk police said.



John McMurray was working at the store on Jericho Turnpike at about 4:30 p.m. when a man armed with a metal pipe arrived, police spokesman Officer Sonny Di Stefano said.



McMurray, 67, of Bohemia, gave the man, Stanley Hagzan, 50, of 29 Johnson Ave. in Kings Park, some cash. Hagzan then tied up McMurray, Di Stefano said.



The clerk was soon able to free himself and then reached for his licensed revolver and shot at Hagzan. Hagzan swung a pipe at McMurray when he realized the clerk was no longer tied up, Di Stefano said.



McMurray told police he wasn't sure if he had hit him, and that Hagzan fled in a vehicle. McMurray, who accidentally shot himself in the hand, was taken to St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center in Smithtown, where he was treated and released.



Meanwhile, someone drove Hagzan to the same hospital, where officials contacted police just before 5 p.m. saying that they were treating someone with a gunshot wound to his right arm, Di Stefano said.



Police arrested Hagzan after McMurray identified him as the robber. Hagzan was charged with first-degree robbery. Because he was being held at the hospital, his arraignment was postponed yesterday, court officials said.

…

Di Stefano said there would be no criminal charges against McMurray because he was acting in self-defense.

Macon, Georgia



From the Macon Telegraph of August 15, 2004

Macon man acquitted in Village Green fatal shooting



A Bibb County jury found a Macon man not guilty late Friday night in a December 2003 shotgun slaying in the Village Green neighborhood.



After deliberating about six hours, the jury acquitted Marshal Lee Wright, 60, on charges of murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, said Wright's attorney, Althea Buafo.

…

On Dec. 12, Wright fatally shot Freddie Johnson, 37, in front of Wright's home at 2997 Deeb Drive.

…

Johnson was trying to break up a fight that spilled into Wright's yard, witnesses said.



When Wright told the men to leave, Johnson pushed Wright in the face and told him to mind his own business, according to the police report.



Johnson threatened to shoot Wright's house and harm him, so Wright went inside and got a shotgun, Buafo said.



Once Wright had the gun, Johnson approached him and told Wright to shoot, she said.



"Mr. Wright's perception was that this person was dangerous," Buafo said.



Although police did not find a weapon on Johnson, Wright believed he was armed and fired the gun to defend his home and family, she said.



During the trial, Buafo said she called witnesses to testify about the criminal activity in the neighborhood and Wright's reputation as a "hard working, middle-class American," who recently retired after 32 years at Armstrong World Industries.

…

Many of those testifying for the prosecution had been convicted of prior illegal activity, Felton said.



Johnson had been arrested 21 times, mostly on drug charges, Lt. David Davis of the Bibb County Sheriff's Office said in December.

Indianapolis, Indiana



From the Indianapolis Star of August 14, 2004

1 killed, 1 injured in attempted robbery



An attempted robbery Friday night at a Mexican grocery in Castleton erupted in an exchange of gunfire that left one person dead and a store employee severely wounded, authorities said.



Marion County Sheriff's Capt. Phil Burton said the attempted robbery occurred shortly after 9 p.m. at Don Victor's Grocery, 8255 Craig St.



The store was still open, past its 8 p.m. closing hour, when two men entered. A third man, who police believe was a lookout, waited outside in the parking lot of the small shopping center.



Burton said two store employees were inside. An argument broke out, and one of the men pulled out a gun and fired. One of the store employees then returned fire, and the robber and the employee were each struck by three bullets.



Two medical helicopters landed in the parking lot, but the robber, who was shot in the face, chest and arm, already had died.



The wounded store employee, who was shot in the chest and twice in the right knee, was taken to Methodist Hospital in what appeared to be critical condition, Burton said.

Tulsa, Oklahoma



From Tulsa‘s KOTV.com of July 14, 2004

Tulsa Police Investigate Fatal Shooting



The News on 6 has the names of those involved in a deadly midtown Tulsa shooting Tuesday night.



Tulsa Police say John Anderson was confronted on his front porch on 15th Street between Yale and Sheridan Tuesday night by his 21-year-old son, Steve and Steve's 56-year-old roommate, Carl Billetdoux.



They say the father had a shotgun and told his son and Billetdoux to leave. That's when officers say Billetdoux went to a truck and got his "own" gun. He went back to the porch and pointed it at the father, but the father fired first, hitting him in the chest.



The son took his injured roommate to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. No arrests have been made in the case.

A subsequent July 28th story in the Tulsa World reported, “Calling it ‘a classic case of self-defense,’ prosecutors declined to file charges Tuesday against a man who fatally shot his son's roommate.”

Haines City, Florida



From the Tampa Tribune of August 11, 2004

Clerk Shoots At Robbers, Killing 1



A clerk at a check-cashing business opened fire Tuesday on two would-be robbers, hitting one man who was later found dead in Lake Alfred, officials said.



Two men armed with handguns entered the Mr. Money store about 11 a.m. and demanded money, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office. The clerk pulled a handgun of her own and fired three shots, hitting Thomas Wiley, sheriff's spokeswoman Michel Shanley said.



Authorities issued a warrant for Taurean Brown, 22, of Davenport. Police suspect he is the second gunman, Shanley said.



Brown faces charges of attempted armed robbery with a firearm and second-degree murder because there was a death involved as a result of the crime, Shanley said.



Wiley and Brown were apparently caught by surprise and did not return fire as they left the store, said Haines City police Lt. Fred Daniell.

Little Rock, Arkansas



From Little Rock‘s KARK.com of August 9, 2004

Robbery Suspect Dies In Early Morning Gun Battle



A man, believed to have committed his fourth robbery in the early morning hours on Monday, died from a fatal gunshot wound.



Police say an employee from the nightclub "The Palace" heard gunshots and raced outside to see what happened.



It was there, police say, he witnessed 29-year old Cortelyous Johnson and two other men in the middle of a robbery.



Police say the suspects fired first; the employee returned the fire, hitting Johnson. He was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.



23-year old Gregory Williams and 22-year old Jarrett Johnson were both charged with four counts of aggravated robbery and one count of capital murder.



The club employee hasn`t been charged.

Longview, Washington



From the Longview, Washington Daily News of July 15, 2004:

Before one of his former shoeshine boys attacked him with a screwdriver Wednesday, Longview barber Keith Chuinard thought the man was acting strangely.



Luther "Luke" Moore, 31, came by Vision City Barber Shop at 1311 Hudson St. shortly after noon and asked Chuinard, the owner and his former employer, to play chess.



"I thought nothing of it -- he came around to visit once in awhile," said Chuinard, 70, who said he taught Moore to play the game.



Chuinard noticed that Moore, whom he described as "smart" and "good at" chess, wasn't playing well.



He said Moore got up to use the bathroom twice. After returning the second time, Moore attacked Chuinard, who had his back turned, with Chuinard's own Philips screwdriver, Chuinard said. He said he was stabbed several times in the arm and back.



By 3:30 p.m., Chuinard, who was taken to St. John Medical Center and treated, was back at work. Moore was in custody after police tracked him down at a nearby apartment building.



"He attacked me, I think, with the intent to kill," Chuinard told a Daily News reporter later in the evening. "I didn't know he had punctured me. I grabbed his wrist and slammed him up against the wall. Then I tripped and I was on my back, and I kept kicking him, fighting him off. I got up, and I got a gun out of the drawer here" behind a barber's chair, he said.



Chuinard said Moore ran out of the shop when he saw the gun, a .38 caliber handgun.

East St. Louis, Illinois



From St. Louis’ KSDK.com of August 9, 2004



You Go, Girl!

Woman Fires Gun During Break In Attempt



Police are questioning three juveniles suspected of trying to break into an East St. Louis home. If they are the culprits, they got more than they bargained for when the homeowner used her gun.



Nina Sloan, 87, may have trouble walking because of her arthritis, but she has no problems wielding a gun. Wednesday around 10:00 p.m., intruders tried to break into Sloan's home, "They broke this down to unlatch the door, that's what they were going to do, see. I wasn't going to let them do that."



Sloan fired two shots with her .38 special but missed her target, "See if I had been right over here, I would've gotten him in the right in the belly."



East St. Louis Police Deputy Chief Rudy McIntosh happened to be in the neighborhood when he responded to the 911 call, "I got there within a minute or so and she still had the weapon in her hand ready to shoot again and I had to holler out, 'police, police.'"



The very next day, police caught three juveniles burglarizing another home just down the block. They believe those three are the same ones who tried to break into Sloan's home.



Deputy Chief McIntosh said, "I've been in law enforcement for 10 years now, I've seen scenarios where people have preyed on the elderly and burglarized their home and left them dead, so she did the right thing."



Neighbors are now trying to help fix the damage and remove the weeds surrounding the home. A neighbor told Sloan, "What we'll do is clear that out and at least it will give them less of a hiding place. I've also got to find a carpenter to come in and repair this door."



When asked if she was afraid, Sloan answered, "Uh-uh. Ain't afraid of nothing. I don't fear nobody but God." And she's not afraid of the intruders coming back. Sloan said, "I ain't looking for trouble, but when they come in here they got a lot of trouble."

Detroit, Michigan



From Detroit‘s ClickOnDetroit.com of August 9, 2004

Security Guard Reportedly Foils Carjacking



Two Men Shot; Three Arrested



A former police officer reportedly turned the tables on a group of men who tried to carjack him Sunday morning.



Five men tried to steal the victim's truck from a construction site at Vernor and Cabot in southwest Detroit around 5 a.m., according to police. The victim, who was working as a security guard, is reportedly a former Troy police officer.



The security guard fired shots at the group of men, hitting two of them, police said. They were both taken to a hospital where one was listed in critical condition.



The three other men were arrested.



The security guard was not hurt. His name was not released.

Chillicothe, Ohio



From the Chillicothe Gazette of August 9, 2004

Senior citizen foils two burglary attempts



70-year-old man wrestles down one suspect, shoots at others



The message was clear, and it was delivered by a feisty 70-year-old man twice in one night last week.



That message -- I refused to be victimized.



Robert Gillum thwarted a pair of burglary attempts Wednesday in his Douglas Avenue home, sending the would-be thieves scurrying away without any money.



According to a police report, the elderly man was alone inside his home watching television when, around 10:15 p.m., an unknown man came into his house demanding money. Gillum told officers the man, whom he could identify only as being 5 feet 6 inches tall with a medium build, raised his arm and may have had a handgun inside a sock.



Before Gillum complied with the intruder's request he lunged at the thief and the two began to wrestle. Gillum was struck once in the mouth with the intruder's weapon. After the struggle, the man ran from Gillum's home while Gillum called police.



"I know he had a gun, but I guess I'm a little crazy," he said. "I don't know why I did it. I just didn't feel like being screwed around."



The incident was shocking to Gillum, but before he was able to fully gain his composure, he was faced with another would-be robber.



And just like the first time, the elderly man wouldn't go down without a fight.



The second attempted robbery took place about 90 minutes later, and this time the attacker knocked Gillum to the floor, took his wallet and fled the scene. Gillum got to his feet, grabbed a .410-caliber Derringer from his living room and fired two shots at the suspect's vehicle as it sped away.

Gloster, Louisiana



From Shreveport’s KTBS.com of August 8, 2004

Former officer called 'domestic terrorist'



Calling them "domestic terrorists," a state district judge in DeSoto Parish has sentenced a former Shreveport police officer to 40 years in prison for an attempted home invasion where the homeowner got a gun and shot at them.



Kevin Burford, who became a suspect after he was arrested for trying to rob an ATM in Shreveport, was sentenced by Judge Robert Burgess for attempted robbery.



Burford's wife, Gretchen, received a 30-year prison term.



The attempted home invasion happened in Gloster. District Attorney Don Burkett said a woman went to the door, told the man who lived there she had car trouble and asked to use the phone. Shortly after he let her in, a man wearing a ski mask knocked and tried to get in through the storm door.



The masked man threatened to shoot the homeowner, who grabbed the woman as a shield. He went to the bedroom, got a gun and fired at the would-be robbers.

Norwalk, Ohio



From the Toledo Blade of March 16, 2004

Gunshot victim matches description of intruder



A north-central Ohio man was in serious condition yesterday, suffering from injuries that officials say they believe to be related to a report of an armed intruder being shot by residents in Erie County.



Thomas W. Fulton Jr., 47, of Shelby, remained in Medical College of Ohio Hospitals yesterday where he was taken after walking into a used car dealership in Norwalk on Friday afternoon, saying he had been shot.



He matched the description of an armed intruder who entered a Berlin Township home in Erie County and was shot by residents, Erie County Sheriff Terry Lyons said. The home is about 10 miles away from the car dealership where Fulton stopped for help.



Law enforcement officials have confiscated weapons from the home where the intruder had been shot.



At least three adults were in the home at the time, Sheriff Lyons said.

Subsequent news items firmly connected Fulton to the intrusion.

Salt Lake City, Utah



From the Salt Lake Tribune of August 6 2004

Homeowner shoots intruder crawling through dog door



He tried coming in through a dog door early Thursday and got a shot - but not the kind that protects against rabies.



Scott Frankhauser attempted to enter a home near 5100 South and 2900 East, where his estranged wife and children are living.



But the home's owner, seeing that the creature crawling through the dog door was not a canine, shot Frankhauser, said Salt Lake County sheriff's Sgt. Rosie Rivera.



Frankhauser, 33, was treated at Cottonwood Hospital for injuries to his forearm and later booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on suspicion of two counts of burglary and one count of theft, Rivera said.



The homeowner was not arrested but the shooting remained under investigation Thursday afternoon, she said.

Grand Rapids, Michigan



From Grand Rapids‘ WOODTV.com of August 6, 2004

Store owner shoots alleged robber



A Grand Rapids store owner shot a man during a robbery attempt.



It happened around 10:20 a.m. Friday at Willie's Food in the 1400 block of Eastern Avenue SE.



Detectives call this a possible case of self defense.



Police say the suspect confronted the store owner, Leon Moody, with a handgun, but Moody feared for his life so he grabbed his own gun and fired, hitting the suspect one time.



Witnesses say the suspect, a young man, then ran out of the store yelling, jumped into a truck and fled the scene.



Police caught up with the suspect at a hospital where he was getting treatment for his injuries which are not life threatening.



Several witnesses were around the scene to hear the gunshots and get a glimpse of the suspect. Police have interviewed those witnesses.



Investigators also recovered two handguns at the scene, one that belongs to Moody and the other they believe was used by the suspect in the robbery attempt.



Moody told police his gun is registered.

Norcross, Georgia



From Atlanta’s WXIA11.com of August 6, 2004

Intruder Shot by Armed Resident



An armed resident of an apartment unit in Norcross, Ga. shot a suspect three times as the man tried to break in through a window early Friday morning, Gwinnett County police said.



The suspect fled and police found him locked inside a bathroom in the apartment complex, located on Indian Trail. A SWAT team responded to the scene at 4:15 a.m., forced their way into the apartment, and took the suspect into custody.



The suspect, 18-year-old Corey Akinyele, is being treated for non-life threatening injuries at Gwinnett Medical Center. Investigators planned to charge him in the case later Friday.



The resident, Jorge Leal, will not be charged.

Orange Park, Florida



From Jacksonville’s Jacksonville.com of July 14, 2004

Orange Park man dies from gunshot wounds



Homicide detectives with the Clay County Sheriff's Office Monday were investigating the death of an Orange Park man from gunshot wounds inflicted by a female acquaintance Friday evening at her home.



Danny Ray Norman, 54, died after being shot in the head and chest about 7:40 p.m. in the 400 block of Tara Lane in the Meadowbrook Terrace neighborhood.



In a 911 call, Lynda Rector, 53, said a man was injured in her home and hung up, said Mary Justino, a Sheriff's Office spokeswoman. Later, investigators were told the shooting was in self defense.



"Investigators believe Rector and Norman dated in the past and that an altercation of some sort may have led to the shooting," Justino said.



The victim, a computer analyst, was taken to Orange Park Medical Center, then transferred by helicopter to Shands Jacksonville hospital, where he was pronounced dead.



Neither Rector nor Norman has a criminal record in Clay County.

No subsequent stories about this incident were found

Winslow, Arkansas



From the Springfield, MO News-Leader of June 13, 2004

Prosecutor: Homeowner may be protected by defense law



The Washington County prosecutor says a homeowner who shot an intruder to death Thursday may be protected by Arkansas' home defense law.



Homeowner Randy Grizzle, 55, was not arrested or charged after he told police that he had shot an intruder who was trying to flee.



The intruder turned out to be former neighbor Carl Worden, who was already in his parked car trying to get away when Grizzle shot him once in the chest with his hunting rifle.



Prosecutor Terry Jones said any charges brought against Grizzle would test the state law that justifies deadly force when someone is protecting his or her home during a break-in.



"We'll have to look at this through the eyes of someone who lives in the country and is several minutes to an hour away from response by a police officer," Jones said.



Winslow is situated along Highway 71 between Fayetteville and Ft. Smith.



Jones said that the law could extend to justifying deadly force even when the intruder is outside the home.



Grizzle lives in a converted barn on a dirt road.

No subsequent stories about this incident were found.

Seminole County, Florida



From Orlando’s Local6.com of April 6, 2004

Man Shoots, Kills Suspected Burglar In Home



A homeowner in Seminole County, Fla., shot and killed a man Tuesday who was allegedly attempting to break into his home, according to Local 6 News.



Authorities said the unidentified homeowner called 911 Tuesday and said that he shot a man in his home.



When deputies arrived at the house on Hillcrest Street at about 6 a.m., they found the suspected burglar dead in the home's doorway.



It has not been determined if the suspected burglar was armed.



The shooting is under investigation.

No subsequent stories about this incident were found

Shreveport, Louisiana



From the Shreveport Times of August 2, 2004

Man hit by gunfire after reportedly stealing bike



35-year-old Shreveport man was shot Saturday after he reportedly stole a bike from a home in the 4400 block of Lakeshore Drive, police said.



Reginald Young of the 1800 block of Nicholson Street was booked into the Caddo Correctional Center on charges of simple burglary.



After Young allegedly stole the bike, the owner caught up to him in the 4400 block of Fairway Drive about 8 p.m. A scuffle broke out and a gun went off; Young was hit in the upper left shoulder, police said.



Young was taken to LSU Hospital in Shreveport. He was charged after his release, police said. Police would not release the name of the victim.



Young was also charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle on an outstanding warrant.

Sweetwater, Texas



From the Sweetwater Reporter of May 28, 2004

Domestic violence results in man hospitalized from gunshot wound



A local man remains hospitalized from a gunshot wound after a domestic argument took a turn for the worst.



At 10 p.m. Thursday Sweetwater Police Department received a 911-call concerning a residence on Hiawatha Street. When law enforcement arrived at the scene, they found one suspect shot and the other with signs of aggravated assault.



Officers at the scene said the couple were involved in an argument that became violent, which resulted in the gun fire. Allegedly the woman shot the man in self-defense after being physically assaulted. The weapon was a .22 caliber gun.



Police transferred the man to Rolling Plains Memorial Hospital where he remains in stable condition. Both suspects were placed in custody, but as of Friday's press time, neither had been booked into the Nolan County Jail. An investigation is pending.

No subsequent stories about this incident were found