Missouri City, Texas



From the Houston Chronicle of December 30, 2004

Pair sought in shooting of teen during break-in



Wounded boy's aunt exchanges fire with intruders



Police are searching for two men who forced their way into a home Thursday and shot and wounded a 16-year-old boy who was asleep.



After the break-in, the teen's aunt, Malika Leverette, 30, grabbed her .45-caliber pistol.



"She exchanged gunfire with them as they were fleeing the home. They escaped," said Missouri City Police Chief Ron Echols.



Echols said the men demanded to see someone who previously lived at the address.



The youth, whose name was not immediately available, was taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital where he was treated and released, Echols said.



The incident occurred about 3 a.m. in the 500 block of Reecewood. Echols said one of the intruders, armed with a 9 mm pistol, fired a shot at the teen who was sleeping on the couch. He was struck in both arms. The youth is from California and was visiting relatives.

Alta Vista, California



From San Diego’s 10News.com of December 22, 2004

Alta Vista Homeowner Shoots Suspected Burglar



An Alta Vista homeowner shot and wounded a burglar Wednesday, 10News reported.



The man fired a warning shot from a handgun when he heard someone trying to break in through the front door of his house in the 1400 block of South 58th Street around 1:30 a.m., Sgt. Bob Dare said.



He fired several more rounds when the burglar broke a window and climbed through, Dare said.



The homeowner then called authorities to report the attempted break-in and shooting.



The burglar, whose name was not immediately reported, was taken to a San Diego hospital and treated for his wounds, Dare said. He is expected to survive.

Hamtramck, Michigan



From Detroit’s ClickOnDetroit.com of December 27, 2004

Clerk Exchanges Shots With Robber At Neighborhood Store



Reward Being Offered For Arrest



Shots were fired during a robbery at a Hamtramck store Sunday afternoon, police said.



Police said a pair of masked men entered Sam's Market and ordered customers to the ground while one of them fired shots in the air.



"We could have had dead bodies everywhere," said Detective Jacqueline Crachiola, of the Hamtramck Police Department.



One of the men allegedly hopped over the counter and entered an office in back of the store, Local 4 reported.



At some point, the store clerk reportedly started wrestling with the gunman behind the counter.



The robbers fled the store with an undisclosed amount of money, but one of the men returned and took aim at the clerk, police said.



A bullet pierced a copy machine and another grazed the collar of the clerk's jacket, the station reported.



Police said the clerk then pulled out a gun and fired back at the robber.



No one was injured during the gunfire, but customers were upset that the nearly 30-year-old market was targeted.

Durham, North Carolina



From the Raleigh·Durham News-Observer of November 15, 2004

Man injured in shooting



A security officer shot and injured a man after a disturbance Saturday night.



Police responded to a disturbance call at the Pueblo Express restaurant at 2721 Guess Road about 10 p.m. and found a man had been shot by a security officer, police said.



One shot had been fired, striking the man in the arm and chest. The victim was taken to Duke Hospital, police said.



Police did not release the names of the security officer or the victim. No arrests had been made late Sunday.

No subsequent stories about this incident were found.

Sparks, Nevada



From the Las Vegas Sun of December 24, 2004

Ex-boyfriend killed in Sparks during confrontation



A man broke into his ex-girlfriend's apartment and threatened her and a friend before he was shot and killed early Friday, Sparks police said.



The name of the deceased was withheld until relatives are notified.



The incident began around 2:40 a.m. when police received a call regarding an unwanted ex-boyfriend at an apartment on Beacon Hill Court, officers said.



When officers arrived they found the ex-boyfriend in an upstairs bedroom with multiple gunshot wounds. He died later at Washoe Medical Center, police said.



Authorities said the man had moved out of the apartment he shared with the woman in late November.



On Thursday, the woman asked a co-worker to help her get a restraining order against her former boyfriend, police said. A restraining order was issued but investigators don't think it had been served yet.



The co-worker, Charles Ketcham, fell asleep at the woman's residence and was there when the ex-boyfriend kicked down the door, police said.



Ketcham was beaten on the head with a metal lamp, police said. The intruder reportedly then attacked the woman, and Ketcham shot him with a handgun.



Ketcham was treated at the hospital for head wounds. The woman refused medical treatment, police said.



An investigation continued.

Sandlick, Virginia



From Dickenson County’s Coalfield.com of December 22, 2004

Elderly victim shoots intruder



After being shot in the leg and scared that he and his wife would would be killed by the two men who had held them hostage for two hours as they ransacked their home, Clyde Colley decided to defend his life and home, investigators say.



Now, one Kentucky man is dead and another is in jail on a long list of charges. Colley, 84, is in Dickenson Community Hospital recovering from the gunshot wound.



At about 8:40 p.m. on Dec. 14, a caller reported to 911 dispatch that a man had been shot at the Colley residence. Dickenson County sheriff's deputies were sent to the home on Route 80 between Haysi High School and Birchleaf.



When officers Scottie Owens and Brett Stallard arrived at the Colley home, they found Hubert Howard Jr., 39, of Letcher County, Ky., dead from a gunshot wound to the head. Police say the shot was fired from a .38-caliber special that belongs to Colley.



Colley was also wounded, suffering a shot to his calf from a .25 caliber gun allegedly fired by one of the intruders. The man accused of shooting Colley, 24-year-old Mazel Sexton, also of Letcher County, had fled the home but was later arrested by local authorities in Kentucky, according to sheriff's investigator John Hall.



Sexton is charged with two counts of robbery, two counts of abduction, two counts of burglary, maliciously shooting with intent to kill, use of a firearm while committing a felony and unlawfully shooting Colley in the commission of a felony.

Lancaster, Pennsylvania



From Lancaster‘s TheWGALChannel of December 22, 2004

Shop Owner, Customer Shoot At Would-Be Robber



An attempted robbery at barber shop in Lancaster led to a shoot-out with the owner and a customer.



Lancaster police said a man armed with a gun held up the Final Fade Barber Shop on North Plum Street around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday.



When the man demanded money, police said the shop owner and a customer shot at the robber.



The would-be robber got away and it's not known if he was injured.

Waterford, California



From Palm Springs’ KESQ.com of December 22, 2004

Authorities: Waterford woman kills live-in boyfriend in self-defense



Stanislaus County authorities say a woman shot and killed the man she lived with early yesterday, apparently after he had beaten her.



The coroner's office identified the dead man as 49-year-old Daniel Hollenbeck of Waterford. The woman's name was not released, and authorities are calling her a domestic violence victim.



Neighbors say the woman often had bruises on her face and body, and Hollenbeck had been repeatedly arrested on domestic violence allegations.



The woman called nine-one-one and told dispatchers she had just shot Hollenbeck. She said she did it to stop him from beating her, according to the sheriff.



The woman was treated at a local hospital, but she was not arrested.

Salinas, California



From Salinas‘ TheKSBWchannel.com of December 21, 2004

Salinas Homeowner Shoots, Kills Alleged Robber



A Salinas man took his family's safety into his own hands Tuesday morning when an alleged robber broke into his home.



Police say that two men armed with weapons broke into the Salinas home on Powell Street around 9 a.m., but the homeowner was still inside, along with his three children.



The homeowner shot one alleged robber. The man was taken to a Salinas hospital, where he later died. The other man is still on the loose.



After the homeowner shot the robbery suspect, he says he ran over to his neighbor's house to call the police and an ambulance.



Neither the homeowner nor his three children were hurt.

Aldine, Texas



From the Houston Chronicle of December 21, 2004

Homeowner shoots, kills intruder in Aldine



A 79-year-old homeowner shot and killed a man who broke into his Aldine area home early today, Houston police said.



The intruder, Robert Hinojosa, 19, of the 200 block of Gulf Bank, was shot one time in the abdomen and died later at Ben Taub Hospital, investigators said.



Hinojosa was burglarizing the residence in the 500 block of Turney near the North Freeway when the homeowner woke up around 1:30 a.m., police reports show. The elderly man repeatedly told Hinojosa to leave, but Hinojosa would not.



The man then shot Hinojosa once while both were still inside the house, police said. No charges have been filed, and the case will be referred to a Harris County grand jury for review.

Oak Hill, Ohio



From the Jackson County Times-Journal of October 11, 2004

Robbery attempt thwarted by homeowner



A robbery attempt, committed on Riegel Ridge Road in Oak Hill, was aborted, Tuesday, after the homeowner fired a gun on one of the intruders.



According to reports from the Jackson County Sheriff's Office, 911 dispatchers received a hang up call from 905 Riegel Ridge Road.



While en route to the scene, the responding officer was advised that there were two more 911 calls received from the residence and that a female had called advising that her father had called her from that address and told her that someone had broke in the house and the garage while he was in the garage.



Upon arriving at the scene, the officer checked and cleared the house and then went to the garage. He observed that the garage door had been kicked several times and the window, of the door, had been knocked out and was on the garage floor.



The officer entered the garage and found the resident, Roy Lundy Sr., 61, holding a large revolver in his hand which he immediately put away in a tool box. The officer asked Lundy if he was okay and he responded yes.



According to the report, Lundy informed the officer that he had been sitting in his wheelchair in the garage when he observed a white Lincoln pull into his driveway, turn around and back up to the house. He saw two white males go toward the back of the house.



At that time, someone began kicking the garage door and Lundy backed his wheelchair into a back corner of the garage. Lundy said that the window was knocked out and a black male entered the garage through the hole in the door where the window once was.



Lundy fired one shot at the intruder and he jumped back through the hole exiting the garage.



(More)

Cleveland, Ohio



From Cleveland‘s ActionNewsNow.com of December 17, 2004

Claiming self-defense, Cleveland grocer kills suspected robber



The operator of a grocery store shot and killed a suspected robber three nights after a gunman killed a clerk and customer at another deli in the city.



Jessie Buchanan, 19, of Lakewood, walked into a grocery Thursday evening with a gun, demanded money and threatened the five people inside. Nadim Shalamy, 71, of Lakewood, shot the robber in the head, police said.



The robber had fired at least one shot, witnesses said.



"He shot a shot, and he missed, and my father didn't miss," said Jeff Shalamy. "If my father didn't shoot him, he would've killed all of them."



Police arrested two men who were waiting in a suspected getaway car. Their names weren't immediately released.

Talladega, Alabama



From the Talladega Daily Home of December 14, 2004

Apparent family dispute leads to shooting death



An apparent family dispute in the Fayetteville community Sunday night left one person dead and has prompted an investigation by the Talladega County Sheriff’s Department.



Martin Benjamin Embry, 24, was pronounced dead at the scene at 5529 Old Fayetteville Road. He was killed by a single shotgun blast to the chest.



Although the investigation remained ongoing Monday afternoon, Chief Deputy Jimmy Kilgore said statements from the numerous eyewitnesses to the incident indicated that Embry had come to his grandfather’s residence, where the shooting occurred, looking for his wife and 2-year-old daughter.



"He made several threats over the course of the evening," Kilgore said, "finally telling everyone there that he was going home, and if his wife and daughter weren’t home with him by 9 p.m., he was going to come back and kill everybody there."



In addition to the wife and child, Talladega County District Attorney Steve Giddens said he believed all of Embry’s grandparents and at least two of his siblings were also in the house at the time.



Embry returned to the house, as promised, at 9 p.m., carrying a rifle, Kilgore said.



"Based on what we’ve found out so far, the grandfather told him several times to put the gun down," according to Kilgore. "Embry then pointed the gun at his grandfather, and the grandfather fired a shotgun and wounded him fatally."



(More)

Houston, Texas



From Houston’s abc13.com of December 11, 2004

Homeowner and neighbor fire back against home invasion suspects



Shots fired inside a home in The Heights during a violent home invasion. Moments later, the victim's neighbor tried to help and he started shooting, too.



Police are still looking for suspects. It happened on 23rd at Baylor. Neighbors are still shocked over the incident that left more than a little mark on this quiet neighborhood.



Neighbor Benny Grable said, "A little bit before seven it sounded like a war zone out here."



It was a scene Benny and his wife Alice won't soon forget..



"Of course, I was scared," said Alice Grable. "It's not something you have happen every Saturday morning when you're still asleep."



Gunfire erupted just yards from their front door. Bullets piercing walls, trees -- almost anything that got in the way.



HPD Officer Keith Lovelace said, "A lot we're not sure the total, but several shots fired."



Police say it all began with a home invasion. Three people were home when two suspects broke through a glass window to gain entry into the house. Once inside, that's when police say the gun battle began.



"Inside the house they exchanged gunfire with the owner," explained Officer Lovelace.



The tenant fought off the intruders for several minutes. That's when police say others got involved. Shortly after the break in, a neighbor who lives just one door away came running over to this house. That's when he exchanged fire with the suspects.



Officer Lovelace said, "Neighbor never goes inside, he exchanges gunfire from outside the residence."



Cornered, the suspects fled the scene. The tenant who fired back was shot once in the arm. Those who know him couldn't believe what had happened.



(More)

Buffalo, New York



From the Buffalo News of December 16, 2004

Would-be burglar shot by owner, police say



A would-be burglar was shot twice by the owner of a Best Street home he apparently was trying to break into Wednesday evening. He was listed in very critical condition in Erie County Medical Center, police said.



The 28-year-old man allegedly was trying to enter a home at 761 Best St. with another man at about 8:30 p.m. when they were approached by the owner, who pulled out a gun and began firing. The wounded man was shot in the chest and buttocks. His companion fled.



The wounded man was found by Ferry-Fillmore District police officers lying in the street near 33 Myers St. a short time later.



Police were interviewing witnesses, including the alleged shooter, according to reports.



The wounded man is expected to be charged in the incident. Initial reports by police indicate that the shooting appeared justified, but detectives said further investigation into the incident is required.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin



From Milwaukee‘s Journal Sentinel of December 15, 2004

Clerk chased off attacker after robbery, police say



Man says he was struck over the head with a bottle



A store clerk who was hit over the head with a bottle and robbed Tuesday pulled a handgun from behind the register and chased off his attacker, Milwaukee police said.



At 4:50 p.m., the robber struck the 41-year-old clerk at Star Food, in the 2500 block of W. Grant St., with a bottle, briefly knocking him unconscious, said Sgt. Ken Harris, police spokesman.



According to Harris, the robber stole money from the cash register and grabbed the victim's car keys. As the robber went to get into the car, the clerk grabbed a gun, ran outside and confronted his attacker, who then ran. The gun was legal to have behind the business counter, Harris said.



(More)

Hampton, Virginia



From Norfolk’s WTKR.com of December 14, 2004

Robber Gets A Surprise From Potential Victim



On the Peninsula, it's the bad guy lying in a hospital bed, while his intended victim is unscathed. Your NewsChannel 3's Kathleen Carey has the story of the victim that fought back.



Hampton Police say it's a case of an armed robber going after the wrong guy. Instead of a Hampton man becoming the victim of an armed robbery, Hampton Police say he turned the tables on his attacker. In the parking lot behind the "Treasure Chest" nightclub on East Pembroke Avenue, police drew circles around empty shell casings, drawing the conclusion that 22-year old Tony Kensler, Jr. Newport News pulled-out a gun to rob a man, just to be surprised that his intended victim fought back.



That man had a permit for a concealed weapon, and he's the one who got off the shots, hitting Kensler in the arm, leg and chest. Police say it was self defense, and those who we spoke with agree. Sarah Daniel lives nearby, "I think he had every right to do what he did. If someone came up to me, I'd use any means of self defense that I had." Charli is an employee of the club, but wasn't working the night of the shooting. Still, she has an opinion, "I think the bad guys need to have something happen to them for a change, instead of always have some innocent person die."



(More)

Dover, New Hampshire



From Manchester’s theWMURchannel.com of December 15, 2004

Man Acquitted In Shooting Death



A New Durham, N.H., man was cleared of murder charges Tuesday in the death of a Farmington teenager who went to his home to collect a $50 debt.



George Curran, 22, argued that he shot Michael Allman, 19, last January in self-defense. New Durham Police Chief Shawn Bernier said he was stunned at the verdict.



The incident started when Allman went to Curran's house to collect $50 another man owed him for a television set. Allman and Curran argued, and Curran fired one shot, hitting Allman in the chest.

New Castle, Delaware



From the Wilmington News Journal of December 13, 2004

Robber flees when victim pulls gun



State police have charged a 25-year-old Bear man in a string of liquor store robberies after police found him hiding under a porch as he fled a botched robbery attempt.



Michael A. Brown, of the first block of Barrister Court in Buckley off U.S. 40, was being held Sunday in the Young Correctional Institution in Wilmington for lack of $160,000 secured bail, said police spokeswoman Cpl. Helen Zane.



The manhunt began with the report of an attempted robbery at Chelsea Liquors, 8 Morris Road, near New Castle, shortly before 10 p.m. Friday, Zane said.



An armed, masked man walked up to a 52-year-old employee, but ran away when the employee produced a gun of his own, she said.



Police patrolling the area spotted a dark Acura with a Pennsylvania tag leaving the scene and followed the car to the neighborhood of Roselle off Kirkwood Highway, where a man jumped out of the car and ran, Zane said.



State troopers and New Castle County police flooded the area, Zane said.



Brown was found hiding under a porch in the first block of Roselawn Avenue, Zane said. Officers also found a gun and mask believed to have been used in the attempted robbery.

Indianapolis, Indiana



From the Indianapolis Star of December 12, 2004

Two men killed in bar shootout



Two men died and three people were injured early today in a shootout at McShane's lounge on the Near-Eastside, Indianapolis Police said.



Dead are Vernon Shane Goodpastor, 32, and David Lightle, 48, both of Indianapolis.



Injured were Michelle Stewart, 46; Marion Watkins, 48; and Chad Hahn, 27. All three live in Indianapolis and were taken to Wishard Memorial Hospital where they were listed in good condition, police said.



Stewart was shot in the hip, Watkins in the foot, and Hahn in the arm.



According to police, an argument broke out between Goodpastor and Lightle. The disagreement escalated and Goodpastor pulled a weapon and shot Lightle.



At that point, bar patron Randy Howey of Avon, pulled a handgun and shot Goodpastor.



Howey had a permit for the weapon he used and was not arrested, police said.

Homewood, Pennsylvania



From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette of September 17, 2004

Woman who shot attacker tells story



Her nervous fingers gripped the handle of the .38-caliber revolver tucked in the pocket of her sweatpants.



She couldn't see clearly. Her eyes crossed as they focused on the barrel of a .22-caliber rifle inches from her nose.



Charmaine Dunbar, a 44-year-old mother of three, refocused her gaze in the predawn light. Mental images flashed before her.



"He said, 'Stand there so I can shoot you.' He looked like a devil," Dunbar said yesterday.



The man she said confronted her, Daniel Wesley, 27, is on trial on charges that he raped or sexually assaulted eight women and girls in the East End two years ago.



Dunbar's first encounter with Wesley, whom she identified yesterday in court, was at about 3:45 a.m. Oct. 10, 2002. She survived it. Her second encounter came just a while later, and, that time, she not only survived but conquered.



Dunbar did not know her attacker. He wore a gray hooded sweat shirt covering much of his head, and baggy blue jeans with the cuffs rolled up. The long-barreled rifle had been pulled from his waistband and the roomy leg of his jeans.



Dunbar, who works as a security guard, was prepared for the dangerous Homewood streets. She carried her pistol in her pocket just in case.



Still, she was not quite ready in their first meeting when Wesley pulled the rifle on Murtland Avenue, where she was walking her dog, Jagger. He had been stooped behind a car and stood and raised the weapon toward her when she walked by.



"Please, don't shoot," she said.



(More)

No subsequent stories about this incident were found.

Albany, Oregon



From the Salem Statesman Journal of December 5, 2004

Teen shot after allegedly stealing items from man’s home



An Albany homeowner shot a 17-year-old boy early Saturday after the boy and another teenager apparently stole items from the man's house, police said.



The 17-year-old and two other people were accused of entering the house in the 3100 block of 27th Avenue SE and stealing several items around 1:30 a.m. before being confronted outside by the home's owner and two other occupants, according to a statement issued by Albany police Sgt. Brad Liles.



An altercation ensued, and the 22-year-old homeowner, whose identity was not released, fired two shots from a handgun. One bullet struck the 17-year-old.



The 17-year-old, whose name was not released, was treated and released from Samaritan Albany General Hospital. The boy and Paul Molina, 18, were booked into Linn County jail on several charges, including first-degree burglary and first-degree robbery.



A 16-year-old male received a curfew citation.

Beaverton, Oregon



From Portland’s KPTV.com of December 9, 2004

Homeowner confronts would-be hardware thief



A homeowner took aggressive action against a burglary suspect found snooping outside their Beaverton home early this morning.



Police say the suspect was snooping through the shed in the backyard of a home in the 17000 block of NW Walker Road.



When the homeowner went to investigate the sound of tools clanking, they found a person trying to steal a paint sprayer. The homeowner then fired a few shots and the thief ran away.

Macomb, Illinois

From the Macomb Journal of December 5, 2004

Resident captures intruder

Leonard Gamage is sore today, which is understandable since he spent more than 45 minutes fighting off an intruder late Friday.

Gamage, 87, suffered some bumps and bruises in a pair of fights with the intruder, who is an unidentified 20-year man. Leonard told the Journal he does feel good about still having the ability to defend his home.

"I'm an old soldier," Gamage said. "I was in quite a few scuffles in the Army. I feel like I can still go if I have to."

Gamage said the ordeal started just after 9 p.m. He was watching television at his home, located at 1200th Road, near Macomb, when someone came to his front door. Gamage said he went to the back door since both doors face the patio.

Gamage did not recognize the young man. When he went to open the door, he said the man grabbed the screen door and forced himself inside the house.

"I asked him what he wanted and told him to get out," Gamage said.

The intruder allegedly refused to leave. That is when Gamage and the young man got into their first altercation.

"We started to scuffle right there in the kitchen," Gamage recalled. "I was able to get him outside the house and told him again to get out."

Gamage said he remembered having a pair of rifles in a gun rack inside the house. As he started in that direction, he and the man began to fight again at the back door, in the kitchen/patio area.

"I was finally able to get my hands on one of the guns and hit him in the back with the gun stock," Gamage said. "That's when he looked at me and said 'I'm going to get you."

Gamage said he was thinking that he would hate to kill the young man, but would if he were left with no choice. Gamage then fired a pair of warning shots, one at each foot, but that did not deter the intruder, according to Gamage, who was feeling weak by this point. Gamage was at the hospital a day earlier being treated for a nose bleed.

"I lost a lot of blood the day before and I was weak," Gamage added. "When he said he was still going to get me, I realized this was serious. I shot him in the left foot. It hit him in the arch and he screamed and started jumping around like a chicken with his head cut off."

Gamage said he pointed the rifle at the suspect's stomach and ordered him to freeze while Gamage made a telephone call. Instead of calling 911, Gamage called a neighbor, Tom Friday, and told him he had been attacked.

When he went back the intruder was gone. Gamage said he did not feel comfortable knowing the suspect was out there, so he went into the dark, looking for the young man.

Gamage said he spotted the suspect near the garage, next to the barn. Gamage crept up behind the man and ordered him not to move or he would kill him.

"About that time Tom pulled up," Gamage said. "I think he was shocked because I was holding the intruder at gunpoint."

Seconds later Gamage said multiple police cars, an ambulance and fire rescue units all converged on his home.
The ordeal was finally over. It was about 10:45 p.m.
…

Ironically, Gamage lost the very rifle that may have saved his life.

"I do not have a gun permit so they had to take my rifles," Gamage said. "The sheriff told me if I get my permit, he would see what he could do to help me get them back.

I never use them, but they have been in the family a long time."

Gamage said the sheriff and other officers told him he "did a hell of a job," defending his property.

"If nothing else I hope this prevents other intruders from breaking into someone's home," Gamage said.

From the Macomb Journal of July 21, 2005

Victim angry with plea deal

A 20-year-old Geneva man who attempted to force his way into a rural Macomb residence in December pleaded guilty to an amended charge of disorderly conduct Wednesday in McDonough County Court.

James VanderVeen of Geneva, was originally charged with felony trespass to a residence.

In a negotiated plea VanderVeen was sentenced to 12 months court supervision and fined $100 plus court costs. If VanderVeen successfully serves the year of court supervision, the misdemeanor will be wiped from his record.

The charge stems from an incident that took place at the Leonard Gamage residence.

Gamage told the Journal he is "amazed" over the terms of the plea agreement.

"I'm shocked," Gamage said. "This guy invaded my home. I am sure he would have killed me if he could. I do not believe this ended up as a misdemeanor. I've seen cases of home invasion where the guy would get 10 or 12 or 15 years in prison."

(More)

Medford, Massachusetts



From the Boston Globe of December 8, 2004

Gasoline station attendant wounds robber, police say



A gasoline station attendant shot a would-be robber several times last night after pulling his own gun on two men attempting to hold up the Mystic Avenue station, police said.



Both suspects fled after the attendant fired at them, police said. One of the men, whose identity was not released last night, collapsed fewer than 100 yards down the street.



He was arrested and taken to Massachusetts General Hospital with bullet wounds to his torso. His condition was not known last night. A handgun police say was used in the attempted robbery was recovered from the wounded man.



Although it was unclear late last night whether charges would be filed against the attendant, whom police did not identify, police Lieutenant Paul Covino said the Fred's Gas attendant may have been justified in shooting at the two men.



"It looked like self-defense," he said last night. The gun was registered to the attendant, who was licensed to carry a firearm, police said.



The arrest may help bring an end to a string of robberies in the area that are believed to be linked, Covino said.



Just before 9:30 p.m., two men wearing leather jackets and masks approached the attendant, who was at the cash register, police said.



One of the men waved a firearm, and the attendant responded by pulling out his own gun and firing seven or eight shots at them.

Anson, Maine



From Maine’s MaineToday.com of October 26, 2004

Man admits shooting neighbor in head at his home



Gary Watland stared absently as he described the chaotic minutes early Monday before he used a .38-caliber handgun to shoot a man he hardly knew in the head. Watland, 42, talked Monday afternoon after spending about 10 hours talking to police about the shooting of Wayne S. Crowley, 32, of Anson.



Crowley died later Monday at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, a hospital spokesperson said.



Department of Public Safety spokesman Stephen McCausland said Monday afternoon no charges had been filed. Maine State Police and the Somerset County Sheriff's Department will continue to investigate the shooting, he said.



Watland wept and expressed remorse as he recounted a "nightmare" that lasted about three minutes and ended with Crowley falling on his driveway "like a sack of potatoes."



"I left three kids without a father because I was protecting my wife," he said.



Watland said he and his wife, Susan, met Crowley about a month ago at a yard sale.



Sunday evening, they met at Crowley's home, but after Crowley and his wife got into a fight, Watland said he invited Crowley over to his own home nearby. "I said he could come over here to chill out for a while," Watland said.



Around 1 a.m., however, and after about 10 beers, Crowley became profane and verbally abusive to Susan Watland, Gary Watland said. When he was told to leave, Crowley became physical, pushing Susan Watland.



Finally, Susan Watland pushed him out the front door. When Crowley tried to come back into the house, Gary Watland hit him twice in the jaw, knocking him down, according to his account. When Crowley got back on his feet, Susan Watland pushed him off the front porch, said Gary Watland.



As Crowley got up again and started walking back toward the house, Watland said he fired a warning shot into the ground from a .38-caliber handgun he had retrieved from the house. As Crowley continued to walk toward him, Watland fired one shot at Crowley's head, he said.



His wife called the ambulance after the shooting, Gary Watland said, because he was too upset.



Watland said he grew up in Caribou, but had lived for 20 years in California where he was a computer network specialist. In August, he and his wife moved into a home owned by one of her relatives on 127 acres. "We were trying to get away from the gangs and troublemakers and drive-by shootings," Gary Watland said.



Now Watland said he is waiting to hear from state police. "They told me that they would get a hold of me in a day or two. They may come by later today and arrest me. I am prepared for that."

No subsequent stories about this incident were found.

Columbus, Ohio



From Columbus‘ NBC4i of December 6, 2004

No Charges Filed Against Clerk Who Shot Suspected Robber



Man Charged With Robbery



The Franklin County Sheriff's Office announced Monday that the convenience store clerk who shot a suspected robber would not face charges.



The shooting unfolded at 7:30 a.m. Sunday inside a Sunoco gas station on Cleveland Avenue, NBC 4 reported.

Investigators said it was clear that the clerk, Karen Smith, feared for her life.



The alleged robbery and shooting were captured by the store's surveillance camera.



Detective Drew McEvoy told NBC 4's Holly Hollingsworth that the robbery suspect, Desmond Thompson, made the clerk believe he had a gun even though he didn't.



"You can see where (Thompson has) got his left hand in his pocket and he's banging on the counter, implying he's got a weapon," McEvoy said.



The second factor is easy to miss if you're not looking for it on the tape, Hollingsworth reported.



The clerk, Karen Smith, gave the robber cash. But instead of just leaving, Thompson motioned and demanded that she come out from behind the counter.



"If (Smith) wasn't in fear for her life before, with him implying a gun, she's definitely in fear for her life now," McEvoy said. "We have no idea what he's thinking."



Smith grabbed a gun from under the counter and fired once, hitting Thompson, 26, in the shoulder. She then called 911, Hollingsworth reported.



"He acted like he did (have a weapon)," Smith said. "I didn't hesitate."



"Potential robbers: The best advice I can give is don't rob a store where Mrs. Smith is working," McEvoy said.



Smith told Hollingsworth that she had never fired a gun before in her life.



Thompson was charged with one count of robbery.

Tulsa, Oklahoma



From Tulsa’s KOTV.com of October 22, 2004

Tulsa Domestic Violence Call Ends With One Man Shot



Tulsa Police are investigating a late Thursday night domestic violence call.



It sent one man to the hospital with a gunshot wound to the head. Authorities received a call in the 1500 block of South Lewis Place that two men were fighting over a DVD player.



One man pulled out a knife; the other man pulled a gun, fired a shot, and hit the other man in the head.



Authorities say his wound is not-life threatening. No one has been arrested.



Tulsa Police say it appears to be a case of self-defense.

No subsequent stories about this incident were found.

Anson County, North Carolina



From the Charlotte Observer of December 3, 2004

Sheriff: No charge for wife in intruder-husband killing



Protective order issued; wife's door forced open



The Anson County Sheriff's Office will not press charges against a woman who killed her husband Wednesday after weeks of domestic violence against her.



Joy Burgess had a protective order against estranged husband Brian Gathings. Gathings had been convicted of threatening Burgess before, and jailed several times for charges of violence against her. But as with other recent domestic violence killings, none of it was enough to keep her safe.



When Gathings broke down his wife's back door with a shovel Wednesday, Burgess had reason to fear him, said Anson County Sheriff Tommy Allen. Burgess shot Gathings once in the chest, killing him.



The district attorney is still reviewing the case, but agreed charging Burgess wouldn't be appropriate, Allen said.



"There's such strong evidence of self-defense," Allen said.



(More)

Memphis, Tennessee



From the Memphis Commercial Appeal of October 21, 2004

(Requires free registration)

Homeowner kills robber



Two involved in shooting may have had relationship, police say



A homeowner shot and killed an assailant outside a Parkway Village home Wednesday afternoon during an apparent robbery attempt, authorities said.



Police did not identify those involved but said they may have had a relationship.



"There are some indications there may be a connection between the homeowner and the assailant. ... We're trying to determine the relationship," Sgt. Vince Higgins said.



Authorities were still questioning the resident late Wednesday, and the case will be reviewed by the district attorney general to determine if the shooting was justified, Higgins said.



Officers were called at 3:07 p.m. to a robbery in progress at 3202 Clearbrook.



Police arrived to find a man shot to death beside the carport.



The resident told police the assailant and at least one other individual approached him, tried to rob him and fired shots at him.



Officers were searching for the other assailant who fled, Higgins said.



The resident told police that the robbers came to his home and threatened him. The black Cadillac the dead man rode remained parked in the driveway as police investigated.



The resident told police the assailants shot at him first, and he returned fire.



The dead man was struck several times.

No subsequent stories about this incident were found.

Richmond, Virginia



From the Richmond Times-Dispatch of October 14, 2004

Police: Shooting started as robbery



Police say they now believe that two men found shot in the Essex Village Apartments complex early Tuesday had attempted to rob another man at gunpoint.



But the attempted robbery victim pulled his own gun and wounded the men after a struggle, said Lt. Doug Perry, a Henrico County police spokesman.



The suspects were still hospitalized at VCU Medical Center last night and were listed in stable condition, Perry said.



Police said the man who wounded the pair is a 25-year-old Henrico resident. Police did not release his name. He was visiting his girlfriend, who lives in the apartment complex near Richmond International Raceway, when the suspects confronted him about 12:25 a.m., Perry said.



"We're going to consult with the commonwealth's attorney before we make a determination of whether it was self-defense," Perry said.



The wounded men, both in their 20s, were found together on the ground after police were called to investigate a reported shooting in the 300 block of Engleside Drive in Essex Village.



The attempted robbery victim was still at the scene when police arrived, and "presented himself as a victim of a robbery," Perry said.

No subsequent stories about this incident were found.