Orlando, Florida



From Orlando‘s WESH.com of December 8, 2004

Suspect Injured In Apartment Shooting



A gunman who burst into an Orlando apartment Wednesday is in critical condition after being shot in the stomach.



It happened at the Holly Garden Apartments on Orange Avenue near Michigan, WESH NewsChannel 2 reported.



The gunman is an ex-boyfriend of the apartment resident, and he apparently burst through the front door, police said.



Five people were inside the apartment when the gunfire erupted, including a young girl.



The suspect was shot in the stomach. A second victim suffered a hip injury after jumping out a window, officials said.



The suspect is in critical condition at a local hospital.



Police said one weapon was found, and they are still looking for a second weapon.

No subsequent stories about this incident were found.

Webster, New York



From the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle of December 6, 2004

Man's use of force called justified



Webster police say fatal shooting seems done in self-defense



A Rochester man used justifiable force when he fatally shot another man early Sunday during a frontyard fistfight in Webster, police said.



Donald Krahling, 50, was being badly beaten by Jeffrey Morrison, 43, of Fairport, when he pulled out a concealed handgun and fired one shot into Morrison's chest about 1:30 a.m., Webster police said.



Police said the shooting appears justified because Morrison was overwhelming the smaller Krahling, who walks with a limp after being injured in the military years ago.



Krahling had properly registered the .25-caliber gun, said Lt. Salvatore Simonetti.



"There is evidence to substantiate his self-defense story," Simonetti said.



While no charges have been filed against Krahling, he could still face arrest. The Monroe County District Attorney's Office plans to take the case to a grand jury, which could levy charges against him.



The deadly brawl, police said, broke out after Morrison allegedly approached Krahling as Krahling was entering the home of a former girlfriend at 256 Birch Lane, a quiet development of homes off Bay Road.



After a brief verbal spat, the 6-foot-1, 220-pound Morrison began pummeling the 5-foot-7, 170-pound Krahling by punching him in the head and face, police said.



After the shooting, Krahling went into the home and yelled to call 911, police said.



(More)

No subsequent stories about this incident were found.

Savannah, Georgia



From Savannah’s WTOCtv.com of October 29, 2004

Man Shot While Attempting to Rob Elderly Couple



A robber targeted a couple in their 70s off of Highway 80 in Garden City last night, but little did he know, he was about to become the target.



Niece Bonnie Turner thinks the world of her aunt and uncle. "They're good people. They would do anything in the world for you."



That's exactly what the man who broke into their home was counting on. Around 7:45 last night, a man knocked at the door of Lonnie and Betty Morgan's home, claiming he had car trouble. When Lonnie offered him tools, the man forced his way in. When he started roughing up Lonnie and his wife, Lonnie promised him money if he would go away. And that's when the tables turned.



"They proceeded to the bedroom or another room in the house," said Capt. Steve Stratman of the Garden City Police Department. "The old man gave him a hundred dollar bill. The man started hitting him with a lamp and the old man apparently shot him."



His niece says her uncle is one to defend himself. "I'm surprised, but with him it didn't really surprise me that much."



She's just glad this night didn't turn out any worse. "Both of them may have wound up dead," she said.



As for the robber, he faces additional charges for crimes against the elderly. The robber's name has not been released. He's in intensive care at Memorial Health University. Police recovered stolen property from a burglary they believe he committed three houses away.



The Morgans are also being kept at the hospital for observation.

Modesto, California



From Sacramento’s KCRAChannel.com of January 27, 2005

Modesto Homeowner Shoots Suspected Burglar



Homeowner: 'He Chose To Lunge At Me ... I Had No Choice'



A Modesto homeowner who said he's been the victim of numerous burglaries in recent weeks shot a man who allegedly broke into his home Thursday morning.



Greg Collins' home is undergoing extensive remodeling. Collins said he slept in his garage overnight with a shotgun in an effort to protect his property.



At 5:25 a.m., Collins said he was awakened by the sounds of an intruder breaking in to the garage.



"Luckily, I found the shotgun, pointed it at him, told him to freeze ... He chose to lunge at me, so I had no choice at that point but to shoot him. I did use a 12-gauge shotgun so that I wouldn't kill the man," he said.



Collins said he has lost $7,000 worth of tools in the last three weeks. He said burglars have broken into home four times and into his garage twice.



"I could buy new tools, but we have family staying in this house from time to time and it's scary to think they could break in while my parents were here or when my daughter stops by with some friends," Collins said.



The alleged burglar was reported in critical condition at a Modesto hospital, but was expected to survive. His identity has not been released.



Police said Collins will likely not face any charges.

UPDATE (by Clayton): Also covered in the January 28, 2005 Modesto Bee.

Durham, North Carolina



From the Raleigh News & Observer of January 27, 2005

Charges won't be filed in death



DA says shooting was self-defense



Officials have decided not to press charges against the man who shot Billy Joe McCullough, 34. who was found dead last month on Evergreen Street in eastern Durham.



Durham District Attorney Jim Hardin said Wednesday he will not press charges in the case because McCullough was burglarizing an apartment at 1202 Evergreen St. and was shot by an occupant who was trying to protect himself.



"It was clear to me that this was a classic case of self-defense," Hardin said. The man was defending himself, the family and the home, so by law, he did not commit a crime, Hardin said.



A police investigation concluded that McCullough had been watching the house and planned to break in, Hardin said. McCullough had unscrewed a light bulb that illuminated the apartment's porch and climbed in through a window, Hardin said.



Once inside, McCullough encountered two people, one of whom shot him, Hardin said. Wounded, McCullough managed to get out of the apartment, but he collapsed.



When police found McCullough lying in the gravel driveway outside the apartment, he was still holding the flashlight he used in the break-in, Hardin said.



Neither police nor Hardin have identified the man who fired at McCullough. The man had a close relationship with the family who lived at 1202 Evergreen St., which was moving out at the time of the incident, Durham police Detective S.W. Vaughan said.



Although the case is closed, it can be reconsidered if new evidence arises that contradicts the prior findings of police, Vaughan said.



McCullough, of North Hyde Park Avenue, grew up in Durham, but spent stretches of his life in prison. Records from the state Department of Correction show he has served time for armed robbery, assault and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Greensburg, Pennsylvania



From PittsburghLive.com of January 27, 2005

Police say prowler may have been shot



State police at Greensburg are looking for a prowler who may have been shot while snooping around a Derry Township residence.



According to police, James Baer, 28, noticed someone lurking around the home along McFarland Road at 10:10 p.m. Tuesday.



Baer confronted the prowler, who pointed what appeared to be a rifle at Baer. Baer fired twice at the prowler -- once at close range -- with a .357-caliber handgun.



The prowler ran away, but police later found a trail of blood.

Hutchins, Georgia



From the Athens’ Banner-Herald of January 26, 2005

Robbers shot dead



Athens teens killed in 'self-defense'



Two Athens teens engaged a pair of Oglethorpe County store owners in a shootout during a botched robbery Monday afternoon and lost, both paying with their lives.



Bobby Doster and Gloria Turner said they opened fire on the robbers after one of them complained Turner was too slow in handing over money from the cash register. He turned and fired at Doster, missing the 62-year-old owner of Shoat's Grocery and Package Store at the corner of Georgia Highway 77 and Hutchins-Wolfskin Road.



When the gunman's pistol jammed while squeezing the trigger repeatedly, Doster said, he took his own gun out of his overalls and fired as both robbers ran toward the back of the store. The store owner was joined by his common-law wife of 30 years, who said she managed to get off at least two or three shots from the 9 mm handgun kept behind the counter.



The gun-wielding robber was shot and collapsed behind a meat counter at the rear of the store, and his accomplice ran into a bathroom, apparently thinking it was an exit, said Turner, who has owned the store with Doster for eight years.



When the man emerged from the bathroom, he began throwing bottles at Doster as the shop owner advanced on him, hitting Doster in the head with a bottle of soy sauce. The would-be robber then tried to turn over his mortally wounded accomplice, making the store owner think he was going for the gun that was under his friend's body.



"Hit the floor - stay on the floor and don't get up," Doster said he told the man. "He wouldn't get down, so I shot him. The way I see it, it was self-defense because they were intending to kill us. There's no doubt in my mind about that."



When sheriff's deputies arrived, one robber's body lay on top of the other, and attempts to revive them failed. They were pronounced dead at the scene.



Neither robber was identified Tuesday, but after running their fingerprints through a national fingerprint data base for known offenders, they were determined to be Athens residents, one 17 years old and the other 19, according to Oglethorpe County Sheriff Mike Smith.



Authorities are withholding the identities until the teens' next of kin are notified, Smith said.



The sheriff said the Georgia tag on the robber's Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme is "bogus," and that a second tag found inside the car had a Clarke County sticker and was registered to an Athens resident. That resident was not one of the men who was shot, Smith said.



Neither of the store owners would be charged, Smith said, calling the shootings a clear case of self-defense.



(More)

Oglethorpe County, Georgia

From the Athens Banner-Herald of January 26, 2005

Fellow clerk recalls similar experience

Oglethorpe County store clerk William Miller heard the news on a police scanner Monday night that a fellow merchant in the same rural county had foiled an armed robbery.

He would have to wait until the next day to learn how Bobby Doster and Gloria Turner thwarted armed robbers at Shoats Grocery and Package Store a few miles down the road. Doster shot and killed two would-be robbers after one of them shot at him, the store owner said.

Miller, a former law officer who ran for sheriff last year, stopped his own robbers two years ago as two masked men entered his store, brandished handguns and announced, "This is a robbery!"

"No, it's not," Miller said as he drew his own gun and opened fire. Miller's father, Jack, owner of the Junction Package store in Crawford, pulled his 16-gauge shotgun and fired off a shot, as well.

The similarities between the two robberies were obvious.

And Miller hopes locals take the same message from this attempted robbery: Fight back.

"Hundreds of people have told me, 'You're my hero,'" Miller said Tuesday, a little more than two years after the attempted robbery of the store his father has owned for more than 20 years.

"The good people who follow the law and live their life right, it should give them some hope," Miller said. "It sends a message that people are tired of being bullied. Go out and get a job."

(More)

From the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer of March 1, 2005

GBI: Store owners who killed teens acted in self defense

Two Oglethorpe County store owners were acting in self defense when they fatally shot two people they said were trying to rob them, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation has found.

The GBI's announcement came Monday after a monthlong investigation into the shooting.

Bobby Doster and his wife, Gloria Turner, say one of the teenagers fired at Doster while trying to rob the store Jan. 24. But the couple fired back with guns of their own, killing Michael Dewand Hill, 19, and Calvin Dantrell Ballard, 17.

In a statement, Northern Judicial Circuit District Attorney Bob Lavender, said the investigation is closed and no action will be taken in the case.

"After discussing victim and witness accounts, crime scene documentation and forensic evidence submitted to and examined at the GBI Crime Lab, authorities have concluded that the manner of the deaths were the result of justifiable homicide," Lavender said.

Jacksonville, Florida



From the Jacksonville Times-Union of January 25, 2005

Man kills attacking car burglary suspect



A Jacksonville man who pulled a handgun after he was attacked in his apartment parking lot early Saturday fired five shots that left a 16-year-old suspected car burglar dead, police said Monday.



Three other suspects, ages 15, 17 and 18, were arrested Monday and charged with murder and armed robbery in the shooting outside the Paradise Island apartments on Southside Boulevard.



Ronald Peterson, 27, told police he was pistol-whipped in the head by four attackers who he feared were going to put him in a car trunk. He was not charged in the shooting.



According to police, Peterson came home about 5 a.m. and saw four men trying to enter parked cars. After parking his car in his garage, he retrieved a handgun and went outside to see if they were still there before calling police, according to a police report.



When he tried to go back inside, he was stopped at gunpoint, told to empty his pockets and led to a car where he was ordered to clear out the car's trunk. When he balked, he was struck in the head and knocked to the ground.



Peterson told police the attackers saw the gun in his waistband as he fell and yelled a warning. He said he pulled the gun and opened fire.



David Ulysses McCray of the 6700 block of West Virginia Court was found dead behind an apartment building, according to police. Peterson's car keys, cell phone and knife were with McCray, police said.



Police learned Carl Aresenio Jones, 15, of the 5800 block of Soutel Drive, and Aaron Jamal Muhammad, 17, of the 3300 block of Almeda Street, had gone to Shands Jacksonville for treatment of a gunshot wound to Muhammad's arm. Both were interviewed by police and charged with robbery and murder. The interviews led detectives to Orren Alexander Louder, 18, of Jies Court, who was also charged.



Police said there was evidence three cars had been burglarized.

Bossier City, Louisiana



From the Shreveport Times of January 24, 2005

Two men shoot each other during attempted Bossier City robbery



One of the men is charged with attempted murder



Two men apparently shot each other after an attempted robbery gone bad Saturday night, according to Bossier City police. Police plan to charge one of the shooters with attempted first-degree murder.



The shootings occurred just after 9 p.m. in the 2700 block of Foster Street, Bossier City spokesman Mark Natale said.



"An investigation by detectives with the Violent Crimes Unit determined the shootings happened after one of the victims attempted to rob the other while the two sat in a car parked in the street," Natale said.



Kirk Jackson, 20, of the 1200 block of Fullilove Street reportedly attempted to rob Corey White, 23, of Shreveport at gunpoint, Natale said.



White reportedly had his own gun and shot Jackson in both legs, Natale said. Jackson returned fire, striking White in the chest.



When police arrived, White was found lying in the street and Jackson was found in a nearby house.



Both White and Jackson were taken to LSU Hospital in Shreveport with nonlife threatening wounds, Natale said.



White was listed in fair condition and Jackson was listed in good condition Sunday afternoon, Natale said.



Police intend to charge Jackson with attempted first-degree murder, Natale said, adding that White was not charged because he appeared to be acting in self-defense.

Riverside, Ohio



From Dayton’s WHIOtv.com of January 23, 2005

Homeowner Foils Robbery At His Own Home



A man foils a burglary at his own home with a shotgun!



The robbery attempt happened Saturday morning on Tulip Lane in Riverside.



Neighbors say the crook, was in the area Friday -- shoveling snow for money -- with some other men.



Chuck Stump, the homeowner, says he planned on going rabbit hunting Saturday.



"I was at a friend's house and a neighbor called and I was walking out the door with a shot gun, ready to go hunting. So I came over here and basically stopped him red handed."



A Riverside Police Officer said they found the suspect laying in the entryway door on his stomach and that the homeowner was able to keep him at bay until they arrived on scene



Police have not released the name of the man arrested -- but he'll likely face a judge Monday.



It's still not clear if anyone else was involved in the break-in.



Neighbors hope Chuck Stump is head of security for the neighborhood.

Lubbock, Texas



From the Lubbock Avalanche Journal of January 23, 2005

Woman busted after shootout in pawn shop



A woman was arrested Saturday after being shot following an alleged robbery attempt at Acme-A Pawn Shop, 4110 Ave. Q, according to Lubbock police Sgt. Kevin Henley.



The woman was armed with a pistol and confronted the owner and his wife, who also were armed. The couple defended themselves and one of them fired off two shots with one hitting the woman Saturday afternoon, Henley said.



She then fled the scene and was spotted going to her home on 38th Street with a bullet wound. After receiving the tip, police found her in her home, and she was taken into custody, according to Henley.

Kansas City, Missouri



From Kansas City‘s KCTV5.com of January 22, 2005

Four People Wounded in Shooting at Pancake House



An early morning shooting outside a busy IHOP restaurant left a security guard and three others wounded, two of them critically, authorities said.



The shooting happened around 5 a.m. Saturday after a man and a woman dining with a large group began arguing, and an armed security guard escorted the man outside, said Sgt. Craig Sarver.



He said four or five men followed the pair, surrounded the security guard, and a physical altercation ensued.



At that time, a second security guard left the pancake house in the southeast part of the city, Sarver said. A man got out of a black or gray car and begin shooting, and both guards returned fire.



Sarver said there were conflicting reports about whether others were involved in the shooting.



The first security guard was struck in the forearm, chest and abdomen and fell to the ground. He was listed in stable condition, Sarver said.



Two men who had accosted the guard were critically wounded in the shooting, Sarver said. It was not immediately clear where they were shot.



After the shooting, the man suspected of starting the gunfight drove away. A short time later, he was found next to his car at a convenience store. He was struck at least once in the hand and was listed in stable condition, Sarver said.

Detroit, Michigan



From Detroit’s WXYZ.com of January 20, 2005

Police Investigate Robbery



Police are trying to sort out what happened when bullets flew during a robbery at a west Detroit party store and left the suspect with a gunshot wound.



It was just after midnight at 3-B Party Shoppe when workers say a man walked in acting like he was about to buy something, but then pulled out a gun.



A worker at the party store, who asked to remain anonymous, saw it happen.



"He pulled the gun from his waistband, said, ‘This is how it’s going to be. Show me your hands and empty out the register.’ We gave him the money and he left," he recalled Thursday.



The worker says that’s when he and one of the store’s owners grabbed their guns and went outside after the robber.



"We were just trying to see what he was driving, get a description of him, see which way he went," the store worker told Action News. "We heard shots fired, so we were in fear for our life at that point."



They say the robber fired at them, so they fired back. They also shot out one of his tires.



"He took off in his vehicle, so we didn’t’ know if he was hit or not," the store clerk added. "I guess they found him down the street. He had called the ambulance."



Police say the robber was hit twice and taken to the hospital.



"We’re not happy to see him shot or anything, but thank God none of us are hurt or nothing," store co-owner Hisham Farran said.



"You really don’t think," the clerk explained. "You just try to make sure your life is saved, because you never know what he’s going to do."



As of Thursday night, Detroit Police had not found the money that was stolen from the party store. They did find a gun nearby, but had not yet found out if it belongs to the suspect.



Police told Action News they are still investigating. The suspect is in their custody at the hospital.

Colbert Heights, Alabama



From the Florence Times-Daily of November 4, 2004

Gun-toting clerk foils robbery attempt



The man came looking for a quick payday. He fled the business empty-handed.



That's the way sheriff's officials describe a Tuesday morning robbery attempt at a convenience store in the Colbert Heights community.



Clarence Wayne White, 47, was apprehended early Wednesday afternoon at his mother's residence, said Colbert County Sheriff Ronnie May.



White, 2160 County Farm Road, is charged with first-degree robbery and was being held in the county jail with bail set at $50,000.



"I'm glad no one was hurt," May said. "The clerk was not injured, and fortunately for Mr. White, he wasn't hurt, either. It could have turned out much differently."



May said the clerk at Colbert Heights Mini-Mart arrived for work about 5:20 a.m. Tuesday. He said the clerk knew White and noticed him sitting in a white Dodge pickup that was parked outside the business.



"(White) got out of his truck, got some gas in a container and entered the store," White said. "He got a cold drink from the cooler and approached the clerk.



"He produced a wide-blade knife in the right hand and ordered the clerk to give him all the money in the cash register."



May said the clerk paused briefly and asked White if he was serious.



"White told the clerk, 'I'm serious. Give me the money,' " May said.



The clerk retrieved a handgun from underneath the counter and pointed it at White.



May said the clerk calmly asked White: "Do you want this or the money?"



"(White) didn't stick around. He ran from the store, got in his truck and headed north on Woodmont Drive," May said.



The sheriff's office looked for White throughout the day Tuesday and into Wednesday. White was found about 2 p.m.



May said investigators are preparing paperwork for another arrest warrant against White. It will accuse him of forgery in a case involving several bad checks that were passed in the county.

Brighton, Massachusetts



From the January 14, 2005 Allston-Brighton Tab:

A would-be robber became a victim of his own crime last week after he was shot in the stomach by a Brighton man he was trying to rob, police said.



Police arrested Sean E. Roisten, 29, of 833 Jette Court, and charged him with unlawful possession of a firearm and assault and battery with a deadly weapon on a robber who was holding Roisten's wife at gunpoint.



...



Roisten told police he was upstairs in his apartment with his wife and 5-year-old daughter waiting for his friend to return from the store with food when he heard a someone at the front door. Roisten called out, but was met with silence, and his wife went downstairs to see who was at the door, police said. When Roisten's wife opened the door, she was greeted by two men in ski masks and one man forced her back up the stairs at gunpoint, police said.



"He's got a gun!" Roisten told police he heard his wife scream as she was pushed up the stairs. Roisten told police he ran up to the third floor, retrieved his silver Smith and Wesson .40 caliber handgun and took cover behind a kitchen wall. When Roisten peeked around the hallway corner, he saw the robber emerge from the stairs holding his wife in a choke hold and pointing a black handgun at her head, police said.



The armed robber demanded money. Roisten said he had no money, but told the robber he could take anything from the house if he freed his wife, according to police.



...



Police found that Roisten's license to carry a gun expired last August and arrested him. Police took custody of Roisten's gun and the black Colt .45 handgun that Roisten claimed he took from the suspect.

West Palm Beach, Florida



From West Palm Beach‘s TCPalm.com of January 21, 2005

Shooting At Exotic Night Club In West Palm Beach



Shots were fired early this morning at an exotic night club in West Palm Beach.



A woman went to the Flashdance Exotic Night Club after it closed today to talk to the owner about getting a job. She asked the owner if her two friends could go in with her.



The owner let them in, and then the two male friends beat up the owner. The woman applying for the job beat and tied up the cleaning lady.



The owner managed to pull out a gun while the men were kicking him. He fired shots but Palm Beach sheriff's officials don't know if anyone was hit.



All of the robbers took off. One of the suspects threw a stool out a window to get out.



Officials are looking for the suspects and K-9 units are also checking the area.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

From Milwaukee’s CBS58.com of January 20, 2005

Clerk Shoots Knife-Wielding Robber

Neighbors of Ayesh Food Market on Hampton Avenue and 19th Place say nearly everyone in the area knows and likes the owner, and police say even a man who came in to rob the store knew him.

"He was armed with a four inch steak knife," said Lt. Steven Spingola of the Milwaukee Police Department. "He originally confronted the owner of the store, who was standing in an aisle, and demanded money."

When a 23-year-old cashier saw the owner in trouble, police say he grabbed the store's revolver and jumped out from behind the counter. That's when police say the suspect started chasing the cashier.

"He was pursued up the aisle by the suspect, and he was cornered near the meat counter at the south end of the store. He then fired his weapon in self-defense," said Lt. Spingola.

While one bullet went through the glass, police say three bullets went into the suspect, killing him. Officers say the store's gun is a legally owned weapon.

"It's completely legal. It's their right to do that. The police can't be everywhere at one time," said Lt. Spingola.

Regular customers were glad to hear no one else was hurt, especially the owners.

"These are good guys. They treat you right," said Henry Blount.

"The owner was in the far aisle shielding a customer from the suspect," said Lt. Spingola.

Police say the suspect appeared to be in his 30s.

Police say they don't expect any charges to be filed in this case.

Willcox, Arizona



From AP, January 21, 2005:

TYLER, Texas (AP) - A woman who was abducted from a parking lot while leaving work at a Wal-Mart was found shot to death Friday, police said. A suspect was in custody in Arizona.



...



Capas said Williams is believed to have been shot during an attempted robbery at an RV park northeast of Willcox. A man at the RV park told authorities he had shot a man who had pulled a gun on him and demanded money.



Williams was treated at Northern Cochise Community Hospital for a gunshot wound to the shoulder, Capas said.



When the wounded man was found at the hospital, authorities determined that the pickup truck he had been driving was linked to the Texas kidnapping case.

Utica, New York



From Utica’s Newswatch50.com of January 20, 2005

Man Holds Gun On Home Intruder



Elvis Tricic got more than he bargained for after he allegedly broke into a home on Welsh Bush Road in Utica. The break-in happened very early Saturday morning.



State Police say the 22-year old suspect was held at gun point by the home owner until troopers arrived.



Tricic is charged with burglary in the second degree. He is being held in the Herkimer County jail on $50,000 cash bail.

New Caney, Texas



From the Houston Chronicle of January 19, 2005

Theft suspect shot at home site



Owner spends the night, catching 2 men by surprise



Frustrated by repeated break-ins at his home under construction, the owner spent the night at the house and surprised a pair of suspected thieves with his shotgun, wounding one.



Ricky W. Otis, of New Caney, fired at least once, hitting one of the suspects in the head and upper neck, said Montgomery County sheriff's investigators.



The shooting occurred about 6:20 a.m. Tuesday, shortly after Otis called authorities to tell them of a burglary at his home in the Northcrest subdivision, just off U.S. 59.



Investigators said Otis, 47, decided to spend the night at the unfinished house because it had been broken into several times.



Otis slept in an upstairs bedroom Monday night and was awakened early Tuesday by the sound of the downstairs door being forced open.



He called the sheriff's office, then went downstairs to find two men hauling materials from the house into a van, the police report said.



Otis confronted one of the suspects. The suspect then reached into the van, and Otis shot him.



The suspect, Alberto Salazar, 40, of Houston, was flown to Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston. He was listed in serious condition Wednesday afternoon, said sheriff's Lt. Dan Norris.



Deputies caught the other suspect, who ran away, about four hours later near Firetower and FM 1485, Norris said.



Jose Ponce, 20, of Houston, was arrested and charged with burglary of a building. He was in the Montgomery County Jail on Wednesday, with bail set at $10,000.

Rowland, North Carolina



From the Fayetteville Observer-Times of January 18, 2005

Clerk is not charged in shooting



A convenience store clerk who shot a man to death during a robbery attempt on Friday has not been charged, Rowland Police Chief Daniel Bradsher said.



The incident happened about 6:30 a.m. at the Circle B convenience store on U.S. 301.



Bradsher said clerk Clyde Bobby Carson shot Montrovia Aunte McLeod in the abdomen with a .44-caliber Magnum pistol. McLeod, 27, died at the scene. He lived in Garner.



Bradsher said McLeod entered the store and demanded money. He held Carson in a choke hold with a tire iron and tried to force him into a back room to open a safe.



Carson got free and grabbed the pistol from the office. Bradsher said Carson then shot McLeod.



McLeod drove off in a 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix but crashed in the parking lot.

Sarasota, Florida



From the Talahassee Democrat of January 19, 2005

Sarasota man, 79, fights with intruder, who later dies



A burglar who entered into a home through a bedroom window died after a fight with a 79-year-old man, police said.



Julian Scott responded to screams by his sister, Henrietta McCormick, 82, and armed himself with a handgun Tuesday morning, Sarasota County sheriff's deputies said.



Scott came upon George T. Jackson in McCormick's living room and, after a struggle, hit him in the head with the gun, deputies said.



When deputies arrived, Jackson was conscious but incoherent. Jackson, 24, was arrested on drug and residential burglary charges, then taken to Sarasota Memorial Hospital, where he died, deputies reported.



"I don't feel good about it at all, and I'm sorry it had to happen, but I'm glad I was here to protect my sister," said Scott, who moved in with his sister a week ago.



The medical examiner's office was investigating the cause of death, sheriff's office spokesman Chuck Lesaltato said.



"We don't believe he died from the head injury," Lesaltato said.



Scott isn't expected to be charged, Lesaltato said.

Hollis, New Hampshire



From Manchester’s theWMURchannel.com of January 18, 2005

Police: Homeowner Holds Burglar At Gunpoint



Neighbor Accused Of Breaking Into Man's Home



Police said a Hollis man held a neighbor at gunpoint after the man broke into his home.



Police responded to a report of a burglary in progress early Monday morning and found the suspect on the kitchen floor, with the homeowner holding a gun to his head. Police said the homeowner fired three shots, but none of them injured the suspect.



Peter Camplin, 38, was charged with burglary and ordered held on $10,000 bail.



Police said Camplin apparently drank alcohol and took cocaine, broke everything in his own home, then jumped out a second-story window, cutting himself.



Police said he then ran across the street and into a plate glass window at his neighbor's home, ran into the breezeway, then out into the back yard. Camplin then ran back to the house and kicked down the door into the kitchen, where the homeowner met him, armed with two handguns.

Tulsa, Oklahoma



From Tulsa’s KOTV.com of January 16, 2005

Tulsa Homeowner Kills Burglary Suspect



Tulsa Police are searching for a suspect involved in a deadly weekend burglary.



Officers say a homeowner heard noises in his home about 11:30 Saturday night. He saw two shadows, so he shot twice.



Tulsa Police later found one burglar dead in the backyard of the home in the 6700 block of East 26th Place. The other got away.



The dead man's name has not been released.



Officers say the burglars came in through a window.

Cosby, Tennessee



From the Nashville Tennessean of January 15, 2005

State briefs: Cosby store owner fatally shoots intruder



A store owner dressed in her nightgown confronted an intruder in her market and fatally shot him, Sevier County authorities said yesterday.



The owner, whose name was not released by the sheriff's department, was alerted Thursday by an alarm company that someone had broken into her store, which is next door to her home.



Armed with a single-shot, 12-gauge shotgun and wearing only her bedclothes, the woman found the store's front window shattered and a man crouching behind the cash register, authorities said. She ordered him to leave and wait for police outside. The woman told police he acted threatening and appeared to have something in his hand when he emerged.



A confrontation ensued, and the man was shot, police said. The man, identified as Arthur Lee Fleming of Dandridge, died several hours later at the University of Tennessee Medical Center.

Dayton, Ohio



From Dayton’s WHIOtv.com of January 14, 2005

Store Owner Fires Shots At Robbery Suspect



A suspected thief was hospitalized Friday after he tried to rob a local sandwich shop, according to police. The crime happened at the Subway shop on East Third Street near Monmouth in Dayton.



Police said the suspect walked into the business, jumped the counter, and pulled out a gun. Investigators said before the alleged thief could say anything, the owner pulled out a gun and shot the robber in the arm.



Officers arrived on the scene and took the suspect into custody. They also called medics who took the suspect to a local hospital, where he was treated for a non-life-threatening injury.



Once the suspect is released from the hospital, investigators said he will be taken to jail.



Police said the owner of the store started keeping a gun at the business after repeated robberies. Officers said the owner will not be charged in the shooting because he was defending himself and his busines (sic).

Sebastopol, California



From the Santa Rosa Press Democrat of January 13, 2005

Marijuana grower shoots intruder at home



A Sebastopol man who claims he grows marijuana for medical reasons shot and wounded one of two men who broke into his house early Thursday, authorities said.



Deputies were sent to a house on Whited Road at 3:15 a.m. after the home’s owner phoned 911 to report the break-in.



Kit Hartwell told dispatchers that he shot one of the intruders with a shotgun when the man emerged from the bathroom with a gun, Sheriff’s Sgt. Steve Freitas said.



Hartwell has about 30 marijuana plants growing at the house and claims he uses the drug for medical reasons. He was uninjured in the break-in.



Deputies arrested Alexsandro Altizen, 22, and David Daniel, 23, both of Santa Rosa, after they showed up at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital later in the morning.



Altizen underwent surgery for a gunshot wound to his right shoulder.



He is being held on suspicion of attempted robbery and being a felon in possession of a firearm.



Daniel was booked at the Sonoma County Jail on suspicion of attempted robbery. His bail is $30,000.

Minneapolis, Minnesota



Apparently published on January 13, 2005 by KMSP TV:

One person who is happy with the state's "permit to carry" law is the owner of a small hardware store in Minneapolis. A man with a gun tried to rob the manager of Camden Hardware in the 48-hundred block of Lyndale Avenue North just after 9 last night. The manager decided to fight back, and it’s not the first time.



...



The store manager was locking up Wednesday night when he noticed a strange car parked across the street. He ran over to his truck, but before he could get there, he was met by a man with a gun pointed right at his face, demanding money. That's when the manager pulled out his own gun and started shooting.The suspect then ran back across the street, got in a vehicle and sped off.



Police caught up with the suspect a short time later at North Memorial where he was being treated for a gunshot wound. Officers also arrested two accomplices who were in the car. The store manager wasn't hurt.



...



This isn't the first time workers have foiled an attempted robbery at their store. In November of 2003, Lange and another employee ran after a suspect who robbed the store at knifepoint. They held him until police arrived. "Those people would still be out there and maybe the next person out there might have gotten shot or hurt or whatever, so it is kind of nice that things work out for the good guys."



...



Minneapolis police say the manager does have a legal permit to carry a weapon. Investigators say no charges are expected against him because this appears to be a case of self-defense.

Columbus, Ohio



From Columbus‘ NBC4i.com of January 13, 2005

Police: Man Shoots, Kills Teenage Robber



Another Teenager In Custody



Police said that a man shot and killed one of two teenagers who were attempting to rob him early Thursday.



The shooting took place at about 1 a.m. in the 4700 block of Laraine Court on the city's southeast side, NBC 4's Elizabeth Scarborough reported.



Police said Jameson Spence told them that two people tried to rob him when he decided to fight back, shooting an 18-year-old in the chest. That man died, Scarborough reported.



Officers later caught up with a 15-year-old who they said was also involved in the crime.



Spence, 24, was transported to a hospital and was being treated for minor injuries, Scarborough reported.

Henryetta, Oklahoma



From Tulsa’s KOTV.com of January 13, 2005

Henryetta Shooting Ruled ' Self-defense'



The Henryetta doctor who admitted shooting a man is not expected to face criminal charges.



Prosecutors say Doctor Wesley Parkhurst[pictured] shot Gary Wayne Britt in self-defense.



Henryetta Police say Doctor Parkhurst shot Britt twice Tuesday morning after Britt rammed the doctor's car then approached him outside City Hall.



Henryetta's police chief says he's asking the district attorney to file charges of assault with a deadly weapon and domestic violence against Britt, who remains hospitalized in Tulsa in serious condition.

Southfield, Michigan



From the Detroit Free Press of January 13, 2005

Store clerk thwarts robbery attempt, wounds robber



A clerk at a party store in Southfield allegedly got the jump on three robbers Wednesday night, shooting one of them, police said.



According to Southfield Police Lt. Dan Mukomel, shortly before 9 p.m. three men entered the Oakland Party Store at 19606 W. Ten Mile and announced a holdup. One of the men brandished a handgun and threatened to kill the clerk and the lone customer in the store.



As the men leaped over the counter and took money from the register, the clerk pulled out a gun and fired at the armed man, hitting him once. The other two men ran from the store.

Nashville, Tennessee



From Nashville‘s WSMV.com of January 13, 2005

Three home invaders shot by citizen



A home invasion Wednesday night ended up landing three suspects in the hospital.



Police say three men entered a home on Whites Creek Pike around 8:00pm. Officers say they assaulted the husband and wife, but the woman managed to escape to a neighbor's house.



The neighbor returned and shot all three suspects. One man was found with a gunshot to the neck at the scene.



Two others managed to drive themselves to Skyline Medical Center.

Horton, Michigan



From the Jackson Citizen Patriot of January 12, 2005

Burglar caught in act



A Horton party store owner played a hunch and, with a suspected burglar in custody this morning, his inkling turned into a sure bet.



After being burglarized a week ago, Doug Harrington of Griff's Party Store, 389 Moscow Road, figured he'd be hit again. So, he laid in wait with a 12-gauge shotgun in his lap after the store closed Tuesday.



About 12:30 a.m. today, Harrington was greeted by an intruder. He ordered him to the floor.



"I wouldn't have shot him," said Harrington, 59, an Army veteran who said he barked at the suspect like a drill sergeant. "I didn't want him to know that. He didn't like looking down the barrel of a 12-gauge shotgun."



A 17-year-old Horton boy, whose name is being withheld pending arraignment, is in the Jackson County Jail. He was expected to be charged with burglary.

Wilson, North Carolina



From Raleigh’s NBC17.com of January 11, 2005

Apparent Wilson Burglary Turns Fatal



No Charges Expected In Case



A man who apparently tried to break into a Wilson home early Tuesday was shot to death by the homeowner, police said.



Officers were responding to a 5:15 a.m. call of a burglary in progress at 1103 Herring Ave. when they found a man with multiple gunshot wounds lying in the driveway of the residence, police said.



Gene Watson, who lives in the Herring Avenue house, told officers he had shot the man after his home had been broken into.



Elbert Lee Taylor, 49, of Wilson, was transported to Wilson Medical Center, where he died Tuesday morning, police said.



The case remains under investigation, pending the results of an autopsy.



But Wilson County authorities said no charges are expected to be filed against Watson.

Opa Locka, Florida



From Miami’s Local10.com of January 11, 2005

Police: Mentally Ill Man Attacks Three Neighbors



When a mentally ill man attacked three of his neighbors at an Opa Locka apartment building Monday, police said, the husband of one of the victims shot the man four times.



"It basically appears that we had a guy that just lost it today, and he went for the females first, which is interesting," said Cpl. Tony Lacks of the Opa Locka Police Department.



Police said they don't know why George Hernandez, 45, hit neighbor Consuelo Lopez, 84, broke a chair over next-door neighbor Luis Gonzalez, 79, and attacked Marta Castro, 66, who lived up stairs.



Police said when Hernandez knocked on Castro's door, she and her husband let him in because they knew him. Once inside, he beat Marta until her husband ended the assault with four shots, police said.

Houston, Texas



From the January 11, 2005 Houston Chronicle:

Police say a man found shot to death in south Houston early today is believed to a would-be robber who exchanged gunfire with a homeowner's son a couple hours earlier.



A woman who lives on Darlinghurst near Fleetwell told police she saw four armed, masked men breaking into a nearby vacant home about 11 p.m. Monday, and called her son to come to her house.



When he arrived, police said he retrieved a gun from his mother's house and the two went outside to check on the suspected burglars but suddenly found themselves confronted by the group.



Police said the woman was grabbed by one of the armed men and held briefly. When she struggled free, her son exchanged gunfire with the men as they ran away, police said.

Greenville, Mississippi



From Greenville’s Delta Democrat Times of January 11, 2005

G-ville woman shoots 600-pound boyfriend



Jennie Jones told police that she shot her boyfriend, but for now, he is the one who will face charges.



Jones said she shot her boyfriend, Sharka Corbin, twice Sunday after he beat her inside her home at 735 S. Washington Ave. According to police, Corbin weighs about 600 pounds.



Jones was transported to Delta Regional Medical Center for severe swelling to the face and her right eye was swollen.



Jones said Corbin beat her up after he learned that she got a traffic ticket in Arkansas and that her car had been towed. She said he put the gun to her head and said, "I am going to kill you." But instead of shooting her he put the gun on the dresser and then began hitting her, according to reports.



Jones was able to get the gun and fired several shots at Corbin. Two of the bullets hit Corbin, one in the leg and one in the chest.



Corbin is charged with domestic assault with medical attention. The case against Jones will be sent to the District Attorney office for possible grand jury review.

.

Beaumont, Texas



From Beaumont‘s KBTV4.com of January 7, 2005

Beaumont Resident Pulls Gun, Thwarts Home Invasion



A Beaumont man Friday morning staved off of a home invader by pulling a hand gun on the man. Police think the intruder may be responsible for as many as two other recent home invasions.



Police arrested 37 year old Juan Rabago of Beaumont near Avenue F and Blanchette-- a short distance from the 1400 block of Emile. Rabago is suspected of entering a home there Friday night.



Police say Robago broke into the back door of the house. The resident pulled a gun on Robago, who subsequently fled.



Police say when Robago was arrested a short time later, he was carrying two knives, a screwdriver, and a mask that was described by the victim.



Police say Robago was staying at the Alamo Motel on College Street, where they found evidence linking him to at least two other home invasion robberies that occurred Thursday.



Rabago is charged with carrying a prohibited weapon and burglary of a habitation.

St. Petersburg, Florida



From the Miami Herald of January 10, 2005

(Requires free registration)

Security guard at St. Petersburg gem show fatally shoots man



A security guard fatally shot an armed man who broke into a jewelry show, and a second masked suspect fled the scene, police said.



The security guard was inside the Coliseum in St. Petersburg at about 2:30 a.m. Sunday when two men pried open the back door, setting off the alarm, police spokesman Bill Doniel said.



The guard confronted the two men, who pointed their handguns at him, Doniel said.



The guard fired several shots at the men, who were wearing ski masks, Doniel said. One man was injured, while the other fled.

Madison County, Georgia



From the Athens Banner-Herald of January 9, 2005

Two hospitalized after double shooting in Madison



Two men were admitted to an Athens hospital with gunshot wounds after a shooting in Madison County involving the two men and two daughters of one of the men.



According to investigators with the Madison County Sheriff's Department and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Bowman resident Terry Bryant, 48, showed up at the 789 Johnny McElroy Road mobile home of Chester Butler, 53, shortly before 5 a.m. Saturday. He demanded to see his estranged girlfriend, Della Butler, 29, who is Butler's daughter.



Bryant had brought two .22 pistols with him, and soon after his arrival, Della Butler and Bryant got into a struggle outside the house, investigators said. During the struggle, Bryant shot himself in the face, apparently intentionally, though the .22 bullet did not wound him seriously, said Madison County Sheriff Clayton Lowe.



At that point, Chester Butler came out of the house and entered the struggle with Bryant on the porch of the home, according to Madison County investigators. Bryant then shot Chester Butler with one of the .22s as the father and boyfriend grappled, Madison County authorities said.



Meanwhile, a second Butler daughter, Candy Butler, was inside the house loading a shotgun. As Bryant struggled with her father, Candy Butler came to the door and ended the confrontation by shooting Bryant twice with the High Standard 12-gauge shotgun, Lowe said.



The Butler family called 911 at that point, and when deputies arrived at about 5:07 a.m., they found both men lying on the mobile home's small front porch, bleeding from their wounds.

…



No charges have been filed in the incident, though Bryant could face charges later, Lowe said.

Phoenix, Arizona



From the December 20, 2004 Arizona Daily Star:

A man is recovering in the hospital after he was shot trying to force his way into a home through the doggy door.



Police were called to the home near 40th Street and Indian School Road around midnight for a noise complaint. Then the officers heard gunshots.



Investigators think the victim tried to enter the home after he saw police.



The man was shot two or three times by the residents after he allegedly pulled a gun on them. He was taken to the hospital for surgery.

Houston, Texas



From Houston’s KTRK-TV of January 4, 2005

Mother and son shot during violent home invasion in SE Houston



An apparent home invasion ended with three people being shot -- a mother, her young son, and one of the suspects.



The attempted break-in happened around 6:30am Tuesday at The Cove apartment complex in on Windmill near Windwater in southeast Houston. Neighbors at the complex say they heard at least three gunshots and Houston police think this may have been an intended home invasion.



An 11-year-old boy and his mother, Regina Hearst, 31, along with one of the suspects, Marcus Brown, 12, were injured during the violent home invasion.



Witnesses say three men kicked in the front door and began shooting. The mother and son were both struck, while the father, Eric Milburn, was able to get his gun and return fire.



One of the suspects was critically injured after being shot in the head. Witnesses say the father then walked outside where the suspect had collapsed and he shot him again.

…



The mother and child are both in stable condition. In fact, Hearst was seen walking around the scene shortly after police arrived. The boy gave a thumbs up as he was being loaded onto the ambulance. They are expected to be OK. Brown is said to be in very critical condition.



Police are still trying to track down the other gunmen. No charges are expected to be filed against Milburn.

Harvey, Illinois



From Evansville’s 14WFIE.com of January 6, 2005

No Charges In IL Fatal Shooting Following Break-In



State prosecutors say they will not bring homicide charges against a 61-year-old Harvey, Illinois man who shot and killed his 21-year-old stepson.



Harvey police say the older man shot John Shedrich on Friday afternoon as Shedrich attempted to force his way into the home he had formerly shared.



They say Shedrich had thrown bricks through a window and kicked down the front door to get in.



Police said the stepfather, whom they declined to identify, fired only in self-defense.

Kelso, Washington



From Portland, Oregon’s KPTV.com of January 5, 2005

UPDATE: Citizen nabs bank robbery suspect



Deputies have a bank robbery suspect in custody after some quick thinking by a Kelso man.



Cowlitz County deputies got a call from the resident in the 4400 block of Kalama River Road just after reporting they had a person matching the bank robbery suspect on their property. The homeowner held the person at gunpoint until deputies arrived.



The suspect was been identified as Steven W. Driffill, 56 years of West Valley Utah.



Driffill is suspected of robbing a bank in Northeast Portland Tuesday, then leading officers on a chase into Clark Couty, when he disappeared near Kalama. Driffill is also a suspect in two other bank robberies in Oregon.



He was soaking wet and armed with a pistol at the time he was arrested. Police think he was in the Kalama River shortly before being taken in to custody.

North Union Township, Pennsylvania



From Pittsburgh’s PittsburghLive.com of January 4, 2005

Teen won't be charged in fatal shooting



Authorities have termed it self-defense, but the justification has not set Robert Miner at ease.



"It's unreal how anybody could just take up a gun and just shoot somebody," he said Monday, reflecting on his son's death and reacting to Fayette County District Attorney Nancy Vernon's decision not to charge the 17-year-old who authorities say pulled the trigger. "They're supposed to be friends."



His son, 21-year-old Joshua J. Miner, had been living with the 17-year-old's family in North Union Township. An argument in the early hours of Dec. 18 led to several 911 calls as it became physical, police said.



Miner began to beat on 39-year-old Jerome Zuzak before Zuzak's 17-year-old son fired a single shot from a pistol. The bullet ripped through Miner's right arm before entering his body and piercing his heart, Vernon said.



Vernon would not identify the 17-year-old's name.



"It's been a traumatic experience for everybody," Vernon said. "You can hear on the last 911 tape the young boy's crying."



Vernon said the shooting was justified because Miner had been told to leave the North Union Township home before he came back and beat Zuzak.



"When he busted through the door, he was an intruder," she said. "When he started using deadly force, or what the son perceived as deadly force, on his father, he was justified in returning it."



Police said an argument between Miner and Zuzak erupted at about 3:30 a.m. Zuzak called 911, but Miner left before police arrived. Soon afterward, he returned.



The dispute apparently began over whether Miner would purchase $10 worth of alcohol, Vernon said. During the argument, Miner made death threats, she added.



Concerned about the threats, Zuzak had placed a handgun in the waistband of his pants, Vernon said. During the beating, the son pulled the handgun from his father's pants and fired it from a distance Vernon said measured between 3 and 8 feet.



Zuzak is frail and suffers from cancer, Vernon said.



(More)

Bridgeport, Connecticut



From Hartford’s NBC30.com of January 3, 2005

Resident Fatally Shoots Home Invader, Wounds Another



Three home invaders were repelled in a shootout Sunday night with a homeowner that left one of the attackers dead and one seriously wounded, police said.



Police got a report of a home invasion at a home on DeKalb Avenue Sunday night and officers found two people suffering from gunshot wounds.



A police representative said that one of those shot was the homeowner who had been attacked by three people who terrorized the family. One of the three attackers was shot and killed. The other two apparently fled.



A short time later a man showed up at St. Vincent's Hospital with a gunshot wound to the mouth. Police said, Frankie Rodriguez, 26, of Bridgeport, was one of the attackers who fled.



Rodriguez was placed under arrest and taken to Bridgeport Hospital where he was under police guard. The homeowner was admitted to St. Vincent's Hospital to be treated for gunshot wounds,

Phoenix, Arizona



From Phoenix’ AZCentral.com of January 2, 2005

Phoenix officer is shot by wife, then arrested



Phoenix police arrested one of their veteran officers Tuesday on charges of domestic violence after his wife said she shot him several times to defend herself.



Detective Billy Soza, a 25-year Phoenix officer, was booked on two counts of aggravated assault and one count of kidnapping, said Sgt. Randy Force, a spokesman for the department.



Soza, 53, was released from St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center at about 4:30 p.m. and booked at Madison Street Jail, Force said.



He spent most of Tuesday recovering from his injuries, which were gunshots to the face, chest, shoulder and left hand.



His wife, 44-year-old Pamela Soza was not taken into custody.

…



Soza was shot Monday night during a domestic dispute involving his wife, Pamela Soza, Force said.



Their 19-year-old daughter was also at the house, in 10900 block of West Roma Avenue, during the shooting just before 11 p.m.



Their daughter didn't witness the assault, but saw the shooting, Force said.



Afterward, one of the people inside the house called 911 and the first officers on the scene found Soza in a bedroom.



Pamela Soza told officers that she shot her husband in self-defense, Force said. She claimed she was assaulted just before the shooting and used a handgun that was in the couple's home. The gun was not Soza's service weapon, Force said.



Billy Soza told police investigators that he thinks his behavior contributed to the situation, Force said.

Newport, Tennessee



From the Knoxville News of January 2, 2005

Cocke County man, 24, shot by father



Authorities are investigating the death of a Cocke County man who was shot by his father on New Year's Eve.



According to the Cocke County Sheriff's Department, Jake Cassidy James, 24, of Newport was fatally shot by his father, Homer James, 56, at the elder James' residence.



Chief Detective Robert Caldwell said the incident began at 7:15 p.m. when Jake James attempted to enter his parents' Branch Road home, which is adjacent to his.



"The parents would not open the door, and so he fired two arrows at the front door. Both were found beside the door," Caldwell said.



Homer James then called 911 requesting that a deputy come to his home. While officers were responding, the elder James placed a second call saying that he had shot his son, according to the detective.



Caldwell said after shooting the arrows, Jake James reportedly kicked open the front door and vandalized the residence.



When the son attempted to assault his father in a bedroom, investigators say he was shot in the head with a .38 caliber handgun.



The victim's mother, Peggy James, fled the home to the nearby residence of a relative before the shooting occurred.



An autopsy was ordered to determine if the victim was under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the incident, Caldwell said.



Jake James was arrested Dec. 16 on aggravated assault charges. Investigators alleged that he shot his cousin, Curtis James, 42 of Cosby in the leg during an October altercation at a residence in the Hartford community. He was out of jail on bond at the time of the Friday evening shooting.

Camden, New Jersey



From the Philadelphia Inquirer of January 1, 2005

Camden reports its 54th homicide



A store owner shot a robber who held a knife to his wife. The 2004 total was second to the city's 60 killings in '95.



Hours before one of the most violent years ever in Camden came to a close yesterday, a store owner shot and killed a knife-wielding assailant, the city's 54th homicide of 2004.



A man walked into Camden City Wireless & Fishing Supply at 27th Street and Westfield Avenue around 12:30 p.m., grabbed the owner's wife, and held a knife to her, saying he intended to rob the store, police said.



The owner, in his 30s, pulled a handgun and told the robber to drop the knife. When the robber refused, the owner fired one shot, striking the assailant in the head, authorities said.



No one else was in the store.



The robber was declared dead at the scene. His name was withheld until police could notify his relatives. He was described as a 32-year-old whose last known address was in Philadelphia.



The identities of the store owner and his wife also were withheld while police investigated. The couple were speaking with detectives last night. Their store was closed.



No charges were filed yesterday. Authorities said that the gun was properly registered, and that the owner was permitted to have it at the store.



Even if no charges are filed, the death is considered a homicide. Included in the 54 in 2004 were four people killed by police officers.

UPDATE: January 5, 2005, WPVI Channel 6 in Philadelphia reports:

January 5, 2005 — A man who was killed while attempting to rob a store last week was the man who raped three women in Camden over the last two months of 2004, authorities said Wednesday.



Camden County Prosecutor Vincent P. Sarubbi said the state police DNA lab confirmed that Antonio Diaz Reyes, 32, was the rapist.



Three women were raped in the relatively safe downtown Camden area in November and December. Authorities said they were unable to figure out who had committed the brazen daylight attacks.