Houston, Texas

From Houston’s Click2Houston.com of June 29, 2005

Police: Homeowner Returns Fire, Shoots Suspected Thief

Three Other Suspected Thieves Flee Scene

A northeast Houston homeowner shot a suspected thief who he caught trying to steal his pickup truck Wednesday morning, police told Local 2.

The shooting happened outside the man's home on Richland at Sultan at about 4:15 a.m. shortly after four men arrived in a stolen Cutlass Ciera.

Police said the homeowner heard something going on outside, grabbed his shotgun and went outside to investigate.

Investigators said the homeowner fired the gun after one of the suspected thieves fired a gun at him first.

One of the suspects was struck in the back. He was transported to Ben Taub Hospital and is expected to survive.

The three other suspects fled the scene.

A nearby resident told Local 2 that the area has repeatedly experienced problems with car theft and vandalism.

"They are kicking in the brake lights, stealing the CD players out of our vehicles. The cops ain't done nothing about it so far," neighbor Kenneth Mallard said.

The Harris County District Attorney's Office will decide if the homeowner will face charges in the shooting.

Moreno Valley, California

From the Riverside Press-Enterprise of April 26, 2005

Man killed in self-defense, authorities say

Investigators have identified the gunman in a weekend shooting in Moreno Valley, although the man is not in custody because he is believed to have killed in self-defense, authorities said Monday.

Police are not releasing the man's name until the district attorney's office decides whether to file charges.

Investigators say he shot and killed 37-year-old Vincent Ernest Moore of Inglewood.

"We're looking at it as a justifiable homicide," Sgt. John Schultz of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department Central Homicide Unit said Monday. "That's why the guy wasn't arrested."

The incident was Moreno Valley's third homicide in 2005 and 12th in the last 13 months.

Shortly before 8 p.m. Saturday, Moore was shot and killed outside the house where his ex-wife lives in the 22600 block of Climbing Rose Drive, Moreno Valley police Sgt. Joel Ontiveros said Sunday in a news release.

According to Schultz, Moore first kicked the front door of the house, and then later punched the woman's new husband. The husband of Moore's ex-wife shot and killed Moore, Schultz said.

According to court records, there had been an outstanding warrant for Moore's arrest in Riverside County since September 2004 for making criminal threats. Schultz said Moore had threatened his ex-wife and her new husband in the past, and there was a restraining order against him.

A friend of Moore's painted a different picture, however.

Freddie Leslie, 55, who said he knew Moore for seven years, described his friend as a good parent and good person.

Leslie said he used to help Moore plant trees in his yard when he used to live at his ex-wife's Moreno Valley residence.

He came over with others to watch basketball games.

No subsequent stories about this incident were found.

Spokane, Washington

From Spokane’s KXLY.com of June 28, 2005

Thief Held at Gunpoint in Spokane Valley

A would-be burglar chose the wrong store to break into in the Spokane Valley over the weekend.

Deputies arrested 24-year-old Brian Dukes early Sunday morning at the Fitness Fanatics store on East Trent. Deputies say Dukes broke a window to get in the back door. He then disabled the security system by pulling it off the wall.

The store's owner and a security specialist were notified. The security specialist who is a former ATF agent went to the store armed with a rifle. He held Dukes at gunpoint until authorities arrived.

From a participant

I was browsing the web this morning and came across your reference to a story from Spokane. I am the "security specialist" referenced in the article. I think this is an example of the media wanting to downplay the importance of civilians using firearms for useful purposes. I am not a "security specialist" but just a computer geek. I didn't have a rifle, I had a Glock 26, the store is cluttered and there are racks of merchandise all over the place so a rifle would not be the ideal choice of weapons. I was an ATF SA many years ago. The perp was armed with a large knife.

Mike Scalera
Spokane, Washington

Los Angeles, California

From the Los Angeles Times of June 27, 2005
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Valley College Guard Shoots Man on Campus

A man who threatened to hurl a 3-foot concrete stand at a security guard was shot and wounded on the campus of Los Angeles Valley College early Monday, sheriff's investigators said.

The unidentified man was taken to a nearby hospital, where he underwent surgery and was listed in critical condition.

The guard who shot him was part of a sheriff's civilian detail contracted to guard the college.

Sheriff's Lt. Joe Hartshorne said detectives are trying to determine the man's identity and what he was doing on campus. They did not release the guard's name or that of a second guard who came to his aid.

About 5:15 a.m., the man began throwing bricks at the guard outside the security detail's bungalow on the Valley Glen campus, Hartshorne said.

The security guard was able to dodge the bricks, Hartshorne said. The second security officer fired a Taser gun at the man, but it didn't stop him, the lieutenant said.

The man grabbed a large concrete stand used as an outdoor ashtray and held it above his shoulders as if to throw it at the officers, Hartshorne said. The first officer fired his gun several times, striking the man at least once, Hartshorne said.

Deputy Steve Suzuki said the officer told investigators he fired because he feared for his own safety and that of the other guard.

The security officers, who are members of the Sheriff's Community College District Bureau, are armed, civilian employees who guard campuses throughout the Los Angeles Community College District.

(Emphasis ours)

Ahwatukee Foothills, Arizona

From the Arizona Republic of June 28, 2005

2 try to rob jewelry store; 1 suspect shot, still at large

A jewelry distributor shot and wounded at least one of two masked, armed men who walked into a store Monday afternoon to rob it, authorities said.

The attempted armed robbery at Loretta's Ahwatukee Jewelers at lunchtime in a community that seldom sees such violence brought back memories of the November murder and robbery of an armored car guard just two miles away.

In Monday's incident, one suspect was shot in the leg and taken to Maricopa Medical Center in police custody. Police said the other suspect was likely wounded based on witness accounts.

(More)

Hamtramck, Michigan

From Detroit’s ClickOnDetroit.com of June 27, 2005

Jewelry Store Owner Grabs Gun, Chases Robber

Police Track Down Suspected Robber

The owner of a jewelry store in Hamtramck attempted to chase down a robber on Saturday, Local 4 reported.

Police said a man grabbed about $500 worth of jewelry from the Nice Jewelry store on Jos Campau Street.

The owner of the store grabbed his gun, chased the robber out of the store and fired a warning shot into the air, police said

Police said it was not the first time the store had been the target of a robbery. The owner was shot in the chest and in the stomach during a robbery in July 2000.

"He's been a business owner in town for many years. He was shot numerous times," said Detective Ben Bielecki.

The owner recovered from those injuries and returned to work, but said the only way he could protect his family and his business was to carry a gun, the station reported.

Police said the store owner has a permit for the weapon.

"It's one store I would not want to rob or steal from in Hamtramck," said Bielecki.

Police were able to locate the robber hiding in alley and take him into custody. He's expected to be charged on Monday.

Houston, Texas

From the Houston Chronicle of June 27, 2005

Homeowner kills 1, critically wounds another

A northeast Houston resident shot and killed one man and critically wounded another after reportedly catching them breaking into his house early today.

The man told police he returned to his house on Lakewood near Jensen just after 1 a.m. today and found four men trying to break in.

He opened fire on the would-be burglars, who fired back before fleeing to a house on Willie near Terrell, about a mile a way, authorities said.

One man died at the house on Willie and another man with gunshot wounds was taken to Ben Taub Hospital, where he is listed in critical condition. Neither of the victim's names has been released yet.

Police are still questioning the man who shot them.

Houston, Texas

From Houston‘s Click2Houston.com of June 24, 2005

Police: Owner Shoots Suspect Using Stolen Wrecker To Steal Car

One Suspect In Critical Condition

A northeast Houston man opened fire on suspected car thieves who were trying to steal his vehicle, police told Local 2 Friday.

Officers said two men driving a stolen tow truck were trying to tow a car out of the Swiss Village Apartments parking lot on Homestead near Tidwell shortly before 5 a.m.

Roosevelt Grant is a neighbor of the car owner. He said he knew something was wrong when he saw the white Buick LeSabre hooked up to a tow truck. Then, he said he saw his neighbor running after his car and shooting a gun at the two men inside the wrecker.

"I just heard a loud, squealing noise and I just happened to see a wrecker truck," Grant said. "To take something that belongs to you is just not right."

The car's owner fired a total of six shots at the wrecker, hitting Antonio Devon Hunt, 29, who police said was driving the tow truck. He was shot once in the head and transported to Ben Taub Hospital in critical condition.

The other man escaped.

Police said that the men stole the tow truck a week ago and were using it to steal vehicles.

"I feel sure that they stole the wrecker for a reason and, so, it's entirely possible that other vehicles have been stolen in this manner and fashion," said Sgt. Jim Binford, with HPD Homicide.

The car theft suspects also allegedly punctured the tires of three other vehicles in the area. Officials believe they were trying to prevent anyone from chasing them.

Neighbors supported the car owner who fought back when his vehicle was being stolen.

"I didn't even know he owned a gun. I probably would have done the same thing if it was my car," a neighbor known only as Linda said.

Police do not expect to file charges against the owner because the shooting appears to be justified. The case will be referred to a grand jury.

Texas law allows people to use deadly force to protect their property or, under certain circumstances, to stop someone they believe is committing a crime.

Richmond, Virginia

From the June 22, 2005 Richmond Times-Dispatch:

Law enforcement sources involved in the case said Rodvon Daymetric Brown, 14, was carrying an unloaded, .22-caliber rifle when he got off his bicycle and approached a 47-year-old man sitting in his car at 24th Street and Fairmount Avenue around 11:40 p.m.

An ammunition magazine from an AK-47, also unloaded, had been duct-taped to the barrel of the rifle, giving it more of an appearance as a deadly assault weapon, the sources said.

The man inside the car, however, had a loaded, 40 mm [sic] semiautomatic handgun. He told police that after dropping off a woman at her home, he saw Brown and another boy circling his car on their bicycles. Police said the man told them Brown got off his bicycle and began walking toward the driver's side of his car carrying his weapon.

The man said Brown "threatened him with a gun and attempted to rob him," according to a statement released by police.

Law enforcement sources said the man in the car fired three times, shattering two windows in his vehicle. One of the shots struck Brown in the side of the head, causing him to fall face-first on his gun. He died just over an hour later at VCU Medical Center.

Richmond are consulting with prosecutors on whether to charge the man in connection with the shooting, which is still under investigation.

Police said the man who fired the fatal shots did not flee the scene, but called 911 and waited for police and medical attention to arrive.

A recent law school graduate with sources inside the prosecutor's office tells me that if there are charges filed, it will be for felon in possession--not for the shoot itself. The article goes on to explain that the 14 year old had an arrest record.

Madison, Tennessee

From the Nashville Tennessean of June 26, 2005

Police: Homeowner shoots, kills intruder

An attempted home invasion Friday evening ended when a homeowner fatally shot one of the intruders, police said.

Bobby Pottinger, 38, of Nashville was shot and killed when he and three other people tried to rob a home at 504 Macfie Court in Madison at about 11:40 p.m., police said.

Metro Capt. Mike Hagar said it appears the homeowner shot Pottinger in self-defense, but detectives still are investigating the incident.

"The homeowner met them at the door and refused admission," Hagar said.

"When they attempted to force their way in the house, the homeowner fired his pistol."

Jacksonville, Florida

From Jacksonville‘s FirstCoastNews.com of June 24, 2005

Attempted Robbery Lands Two In Hospital

Two men were taken to Shands Jacksonville after getting shot in an attempted robbery. They both have non-life threatening injuries.

Jacksonville Sheriff's Officers tell First Coast News the shooting happened at 13th Street Lottery Store on Canal Street and West 13th.

They say two men walked into the store Friday shortly after 10 p.m., and tried to rob it.

The suspects exchanged gunfire with the victims, and then took off on foot.

The store's owner and another man were taken to the hospital.

Elk Grove, California

From the Sacramento Bee of June 24, 2005
(Free registration required)

Homeowner captures burglar

A burglary was brought to an abrupt halt Thursday morning when the homeowner confronted the suspect with a handgun, police said.

Elk Grove Police arrested Esteban Rodriguez, 30, on suspicion of assault with deadly weapon and burglary. The incident took place at 3:13 a.m. in the 3300 block of Marina Cove Circle.

An officer investigating a report of vandalism in the area heard a window break and a woman scream. The officer forced his way through the front door of the residence and found a man holding Rodriguez at gunpoint, according to reports.

Rodriguez, who had a large metal tool, had allegedly smashed a rear window to get in and chased a woman through the residence. She alerted the homeowner, who got his handgun, the report said.

Rodriguez remained in Sacramento County jail Thursday.

Grand Bay, Alabama

From Mobile’s WPMI.com of June 23, 2005

Would-be robber gets a big surprise

A dramatic robbery caught on video tape… now the would-be robber is in custody of local law enforcement officers.

Tuesday night at a Grand Bay convenience store, the clerk opens the cash register when suddenly a customer makes a daring move... jumping at the clerk and trying to grab some cash from the register.

But, boy is he in for a surprise! The clerk's husband comes dashing out from the back of the store. It's quite a struggle.

The clerk pulls a gun threatening to shoot, but the determined suspect manages to get away.

It all went down at the Mini-Mart in Grand Bay at the intersection of U.S. Highway 90 and 188.

Sheriff's deputies say after the video aired on NBC 15 News, they started getting phone calls alerting them to the suspect's identity. Timothy Lamar Carey, taken into custody at his home in Coden, is charged with Robbery - 3rd degree. Carey is 19 years old and currently on probation for another robbery. Officials say he has a history of arrests for drugs and domestic violence.

The Mobile County Sheriff's Department expressed appreciation to the public for their assistance in identifying Carey as the suspect seen in the convenience store surveillance tape.

Lexington, Kentucky

From Louisville’s WAVE3.com of June 23, 2005

No Indictment In Fatal Shooting

A grand jury has dismissed murder charges against a University of Kentucky student who shot a Louisville man in a struggle outside a Lexington apartment complex.

Twenty-year-old UK junior Brian Briggs said in an interview that he told a grand jury Tuesday that he shot 22-year-old Cory Harris in self defense. He says Harris threatened to kill him during a May 2nd robbery. Harris died a day later.

Grand juries meet in secret to decide if prosecutors have sufficient evidence to make a suspect stand trial. Authorities must prove only they have probable cause to proceed.

It was the second time in four months that a Lexington grand jury has dismissed murder charges against a suspect. Charges against Lucian Anderson, who shot a man in his driveway on Christmas Day, were dismissed by a grand jury in March.

Tacoma, Washington

From the Tacoma News-Tribune of June 19, 2005

Argument ends in fatal shooting

A 22-year-old man who had been arguing with his girlfriend was shot and killed early Saturday after another man overheard the argument and tried to break it up, police said.

It happened about 2:40 a.m. at an apartment in the 4300 block of South Union Avenue in Tacoma, said police spokesman Mark Fulghum.

Richard Matthews, who recently moved into his girlfriend’s apartment, pulled a gun on the man who tried to intervene, Fulghum said.

But the would-be peacekeeper, identified by police only as an approximately 30-year-old Tacoma man, also was carrying a gun.

He fired “numerous” shots at Matthews before Matthews could get off a shot, Fulghum said.

Matthews was pronounced dead at the scene, Fulghum said.

No other injuries were reported.

Police officers who happened to be nearby heard the gunfire and arrived soon after the shooting, Fulghum said.

The shooter was cooperative with officers, Fulghum said. Detectives interviewed him and let him go. It will be up to prosecutors to decide whether to charge him with a crime.

Based on what police saw, “This guy just had a quicker draw,” Fulghum said. “The prosecutor will make the decision, but it looks like he didn’t have much choice.”

Grand Rapids, Michigan

From Grand Rapids‘ WOODtv.com of June 21, 2005

Burglar shot and killed by hostage; two other intruders arrested

Grand Rapids Police have arrested two men in connection with a robbery in which a third intruder was shot and killed.

Twenty-three-year-old Ian Johnson was shot and killed by a resident of the Charles Avenue home that had been tied up. The resident broke free around 3 a.m., got a gun away from one of the suspects and shot him.

Around 3:30 a.m. Tuesday, police arrested one of the other suspects who police say broke into the home with Johnson near the corner of Bridge and Monroe in downtown Grand Rapids. The third intruder was arrested later Tuesday.

Police say the suspects broke into the house in the overnight hours, searching for drugs and money, when they then took two men hostage. They bound and gagged the men by using duct tape and some wire.

Elma Robinson, who was on her way to the bus stop at the time, says she saw one of the victims describing to police what had happened.
"He said he shot two of them when he got his hands loose," she said.

Police say one of the victims was pistol-whipped during the ordeal. "One had a head wound. He was transported to the hospital," said Capt. Jeffrey Hertell of the Grand Rapids Police Department.

Lauderhill, Florida

From the Miami Herald of June 20, 2005
(Requires Free Registration)

One man slain, one injured at apartment

A Lauderhill man told police Sunday he shot one man to death and wounded a second after they tried to break into his apartment.

Eddie Nelson, 58, told Broward Sheriff's Office investigators he was sitting in his apartment in The Villas at 2201 NW 55th Way about 2:15 p.m. Sunday when two men tried to break in through the rear sliding glass door. Nelson told BSO he grabbed a pistol, and when the alleged burglars pointed something at him, he opened fire.

One of the wounded men stumbled into the street for about 50 yards before he collapsed and died in the 2300 block of Northwest 56th Avenue, according to BSO. The other man was found in The Villas and taken to a hospital, where he underwent surgery. His condition was not available late Sunday.

BSO did not release the name of the hospital where the man was treated.

The two men who were shot had not been identified late Sunday.

BSO and Lauderhill police detectives are investigating the shooting. No charges had been filed in the case late Sunday.

From the Miami Herald of June 24, 2005
(Requires free registration)

Buglary suspect charged in death

Broward Sheriff's Office homicide detectives said they have charged a Sunrise man with murder in the death of his partner in crime during a burglary in Lauderhill earlier this week.

Mark Anthony Dyer, 26, of 2330 NW 89th Ave. was charged under Florida laws that allow a person who commits certain crimes to be charged with murder if, during the commission of those crimes, another person is killed.

Dyer is being held in Broward County Jail without bail.

Dyer's case did not appear to be affected by a decision by the Florida Supreme Court Thursday limiting use of Florida's felony-murder statute in certain cases.

According to investigators, Dyer and 25-year-old Troy Fyffe crept up to the back of a unit in The Villas apartments on

Northwest 55th Way in Lauderhill on June 19. The two started prying open a sliding glass door leading to a bedroom in the apartment of 58-year old Eddie Nelson, officials said.

Investigators gave this account:

Nelson, who had just returned home, heard noises and yelled to scare the intruders, but Dyer and Fyffe continued to work the door. Nelson yelled again, and warned that he had a gun.

When Nelson saw one of them point what appeared to be a gun, Nelson fired four rounds from a .380 caliber semi-automatic handgun. Three of the bullets struck Fyffe and one hit Dyer.

Fyffe collapsed and died near the entrance to a nearby apartment. Dyer was captured.

Nelson was not charged.

Bucks County, Pennsylvania

From the Allentown Morning Call of June 19, 2005

Man kills wife, then is shot to death by son, 15, authorities say

Andrew Detwiler of East Rockhill had hospitalized himself briefly last week. Boy tried to protect his mother.

An East Rockhill Township man blasted his way into his home with a shotgun Saturday and killed his wife as she talked to a 911 operator — then was shot to death by the couple's 15-year-old son, authorities said.

Andrew Detwiler, 44, of 30 Greenleaf Circle, shot his wife, Suzanne Detwiler, 40, about 10 a.m. at the family home after loading an empty shotgun he had wrested from the boy, said Bucks County District Attorney Diane Gibbons.

The father took the shotgun as the boy and his 17-year-old brother pointed unloaded shotguns at him in an attempt to scare him away from their mother. Detwiler was holding a knife to his wife's throat, Gibbons said.

The couple had begun arguing earlier that morning, police said.

Gibbons described Andrew Detwiler's shooting death as justifiable, saying the boys acted heroically.

''There's no question that he acted solely for the purpose of saving his mother's life,'' said Gibbons, who added that the 15-year-old would not be charged.

(More)

Beaumont, Texas

From Beaumont‘s KBTV.com of June 2, 2005

Beaumont Man Fires Shots at Intruder

A 63-year-old Beaumont man fired 2 gunshots through his bedroom window early Thursday morning to fend off a burglar. James Hodges says he pulled the .25 caliber pistol from his bedside table when he heard someone break his window then put their arm through it, holding a flashlight.

The intruder fled on foot but a bullet hole on a nearby tree marked the scene of the crime.

Beaumont Police say Hodges` actions were legal, citing that a person has a right to use deadly force if they reasonably fear their life is in danger.

Victorville, California

From the Victorville Daily Press of May 7, 2005

Sheriff: Dead man was shot during burglary

Suspected accomplice of man left at Kaiser jailed; resident won't be charged

A man who died of a gunshot wound after being dumped at a medical clinic Thursday had been shot while burglarizing a Victorville home, sheriff's officials said Friday.

An unidentified homeowner shot Baldomero Joseph Garcia, 21, after Garcia broke into a home in the in the 1700 block of Seneca Road, according to authorities.

"Garcia and the juvenile were accomplices, and they planned to burglarize this home," said San Bernardino County Sheriff's Sgt. Tom Bradford. "After assuming nobody was there, Garcia broke in carrying a gun and found the resident who shot him out fear for his life."

The17-year-old juvenile waited in the getaway car. After being shot, Garcia, fled the scene and the teenager drove Garcia to the Kaiser Pernamente clinic on Park Avenue where he died in the doorway.

Friday morning, sheriff's homicide detectives arrested the juvenile who abandoned Garcia at the clinic, which does not have an emergency room.

"Before leaving the scene, a security guard at the clinic was able to take down the plate number of the vehicle the juvenile drove to drop off his accomplice," Bradford said.

According to detectives, the juvenile has a criminal background as did Garcia, who left behind a 4-year-old son.

Authorities said that the juvenile had a previous warrant for his arrest and is currently in custody.

As for the resident who shot Garcia, Bradford said that he was in shock after the incident and will not be charged since he defended himself out of fear for his life.

Efforts to contact the resident, who does not have a criminal record, were unsuccessful on Friday.

Spokane, Washington

From Spokane‘s KXLY.com of June 16, 2005

Alleged Burglar Fired On

A would-be burglary suspect is behind bars thanks to some quick thinking neighbors, and one armed with a pistol.

Lashonda Fuchs -Baker is facing residential burglary charges after allegedly trying to break into at least three homes Wednesday morning. One resident fired a warning shot to scare her.

Spokane County Sheriff's deputies were able to track Baker to a home and coaxed her out after about an hour.

Deputies say Baker admitted she was in possession of stolen property and could face additional charges.

St. Petersburg, Florida

From the Tampa Tribune of June 16, 2005

Son Shoots, Kills Dad In Self-Defense, St. Pete Police Say

What started as a fight over respect for one's father - or the lack thereof - quickly deteriorated at a St. Petersburg home just before midnight Tuesday and culminated with a son fatally shooting his father, police said.

However, Ollie Latodd Flounary Jr., 20, is not likely to be charged in the shooting death of Ollie Latodd Flounary Sr., 43, because he apparently reacted in self-defense, St. Petersburg police said. At the time the son shot his father, the father was beating him with a 14-inch piece of iron pipe, Sgt. Mike Puetz said.

Puetz said the fight began when the telephone rang at the Flounary residence, at 2120 16th St. S.

Flounary Sr., a self- employed roofer, and Flounary Jr., a cook, answered the call from different telephones, but the caller was looking for the younger Flounary, Puetz said. The elder Flounary was asked to get off the line, the homicide sergeant said.

A fight broke out over the younger Flounary's failing to show respect for his father in handling the call, Puetz said.

Before long, each man was throwing the other's belongings out the window. At some point, the younger Flounary called his mother, who had moved out, to come to the house and help.

The mother arrived. Also in the house were another son of Flounary Sr. and Flounary Sr.'s mother, Puetz said. Flounary Jr.'s mother tried to mediate, but the fight continued to escalate, and it was decided the younger Flounary should move out, as well, the sergeant said.

Before walking out the door, the younger Flounary threw his father's stereo system out the window, Puetz said. Then the older Flounary retrieved the section of pipe and attacked his son, according to Puetz.

Among the personal possessions the younger Flounary had just packed from his room was a handgun, and he had it in his pocket when his father started beating him, Puetz said.

He pulled it out and shot his father once, Puetz said.

``He didn't see any other alternative at the moment,'' the sergeant said.

Flounary Jr., his mother and a neighbor put the elder Flounary in a car and drove him to Bayfront Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, Puetz said.

Shreveport, Louisiana

From Shreveport‘s KTBS.com of June 13, 2005

Assistant principal shot during robbery

The assistant principal of discipline at Youree Drive Middle School in Shreveport is recovering from a gunshot wound suffered during a robbery.

Charles Washington was last listed in stable condition at LSU Hospital, where he was treated for a gunshot wound to the shoulder, police said.

Police said Washington was shot Sunday night near Sycamore and Milam streets.

Washington went to police headquarters and told them he had been robbed and shot, and had also shot at his attacker in self-defense.

Police later arrested Gabriel Robinson in connection with the shooting and booked him on charges of attempted second-degree murder.

Both Washington and Robinson suffered gunshot wounds to the shoulder.

Caddo Assistant District Attorney Lea Hall Jr. said Washington's wallet was taken and he was ordered to throw his keys out of the car. Washington then pulled his own gun and both men fired at each other, Hall said.

Robinson told police he was shot without provocation as he walked down the street, Hall said.

Robinson has been released from the hospital and made his initial appearance in court today. Bond was set at $60,000.

Savannah, Georgia

From the Savannah Morning News of June 13, 2005

Armed robbery suspect shot, then jailed

Chatham Metropolitan Police arrested Willie J. Smith on Saturday after he was released from Memorial Health University Medical Center.

Smith, 29, is being held at the Chatham County jail on one count of armed robbery.

Police are still searching for two men who are believed to have entered Top of the Line Fashions and Accessories at 2903 W. Bay St. with Smith on May 31. One of them had a gun, police said.

Cashier Navon Stroman, 25, stopped the three men from robbing the store when he fired his .38-caliber revolver, a police report says.

At least one shot struck Smith, police said.

Police were unable to locate the three men, who drove off in a rust-colored car.

But soon afterward, a rust-colored car pulled up at the hospital's emergency room and dropped off Smith.

Smith denied involvement in the armed robbery, telling detectives he was shot at Jefferson and West 40th streets while walking to his mother's house, the report says.

Smith told police an unknown car pulled up alongside him, fired at him and then drove off, the report says.

He said he didn't see the shooter, but described the car as a dark-colored vehicle with tinted windows that looked like an unmarked police cruiser, the report says.

Winter Haven, Florida

From the Tampa Tribune of June 14, 2005

Elderly Man Kills Neighbor, Officials Say

A 76-year- old Polk County man shot and killed a 19-year-old neighbor Sunday night and has told investigators the man broke in to his mobile home and wrestled away his wallet, authorities said.

John Michael Lusk, of 322 Donald Lane, was found dead in the home of Norman Bright, 324 Donald Lane, west of Winter Haven, said Michal Shanley, sheriff's office spokeswoman.

No charges had been filed Monday. Shanley said that once detectives have completed their investigation, the case will be turned over to the state attorney for a determination on whether the shooting was justified.

Bright told deputies that Lusk had come to his home earlier in the evening and they argued after Bright accused Lusk of stealing from him.

Fulton County, Georgia

From Atlanta’s WXIA11.com of June 13, 2005

Woman Fends Off Home Intruder

Police are searching for a suspect who entered a home in north Fulton County Monday morning. The homeowner, a 38-year-old woman, told police she was able to shoot the suspect as he fled the residence.

Michelle Johnston told police that her attacker threw her to the ground after entering her home located in the 500 block of Alstonefield Drive.

“She was awake. She came downstairs in her home and that’s where the struggle began, that’s where she was confronted by the suspect,” said Fulton police Lt. Dexter White.

She told police she was able to reach for the suspect’s gun during the scuffle and shoot at him. Police say Johnston fired her gun five times. At least two of the bullets went through a rear window.

There is no evidence she hit anyone.

Houston, Texas

From the Houston Chronicle of June 13, 2005

Homeowner shoots man who followed woman

Deputies say a man was shot and killed in Montgomery County overnight after chasing a woman from the scene of a traffic accident.

The shooting happened early today on Calvary Road near I-45 in northern Montgomery County. Authorities said the man and woman evidently were fighting in a moving car before it veered off the road and turned over.

The woman got out of the wrecked vehicle and ran to a nearby home for help.

Montgomery County Sheriff's Office deputies said the man evidently followed her but was not admitted to the house.

When the man began trying to force his way into the home, deputies said the homeowner shot and killed him.

It is unclear whether the homeowner will face charges.

Nashua, New Hampshire

From the Nashua Telegraph of April 27, 2005

Man turns tables on assailant, pulls out gun

The robber came through the door of Bella Variety with his revolver drawn and a bandana over his face, manager Tony Nader said.

He plunked a bag on the counter and loudly demanded that Nader fill it up with cash.

“He said, ‘It’s a hold up, nobody move. I’ll kill everybody,’ and he put the gun in my face,” Nader said.

“I thought, ‘That’s it. Probably he’s on drugs, he’s going to shoot,’ ” Nader said.

Nader opened the register, and began slowly flipping up the clips that hold down the cash in the drawer. He wanted to keep things calm, he said, and give himself time to think.

A friend was beside Nader, behind the counter, and there were four customers in the store, two of them near the counter, he said.

The robber – who remained at large Tuesday – wasn’t in a reflective mood.

“He started yelling,” insisting that Nader hurry up, he said. “He was starting to get hyper.”

He yelled. He swore. He cocked the hammer on his revolver.

Nader picked up the bag in one hand and a handful of cash in the other, holding both out in front of him. He made as if to drop the cash into the bag, but instead dropped both and grabbed for the guns.

His left hand grabbed for the robber’s revolver, while his right hand reached for the semiautomatic on his belt.

The robber pulled away, startled, then ran from the store without the loot as Nader came around from behind the counter with his own pistol drawn, he said.

Nader chased him a short way, until the robber turned a corner, he said.

“He was running like hell,” Nader said, adding later, “Definitely, he’s on foot. He must be an amateur, or a local guy.”“Nobody steals anything from Bella,” he said.

The customers had taken refuge inside the store cooler, and one of them called 911, Nader said.

“Two, three minutes the cops were here,” he said.

Nader has managed the store at 29 Chestnut St. since August, and the incident Monday night was his first robbery, he said. Recounting it Tuesday afternoon, Nader said he wouldn’t do the same thing, under different circumstances.

“The only reason I didn’t exchange fire with the guy, I had a friend next to me,” Nader said. “If I had been alone, I wouldn’t have hesitated to kill the guy . . . Better him than me.”

No subsequent stories about this incident were found.

Aurora, Colorado

From Denver’s TheDenverChannel.com of June 10, 2005

No Charges To Be Filed In Fatal Parking Lot Shooting

Grand Jury: Man Acted In Self Defense

A white restaurant owner who shot and killed a black man in a parking lot following a confrontation over a small dent caused by a car door acted in self defense, a grand jury that investigated the incident announced Thursday.

Glenn Eichstedt, 52, who is white, shot and killed Aaron P. Davis, 39, and shot Davis' wife, Benita Coleman-Davis, 37, twice in the chest during a confrontation in a shopping center parking lot Nov. 13. Both victims were black.

The Arapahoe County grand jury's announcement of no charges angered the city's black community.

"Everyone in the black community knows that if a black man shoots a white couple in a public parking lot in a fight over a dinged car door the black man goes to jail," said community activist Shareef Aleem.

Eichstedt was questioned on the scene by police and released after he handed them a .38-caliber revolver and said he had a permit to carry a concealed weapon. Witnesses said Aaron Davis struck Eichstedt in the head with a metal bar several times. Coleman-Davis was standing apart from the scuffle and was not armed when she was shot.

In a statement released through his attorney, Eichstedt called the death and wounding an "indescribable tragedy."

"However, I only acted in self-defense Davis' race had nothing to do with this incident," he said.

UPDATE: Here's the grand jury report.

Romulus, Michigan

From Detroit’s ClickOnDetroit.com of June 10, 2005

Police: Homeowner Shoots, Kills Intruder

No Information Available On Charges

An intruder was fatally shot by a homeowner in a Romulus house Friday morning.

The shooting occurred at about 12:20 a.m. at a home located in the 15000 block of Oakbrook Street, according to Romulus police.

The armed man broke into the house, and was confronted by the awakened homeowner, Local 4 reported. The suspect fired shots, and the homeowner returned two shots, according to the station's report.

An autopsy was expected to be performed on the suspect. His name was not released.

There was no information available as to whether the homeowner -- whose name was also not released -- will face charges.

Police continue to investigate the shooting, and a possible connection to a neighboring vacant home where a back door was found open, Local 4 reported.

Indianapolis, Indiana

From the Indianapolis Star of June 9, 2005

Cops say would-be robber shot by business owner

A man who tried to rob an Eastside dry cleaners on Wednesday afternoon was shot and critically wounded by the business's owner, Indianapolis police said.

The shooting was reported at 2:47 p.m. at Discount Cleaners, 3927 E. 10th St. Officers found the wounded man in a strip mall behind the cleaners.

Police said Lavern Thompson, 23, had pointed a gun at workers after he entered the cleaners, and the business's owner pulled his own gun and opened fire.

Thompson was in critical condition Wednesday night at Wishard Memorial Hospital with multiple gunshot wounds.

Police plan to book him on a preliminary charge of attempted armed robbery.

Police identified the business owner who apparently fired the shots as Alfonso Gonzales, 72.

Gonzales was questioned by police but not arrested. Typically, the Marion County prosecutor's office will review such cases to decide whether charges will be filed or whether Gonzales acted in self-defense.

Burke County, North Carolina

From the Charlotte’s WSOCtv.com of June 6, 2005

Clerk, Robbers Have Convenience Store Showdown

A store clerk said Monday night that she reached for her own gun after a man with a gun tried to rob her Monday in Burke County.

Bonnie Christie said the man walked into the store and pulled a gun on her.

Christie said when the man's gun jammed, she reached for her loaded gun under the counter.

"I said, 'well, if you're gonna shoot me, I can shoot you'" Christie said.

The robber ran out the front door.

Christie copied down the tag number of the getaway car and called the Burke County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies traced the license tag to a home in Marion.

McDowell County sheriff's deputies then helped arrest Thomas Mauk and Christopher Cannon.

"People think you make a lot of money at a job like this, but you make a living and that's about it," said Christie.

Mauk and Cannon were in the Burke County Jail Monday night under a $75,000 bond.

Memphis, Tennessee

From Memphis’ WMCStations.com of June 6, 2005

Store owner shoots would-be robber to death

A Memphis store owner shot and killed a would-be robber.

The shooting happened at the Citgo on Jackson Avenue at Interstate 240.

Memphis police say that just after two this morning a gunman tried to rob the Citgo store.

Investigators say the gunman grabbed a clerk who was taking out the trash and entered the store using the clerk as a human shield.

The owner was in the back of the store and shot at the suspect killing him.

The owner also accidentally shot the clerk sending him to the MED in non-critical condition.

Police have not released any names in this case.

Pitt County, Virginia

From the Norfolk Virginian Pilot of June 6, 2005

Shooting ruled self-defense; Hertford man won’t be charged

A Hertford man will not face charges in the April shooting death of an Elizabeth City woman because he was acting in self-defense, District Attorney Frank Parrish said.

Thomas Harvin, 49, of Hertford, fatally shot Stacy Bayles, 39, early April 6.

The incident began after Harvin arrived outside the Ivy Neck Road home of his ex-wife, Dawn Teachey.

Parrish said Bayles, a friend of Teachey, shot Harvin when he arrived. During a struggle over the gun, Bayles was shot in the head.

Bayles died from the wound, and Harvin was treated at Pitt County Memorial Hospital in Greenville and released.

“The evidence tends to indicate that the woman who would be killed had laid in wait for Mr. Harvin,” Parrish said.

Parrish said authorities do not know why Bayles shot Harvin . The investigation is continuing.

Charleston, South Carolina

From the Charleston Post and Courier of June 4, 2005
(Requires free registration)

Merchant fires on robbery suspect

John Vereen, owner of Vereen's Grocery on Rivers Avenue in North Charleston, said he did what he had to do Friday.

A man wearing a white bandanna and brandishing a gun barged in about 2:30 p.m. and robbed Vereen and his customers.

"He got my money off of me, off a few of my customers, and then he turned around and ran out the front door," said Vereen, whose family has owned the business for 47 years.

The store owner left a handful of family members and customers inside and chased after the robber, firing four shots as the man jumped a fence behind the building.

"It was just a split instinct to chase him outside," said Vereen, explaining that he wanted to defend his family and livelihood. "I actually had my hands in my pocket and on my gun in the store, but my cousin and his kids were standing in the way."

Vereen said it took only a few minutes for North Charleston police to arrive on the scene after his wife called 911.

Within hours, police arrested three suspects in connection with the robbery, and a fourth person with the group was arrested on drug charges, said Spencer Pryor, spokesman for the department.

Ricardo Sanchez Hooks of Florida was charged with four counts of armed robbery. Charmus Bennett of North Charleston and Dewayne Cannon of Charlotte were both charged with accessory after the fact of robbery. Meiko Garland of North Charleston was charged with narcotics violations during the other three arrests.

"During today's investigation, detectives learned Hooks is wanted on robbery and murder charges by the Pinellas County sheriff and Hillsborough County sheriff" in Florida, Pryor said. He said Hooks has relatives in North Charleston.

Vereen said he might have recognized the robber if it weren't for the bandanna.

"The robber called me by my name."

Clayton County, Georgia

From Atlanta’s WSBtv.com of June 4, 2005

Carjack Suspect Shot By Victim

A carjacking victim pulled a gun he had been sitting on and shot one of his assailants, critically wounding the man, Clayton County police said Saturday.

Joshua Sanders, 19, of College Park, was in critical but stable condition at Grady Memorial Hospital Saturday night.

Police said his alleged accomplice, Deandra Dawson, 19, of Marietta, called Eric Griffin of Marietta late Friday claiming she was stranded.

When he arrived, she introduced Sanders as her cousin and asked Griffin to drive him home, Capt. Jeff Turner said.

Sanders pulled a gun during the ride and the pair forced Griffin from the vehicle, Turner said. Griffin, who had been sitting on a handgun all along, pulled the weapon and fired as Sanders and Dawson tried to drive away, striking Sanders twice in the upper torso, Turner said.

Dawson fled the scene but Sanders' father brought her back and turned her over to officers, police said.

Albuquerque, New Mexico

From Albuquerque’s KOBtv.com of June 3, 2005

Police identify Albuquerque man killed during domestic dispute

Police have identified a man who officers say was killed during a dispute with his wife on Wednesday as 37-year-old Frank Cervantes.

Albuquerque police officer Trish Hoffman says Cervantes fired gunshots at the back door of the family home as he tried to enter it Wednesday night.

Hoffman also says Cervantes fired shots at his wife, who called police.

Hoffman says that when officers arrived at the home, they found Cervantes dead and his wife and their three children inside. The woman and children were not injured.

Hoffman says no charges have been filed against Cervantes’ wife.

Dayton, Ohio

From the Dayton Daily News of June 2, 2005

Man with concealed-carry permit shoots gunman

Police were dispatched to the 2000 block of West Riverview at about 12:45 a.m. on numerous calls about a shooting.

Police found the 40-year-old male victim at his Dayton residence. He told them that he was walking west on Riverview when he was approached by two males in dark clothing coming from Catalpa. One shoved the victim, the victim turned around and both men in dark clothes flashed handguns, police said.

The victim then "began to back away in a bent-over position with his hands outstretched," according to a police report. Then he pulled out a Glock 23, a .40-caliber handgun, striking one gunman several times, police said.

The two ran off, but police said they caught up with possible suspects at Good Samaritan Hospital.

Cincinnati, Ohio

From June 1, 2005 WKRC (Channel 12):

When Ohio's law allowing residents to carry a concealed weapon went into effect last year, a number of people rushed to get permits so they could legally carry a firearm. The right to do that may have saved a man in Westwood early Wednesday morning. Cincinnati Police say he opened fire on three men who shot him after trying to rob him outside his girlfriend's home. Local 12 Reporter Larry Davis explains what went down.

...

Ola Burton says Charles Pryor had called her granddaughter to say he was on his way from work to pick up her and her baby. When he arrived at this Robert Avenue home, Pryor found trouble. Right after Pryor parked his car at the end of the sidewalk, he was approached by three men who told him to lay down. Police say he then ran to the front door, that's when he was shot three times, but Pryor managed to return the fire, shooting one of the suspects. Burton heard someone banging on the front door.

"I said who is it? And he said, Miss Ola, it's Charles. I've been shot. I've been shot. Open the door."

Burton says when they opened the door, Pryor fell in on his girlfriend. She says he left a trail of blood on the living room floor.

"He said he didn't want to die. I don't want to die."

They did all they could to keep Pryor calm before paramedics arrived. She's thankful Pryor had a gun permit.

"It saved his life. I think it saved him. I think so."

Pryor obtained his conceal carry permit last September. Burton says he did so for his own protection.

"He's been robbed before. He said he had been robbed several times before."

And Burton says after hearing about Charles Pryor's encounter, more people may want to consider a conceal carry permit.

"Maybe they should. Maybe it will save their life. I think it saved his life."

Conneaut, Ohio

From the June 1, 2005 Star Beacon Daily News:

CONNEAUT — Two teens, captured by a gun-toting Broad Street resident early Saturday morning, probably played a role in the rash of burglaries plaguing the city during recent weeks, said Police Chief Jon Arcaro.

...

A 69-year-old man, alerted by a barking dog and a neighbor’s frantic telephone call, got the drop on the young thieves around 5:22 a.m., police said. Armed with a pistol, the resident caught the suspects — ages 16 and 17 — in his garage, officers said.

The youths immediately surrendered, and police found them sprawled on the garage floor, guarded by the homeowner, officers said. The teens were taken to the youth detention center in Ashtabula Township, police said.

Roseburg, Oregon

From the Roseburg News-Review of April 20, 2005

Car theft victim solves crime himself

A man whose 1990 Toyota Camry was stolen Monday in Roseburg was at the post office Tuesday when he saw another man drive up in his car.

The victim and a co-worker accosted the suspected car thief, 38-year-old William Jordan, a local transient, and held him at gunpoint until police arrived around 3:30 p.m., according to a Roseburg Police Department spokesman.

The victim reportedly had left his keys in the car at his place of employment and Jordan saw his opportunity and took it.

Jordan made the news a few weeks ago when he stole a Pepsi delivery van from the downtown Safeway parking lot. He was released on that charge the day after his arrest, pending a review by the District Attorney's office, according to the police spokesman.

Jordan was taken to the Douglas County Jail again Tuesday, and he was scheduled to be arraigned on the new vehicle theft charge this afternoon.

No subsequent stories about this incident were found.

Durham, North Carolina

From the Durham Herald-Sun of May 31, 2005

Grand jury rules man acted in self-defense in shooting

A grand jury ruled that the owner of a body shop acted in self-defense when he shot and killed another man in the Main Street business in March.

"They said that no further action needs to be taken," Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong said. "They found a legal excuse for the homicide."

Officers responded to a shooting call at Self Paint and Body Shop, 518 E. Main St., around 8:27 p.m. on March 13.

When they arrived, they found a man lying inside the business.

The victim, Joseph M. Reaves Jr., 26, of 511 Quartz Drive, had been shot and was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

Following the shooting, police searched the business and conducted a gunshot residue test on the owner of the business, Murray Self.

Investigators also seized a handgun, ownership papers for the gun, a fired bullet, a magazine with three rounds of ammunition from the gun, shell casings, a board with nails, a chair and Reaves' belongings, including cash.

Prosecutors offered grand jurors a "presentment" on the case on May 16, Nifong said.

The jury had three options: It could have called for a further investigation, it could have told the district attorney to seek an indictment against Self later or it could have directed that no criminal action be taken.

Nifong said Self could still be held liable in the killing in civil court at a later date.

"But as far as the criminal courts are concerned, he is in the clear," Nifong said.

Savannah, Georgia

From the Savannah Morning News of May 31, 2005

Suspect wounded in armed robbery attempt

Wounded man is dropped off at Memorial; clerk is unharmed.

Gunfire filled a westside Savannah clothing store Tuesday afternoon as the cashier fired back during what appeared to be an attempted armed robbery, police said.

Just before 1 p.m., three black males walked into Top of the Line Fashions and Accessories at 2903 W. Bay St., Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police spokesman Bucky Burnsed said.

The men ordered the cashier to the ground and stole his wallet, according to Joseph W. Woods, who owns Lil Chick at 2901 W. Bay St.

The suspects then started filling bags with clothing and other items, Woods said.

The cashier got up and one of the robbers started shooting, Woods said. Then the cashier fired back.

"The attendant shot back in self defense," Woods said.

Burnsed said he was unsure if the suspects fired at the cashier, but said that one of the three men did have a weapon.

"The clerk apparently fired at the suspects and one was wounded," Burnsed said. "Other than that, I don't know what transpired in the store."

The cashier was not injured, police said.

The three suspects ran out of the store and down Albion Street. They climbed into a rust-colored car and drove off, Burnsed said. Burnsed said he was unsure if the suspects took anything.

A short time later, a rust-colored car pulled up in front of Memorial Health University Medical Center's emergency room and dropped off a man suffering from a gunshot wound, Burnsed said.

The car then drove off.

Police questioned the cashier Tuesday afternoon. No charges were filed.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the wounded robber was still being treated at Memorial's trauma unit, Burnsed said. The other two men were still at large.
…

Woods said he would have done exactly the same thing as the cashier: fire back.

In the 30-plus years Woods has owned Lil Chick, he's been the victim of an armed robbery twice. He since has installed security cameras, barbed wire and large gates around the doors of his business. The only contact customers have with employees is through a walk-up window.

Woods also carries a gun at all times, he said.

He wouldn't have to take such measures if there were more police on the westside, Woods said.

Woods said he doesn't want to turn out like the other businesses in the neighborhood.

Church's Fried Chicken closed after manager Sean Abraham was shot and killed during an armed robbery in February 2004.

"This happens all the time over here. This is a regular thing," Woods said. "And only two police officers are assigned to the westside."