Muncie, Indiana

From the Muncie Star-Press of February 27, 2006

Homeowner shoots at, captures burglary suspect

The Muncie man in custody has two burglary convictions and was most recently released from prison in November.

Brian Stevenson is not Doc Holiday, but the gun owner’s quick draw stopped a man who invaded his home Saturday night.

“I could shoot a fly across the room like it ain’t nothing,” said Stevenson, an avid marksman. “I don’t know how I missed the guy. It never really crossed my mind that I would actually shoot toward a human being.”

Stevenson fired one shot from his 9mm handgun at William Tyrone Griffin Jr., 40, 302 N. Hackley St., after the twice-convicted burglar climbed through an unlocked window at Stevenson’s home at Shipley Avenue and Eighth Street, according to court documents.

The shot sailed high into an exposed board in a storage room, but gave Stevenson enough authority to order Griffin to the ground until police arrived five minutes later, he said.

Stevenson, who works as a security guard, said he believed Griffin was armed, though he later found out he only had a cigarette lighter.

Stevenson’s wife, 6-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son were inside at the time. The children miraculously slept through the ordeal.

The burglary happened about 10:30 p.m.

Five months ago another man broke into the house while Stevenson was gone and woke his wife up to ask her to lend him money.

Police later arrested a man on charges of residential entry, Stevenson said.

Looking back, Stevenson said he is glad he did not hit Griffin and that everyone was unhurt.

“There’s something wrong with him to do something like that and not know if I was home or not,” Stevenson said.

Griffin was preliminarily charged with burglary, a class B felony carrying a maximum 20-year prison term. He told authorities he intended to steal items that he could sell for drug money, according to court documents.

He remained in Delaware County jail Monday night without bond.

Griffin has two prior burglary convictions and was released from prison in November after serving time for burglary and impersonating-a-public-servant convictions.