Newport News, Virginia

From Norfolk’s WAVY.com of July 14, 2006

Robbery victim shoots and kills one robber, wounds another

Newport News police are searching for a suspect in an armed robbery which resulted in one of the robbers shot dead, a second shot and wounded, and a third on the run.

Police tell us that they responded to a 'shots fired' call near the first block of Heritage Way shortly after 1:30 AM. When they got there, they found a 32 year-old man lying in a breezeway between two apartment buildings in the complex. He had multiple gunshot wounds.

He was taken to Riverside Regional Medical Center where he died shortly after he arrived.

Other officers responding to the same call passed a man walking on Warwick Blvd. with blood on his clothing who was trying to get their attention.

The officers detained and questioned 22 year-old Morris Brown, and discovered he was the victim of a robbery which resulted in a gunfight. The man found shot was one of the robbers.

Brown told police that he'd dropped a friend off at the apartment complex. As he was leaving, he was approached by two men who were looking for drugs. When Brown told them he didn't have any, the men told Brown they were robbing him, while a third man came up from behind.

The third man grabbed Brown and a struggle ensued with the men assaulting Brown until one of them produced a gun, at which time Brown stopped resisting and gave the robbers what he had.

The suspects started to leave, but then the third man turned towards Brown and pointed the gun at him. Brown then pulled a gun of his own and fired at the robbers. He then fled and went to find police.

Shortly after 2 AM, a man walked into the emergency room at Mary Immaculate Hospital with a gunshot wound. After he was treated, detectives determined that he was one of the men involved in the robbery of Brown. He was subsequently charged with one count each of robbery and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.

Police are still looking for the third suspect, as well as the gun used in the robbery.

In a subsequent article in the Hampton Roads Daily Press of July 15, 2006, it was reported:

Man being robbed kills an attacker, police say

…

Brown, who has a concealed weapons permit for his gun, likely won't be charged, Thurston said, because at this point the shooting is considered a justifiable homicide.