Williamsport, Pennsylvania

From the Williamsport Sun-Gazette of August 1, 2006

Man claims self defense in shooting last Friday

A Third Avenue man who shot another man in the leg Friday night using a rifle said he did it to protect himself and his family from two men, one of whom was armed, who burst in through the open side door together.

“I did what I had to do,” said the 39-year-old resident of 419 Third Ave., who said he shot the first man who came in by using .30-30 rifle shortly after 11 p.m. He said he did not want to be identified for “fear of retaliation.”

“I had one bullet,” he said.

The shooting occurred in the foyer of the rental, just off a side porch, according to the shooter’s version, which police won’t comment on.

He said he was in the cramped room with his back against the wall and a man behind the first assailant was holding a gun, aiming it at him.

“I shot him in the right hip,” he said of the first unarmed man, who he said was lunging at him with his hands in the air. After the bullet entered, he dropped and crawled off the side porch and onto the sidewalk before being surrounded by city police, he said.

“I thought I shot him in the stomach,” the shooter said. He was not aware what happened to the man holding the gun. “I guess he ran away,” he said.

Asked what reason two men had for bursting into his residence, the man said a few minutes before his wife was outside with their 4-year-old daughter walking the dog.

His wife, who also did not want to be identified, said a man came up to her and pointed a gun at her. He said, “’I’m going to kill your ... dog,’” she said.

The woman said she didn’t know the assailant. She said she then saw another man, whom she believed to be her neighbor, grab the gun and wrestle it away from him. Just then, a second gunman fired several gunshots.

She said she ran inside and called 911. The incident took about eight minutes from start to finish, she said.

Capt. Keith E. Bowers declined to comment on the couple’s statements.

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