Gillespie County, Texas

From the October 31, 2006 WOAI:

Investigators want to know why a man who was shot and killed was in a family’s home.

It's the first deadly shooting in Gillespie county in ten years. Deputies say it appears 30-year-old Dan Speight broke into the homeowners garage. That homeowner woke up, walked up to Speight and asked what he was doing.

The homeowner told deputies Speight didn't answer, but ran towards him. Investigators say the homeowner shot Speight twice.

Dan Speight did have a criminal history in Gillespie County. He’d been arrested and convicted for burglary.

Nashville, Tennessee

From the October 30, 2006 Tennesseean:

The shooting death of a man in north Nashville late Sunday night is being investigated as a justifiable homicide, Metro Police said Monday.

Ronnie Hubert Tucker, 48, was shot around 11 p.m. inside his home on Boyd Drive. Joseph Bond shot Tucker, police said, after Tucker hit his niece with a golf club and then attacked Bond. Tucker’s daughter told police that Tucker attacked Stokes and Bond without provocation.

The niece, Tanisha Stokes, 20, was treated for a bruise to the head at Centennial Medical Center. Bond was treated at Vanderbilt University Medical Center after he accidently shot himself in the arm while shooting at Tucker, police said.

Tucker’s arrest history showed a number of assault charges.

Jacksonville, Florida

From WJXT channel 4 October 21, 2006:

A man who could have spent his life behind bars for the 2005 kidnapping of a 10-year-old boy pleaded guilty to the crime and was sentenced to 30 years on Friday. Last October, David Nieves broke into a Westside home and grabbed the child from his bedroom. Police credit the boy's father with saving his son.

...

During his testimony, the victim's father also said that he had stopped Nieves and had a gun to his head and held him there for 35 minutes until police arrived. He said during that time he considered shooting the kidnapper, then looked at the judge, saying, 'It's not my job to punish him, it's your job."

Tuscaloosa, Alabama

From the October 27, 2006 Tuscaloosa News:

TUSCALOOSA | Police say the man who shot and killed another man at A-1 Auto Supply Wednesday may have been acting in self-defense.

The man’s name has not been released because he has not been charged with a crime. Any charges that could be filed will be decided by a grand jury, said Lt. Loyd Baker, commander of the Tuscaloosa County Metro Homicide Unit.

The man acknowledged that he shot and killed Tim Parker III, an employee of Parker Wrecker Service, at the business around noon Wednesday. Parker Wrecker rents building space from A-1.

...

“We interviewed the shooter at length [Wednesday] night and discussed the case with the district attorney and decided that it will be forwarded to a grand jury," Baker said.

Employees at the business said they heard the two men arguing before hearing a gunshot shortly after noon.

Muncie, Indiana

From Muncie’s The Star Press of October 31, 2006

Police: Woman fired gunshot at fleeing intruder

A 41-year-old Muncie woman fired a gun at a man who had tried to break into her house, she told police.

The thwarted burglary comes less than a week after another Muncie woman beat a suspected burglar with a cooking pot.

The woman was asleep early Saturday morning in her home in the 1300 block of East Fifth Street when she heard noises and saw a figure outside her bedroom window, she told police.

She went to her front door with her .38-caliber revolver and fired a shot in the direction of the burglar as he ran eastward from her home, according to police reports that documented her story.

Responding officers checked her gun and found a spent round in one of the revolver's six chambers.

The woman had a valid handgun permit.

No arrests had been made in connection with the would-be burglary as of late Monday.

Last Tuesday, Sabrena Davis, 36, whacked Timothy A. Simison, 27, Hartford City, with a 10-inch cooking pot after he broke into her enclosed porch, police said.

Simison was arrested that morning.

Augusta, Georgia

From Augusta’s WRDW.com of October 30, 2006

Babysitting grandma pulls gun on robber

It was supposed to be one of those quick and easy armed robberies.

Quick, because the robber was alone and on foot.

Easy, because of the victim he singled out for the crime.

But it didn't turn out that way.

Instead, a grandmother was able to turn the tables on a man with a gun...with her 13-month-old grandbaby in her arms!

Deputies say Lawrence Woolfolk went into Paulos Cleaners on Peach Orchard Road a little after 10 o'clock this morning.

68-year-old Janis Butler, the assistant manager, was busy pressing clothes and trying to calm down a fussy baby.

So she wasn't in the mood to put up with a thief.

"And then he put the pistol--cocked the pistol and put it in the child's face," Janis told News 12. "Then he put it in my face and said he wanted the money."

Janis told him to go ahead and take the money while she got the baby to calm down.

But when he went for the money, she went for something else.

""I said, 'The money's under the desk; let me get this baby calm.' And he went to get the money out from under the counter," Janis said. "And then I pulled out my .38 revolver and cocked it, and I was going to shoot...but I happened to think that it will devastate the baby, because she was already crying and hollering and carrying on."

The gunman was devastated enough.

Without managing to grab a cent, he hit the door running, and Janis called 911.

Police made a quick arrest, because the suspect and his pistol both fit the description Janis gave them. He is 21-year-old Lawrence Woolfolk.

Janis was carrying that gun legally. Granny's got a gun, and she's not afraid to use it.

The suspect's lucky she was babysitting at the time and didn't want to upset the child.

Fulton County, Georgia

From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution of October 30, 2006

Man shot by intruder posing as FBI agent

A south Fulton County homeowner was shot early Monday by a masked intruder claiming to be an FBI agent, police said.

The suspect kicked in the back door of the home on Hidden Court, in a subdivision off Welcome All Road, about 4 a.m., setting off the home's burglar alarm, Fulton police Cpl. Gary Syblis said.

The 53-year-old victim told police he got out of bed and heard the suspect coming up the stairs, yelling, "FBI, FBI, FBI," Syblis said.

Syblis said the homeowner confronted the suspect, who was wearing a ski mask and dark clothing.

The suspect fired four times, striking the victim once in the stomach. The victim returned fire, but apparently did not hit the suspect, who fled the home after the shooting.

The victim, whose name has not been released, was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital. His condition was not immediately available.

Jackson, Mississippi

From Jackson’s WLBT.com of October 24, 2006

Carjacking Case Tests New 'Castle' Doctrine

The limits of a new law are in question this week after a weekend shooting, where a carjacking victim took revenge on his attacker.

The new Castle doctrine that went into effect this summer is designed to give people more rights to protect themselves. That includes using a deadly weapon.

Madison-Rankin County District Attorney David Clark says he doesn't believe the man who shot accused carjacker, Clinton Pierre, in Jackson Saturday will face any charges.

Clark says that man will be protected under the Castle doctrine law, which gives people rights to used deadly force to protect their properties and more.

Representative John Reeves says, "Cars and their businesses. This fella that I read in the paper today that stole somebody's car got shot, thats going to be too bad, the guy who did the shooting is not going to be in trouble for that."

David Clark says, "The only way were going to stop crime is to take tough measures against criminals and the people of this country here the right to protect their home and their cars and their property. That's what this law does, and I strongly favor it."

Whether the Castle doctrine deters crime remains to be seen. Until then, it's giving criminals a hard lesson on why you shouldn't commit crimes.

Hinds County District Attorney Faye Peterson says the shooting case involving Clinton Pierre will be brought before a grand jury.

La Porte, Texas

From the Houston Chronicle of October 28, 2006

Couple's dispute ends in slaying

A La Porte pawnshop worker fatally shot a man who arrived at the business Saturday morning and shot his own wife, who worked there. The woman, who was not identified, was taken via Life Flight to UTMB Galveston, where she underwent surgery and was listed in good condition. Shortly after the woman arrived for work at the store in the 200 block of South Highway 146, about 9 a.m., her estranged husband showed up and the two began arguing. The woman's male co-worker, who was not identified, intervened and the two men began fighting. Store employees retreated inside, as did the woman's husband, who pulled a pistol and shot his wife once in the abdomen. The worker got a store gun and shot the man in the chest. The man died at the scene. The worker had facial injuries and was treated at a local hospital.

Amite, Louisiana

From the Baton Rouge Advocate of October 28, 2006

Report shows shooting appears to be self-defense

A preliminary autopsy report indicates that a former Department of Public Safety employee allegedly shot and killed her stepfather in self-defense, Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Daniel Edwards said Friday.

The formal report on the autopsy performed Friday on Halsel Canavier, 63, of Tickfaw won’t be completed until next week, Edwards said.

But from what his detectives have seen from the autopsy, Edwards said that Katherine Favre, 35, of Tickfaw, appeared to have shot Canavier in self-defense, as she told deputies on Thursday.

Edwards emphasized that the shooting remains under investigation.

The case will be turned over to the 21st Judicial District Attorney’s Office to determine whether charges should be pressed, Edwards said.

(More)

Kingsport, Tennessee

From the Kingsport Times-News of October 28, 2006

Business owner fires shot at burglar, suspects flee

A business owner who decided to stay at his establishment overnight had an unwelcome visitor early this morning.

According to the Sullivan County Sheriff's Department, Kenneth Harville, owner of Kenny's Bait and Tackle on state Highway 75, was awakened by the sound of breaking glass about 3 a.m. He reached the front of his store as a white male was climbing through a broken window near the cash register.

The burglar then started yelling to someone outside the business that someone was in the store. As the suspect crawled out the window, Harville fired one round towards him.

According to police, the unknown white male got into a light colored vehicle that someone else was driving and fled towards Blountville. Though several officers responded, they were unable to locate the vehicle or suspects.

Vallejo, California

From the Vallejo Times-Herald of October 28, 2006

Abduction interrupted

Oakland Hills home invasion ends in shootout; women safe; police seek suspect

A masked man abducted an Oakland Hills woman and her maid at gunpoint Friday before driving the pair to a Vallejo marsh, where authorities speculate he was about to kill them when a property caretaker interrupted the crime.

The suspect had just forced one of the women to lie down in a ditch when the caretaker, armed with a shotgun for protection against thieves, arrived around 2 p.m., authorities said. The suspect and caretaker exchanged shots before the suspect sped away in the Oakland woman's Lexus sport-utility vehicle.

No one was hit, and the women were not injured, though they had been bound and gagged. Tape could still be seen around one woman's neck as investigators questioned her at the Highway 37 scene.

The suspect had unsuccessfully robbed the women, and authorities suspect he was trying to find an isolated spot to kill them.

"I don't know why else he would take her over there and make her lie in the ditch," Sheriff's Sgt. Jeff Brackett said.

The shaken-up caretaker, Doug Paul of Vallejo, said: "I think he was doing something bad. It's pretty f---ed up to have a woman gagged and bound."

Authorities are on the lookout for the dark gray 2006 Lexus RX 400H Hybrid with California license plate number

(More)

Orlando, Florida

From Orlando‘s WFTV.com of October 27, 2006

Elderly Orlando Man Stops Home Invasion

An elderly Orlando man was nearly the victim of a home invasion, but then took matters into his own hands.

Four teens reportedly rang the doorbell of 73-year-old Harold Murphy’s home on Signal Hill road, Thursday night. When they tried to break in, he was waiting.

“Having been in the military for 30-years and in situations where I was shot at, I’m no stranger to danger,” said Harold Murphy.

Murphy served in the Navy fifty years ago and has a concealed weapons permit. So when someone started knocking on his door, he got ready.

“I just picked up my gun and stood in the bathroom door so I could watch my front door, in case someone kicked it in,” said Harold Murphy.

A few seconds later, he saw a shadow in the back of his home. Then, someone tried to pry open the window.

“I pulled the drape back and pointed the gun at them,” said Harold Murphy.

The suspects took off. Orlando police looked for the four men, but couldn't find them.

Murphy says this is the second time he's confronted burglars. In 1983, another burglar came through his front door. Murphy was again waiting with a gun.

Murphy says it doesn't matter that he's in his 70's, if you are an intruder you better watch out.

“I won’t shoot them outside the house. If they come inside, that's my castle, not theirs,” said Harold Murphy.

Orlando police say the four suspects were all wearing dark clothing. They are described as four black teenagers.

Jackson, Mississippi

From the Jackson Clarion Ledger of October 27, 2006

Suspect shot, killed in home invasion attempt

A Jackson man was shot and killed earlier this afternoon in an apparent home invasion attempt on Houston Avenue, said Cmdr. Lee Vance, a spokesman for the Jackson Police Department.

Ronnie Chambers, 29, died at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, following an attempt to forcibly enter an apartment at 593 Houston Ave. about 12:53 p.m. today, Vance said.

No charges will be filed against the resident, whom Vance would not identify. “Apparently the shooting was justified,” he said.

Since no charges will be filed, the department will not release the 30-year-old man’s name, he said.

Charlotte, North Carolina

From the Charlotte Observer of October 28, 2006

Again, clerk fights back during robbery attempt

73-year-old 'Miss Ruth' in critical condition after exchanging gunfire

Ruth Robinson is a fighter.

When she was 67, she shot and killed a teenager who'd pointed a gun at her husband during a robbery attempt at their northwest Charlotte convenience store.

Another man tried to rob Robinson on Thursday night.

She shot at him, too.

But this time, Robinson, now 73, was struck in the neck by a bullet.

She was at Carolinas Medical Center in critical condition late Friday. Family members said she had surgery in the late afternoon and is expected to recover.

Robinson, whose husband died several years ago, works part time at the Convenience Shop-Mart on Beatties Ford Road at Lasalle Street.

She was behind the counter about 10:30 p.m. Thursday; her sister was in the cooler stocking shelves.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said a man entered the west Charlotte store and attempted to hold up Robinson. The two exchanged gunfire, then she fell to the floor and he ran off.

Capt. Sean Mulhall said investigators have not yet been able to interview Robinson.

Police don't know who fired first or whether the man was hit. They do not have a good description of him, Mulhall said.

San Antonio, Texas

From October 24, 2006 KSAT channel 12:

SAN ANTONIO -- A manager opened fire on two men police said were trying to rob a convenience store Monday night on the city's Southwest Side.

Police said that Joe Raymond Galindo, 19, entered Billy's Foodmart in the 1400 block of Brunswick Avenue at 9:30 p.m. and pulled a gun on the clerk.

Seconds later, the clerk got a gun and fired five rounds, police said.

Galindo was hit in the arm. Twenty-two-year-old Paul Martin Luevano, who was standing guard outside the front door, suffered a superficial wound to his hand, police said.

According to authorities, the men ran to a getaway car, where three female accomplices were waiting.

The five later showed up at Southwest General Hospital for treatment and were arrested.

They were charged with aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon.

Indianapolis, Indiana

From October 24, 2006 WTHR channel 13:

An employee whose store was being robbed Monday used his own weapon as the suspect escaped.

It happened early Monday morning at the Sunrise Café, 9767 E. 116th Street.

A worker at the Sunrise Café told police that he got to work at around 5:00 am. While picking up a box of trash left on the sidewalk, he was hit in the back of the head and knocked to the ground. While on the ground, he was kicked and then pulled to his feet.

A man showed the employee a handgun and demanded money from the business, then forced the employee inside and took money from the cash register. After the robbery, the suspect told the worker to run towards the Kroger store.

Instead, the employee ran behind a dumpster and pulled out a .45 caliber handgun from his pocket. When the suspect stopped to look at the employee, he pointed his handgun at him. The victim employee fired 8 or 9 rounds at the suspect.

The suspect did not fire back and was last seen running southwest from the business. Witnesses in the neighborhood reported hearing the gunshots, seeing a man running and hearing a car speed off. The victim employee was not seriously injured and returned to work. Investigators recovered eight shell casings and did not locate anything that was struck by the bullets. The employee does not face criminal charges at this time.

Orange Park, Florida

From October 15, 2006 Jacksonville channel 12:

ORANGE PARK, FL -- Detectives from the Clay County Sheriff's Office Robbery/Homicide Unit are investigation the shooting death of 51-year-old James Rick Hampton.

Detectives believe Hampton's wife, 50-year-old Debra Hampton, shot her husband in self-defense and/or in defense of their teenage daughter after an early morning domestic violence altercation.

The shooting occurred just before 5 a.m. Saturday inside Hampton's home located at 1832 Habersham Harbour Drive in the Fleming Island area of Orange Park.

Officers say James Hampton was shot once in the upper body with a handgun and died in the home. Neither the wife nor the daughter was injured.

Tuscaloosa, Alabama

From the October 16, 2006 Associated Press:
T

USCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — A 19-year-old male was slain in Rosedale Court Saturday night and Tuscaloosa homicide investigators say the shooter may NOT be charged with murder because it could have been a case of self-defense.

The murder occurred around 9-15 p.m..

Police say the victim and a 23-year-old male were at a friend's house when they began arguing and went outside. The unnamed 19-year-old died of a gunshot to the head.

The 23-year-old, whose name was also withheld, was taken into custody on unrelated charges.

Port Arthur, Texas

From the Beaumont Examiner of October 26, 2006

Clerk defends store in robbery

A store clerk turned the tables on a man trying to rob the store at which she was working at 1701 Memorial Blvd. in Port Arthur Thursday Oct. 26.

Port Arthur Police responded to a call that an unwanted individual was at 1629 Memorial Blvd. When police arrived and questioned the man, they discovered the 55-year-old had a warrant for a parole violation. He was placed in custody at that time.

Shortly after apprehending the suspect, police learned he had attempted to rob the M&D Food Mart on Memorial. The suspect had pretended to have a weapon in his pocket. He was wearing a plastic bag over his head and said, “Gimme all the money.” At that point, the clerk at the store grabbed the pistol behind the counter. The suspect ran away.

Major Raymond Clark of the Port Arthur Police said the clerk’s behavior was not the norm in robberies. “That’s unusual. Businesses often have policies against firearms. We don’t recommend people take that kind of action, but we do want people to be able to protect themselves. This is only the first or second time something like that has happened this year.” Clark said the clerk endangered herself when she pulled the weapon. The general suggestion from Clark was, “Comply as much as possible.”

Temple Terrace, Florida

From Tampa’s BayNews9.com of October 26, 2006

Alleged robber shot

Temple Terrace police say when two men robbed the Panda Express on North 56th Street Wednesday night, a worker shot and injured one of the men.

Robert Lee, 25, is in serious condition at Tampa General Hospital. He is charged with attempted felony murder, armed robbery with a firearm, and possessing a firearm with the serial number removed.

Police are still looking for the other robber, who fled the restaurant on foot.

Natchez, Mississippi

From the Natchez Democrat of October 25, 2006

Man shot after breaking into house

A teen that allegedly broke out a window in an occupied home got more than he bargained for Wednesday morning.

Charles Edward Noble, 18, was later arrested on charges of robbery with a deadly weapon, but not before a visit to the hospital.

“The complainant was laying in bed,” Police Chief Mike Mullins said. “An unknown subject knocked out the window near his bed and yelled at him to lay on the floor.”

The resident of the house at 10B Shaw St., then reached for a handgun and fired three shots, Mullins said.

“He heard a scream in pain and called the police,” Mullins said.

The resident later found the front door to the house partially open, and officers found a tennis shoe outside the window.

Lee County, Alabama

From Columbus, Georgia’s WTVM.com of October 25, 2006

Store Clerk Pulls Gun on Armed Robbery Suspect

Two armed robbery suspects are behind bars in Lee County. Investigators believe they're responsible for several thefts and robberies as well as a carjacking.

The two were in custody just one hour after police say they tried to rob two businesses in two different counties on Wednesday. Investigators say the arrests are a combination of good detective work and some alert victims.

Police say the unidentified suspects tried to rob the Phillips 66 on Highway 280. The woman clerk says the male suspect pulled a gun and demanded money. But she pulled her own gun and chased the suspect away.

"She did see the vehicle in the parking lot and she did discharge one round at the vehicle as it was leaving," said Captain Van Jackson with the Lee County Sheriff's Office.

The getaway car was a dark Ford Taurus. An alert immediately went out to local law enforcement agencies, including nearby Phenix City Police Department.

"Almost immediatly after we put it out on the radio, on our broadcast channel, we had a robbery reported at the Big Cat on Highway 80," said Captain Jim Hart, with the Phenix City Police Department.

After the second robbery, police got the break they were after. A carjacking victim reported seeing her stolen car, a black ford taurus, near the Budget Motel in Smiths Station.

The two suspects were taken into custody without incident at the motel.

Hazelwood, Pennsylvania

From ThePittsburghChannel.com of October 25XX, 2006

Store Clerk Fights Back, Shoots At Would-Be Robber

Pittsburgh police said a man ran away after trying to rob a convenience store in Hazelwood -- but maybe not before the store clerk got a good shot at him.

The woman working overnight at S&R Market on Second Avenue pulled out a gun and started shooting at the intruder, police said.

Some blood outside suggests the clerk hit her mark, police said.

It's unclear whether the suspect had a weapon. Police said he did not get away with any money.

Police are still investigating. No arrests have been made.

Fishers, Indiana

From the TheIndyChannel.com of October 25, 2006

Frantic 911 Call: Man Shoots At Robber Following Heist

Police on Tuesday released a tape of a frantic 911 call after a restaurant was robbed early Monday morning, after which an employee shot at the robber.

Just after 5 a.m. Monday, Norman Jaffe reported to work at the Sunrise Café in the 9700 block of East 116th Street. Just as Jaffe stepped toward the front door, he was accosted, 6News' Jennifer Carmack reported.

"He had a black face mask on, black bag. He ran out behind here, hit me in the head," Jaffe told a 911 dispatcher.

Fishers police Sgt. Gerry Hepp said the robber demanded money from the employee and forced him into the business. Once he got the money, the robber ran out of the back of the restaurant toward a housing division. That's when Jaffe pulled a handgun and fired 10 rounds, Hepp said.

"I asked him to stop. He pulled his weapon, raised it right to my face. He was 20 yards away and I lit him up," Jaffe told the dispatcher.

No shots struck the robber, according to police. The robber is described as black, wearing black clothing, a black ski mask and black gloves. He is about 6 feet tall and weighs 190 pounds.

"It seems the circumstances, he was in fear for his life. It was justified in this case," Hepp said.

Cincinnati, Ohio

From Cincinnati’s Fox19.com of October 24XX, 2006

Store Clerk Shoots Man In Apparent Robbery Try

A Winton Place store clerk has minor injuries, and his alleged assailant has significant gunshot wounds after an attempted robbery Monday night.

The struggle happened at the S&S Deli on Winton Road in Winton Place. A police sergeant on the scene said a man came into the store around 8:30 p.m., and started wrestling with the clerk during a robbery attempt.

Police didn't know if this was an attempted holdup or a theft that turned into robbery, but the pair ended up fighting in the store. At some point the store clerk received a head injury from a fall, and at another point he was able to get a gun from behind the counter and shoot the suspect.

Both were taken to the hospital, the store owner with minor injuries. Police heard the robbery suspect was "not in very good shape" from the shooting, but an official condition from the hospital was not available.

Both the clerk and the suspect are in their mid-30's. Police said it appeared the clerk's actions were in self-defense. Neither name was released at the scene.

From Cincinnati’s WLWT.com of October 23, 2006

Police: Would-Be Deli Robber Dies At Hospital

A man who was shot while trying to rob a deli Monday night has died of his injuries, police said.

According to investigators, 37-year-old Gary Edward Eden hit the deli owner over the head with a full can of soda, then ran around behind the counter.

The owner shot Eden, and both were taken to University Hospital. Eden was pronounced dead Wednesday.

No charges have been filed in the case.

From Cincinnati’s WLWT.com of November 14, 2006

Prosecutor: No Charges For Store Owner Who Shot Thief

Deters Says Man Acted In Self Defense

The Hamilton County prosecutor said Tuesday that he will not pursue charges against a store owner who shot and killed a would-be thief last month.

On Oct. 23, police said Gary Eden entered the S & S Deli in Winton Place and attempted to rob the store. Investigators said Eden hit the store’s owner, Samson Aregawe, on the head with a full can of soda and immediately ran behind the counter toward the owner.

Aregawe then pulled a gun from under the counter and shot Eden, police said.

Eden was transferred to University Hospital, where he died two days later. Aregawe was also taken to the hospital where he was treated and released.

"It is our belief that the victim was acting in self defense and acted reasonably. There will be no presentation to the grand jury based upon these facts," prosecutor Joe Deters said.

Amarillo, Texas

From Amarillo’s NewsChannel10.com of October 22, 2006

Armed Man Shot During Attempted Armed Robbery

An armed man attempting to rob a local car lot... Ends up being shot himself that's according to Amarillo Police.

Officers tell us shortly after 1:30 this morning the owner of Jimbat Autos confronted an armed man breaking into one of his cars.

Police say the suspect started assaulting the owner and that's when he shot the suspect in the groin area.

The suspect was taken to the hospital after being apprehended.

The owner of the car lot was not seriously hurt.

Sacramento, California

From the Sacramento Bee of October 22, 2006

Doughnut shop owner shot while chasing off gunman

The owner of a north Sacramento County doughnut shop was shot and critically injured during a robbery attempt Saturday afternoon, police said.

The owner was in a back room of Donut Time in the 4400 block of Elkhorn Boulevard about 3:15 p.m. when he saw on a security monitor that a man was sticking up the front counter, said sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Tim Curran. The owner grabbed his own gun and confronted the robber, who then ran out the door, police said.

As the owner chased the gunman onto the street, the robber turned and fired, hitting the owner in the upper torso, Curran said.

The victim's 11-year-old daughter -- one of three people in the shop -- called 911, Curran said.

Police do not know if anything was taken during the incident.

Rochester, New York

From Rochester’s Rnews.com of October 21, 2006

Security Guard Shoots Man Dead

An armed security guard shot and killed a man late Friday night outside a Rochester convenience store.

The shooting happened just after 11 p.m. at the Wilson Farms store on Bay Street.

Rochester Police said the security guard was outside the store when two men approached him with a long gun.

"Apparently the security guard was outside, he was stationed there,” said Rochester Police Chief, Davis Moore.

“There had been a previous robbery here approximately a week ago and he was outside, and as I stated, apparently these two individuals came up to him and confronted him," added Moore.

Police are still searching for the second suspect who fled on foot.

The victim's name was not released, pending family notification.

Cleveland, Ohio

From Cleveland’s WeatherNet5.com of October 20, 2006

Clerk Exchanges Gunfire With Suspected Robber

Police are searching for a man suspected of shooting a store clerk late Thursday night.

Store clerk Merhad Abdulshaheed, 18, and one of the suspects involved in a robbery attempt were injured in a gunfire exchange. The other suspect got away.

The shooting happened at the B&M Food Market at West 70th Street and Clark Avenue at about 9 p.m.

Police said bullets were exchanged between the clerk and two suspects. Abdulshaheed was shot in the arm. He was taken to the hospital and treated and released.

The suspect, 21-year-old Dion Palmer, was shot multiple times and was taken to MetroHealth Medical Center. He is listed in fair condition.

Although the other suspect fled, police believe he was struck by a bullet.

Residents in the neighborhood said they are sick of store robberies. Abdulshaheed said that when he recovers he will be looking for a different job.

Police have only a vague description of the second gunman. He as described as a black man in his early 20s, about 6 feet 1 inch tall and 215 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair.

Hugo, Oklahoma

From Amarillo’s NewsChannel10.com of October 20, 2006

Wife of liquor store owner shoots robber

Police say the wife of a liquor store owner shot an armed robber in the shoulder with her pistol and when that didn't stop him, she fired a shotgun blast at his midsection.

Guy Buck was flown to a hospital after the shooting last night and remains in critical condition.

Police arrived just after Sheila Almond wounded him with a shotgun blast.

It turned out he was armed with a plastic air gun.

From Oklahoma City’s KFOR.com of February 19, 2007

Woman, robber both recovering from shooting

A woman who shot a robber in the gut with a shotgun as he reached for money from the cash register at her liquor store says it took her almost two months to recover emotionally from the incident.

Sheila Almond says she first shot 50-year-old Guy Wade Buck in the shoulder with a shoulder (sic) with a pistol.

When that didn't persuade Buck to stop the October 19th robbery attempt, she told a worker at the store to "Bring me Baby," which was the nickname she had for her shotgun.

The 59-year-old Almond laid the shotgun on the store counter and pulled the trigger. Buck suffered injuries to his colon, kidney, liver and lung from the blast.

He wasn't expected to live, and he remains on a ventilator and can't talk.

Choctaw County Assistant District Attorney Joe Watkins says authorities are waiting to see whether Buck survives before determining whether or not to file charges against him.

In the meantime, Almond's beloved shotgun remains with law enforcement officials, because it is evidence.

Montcalm, West Virginia

From Charleston’s The State Journal of October 19, 2006

Would-Be Burglar Shot and Killed In Mercer County

State Police say a would-be burglar is dead after he allegedly tried to break into a Montcalm home.

A man is dead after he threw a brick through the glass door of a Montcalm home.

State Police say Adam Lee Bennett shattered a door of Rodney Hendrick’s home about 11 p.m. Wednesday.

Hendrick, who had been sleeping, grabbed a gun and confronted Bennett, who was standing at the door, police said.

Hendrick then opened fire, hitting Bennett in the chest, police said.

Bennett, 24, was pronounced dead at the scene.

No charges will be filed against Hendrick, but the Mercer County prosecutor will present the case to the next session of the grand jury.

Kansas City, Kansas

From Kansas City’s KSHB.com of October 19, 2006

Clerk injures self during holdup

A convenience store clerk is going to be OK after he accidentally hurt himself during an armed robbery.

The 21-year-old man said at 10 a.m. Thursday someone entered the store at 400 N. 10th St. in Kansas City, Kan., pointed a gun at him and demanded money. The clerk grabbed another handgun in an effort to scare the robber. The gun went off somehow hurt the man's hand.

The clerk is expected to be OK. The would-be robber fled the scene without any loot.

Grand Rapids, Michigan

From the Grand Rapids Press of October 19, 2006

Slaying in self-defense

A Grand Rapids man who shot and killed Jerry Curtis Williams Tuesday in a home on Oakdale Street SE has been released from jail after Kent County Prosecutor William Forsyth ruled the shooting was justifiable. Lawrence Price, 49, told police Williams threatened him, prompting him to shoot. Price was released from jail on Wednesday. Williams, 42, had a long record dating to 1984. It includes convictions for assault, assault with a weapon, burglary and larceny from a vehicle. He was sentenced to 1 to 5 years in prison in 1993 for larceny from a vehicle in Kent County, state records show. Price had convictions in 1994 and 1999 for use and possession of cocaine, state police records show.

Sapulpa, Oklahoma

From Tulsa’s Native American Times of October 19, 2006

DA ponders slaying of Euchee man

It’s up to a Creek County prosecutor now to decide if the man that shot and killed a young Euchee man and wounded two other people will face any charges at all.

Dakota Cloud, 20, was killed following an apparent fight at a home in Sapulpa. His sister, Diane Cloud, 19, and friend Mike Solis, 19, were shot by Christopher Vanmeter, the host of a party that Solis and the Clouds attended, according deputies working for the Creek County Sheriff’s Department.

The three shooting victims managed to get back into their car following the shooting, driving into Sapulpa in order to seek help. They flagged down a passing police officer about three miles away from where the shooting happened.

They were taken to a Tulsa hospital where Dakota Cloud died following a massive loss of blood. The other two were seriously injured, but are now recovering, officials say. Investigators said charges might not be filed because the circumstances of the shooting suggest that Vanmeter acted in self-defense. The three people he shot were unarmed.

Court records show both Vanmeter and Dakota Cloud has prior criminal histories. Vanmeter had been arrested for drunk driving and Cloud had just been released from prison three weeks before the Sept. 14 shooting.

Hopkins, Michigan

From Grand Rapids’ WOODtv.com of October 19, 2006

Hopkins man shot in domestic dispute

A man is recovering from a gunshot wound to the leg after a domestic dispute between him, his estranged wife and her boyfriend.

Around 6 p.m. Wednesday, the man entered the boyfriend's house in the 500 block of W. Main. He allegedly assaulted the boyfriend, but was shot in the struggle. The gun belonged to the boyfriend.

The victim, in his late 40s, was taken to Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids, where the bullet was removed.

The estranged wife was not hurt, and the boyfriend, in his mid-50s, suffered only minor injuries. Both were questioned by police and released.

No charges have been filed, and police believe it may be self-defense. The investigation continues.

Forest Hill, Texas

From the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram of October 19, 2006

Man charged in Oct. 4 standoff

Forest Hill police say they have identified the person who returned fire at Joe Dickson during an Oct. 4 shootout that wounded three people, but they concluded that those shots were fired in self-defense.

No one else will face criminal charges, said Lt. Chris Hebert, a police spokesman.

Dickson, 58, was charged Wednesday with aggravated sexual assault, aggravated kidnapping and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He was transferred from the Mansfield Jail to the Tarrant County Jail.

Bail was set at $150,000 for three of the charges. A jail deputy said bail had not been set on one of the assault charges.

Dickson was charged with only two counts of aggravated assault because one victim declined to prosecute, Hebert said.

Dickson's girlfriend, Ora Williams, said he tied her up and sexually assaulted her Oct. 4 after she tried to end their relationship. After he freed her, she went next door and told relatives what had happened, she said.

Dickson came outside and opened fire, she said. Wounded were Tonya Gilstrap, Kevin Douglas and Rudy Johnson. Police said Johnson lost an eye.

Dickson then took Williams' 4-year-old nephew inside and held police at bay for 13 hours before surrendering, police said.

The next day, police said officers had heard an exchange of gunfire when they arrived, and Dickson's relatives suggested that he was defending himself from Williams' relatives.

Hebert declined to name the person believed to have fired back. But he said Wednesday that investigators have interviewed witnesses and believe that Dickson shot first.

"We talked to a lot of people who were both involved in or witnessed what happened," Hebert said. "We believe the shots fired in return were not only in self-defense, but in defense of other people."

Memphis, Tennessee

From Memphis’ WMCStations.com of October 18, 2006

Two Teens Charged in Attempted Robbery

Two teens who tried to hold up a Mid-South credit union now face federal charges.

Memphis police say on Friday, October 13, the two suspects were spotted casing the American Savings Credit Union on Harvester.

When the two entered the building, a local vendor shot one of the suspects in the throat.

Investigators say the shooting was an act of self-defense.

Both robbers then fled the credit union on foot.

Police arrested the pair a short distance from the credit union.

The injured robber, 18-year-old Everett Jamison, was taken to the Med in critical condition.

Jamison remains in the hospital.

He is charged with one count of violation of the Federal Bank Robbery Statute.

18-year-old Anthony Spates faces the same charge.

Lewisville, Texas

From the Lewisville Star of October 18, 2006

Burglar suspect shot to death

A man suspected of burglarizing Toyota of Lewisville, at 1547 S. I-35E in Lewisville, was found shot to death in the parking lot of the business shortly after 1 a.m. Wednesday.

Police said a preliminary investigation indicates the person had been shot by an employee of the dealership when discovered inside burglarizing the business.

The man was transported to Medical Center of Lewisville where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Detectives are continuing to investigate the incidents. No names are being released at this time.

Canyon Country, California

From the LA Daily News of October 18, 2006

Woman shoots would-be burglar in Canyon Country

A woman shot a gang member Wednesday who had broken into her Canyon Country home while his mother waited outside in the getaway car, sheriff's deputies said.

The 29-year-old suspect, whose wounds were not life-threatening, snapped the lock on the homeowner's screen door and barged in, as the woman retreated to the back yard, gun in hand, according to a sheriff's report.

"To be honest it's fairly rare, but occasionally it does pay off to own a gun," sheriff's Lt. Tom Bryski said.

When suspect Mike Lugo of Palmdale approached the woman about 10:45 a.m. through her back door, yelling at her as he advanced, the woman shot him with a Smith & Wesson .38-caliber revolver. Frightened, she hit him twice in the abdomen and once in the leg, missing a fourth shot, Bryski said.

Lugo manage to run from the Canvas Street street house and got into the Dodge Intrepid, his mother, Cynthia Brandon, behind the wheel, Bryski said.

Brandon, 55, drove off, but the Palmdale resident didn't know where a local hospital was, Bryski said. So she flagged down a sheriff's deputy speeding by on Soledad Canyon Road and Deep Creek Drive. The deputy was responding to the victim's 911 call.

The victim, who was not identified for her protection, was within her rights, shooting Lugo in self defense, Bryski said.

Lugo was taken to Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital, where he underwent surgery, and was expected to survive. Brandon was arrested and booked on suspicion of burglary at the sheriff's Santa Clarita station.

Mother and son are being held in lieu of $50,000 bail each.

In the Dodge Intrepid being driven by Brandon, sheriff's deputies found a computer they suspect was stolen from another location. The mom-and-son burglary team did not know the victim, and they were apparently prowling around the neighborhood looking for a house to break into, Bryski said.

(More)

No, Lt. Bryski, it’s not rare at all.

Mesa, Arizona

From Phoenix‘ AZCentral.com of October 18, 2006

Armed homeowner holds burglar for police

A Mesa homeowner held at gunpoint a suspected burglar who entered his house Monday morning.

Ricardo Saavedra Gonzales, 20, reportedly entered a house on the 2200 block of East Fox Street and was held at gunpoint by the owner.

The homeowner heard a noise and found two people in his house about 10 a.m. Monday said Sgt. Chuck Trapani, a Mesa police spokesman.

"One got away and the other stayed put because the owner held him at gunpoint until police arrived," Trapani said.

Police reportedly found pry marks on the back door and burglary tools outside the house and garage.

"We found the crowbar at the scene with a couple of other burglary tools," Trapani said.

The homeowner reportedly said the tools didn't belong to him.

Gonzales was arrested and faces charges of first-degree burglary and possession of burglary tools.

Saucier, Mississippi

From Biloxi’s WLOX.com of October 17, 2006

Saucier Couple Says Of Gunman: "It Was Him Or Us"

A gun battle in Saucier ended with an armed robbery suspect dead and an elderly couple lucky to be alive.

Beth Greer, 73, and her husband Tommy Greer, 60, say they returned home from work shortly before 11pm Monday night. Within minutes, they were staring down the barrel of a gun.

The blood stains have dried but the memories are still fresh in Beth Greer's mind. She says one moment she was unloading her car, the next she was asking a gunman to spare her life.

"Out of nowhere to my right there was this voice that said 'Hey." So I turned around and looked and it was this masked man. He had a mask on and a jacket that all seemed like it blended together and he had a gun in his hand pointed at me," Beth Greer said.

Greer screamed for her husband who was inside. That's when she says the gunman walked past her and into the house to confront Tommy Greer.

"He had the gun pointed at me," said Tommy Greer. "I figured he was going to shoot me anyway so why not try to whip him, take him down. So me and him went 20 feet over there. He shot and hit me up through the head and it [the bullet] went up the wall into the ceiling. "

Still outside, Beth Greer had grabbed a gun from her car.

"I heard a shot go off and, of course, I just knew he had killed Tommy. In an instant, he stepped back into the garage. One step in the garage, still with his gun pointed at me, and I just opened fire on him. I just shot, shot, shot, shot," Beth Greer remembered.

At the Harrison County Sheriff's Department on Tuesday, the Greers finally got to see the face behind the mask. To their surprise it was Bobby Hardy, a regular customer at their store in Gulfport. The Sheriff says Hardy, whose criminal history included aggravated assault and armed robbery, probably followed the couple home.

Sheriff George Payne said, "Historically, we don't release the names of victims like this, and they're victims involved in shootings. But they wanted to do that to tell their story so the rest of the public knows that this is America and we're not going to be intimidated by these thugs that think they can come to our homes and rob us or shoot us, and we're not just going be intimidated and roll over for them. Quite frankly, there was a gun battle there and she won the gun battle and this outlaw lost his life."

Sapulpa, Oklahoma

From the TulsaWorld.com of October 17, 2006

Man shoots 3, killing 1; claims defense of home

The Creek County Sheriff's Office is investigating a weekend shooting that killed a Sapulpa man and left two other people injured.

Sheriff Steve Toliver identified the dead man Monday as Dakota D. Cloud, 20. He had been taken to Tulsa's St. Francis Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Wounded were his sister, Diane Dawn Cloud, 19, and Mike Craig Solis, 19, the sheriff said.

They were taken to St. John Medical Center, where they were recovering Monday from gunshot wounds to the chest.

Toliver said the Sheriff's Office received a report of gunfire about 11:15 p.m. Saturday at 15610 Willow Lane, about a mile south of Sapulpa.

The sheriff said Christopher Ray Vanmeter, 20, who lived at the mobile home, shot the three with a .22-caliber rifle after they had broken into his home.

Vanmeter was not arrested because he was apparently defending his home, but the investigation is continuing, Toliver said.

The break-in followed a fight outside the home during which a 12-year-old girl was clubbed on the head with a broomstick.

(More)

Tampa, Florida

From Tampa Bay’s BayNews9.com of October 16, 2006

Taking law enforcement into his own hands

Police say someone broke into the Pestos Italian Grill on North Tampa Street in Tampa early Monday morning.

A man living above the restaurant heard the commotion, grabbed a gun and confronted the suspect. He ordered him to the ground, but when the suspect refused and walked toward the man with a wine bottle, he fired a shot.

The burglar was not hit and managed to take off with the cash register, which was later found abandoned a couple of blocks away. The suspect was last seen running north on North Highland Avenue. He is described as a white male, 40-60 years old, with gray, shoulder-length hair, and was last seen wearing a short-sleeve dark shirt and dark pants.

St. Paul, Minnesota

From the Minneapolis Star-Tribune of October 16, 2006

St. Paul clerk gains upper hand on suspect in robbery attempt

St. Paul police say a potential shooting victim turned the tables on his assailant Monday during an attempted robbery at an East Side convenience store.

Police are searching for a man described as about 5 feet 4 inches tall and about 20 years old.

Just after 4 p.m., police reported, the suspect pulled a gun on the clerk at the Blue Neighborhood Store on the northeast corner of Mendota and Fremont Streets.

"The clerk heard the gun go click and then pulled out his own firearm and fired two or three shots at the suspect," said Tom Walsh, a St. Paul police spokesman.

The suspect fled in a car, and Walsh said it's unclear whether he was hit by the clerk's shots. The clerk's name was not immediately released; police took him to downtown headquarters for questioning. No legal action against the clerk is expected.

"Absolutely not," Walsh said. "Under those circumstances, believe me, he's not in trouble."

Fleming Island, Florida

From Jacksonville’s News4Jax.com of October 16, 2006

Fleming Island Man Shot, Wife Questioned

A 51-year-old Fleming Island man was killed early Saturday, and Clay County Sheriff's Office detectives suspect he was shot in self defense by his wife.

James Rick Hampton was shot once in the upper body just before 5 a.m. inside his home on Habersham Harbour Drive, deputies said. He died at the scene.

Detectives believe that the shooting happened following an altercation between Hampton and his wife, Debra.

Authorities said the wife called 911 to report the shooting and she and her teenage daughter exited the home peacefully once deputies arrived.

Debra Hampton, 50, was questioned by detectives but was not arrested or detained.

Officials said James Hampton had moved to the area from Montana in February and was joined in the home by his wife and daughter in July.

Sheriff's officials said there is no record of any previous law enforcement calls to the Hampton home and neither James nor Debra Hampton has a criminal record in Clay County.

An autopsy was being conducted and further information was not expected to be released until Monday.

Westland, Michigan

From Livonia’s Observer & Eccentric of October 15, 2006

Dispute ends in death of Detroit man

A Detroit man's shooting death Wednesday snapped a 32-month streak of no killings in Westland -- traffic deaths aside, police said.

Eduardo Enrique Garcia, 31, was shot and killed early Wednesday when he confronted his ex-girlfriend's new boyfriend inside a Westland apartment, police confirmed.

Garcia was shot in the upper torso and face during a dispute inside a first-floor apartment at Greenwood Villa, near Nankin Boulevard and Central City Parkway, police Lt. James Ridener said.

Garcia was declared dead at the scene.

The shooting happened around 8 a.m. Wednesday. Ridener said the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office decided that the shooter should be released as the investigation continues.

Under a new state law that took effect Oct. 1, the shooter was released because he wasn't the aggressor and, in fact, was retreating from Garcia, Ridener said.

"The prosecutor's office decided he should be released pending further investigation," Ridener said.

Garcia, a resident of southwest Detroit, went to his ex-girlfriend's apartment and found the new boyfriend there, Ridener said.

"He (Garcia) backed the other guy down a hallway," resulting in the shooter ultimately pulling out a .38-caliber revolver and firing it, Ridener said.

"It's not clear why Garcia went there, but it ended up in a confrontation," the lieutenant said.

The new boyfriend had been staying at the woman's apartment at least part time and had spent Tuesday night there, Ridener said.

Garcia's ex-girlfriend and a neighbor called 9-1-1 when the dispute erupted, and a Westland police dispatcher could hear the shots being fired in the background, Ridener said.

The shooter also called the police department after firing at Garcia, Ridener said. He had a license to carry the gun used in the killing, Ridener said.

Springfield, Missouri

From the October 15, 2006 Springfield [Missouri] News-Leader:

A suspect in the Friday night armed robbery of a north-side liquor store is in police custody and is recovering from a gunshot wound at a local hospital, Lt. Scott Levin of the Springfield Police Department said.

Gregory R. Medley, 29, has been charged with robbery, assault and armed criminal action, Levin said. He will be transferred to the Greene County Jail when he is dismissed from the hospital. His bail was set at $250,000.

Police say the suspect entered the liquor store about 9 p.m. Friday, displayed a handgun and demanded money.

Levin said Medley was likely shot in the arm by the owner of Springfield Discount Liquor, 1423 E. Kearney St., during the robbery. The clerk told police the suspect fired first.

Frayser, Tennessee

From the October 14, 2006 Memphis Commercial-Appeal:

A man was shot in an apparent attempt to rob a credit union in Frayser Friday.

Two witnesses said a man selling fruit in the bank parking lot pulled a gun and shot the suspected robber.

Memphis police confirmed that the fruit vendor approached the suspects and shot one in the neck at the entrance of American Savings Credit Union, 3048 Harvester Lane.

Det. Monique Martin said two bank robbery suspects were arrested, but neither had been charged late Friday.

Police responded to the call about the shooting at 2:30 p.m., according to Lt. Darren Goods of the police robbery bureau. Officers found two men nearby. One had been shot and was taken to the Regional Medical Center at Memphis in critical condition.

Martin would not reveal the identity of the fruit vendor, but according to the accounts of witnesses, he was Roscoe McVay, who runs a fruit stand in the bank's parking lot on Fridays.

Friday evening, McVay confirmed that he sells fruit out of his truck on Fridays. He declined to comment on the incident.

A. L. Brown of South Memphis said he watched McVay enter the bank and fire a shot.

Brown said he and John Adkins of Bartlett saw the two suspects standing outside the entrance when they drove into the bank's parking lot.

"At first I thought the men were standing by a bus stop, but when I realized they were just waiting outside, I got suspicious," Adkins said.

Adkins said he waited in the parking lot as Brown entered the bank. He bought fruit from the vendor. Shortly after, he saw the vendor follow the two suspects into the bank's vestibule.

Inside the bank, Brown had finished his transaction. He noticed the two men, who were in the vestibule, approach the doors into the bank proper. But before they had a chance to enter, Brown said McVay took out a pistol and shot one of the suspects.

"I was about arm's length away from the shots," Brown said. "He shot him in the neck and I saw the man fall back."

Houston, Texas

From October 10, 2006 channel 2:

HOUSTON -- Two suspected robbers, one of them shot, showed up at a north Houston gas station early Tuesday asking for help, KPRC Local 2 reported.

The men pulled up to the Shell Station in the 9300 block of the North Freeway at West Mount Houston Road shortly after 3 a.m., according to authorities.

...

Officials said the driver took police to the original place of the shooting.

The other man was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment of a gunshot wound to his leg.

Police said the men went to the gas station after they tried to steal tools from a truck and were shot at by the homeowner.

Charges are pending.

Grand Rapids, Michigan

From the The Grand Rapids Press of October 14, 2006

Store worker kills alleged thief

A man was shot dead by an Alger Heights Foods employee after the man and two others allegedly tried to rob the market Friday night. Police Capt. Curt Vanderkooi said three men entered the store just before the 10 p.m. closing time and attempted to rob the store when an employee shot one of the men, who was pronounced dead at an area hospital. Vanderkooi said a preliminary investigation indicates the store employee fired in self-defense, and a handgun was found on the dead man. The other two men fled from the store, possibly in a white car. Witness Kris Hart, 18, said he saw the men leave the store, and one appeared to be limping.

From Grand Rapids’ WOODtv.com of October 18, 2006

Store manager cleared in fatal robbery case

No charges will be brought against a Grand Rapids store manager who fatally shot a man during an attempted robbery.

Around 10 p.m. Friday, three men walked into Alger Heights Foods at Alger Street and Eastern Avenue and attempted to rob the business.

The suspects tied up employees and put them in a back room. The store manager pulled out his gun and shot one of the robbers, Michael Sams of Chicago, who had a gun. The other two men fled the scene and are still on the run.

Kent County Prosecutor William Forsyth says he reviewed the police report and surveillance video taken inside the store during the incident and made his decision relatively quickly. He told 24 Hour News 8 the store manager was protecting his own life and the lives of his coworkers.

"In his case it's self defense and it's also defense of others. ...The hero tag gets put on a lot of people and I think it gets overused. But what he did was pretty heroic here," Forsyth said.

Forsyth says the store manager had a concealed weapons permit, but he really didn't need it, as you can legally keep a gun in your place of business or home.

High Point, North Carolina

From the Greensboro News-Record of October 13, 2006

High Point homeowner shoots intruder

A 40-year-old intruder was shot in the chest by a homeowner Thursday night, police reported today.

Residents of 306 Cedar St. told High Point police they were inside when they heard a loud noise in the front.

When they went to investigate, they found that the front door had been forced open and there was an intruder in their house, police said in a press release.

Terry Zimmerman, of 515 Hill St. in High Point, was walking into the residence when the homeowners confronted him in the front hallway, police said.

The homeowner, whom police did not identify, shot Zimmerman once in the chest.

He then called 911 and reported what happened.

Zimmerman was taken to High Point Regional Hospital before being transferred to Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.

Zimmerman was listed in critical condition as of Friday morning, according to police.

No charges have been filed, police said.

Irvine, California

From the Los Angeles Times of October 13, 2006

Parolee Is Held in Attempted Irvine Burglary, Shootout

A man once dubbed the "Mission Impossible Burglar" for slicing through the rooftops of high-tech businesses and using ropes to climb down and pilfer laptops and computer parts may have been at it again in Orange County, authorities said Thursday.

Steven J. Krueger, 42, is being held following an exchange of gunfire Tuesday with two security guards in the parking lot of an Irvine technology company where police say he had attempted a burglary.

Krueger, a parolee, surrendered Wednesday after a 90-minute standoff with police, who had located him in an unincorporated residential area near Covina.

The security guards, whose names were not released, said they observed a "suspicious individual" in the parking lot of the unidentified company in the 400 block of Goddard about 5:15 a.m., Irvine Police Department spokesman Lt. Rick Handfield said.

The guards said the man opened fire as they approached.

One guard returned fire as the suspect, alleged to be Krueger, jumped into a rented Dodge Caravan occupied by an unidentified male passenger.

The driver then accelerated toward the second guard, who shot at the car, Handfield said.

Items left at the scene led to Krueger's identification, he said.

The incident is under investigation and authorities are looking for the passenger.

Krueger, convicted in 1998 of burglaries, had recently been released from prison, Handfield said.

Porthill, Idaho

From the Bloomington (IL) Pantagraph of October 12, 2006

Babysitter kills bear to protect children

A northern Idaho baby sitter shot and killed a 422-pound black bear that broke into a backyard where three toddlers were playing.

The bear was likely drawn to the yard by the scent of food from a barbecue, said Idaho Department of Fish and Game Conservation Officer Greg Johnson.

"We've not had a single incident in Idaho of a black bear attacking a person," he told the Bonner County Daily Bee newspaper. "If you have a bear, you probably have food out."

The baby sitter did not want her name revealed and could not be reached for comment. She was baby-sitting for her sister, Becky Henslee.

Henslee said her 3-year-old daughter Brooklyn and twin 2-year-old sons Cleo and Charles were playing in the backyard of their home on the Canadian border early last week when Brooklyn alerted their aunt by shouting "Bear! Bear!"

Henslee said her sister looked up and saw the bear running out of the woods toward the backyard. She grabbed the three children from the yard and ran inside the house, shutting the door.

After taking the children into a bedroom, the woman loaded a 7mm hunting rifle and returned to the back door, where the bear had pawed the screen door and broken the door frame.

When the bear looked away from the door, Henslee said her sister opened the door slightly and shot twice, killing the bear instantly.

Henslee said her sister had a valid Idaho bear hunting tag.

Wild berries, the main food source of bears in the region, have been less abundant this season than past, prompting the animals to look for other food sources in residential areas, Johnson said.

In April, a 6-year-old Ohio girl was killed and her mother and younger half brother seriously injured when a black bear attacked the family at a swimming hole in the Cherokee National Forest in southeast Tennessee.

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

From the Baton Rouge Advocate of October 12, 2006

Homeowner shoots burglar during break-in

A break-in burglary was thwarted this morning when the homeowner shot the intruder in the leg, according to Cpl. L’Jean McKneely Jr. of the Baton Rouge Police Department.

Dorielle Brumfield, 19, 2808 West Amite, was arrested and charged with simple burglary of an inhabited dwelling, He allegedly kicked in the door of a residence, and as he entered the house, he was shot in the leg by the homeowner, McKneely said.

Brumfield ran from the scene and was later caught by authorities. He was taken to local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

He will be booked into Parish Prison upon his release from the hospital, McKneely said.

New Orleans, Louisiana

From the New Orleans Times-Picayune of October 11, 2006

Man dies in shooting in Faubourg Marigny

An unidentified man was shot dead Tuesday night while allegedly trying to rob a woman in Faubourg Marigny, New Orleans police said.

Police said the woman, 27, and a male companion, 28, were walking about 8:45 p.m. in the 2200 block of North Rampart Street when another man held a handgun against the woman's back and demanded money, said Garry Flot, a police public information officer.

Her companion, who has a concealed weapon permit, pulled his own handgun and shot the gunman several times, police said.

The gunman, who had no identification on him, died at the scene, between Elysian Fields Avenue and Marigny Street.

The case is under investigation, but no charges were filed Tuesday night.

Frayser, Tennessee

From the October 10, 2006 Memphis Commercial-Appeal:

A Frayser woman shot and killed an intruder who kicked in her apartment door and tried to rob her around midnight Sunday.

Tameca Drummer, a resident at Carriage House apartments at 1115 Frayser Blvd., told police the man, along with two others, forced their way into her home demanding money.

The people in her apartment, including her two children, were forced into the living room, while one of the intruders forced her into the bedroom looking for money, police spokesman Sgt. Vince Higgins said.

When that man struck her on the head with his handgun, she wrestled the gun away from him and shot and killed him, according to a police incident report.

Corpus Christi, Texas

From Corpus Christi’s KRIStv.com of October 9, 2006

Corpus Christi teen kills burglar in home

A 14-year-old boy shot and killed a man who broke into his family's home Monday and threatened to kill him and his mother, Police Chief Bryan Smith said.

Smith said the man, whose name was not immediately known, confronted a woman as she was carrying groceries into her home shortly before 1 p.m.

The man forced her inside and tied her and her son up. Smith said the woman was able to loosen the binding and free her son, who got his father's revolver from a security box beneath a bed.

As the man tried to break into the room where the two were and threatened to kill them both, the teen fired a shot through the door and hit the intruder in the head, Smith said.

From Corpus Christi’s KRIStv.com of October 13, 2006

Grand jury says teen shot intruder in self defense

A grand jury ruled that no charges will be filed against a 14-year-old boy who shot and killed an intruder in his home on Ocean Drive earlier this week.

Investigators said the boy was acting in self-defense when he shot 57-year-old James Slaughter, who forced his way into the boy's home. Slaughter allegedly tied up the boy and his mother, while he burglarized the home.

But they were able to get loose and the teenager shot Slaughter, as he tried to get into the master bedroom where they were hiding.

Houston, Texas

From Click2Houston.com of October 9, 2006

2 Shot During Store Robbery

Two people were shot during an attempted robbery at a game room in east Harris County Monday, KPRC Local 2 reported.

Deputies said two men tried to rob the Eight Liner Video Game store, located in the 500 block of North Main at East Wallisville at about 5 a.m.

The manager pulled out a gun and shot one of the robbers who then fired back, officials said. The second man escaped.

The robbery suspect who was shot is expected to survive.

The manager, who was shot in the arm, is also expected to be OK.

A customer was hit over the head and was treated at the scene.

From the Baytown Sun of October 10, 2006

Robbery suspect dies after shootout

A suspect wounded during a shootout with an employee of a Highlands game room died at Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston Monday.

According to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Tomma Hiawatha Waid, 26, and another man entered the Green Room, an eight-liner arcade in the 500 block of North Main Street, about 4:35 a.m. Monday.

Waid pulled out a handgun and robbed a customer of his wallet, while the other suspect, who was armed with a knife, threw a female employee down on a table, according to a sheriff’s office press release.

While on the table, the 45-year-old woman was able to retrieve a .32 pistol from her pocket. She fired several times, hitting Waid in the leg and herself in the elbow.

Waid was flown by LifeFlight helicopter ambulance to Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston, where he underwent surgery for his severed femoral artery. He later died.

The second suspect fled the scene and had not been apprehended as of press time. He is described as a black male, 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing between 180 and 200 pounds.

The name of the female employee was not released. According to the press release, the Vice Division of the sheriff’s office is investigating the Green Room for violations of state gambling laws.

Portland, Oregon

From Portland’s The Oregonian of October 9, 2006

Police identify man shot during break-in

Southeast Portland - The suspect dies after being shot by an apartment tenant

Portland police identified a man who was shot and died after he broke into a Southeast Portland apartment Saturday night as 39-year-old Galen Patrick Sloan.

Sloan, who had a lengthy criminal record, was shot by a tenant inside the apartment as he and a companion broke in, said Officer Catherine Kent, a Portland Police Bureau spokeswoman. The three knew one another and had had a previous altercation.

A person inside the apartment called to report the shooting in the 9100 block of Southeast Crystal Springs Boulevard just before 9 p.m. Saturday, and police arrived minutes later, Kent said.

They found Sloan wounded, and transported him to Oregon Health & Science University, where he later died. An autopsy Sunday concluded that Sloan died of two gunshot wounds to the torso.

Savannah, Georgia

From Albany’s KALB.com of October 5, 2006

Store owner plugs armed assailant

According to Savannah-Chatham police, about 9:00 Wednesday night, a man pulled a gun on the owner of Diva Depot, a store next to the Timesaver on Oglethorpe Avenue, downtown.

Officers say the man came into the business, pulled out a gun and threatened the owner, but the owner then pulled out his own gun and shot the suspect twice.

The suspect ran through Yamacraw Village and then found someone to take him to Memorial Health. Police say they later learned the store owner had caught the girlfriend of the shooting victim shoplifting in his store earlier in the day.

They say she went to her boyfriend, who then went to the store to confront the owner.

Police say he will be charged when he is released from the hospital.

Jefferson City, Missouri

From the Jefferson City News-Tribune of October 6, 2006

Jury returns two not guilty verdicts in assault trial

A Cole County jury found an Army staff sergeant not guilty of charges he faced in the shooting of a man in the parking lot of a Jefferson City restaurant in March.

Jason Choate, 30, was acquitted of first-degree assault and armed criminal action. He could have received a life sentence if he had been convicted.

Jurors had the case about one hour and 15 minutes - including dinner - Thursday night before returning two not guilty verdicts. Cole County Judge Tom Brown presided over the trial.

Choate freely admitted he shot Brian Jenkins in the early morning hours of March 24 at Steak and Shake on Missouri Boulevard. But, he and his lawyer, Brad Kessler of St. Louis, argued it was done in self defense to protect Choate's brother, Christopher, from being seriously hurt by Jenkins.

In testimony Thursday, both sides agreed this all started when Jenkins -- who was with his girlfriend, Amanda Moore, at Spectator's Bar on Missouri Boulevard -- got mad that Christopher Choate was talking to Moore. Jenkins shoved Christopher Choate and security at the bar told Jenkins to leave.

As the parties were leaving, Jason Choate testified that he did yell out that he was driving his brother to Steak and Shake. Jenkins testified he thought this meant that there was going to be a fight between him and Christopher.

There, Christopher Choate and Jenkins again got into a physical altercation at which point the defendant removed a handgun from his vehicle glove box and shot Jenkins through the arm and into his torso.

It was at this point in the timeline of events that the testimony differed. Jenkins and Moore said Jenkins only shoved Christopher before Jason shot Jenkins. Jason and Christopher said Jenkins had Christopher pinned between the car and the passenger side door and had punched him several times before Jason shot Jenkins.

In his closing argument, Assistant Prosecutor Kurt Valentine told the jury to remember that Jason Choate had several options to stop Jenkins from attacking his brother, including not going to Steak and Shake. Kessler told the jury that the law states nothing about not being able to defend someone, including the use of deadly force, to protect someone from injury.

“I just thank God,” defendant Jason Choate told a reporter after getting hugs from several family members in the courtroom.

But the victim's father, Robert Jenkins, said the jurors' decision may have “opened the gates” for people to shoot others if they see a fight going on.

“A high-priced lawyer, kind of like the O.J. Simpson trial” swayed the jury in Choate's favor. “If you've got the money, you can get away with anything.”

Seattle, Washington

From the Seattle Times of October 8, 2006

Assault victim fatally shoots assailant outside Westlake Center

A bizarre case of what appeared to be justifiable homicide rattled the heart of Seattle's swanky downtown shopping district late Saturday morning.

Seattle police are still piecing together what happened, but this much is known: A young man was killed on the crowded sidewalk outside Westlake Center, and the confessed shooter was allowed to walk out of a police station.

The case, according to police and witnesses, began at 11 a.m. Saturday with a 911 call.

Witnesses reported a man in a yellow shirt acting erratically, insulting and threatening passing pedestrians at Pike Street and Boren Avenue near the Washington State Convention and Trade Center, said Seattle police spokeswoman Deb Brown.

A half-hour later, a man matching the same description was reported near Westlake Center. At the same time, a second man, described by witnesses as balding and wearing a leather jacket, was walking through the nearby plaza after finishing his lunch.

Neither man's identity was released by police on Saturday.

The man in the yellow shirt apparently focused in on the second man, saying, "I am going to kill you," Brown said. He then began punching and kicking the second man until the man fell to the sidewalk.

"He was down there, minding his own business. There is nothing to think he was anything but a random target," Brown said.

The victim happened to have a concealed-weapons permit, Brown said, and he was carrying a handgun. He pulled out the gun and fired once, hitting his attacker in the abdomen.

"It looked to me like he shot him in self-defense," said Linda Vu, who was across the street from the shooting, handing out fliers for political activist Lyndon LaRouche. "It's kind of crazy."

The man in the yellow shirt died after being taken to Harborview Medical Center. The King County Medical Examiner was trying to determine his identity, a task complicated by the fact that the man carried no identification.

Several nearby Seattle police officers heard the gunshot. When they arrived at the shooting scene, the victim, sitting on a streetside planter full of purple pansies, handed the gun to them and said, "I am the one who did this," according to Assistant Police Chief Jim Pugel.

The man was arrested, but after questioning him and other witnesses, detectives determined they did not have probable cause to book him into the King County Jail. The man was released. Police said they were withholding his name as a crime victim — of the assault.

It will be up to the county prosecutor to determine whether the man will face charges. But Pugel said, "It could be considered justifiable homicide."

From the Seattle Times of October 11, 2006

Man fatally shot was "dangerous"

A man shot and killed Saturday after authorities say he attacked a stranger in Westlake Plaza was one of 70 dangerously mentally ill people in King County.

Since his release from prison four years ago, Daniel Culotti had been under the supervision of the state Department of Corrections (DOC) and Seattle Mental Health, according to the DOC. As with others who were ruled a Dangerous Mentally Ill Offender (DMIO) after their release from incarceration, the state earmarked $10,000 to pay for Culotti's housing, medications and therapy necessary for his first five years outside of prison.

The Department of Corrections said Culotti, 25, complied with his therapy. However, he failed two drug tests shortly after his release from prison in October 2002 and told his probation officer he had used crack cocaine regularly "to help ease the stress," according to a community custody report filed in King County Superior Court.

"Mr. Culotti also has mental health needs and his history shows that use of drugs can cause him to become psychotic," his caseworkers wrote.

Culotti was sentenced to prison after he assaulted his mother and burned down her Seattle home in 2001.

According to Seattle police, Culotti assaulted a man in Westlake Plaza shortly after 11 a.m. Saturday in what is believed to be an unprovoked attack.

The victim of the attack, identified by police as a 52-year-old man, pulled out a .357-caliber revolver and fired one round, striking Culotti in the abdomen. Culotti later died.

The 52-year-old had a concealed-weapons license and was in legal possession of the handgun, police said. He was questioned by police after the shooting and later released.

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Indianapolis, Indiana

From the October 6, 2006 Indianapolis Star:

Four members of the Indiana Pacers were involved in a shooting incident this morning at a Westside strip club, Indianapolis police said.

Stephen Jackson fired five shots from a 9-mm handgun after someone hit him in the face and tried to run him over with a vehicle outside Club Rio at about 3 a.m., IPD spokesman Sgt. Matthew Mount said.

Video from a security camera outside the club captured the car striking Jackson, Mount said. Authorities were looking for an older model blue GM car with chrome rims.

Jackson, Jamaal Tinsley, Marquis Daniels and Jimmie Hunter had argued with another group of men outside the club at 5054 W. 38th St., Mount said.

“The Pacers said there had been some problems and they tried to extricate themselves,” Mount said.

One of the men punched Jackson in the mouth and then got into a vehicle and ran into him, police said.

“He was hit in the mouth,” Mount said. “He was bloodied up pretty good.”

The attackers fled after Jackson fired his handgun. Police do not know if anyone was injured or if the bullets struck the man’s vehicle.

Jackson, who has a valid permit for the gun, was limping but refused medical treatment at the scene.

“We’re not sure if he just went over the hood or he went over the whole car,” Mount said. Jackson told officers he would seek help from the team’s medical staff and trainers.

Tinsley and Daniels also had guns in their vehicles, Mounts said, but never pulled them during the incident. Tinsley has an Indiana gun permit; Daniels has a Florida permit.

UPDATE 2: From October 11, 2006 FoxSports:

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Indiana Pacers guard Stephen Jackson was charged Wednesday with a felony count of criminal recklessness and two misdemeanor counts from last week's confrontation outside a strip club.

The charges were announced by Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi five days after the fight involving Jackson and three Pacers teammates against others at the club. Jackson was punched in the mouth and hit by a car and police say he fired a gun in the air at least five times.

Jackson apologized for the fight on Tuesday, saying he was "happy to be alive." His comments came hours after police arrested another man on several charges in connection with the fight.

The other charges against Jackson are disorderly conduct and battery, Brizzi said.

Oddly enough, they seem not to have charged him for firing the gun in self-defense, but firing it into the air.

Phenix City, Alabama

From Columbus, GA’s WTVM.com of October 5, 2006

Three Arrested In Store Robbery; Dead Gunman ID'ed

Three suspects are behind bars for their part in holding up a gas station and leaving behind one of their accomplices, who had been shot, in the burning getaway car.

The three people in custody are charged with robbing a convenience store on Summerville Road in Phenix City Monday night.

Police say they found the getaway vehicle, an SUV, minutes after the robbery, but it had been burned along with a body.

Timothy Hopkins, lydia Pferrman , and Brian Clows, were arrested Thursday afternoon.

Police tell us the body in the SUV was 22-year-old George Pferrman of Columbus. They say Pferrman was the robber the store employee exchanged gunfire with in the store parking lot.

Authorities say Pferrman was shot at least once by the store clerk. But coroner John Morgan says he doesn't know yet if the man died from a gun wound, or if he was burned alive.

The case is still under investigation.

Baldwin Hills, California

From Los Angeles’ NBC4.tv of October 5, 2006

Police: Clerk Shot Man During Robbery Attempt

An investigation into the death of a 22-year-old shooting victim who staggered into a gas station determined the man was mortally wounded by a store clerk during an armed robbery attempt, police reported Thursday.

Around 1 p.m. Wednesday, according to the Los Angeles Police Department, Lonnell Davison went to the U Save Variety Store in the 5100 block of South Western Avenue and posed as a customer.

Davison picked up merchandise and took it to the counter, then allegedly pulled out a handgun and demanded money. After taking the cash from the clerk, he allegedly fired at the employee as he made his getaway.

The clerk returned fire, and Davison dropped his handgun and ran, according to the LAPD.

About 45 minutes later, he turned up at a gas station at La Brea and Slauson avenues and was taken by sheriff's deputies to a hospital, where he was declared dead.

The store clerk told officers that he shot Davison in self-defense and positively identified him as the robbery suspect.

Punta Gorda, Florida

From the Sarasota Herald Tribune of October 5, 2006

Wife who killed spouse freed

Former corrections officer Kathleen Hill killed her husband when she pumped three bullets into his chest.

But she was freed Wednesday to go home to her three children.

The judge said he believed the man she killed, Shawn Hill, sexually tortured and abused her.

In the past 20 years, more defense attorneys have turned to battered spouse syndrome to argue self-defense.

Yet, it's unusual for any convicted killer -- even a woman driven to kill by her tormentor -- to get off without serving prison time, a Stetson University law professor said.

But in the case of Kathleen Hill, doctors for both the defense and the prosecution testified that she suffered from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder because she was a battered wife.

If Hill meets the conditions of her release, she will never see the inside of a prison.

Circuit Judge Frank Porter sentenced her to two years of community control, a form of house arrest, and 28 years of probation. He suspended a 10-year prison term she would serve only if she violates probation.

"I am mindful, very mindful, of the effects of both the defendant's and Shawn Hill's actions as they relate to their children," Porter said. "I'm bothered most by what the children have endured."

At least the oldest one saw his father beat his mother. The children -- ages 4, 11 and 13 -- were home when Kathleen Hill fatally shot her husband Oct. 22, 2004. Suddenly, they were fatherless and faced the possibility of losing their mother, too.

Hill testified Tuesday that she stayed with her husband mainly for the children. Hill, a law enforcement officer who owned two guns and was trained to use them, said she endured years of brutal beatings.

Friends and co-workers testified about her bruises, black eyes and limp.

All three psychiatrists called to the stand testified that she showed the symptoms of battered spouse syndrome.

The consensus of the doctors influenced the prosecutors' decision to offer Hill a plea bargain, Assistant State Attorney Martin Stark said. On Sept. 11, Hill pleaded guilty to manslaughter, instead of second-degree murder as she was charged. As part of the deal, she was promised a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

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