Arapahoe County, Colorado

From Denver‘s 9News.com of July 31, 2007

Security guard shoots pit bull during attack

Owners of a pit bull face vicious dog charges after their dog attacked a security guard near Leetsdale Drive and East Mississippi Avenue in unincorporated Arapahoe County Monday night.

The security guard for Veterans Security Services was driving on South Alton Street just south of Mississippi when he heard a loud noise.

The guard told Arapahoe County Sheriff's deputies a loose pit bull attacked him when he got out of his vehicle.

Witnesses told deputies the guard tried fighting the dog off but when it did not stop, the guard pulled out his gun and fired a single shot. The dog was hit in the right shoulder.

The dog scampered off and laid down in a yard about a block away. An Arapahoe County Animal Control officer took the dog to a nearby animal hospital.

The pit bull is now in the care of its owner's veterinarian.

Dr. Chaney Lupe, a veterinarian with Deer Creek Animal Hospital in Littleton, told 9NEWS on Tuesday afternoon that the dog's owners are "weighing their options" on how to treat the pit bull.

The owner returned to the neighborhood Tuesday afternoon and told witnesses the dog was 8-months-old and may lose its leg.

Arapahoe County Sheriff's deputies investigated the incident and determined the guard was defending himself. Sheriff Grayson Robinson told 9NEWS the owners may be charged with owning a vicious dog and having a dog on the loose.

The sheriff's department has not yet released the name of the dog's owner.

It is legal to own a pit bull in Arapahoe County and there is no leash law per say [sic]. However, according to county ordinance, dogs do need to be "under control" of the owner at all times. The ordinance describes "under control" to be either on a leash or under verbal control of the owner.

Augusta, Georgia

From the Augusta Chronicle of July 31, 2007

Store owner shoots suspect, police say

The brother of a man charged this month in a nightclub shooting was shot Monday morning by an Augusta merchant who said he caught the teen burglarizing his store.

Derrell Lamar McNair, 14, the younger brother of Darion Antonio McNair, is charged with armed robbery, aggravated assault and burglary, according to Richmond County sheriff's Investigator Brandon Beckman.

The older Mr. McNair has been charged with murder in a July 9 shooting at Club Super C's Lounge on Tobacco Road, and remains in jail.

Police said Raheim Michael Badger, the owner of the F.A.M.E. clothing store on Wrightsboro Road, told them he was spending the night in the store because of recent burglaries.

At about 4 a.m. Monday, he said, he awoke to a crash in the front of the business and saw a figure, later identified as Mr. McNair, stealing clothes.

The burglar fired a handgun at the owner, who returned fire, Investigator Beckman said.

Mr. McNair was later found at University Hospital, where he had been dropped off for treatment of a gunshot wound, Investigator Beckmam said.

Police said they believe 23-year-old Jordash Tanksley, who has outstanding warrants for aggravated assault and carjacking in connection with a shooting this year, also was involved in the burglary.

He, too, is wanted for questioning in the Super C's shooting that left 18-year-old Stedmund Fryer dead, Investigator Beckman said.

Mr. Tanksley's father, Clarence Tanksley, 46, of the 2400 block of Madrid Drive,is also wanted for questioning.

Wine Country, California

From Temecula’s The Californian of July 30, 2007

Pit bull killed by Wine Country resident

The task should have been prosaic for Frank Canson: Walk down the sloping driveway, open the 42-inch-high gate and grab the Sunday newspaper.

Instead, a ferocious pit bull that neighbors say has wrought havoc in this community of estate homes lurked at the gate, Canson said.

He soon shot it dead.

As Canson approached the gate Sunday morning, the 40- to 45-pound pit bull jumped up against it, snarling at him, the former San Diego police officer said, but the animal didn't get over the gate onto his side.

Canson, 59, said he slowly backed up the driveway before reaching his house, where he got his 9mm semiautomatic handgun. He returned to the gate, this time with the gun, but the pit bull ---- and two accompanying dogs ---- had vanished.

Or so Canson thought.

He opened the gate, only to find the newspaper shredded, its pieces strewn across Meng Asbury Road, he said. He knelt on the dirt road, placed the gun down and began picking up the pieces ---- when the pit bull and its companions returned.

Canson said the pit bull was within 20 feet of him when he began firing his weapon. The second or third bullet, Canson believes, struck the dog, who was maimed and struggling.

"It yelped, and I could see it limping," he said.

The pit bull limped to his neighbor's property, where Canson shot it dead.

"It was down, and obviously suffering. It was the appropriate thing to do," said Canson, who, along with his wife, has four dogs.

Remarkably, the owner of that adjacent property ---- Ralph Fonseca, 48 ---- said he slept through the presumably earsplitting incident, in which Canson said he fired 15 rounds.

Sheriff's deputies responded and decided not to cite Canson, said Investigator Jerry Franchville.

"You can't just (shoot a dog) for sport," Franchville said. "But if you feel like you're in danger, you have to defend yourself."

The dog's owner couldn't be reached for comment Monday.

Residents said Canson's encounter was the latest in a string of incidents involving the dogs along Meng Asbury and Monte de Oro.

Sunday wasn't the first time county officials had visited the neighborhood.

Fonseca's 19-year-old daughter, Vanessa, had tried to calm the pit bull when it approached her and her friend recently, but it only got more vicious, she said.

Canson's wife, Kelli, had complained to county Animal Control in the weeks before Sunday's incident, alleging the pit bull and friends had threatened her.

"It's been weeks that we've been menaced," she said. "We felt imprisoned on our property."

A neighbor warned Animal Control he and others would arm themselves if the dog returned, Kelli Canson said.

The department fielded three phone calls before Sunday, said Rita Gutierrez, Animal Control's field services commander.

An investigator for the department believes the owners of the dogs were abiding by her instruction to secure them on the property, Gutierrez said. The investigator asked that the dogs be tied up, she added.

Yet, observers Monday afternoon saw the two remaining dogs roaming the streets, lurking near the Cansons' and Fonsecas' properties.

"They gotta do something, get them tied up," Ralph Fonseca said.

Gainesville, Florida

From Gainesville.com of July 31, 2007

Two pit bulls attack man's dog, one shot and killed

A Gainesville man awoke to the sounds of a dog fight early Monday. When he walked outside, he found his dog locked in the jaws of a large pit bull.

"I'm sound asleep and my wife says there's a dog fight in the yard," said Fletcher Sutton, 58. "And within 90 seconds I find myself standing in the yard in my bathrobe with a knife in one hand, a gun in the other and a dog dead between my legs."

Sutton and his grandson, Robert Koehler, 16, reacted quickly when they found their 110-pound Labrador-Mastiff mix being attacked by two pit bulls, the larger of which had clamped down on the dog's neck.

"We tried to beat him off, we tried to kick him off, and it was like it was to the death," Sutton said.

Lt. Scott Meffen with the Gainesville Police Department said they arrived at the home, 2415 SE 11th Ave., around 7:30 a.m. Monday to find a large black pit bull shot twice in the head. Sutton's dog had wounds to his neck and two front legs from the fight.

"(The pit bull) had a collar on it but no tag, so it doesn't look like we've identified the owner," Meffen said.

Meffen said Sutton and Koehler told police they first tried to get the pit bulls to let go of their dog by stabbing them with a pocket knife. But when that didn't make any difference, Koehler went inside and got his grandfather's .22-caliber revolver and Sutton shot the dog in the head.

The smaller, brown pit bull ran away once the shots were fired and police had not located the dog as of late Monday.

Sutton said it appeared the dogs slipped through the slats on the aluminum gate around the pasture in back of his house in order to reach his dog.

And he said the black pit bull he shot did not look like a family pet.

"This was a pit bull fighting dog. He had scars all over his face," he said. "It wasn't just a generic incident. This dog was out to kill something this morning."

Sutton said he had seen the smaller of the two pit bulls wandering around his neighborhood off of Hawthorne Road, but he had never seen the black one.

"You don't need these dogs," Sutton said of pit bulls. "There's no sense in them. You do everything you can to protect your animal and protect your property, and then something like this happens."

Piute County, Utah

From the Salt Lake Tribune of July 31, 2007

Trespassers meet with gunfire

A landowner greeted trespassers with gunfire in Piute County on Sunday. No one was injured. About 6 p.m., nine people entered a gate with a "no trespassing" sign and proceeded toward the Kimberly Mill, according to the Piute County Sheriff's Office. As they rounded a turn to the mill, a man who owns the property fired a .40-caliber pistol, said Deputy Mike Gayler. Gayler said it is unclear whether the man was trying to harm anyone or just scare away the party. The party fled to the main road but along the way one man stopped and fired five pistol shots into an unfastened padlock, the sheriff's office said. Gayler said the man appeared to fire at the lock out of spite. The sheriff's office is referring the case to county prosecutors.

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

From Baton Rouge’s The Advocate of July 31, 2007
(Scroll down)

…

Police also are investigating a shooting that occurred around 5:45 a.m. Saturday at a residence at 4652 Byron Ave.

A woman at the home told police she shot her boyfriend in self-defense after he hit her several times. The man was taken to a hospital with nonlife-threatening wounds and the woman was questioned and released, police said.

Tuscaloosa, Alabama

From the Tuscaloosa News of July 31, 2007

No one charged in killing
Barbershop case now goes to grand jury

Homicide investigators haven’t charged anyone in the shooting Saturday that occurred at Brown’s Barbershop on Seventh Street.

Maurice Spencer, 32, died as a result of gunshot wounds he sustained in the 4:15 p.m. altercation, officials said.

Spencer, a barber at the shop, got into an argument with a 26-year-old man that resulted in the slaying, investigators said.

The name of the alleged shooter was not released, but Otis Brown, owner of the barbershop, said Spencer was shot by a man named Carl, who also cut hair at the establishment.

Capt. Loyd Baker, commander of the Tuscaloosa County Metro Homicide Unit, said the discussions with the Tuscaloosa County District Attorney’s Office revealed that the state’s new self-defense law, which eliminates the condition that a person must reasonably try to escape or flee before killing an attacker, may apply in this case.

“We’re going to take this case to the grand jury, hopefully during the August session to determine what -- if any -- charges will be brought against the shooter," Baker said.

Limestone County, Alabama

From Huntsville’s WAFF,com of July 30, 2007

2 men arrested for stealing garbage

Two men were arrested for trying to steal garbage.

24 year old Timothy Darnell Maynor and 20 year old Shaun Christopher Holley targeted the home of a disabled Limestone County man, apparently trying to steal the aluminum cans he collected for supplemental income.

The men didn't get the cans, but they did get a big surprise.

Robert Shoulder proved that he may be down, but certainly don't count him out.

"To supplement his income, he does get out and try to collect cans for resale," says Captain Stanley Mcnatt.

Shoulder says the night before the incident, sacks full of cans turned up missing.

"The next day I come back by there and I caught these boys stealing my cans," says Shoulder.

He immediately called the Limestone County Sheriff's Department.

"Well I was out there in the yard. They thought we had gone. I was sitting in the truck and they walked back up, cause they were going to try to get in the car and get away," says Shoulder. : "The one guy, he started towards me and I told him to stop and he kept coming, so I pulled my gun out on him and he was made to lay down on the ground."

The partner was also made to wait for law enforcement.

"They observed our victim having 2 individuals held at gunpoint, that he had caught stealing his aluminum cans," says Mcnatt. "It is unusual, but it's not the first time that this has happened, where a victim of a crime has held someone at gunpoint, but it is unusual....."

Sheriff's officials say they also cleared up another burglary case with these arrests.

Charleston, South Carolina

From Charleston’s WCBD.com of July 30, 2007

Armed Robberies: Hispanics Fight Back

A string of armed robberies targeting Hispanics ends with gunfire.

Charleston County deputies arrested three men and a woman Monday morning. Authorities arrested 26 Year-Old Issac Alston, 19 Year-Old Montrell Perry and 18 Year-Old Zarel Isadore. Deputies have not released the woman's name because she has not yet been charged, although witnesses say she served as a look-out.Four suspects.

Three armed robberies. One common theme. Hispanic victims.

The violence started inside a mobile home on Tedder Street around 1:30 Monday morning. Count on 2' Crimetracker Jenny Fisher said, "When Roberto Flores answered a knock at his door, he was punched in the face. Once he was on the ground, someone continued to punch and kick him and stole $200 from his wallet."

The suspect, who had a knife, also injured Flores' roommate and took $15. Afterwards, police say the group drove to a Hess gas station on Dorchester road. Police say the suspects took Noe Perez's wallet at gunpoint. They wanted his keys, but a nearby car distracted them. Perez took off in his truck, but the suspects followed in a dark car. They fired a shot, but eventually turned away.

Deputies say that's when the group stopped at the corner of Nelson and Leslie Street to lure a group of Hispanics to their car. Captain Mike Benton with the Charleston County Sheriff's Office said, "They attempted to make it seem as if it was going to be a drug deal and the individuals came over to the vehicle and the individuals came over to vehicle, who happened to be hispanic, and they attempted to rob them."

Yet, this time, things turned out differently. A victim was shot in the knee, but a suspect was also on the receiving end of the gunfire. Captain Benton said, "The pellets from the shotgun ricocheted and hit one of the suspects in the foot."

That's when other Latinos heard the commotion and rushed outside to help their own. They broke the glass out of the suspects' car, pulled a few punches of their own and detained the four suspects until authorities arrived.

The three men were charged with armed robbery. They are expected to appear in bond court Monday night at seven.

Detectives say they investigate crimes against Latinos all too often. They say some Latinos make easy targets because they don't trust many people or banks so they keep their cash in their homes.

Cobb County, Georgia

From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution of July 30, 2007

Teen shot in southwest Cobb

A juvenile was shot Sunday night after he allegedly participated in a home invasion in southwest Cobb County.

According to police two juveniles attempted to rob a home on South Gordon Road in Mableton just before 11 p.m. Sunday. When police arrived on the scene, they found one of the youths with a gunshot wound.

Sgt. Dana Pierce, a police spokesman, said that during the attempted robbery the youths shot at the victims. One of the people in the home returned fire, wounding one of the youths. He was taken to a local hospital.

The remaining juvenile was charged with aggravated assault.

Dougherty County, Georgia

From Albany’s WALB.com of July 30, 2007

Would be robber met with shotgun

A Dougherty County armed robber found himself staring down the barrel of a shotgun Thursday night. The robber had every intention of holding up a liquor store near Putney, but a quick-thinking security guard changed his mind in a hurry.

In the parking lot at Dora's Beer and Wine on U.S. 19 South in Dougherty County, the would-be robber, wearing a hooded sweatshirt, pulled a gun and headed inside.

But before he got inside, he got a surprise. Manager Sheryl Morgan said "we have a security guard in the evening who sits here, and he saw him. And he went out after him."

The guard pulled a shotgun, and the robber took off running. Morgan went out to back him up, but the robber escaped in a waiting car. Morgan said "you are working hard to make a living, what little bit of living you can make, and then someone wants to come in and take everything away from you. To me it's not fair."

Morgan was the victim of a robbery late last year at the store, when a man held a gun to her head. She says she got angry, and is not going through that again. Morgan said "I'm gonna fight back. I really am. We have the protection and all, so yes, we are going to fight back."

Dougherty County Police Chief Don Cheek says no amount of money is worth dying for, but understands when people decide they are willing to fight against criminals. Cheek said "we certainly recognize that people want to protect their property, and have the right to protect their property."

Morgan says they will continue to keep armed security, and are ready to use guns to protect themselves. Cheek said "it can have deadly and disastrous consequences. You stand the possibility of being injured. But you might also be able to protect your property, so it's the individual's choice."

Morgan says she believes it's time people took a stand against crime. Morgan said "if you just lay down and let them take over, you are losing. You are letting them win. Something has to be done."

Morgan and her fellow workers say they are glad they are not the latest crime victims today.

Riegelwood, North Carolina

From Wilmington’s WWAYtv3.com of July 30, 2007

Riegelwood dispute turns deadly

The Columbus County Sheriff's Department says a dispute turned deadly Sunday morning. It happened around 5 a.m. on Robbie's Lane in Riegelwood.

Authorities say 23-year-old Terrell Brown broke into his girlfriend Ashley Brown's house using a machete. David Simmons was staying with her in the house and the two go [sic] into a fight.

Deputies say that's when Simmons shot and killed Terrel Brown.

Brown's friends are defending his actions.

Brandon Razor is the victim's friend. He said, "I talked to him the day before yesterday and he told me he was going to buy an engagement ring, he got engagement ring for my stepsister and he was going propose to her. He went over there to propose to her, I guess him and the new dude got into a fight and he just shot him."

Simmons went to the hospital with minor injuries.

Right now deputies say it appears the shooting was self-defense.

Evansville, Indiana

From the Evansville Courier & Press of July 30, 2007

Shots fired during liquor store robbery

A liquor store owner fired three shots today at an intruder who entered the store carrying a hammer, an Evansville Police Department report said.

William Shepherd, owner of Apollo Liquors at 1165 E. Riverside Drive, told police he was taking inventory in the store about 3 a.m. when a man entered through a rear door.

The man saw Shepherd, became startled and attempted to leave through a front door that was padlocked from the outside.

He then ran back toward Shepherd, “cornering him into the rear of the store with the hammer in his hand,” the police report stated.

Shepherd “felt threatened and fired a warning shot at the suspect,” according to the report. When he did not leave, Shepherd “fired two more shots at the suspect’s lower legs, possibly striking one of them.”

The suspect then said “you shot me, Mr. Shepherd” before leaving through the same door he had entered, police said.

No arrests have been made.

Indianapolis, Indiana

From the Indianapolis Star of July 29, 2007

Man fatally shoots pit bull after attack

A man on Saturday shot and killed one of three pit bulls that attacked and bit his wife, police said.

The pit bulls jumped out of a pickup truck about 1 p.m. Saturday along Mann Road in northeastern Morgan County.

Media Wilson, a spokeswoman for the Department of Public Safety's Animal Care and Control office, said the woman had stopped to help catch the dogs when she was attacked.

She drove home, and her husband returned to the area with his gun.
The man, whose name was not released, was questioned by police but was neither arrested nor cited, Wilson said, because the shooting appeared to have been a case of self-defense.

The dogs' owner disappeared in the confusion, and his identity was unknown, Wilson said.

A second dog was captured by animal control. The third dog escaped.

The woman's injuries were not serious.

Charlotte, North Carolina

From the Charlotte Observer of July 29, 2007

Forced to kill: 4 stories of survival

Every year in the United States, about 200 people kill someone in self-defense. It's legal. It's often necessary. But it can emotionally scar the people who do the killing.

From 2001 through 2006, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police investigated 25 homicides later ruled justified.

Generally, police warn the public not to fight robbers because, they say, criminals are more likely to hurt or kill anyone who challenges them. But sometimes people feel they have no choice.

At least four times this month, would-be crime victims in Charlotte fought back against people trying to rob them. Two suspects were killed, two injured.

The latest occurred Monday, police said, when a clerk killed a man trying to rob her northeast Charlotte store. Prosecutors haven't decided whether to charge her. But "she is emotionally devastated by the decision that she was forced to make," her lawyer said in a statement.

Four Charlotteans say they understand how she feels. All fatally shot someone while trying to protect themselves. None was charged. But all four say the killings altered their lives.

(Much More)

Athens, Alabama

From Athens’ The News Courier of July 27, 2007

Homeowner held thieves at gunpoint until officers arrived

Stealing three bags of aluminum cans worth a total of $25 can cost more than it pays.

That’s what two Athens men learned Friday.

Timothy Darnell Maynor, 24, of 17356 Lucas Ferry Road, and Shaun Christopher Holley, 20, of 1703 Edward St., were arrested after the owner of the cans held the two at gunpoint until sheriff’s deputies arrived.

“The homeowner came home and found these two guys in his yard stealing the aluminum cans he had collected,” said Limestone County Chief Investigator Stanley McNatt. “He pulled a gun on them and held them until Investigator Josh McLaughlin and Deputy Tim Craig got there.”

The arrests led investigators to other thefts the duo may have committed, McNatt said.

“When we were questioning them, Investigator Brian Ruble was working a burglary on Poff Lane where two rifles and a back pack were stolen,” he said. “We searched their car and found those stolen items inside the vehicle.”

He said the two men were also charged for theft in another home burglary on Poff Lane. Maynor and a companion, Erica King, 31, of 19472 Heron Drive, Athens, are also charged with the burglary of a home last October.

Maynor was being held in the Limestone County Jail Friday night on charges of third-degree theft and three counts of third-degree burglary. Holley is charged with third-degree theft and two counts of third-degree burglary. King is charged with third-degree burglary.

Mt. Oliver, Pennsylvania

From ThePittsburgChannel.com of July 27, 2007

Family Upset After Neighbor Shoots, Kills Dog

A 12-year-old Mount Oliver boy broke down on Thursday after his dog was shot and killed right in front of him.

One of the Jackson family's three pit bulls left its yard without a leash Thursday night.

Neighbor Jim Peelor said the dog came after him three times in 10 minutes while he was walking his dogs.

The family of the boy said there was no reason for its neighbor to shoot and kill its pit bull, but the man said he was in danger, so he fired.

"I just screamed, 'Why did you do that?'" said Devin Jackson, who witnessed the shooting. "I picked up her head. I tried to pet her. She just died."

Peelor said he felt threatened when the dog kept circling him, so he got out his gun.

"It wasn't like the dog ran out and I shot him," Peelor said.

Through tears, Peelor said he wished it didn't have to come down to that, but he had to protect his pets.

"I was in a spot where I felt like I had to watch him die or kill the other," Peelor said. "I told the kid, I screamed, I pleaded, 'Go get help.' I'm an animal lover. I love animals, and the last thing I want to do is kill one."

There is no word on whether Peelor will be charged.

Taft, California

From San Francisco’s SFGate.com of July 27, 2007

Pistol Packing Pastor Nabs Theft Suspect

A former Bakersfield police officer turned pastor helped nab a man who allegedly stole a car from his church's parking lot.

James Kilgore, pastor at Taft Free Will Baptist Church, said he always keeps a gun and handcuffs in his fanny pack. They came in handy on Tuesday, when one of his elderly parishioners left Bible study to find his car had vanished.

Kilgore and Walter Brenton, 72, drove around looking for Brenton's 1986 Ford Crown Victoria, and spotted the alleged thief driving it a few blocks away.

The pastor followed the driver until he crashed, tackled him as he crawled out of the car and then handcuffed him until police arrived on the scene.

Ronald Lee Allen, 46, of Taft, was arrested on suspicion of grand theft auto and being in possession of stolen property, said Kern County sheriff's Sgt. Martin Downs.

"We don't recommend that people try to apprehend suspects, although in this case it worked out really well," Downs said.

Kilgore said he was glad to put his law enforcement training to use, but said it was likely God had a role in helping him restrain the suspect.

Kansas City, Missouri

From Kansas City’s KMBC.com of July 25, 2007

Police: Driver Fears Carjacking, Shoots Man

An Army veteran who believed he was being carjacked shot a man late Tuesday night, police said.

It happened at about 11 p.m. near 40th Street and Warwick Boulevard. The veteran said he drove to the area to help a friend move.

Police said the veteran and a friend were in a car when another man walked up and offered to sell them drugs.

When they refused, the drug dealer punched one of the men in the mouth and then reached for what they believed was a gun, the veteran said.

"Pulling up shirt as if he had something underneath, and with the other hand he socked me in the face," said the veteran, who didn't want to be identified.

The veteran pulled his own gun and shot the man in the stomach, according to investigators. The veteran said he was trying to disable the man long enough so
he and his friend could escape.

"I decided to go ahead and shoot him in the lower left and try to avoid any major organs," the veteran said.

The 29-year-old shooting victim was taken to a hospital for treatment. He is expected to recover.

"This is nothing to be proud up, having shot a person," the veteran told KMBC's Maria Antonia.

The 49-year-old disabled Army veteran said he can't protect himself with his fists, so he got a concealed weapons permit six months ago. Police said he had a license for the gun.

The veteran said last night was the first time he pulled out his .40-caliber gun.

"I feel disgusted that I had to use it on a human being, but I'm not going to be the victim who can't defend himself anymore," the veteran said.

So far, no charges have been filed.

Webbers Falls, Oklahoma

From the Muskogee Phoenix of July 27, 2007

Farmer acquitted of animal cruelty

Webbers Falls man shot, killed two dogs on his property

Jurors deliberated about an hour before acquitting a Webbers Falls farmer charged with animal cruelty after he shot and killed two hunting dogs he said were chasing cattle on his property.

James Yang, 44, also was acquitted of two misdemeanor charges: obstructing an officer and destruction of evidence. The obstruction charge alleged Yang was uncooperative during law enforcers’ investigation; the second misdemeanor was based on the incineration of one of the dogs that died on Yang’s property.

Yang’s lawyers, Charles Kania and James Wirth, argued that their client had a legal right to protect his property from the dogs, which a group of coyote hunters had let run loose across the countryside the night of March 25, 2006.

Wirth told jurors in his opening remarks — and again during his closing argument — the case would be an easy one to decide. His declaration was based on the facts of the case and the defenses available to his client.

“The only thing Mr. Yang did wrong was to buy property in the middle of an area these hunters think they own,” Wirth said.

The dog’s owners were angered by the decision. But at the urging of Eric Johnson, who prosecuted the case for the state, they declined to comment about the trial’s outcome.

Kania said after the trial he believed jurors were — and Muskogee County residents should be — outraged Yang’s case was filed, let alone brought to trial. On his law firm’s Web site, Kania states:

“Oklahoma statutes specifically provides that a person may lawfully shoot a dog that is chasing livestock on his property. ... Despite the overwhelming evidence that the shooting of these two dogs was lawful, the Muskogee County District Attorney continues to use their limited resources on prosecuting this case.”

At least one member of the eight-woman, four-man jury appeared to agree.

“I think this poor man is out a lot of money,” juror Sandra Checotah said about Yang after the verdicts were announced. “I am sorry he and his family had to go through this at all.”

(More)

New Orleans, Louisiana

From New Orleans’ WWLtv.com of July 27, 2007

Mid-City car owner exchanges gunfire with suspected car thief

Police are investigating a series of car break-ins in a Mid-City neighborhood after a suspect exchanged gunfire with the owner of a car he attempted to steal Thursday night.

The percussion of gunshots woke residents near the corner of Palmyra and S. Gayoso. No one was hit, however.

Nevertheless, several cars sustained damage when the vehicles were broken into.

New Orleans Police have a suspect in custody they believe is responsible for the burglaries, but are still searching the area for a weapon and evidence. Few other details have been released.

"I woke up and came outside," Patsy Fluker said. "I noticed my car was broken into. There was a lot of blood everywhere on all the seats."

One neighborhood resident moved back following Hurricane Katrina to show his support for the city he loves. Having to be anxious about possible car break-ins isn't something he wants to do.

"For me to come back to worry about somebody breaking into my car, that's just something I don't want to do," Tyrus Morris said.

Memphis, Tennessee

From Memphis’ MyEyewitnessNews.com of July 27, 2007

Senior Citizen Fights Back Against Burglar

Eyewitness News Everywhere uncovers a 79 year-old man who took crime-fighting into his own hands.

Just after 4:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 26, 2007, a burglar tried to break into Arthur Thornton's home at 332 Essex in South Memphis. Thornton is legally blind and lives alone. The guy tried to get in through the front window. He even cut out the screen. But little did he know, Mr. Thornton was waiting for him behind the door with his rifle.

He said, “I'd do it again if it happened tonight, and I would hope I wouldn't miss. I would like to be around to tell the story like I am today, cause it's going to be me or you.”

Thornton said he was in bed when he heard a noise up in the front room, “I heard this zip, zip and I thought what kind of noise is that, but I found he was cutting the screen with a knife.”

Thornton grabbed his gun and got into position. He said, “I said he'll break through there and I'll hit him across the head with this rifle, and split his head. I have the evil spirit when somebody trying to do something to me.”

But the man never came through the window. Thornton said, “So I opened the wood door and peeped out. He was at the door, and I said get away from my window. When he started across the driveway I shot down towards his feet. When he got out to the sidewalk I shot again.”

He missed, but as you heard him say, Mr. Thornton has absolutely no regrets about pulling the trigger. He said at 4 am, there is no question, it's him or me.

He said, “If a person comes up to your house at 4 in the morning and attempt to come in a window, he's prepared to do whatever he has to do to cover up his dirt, so it's best that you take care of him before he take care of you. I don't think nobody's coming to pay a visit to you at 4 o'clock in the morning, nope, that's not a friendly visit.”

Police did respond to Thornton's house. Unfortunately, because of his poor vision, he wasn't able to get a very good look at the burglar.

Orange County, Florida

From Orlando’s Local6.com of July 27, 2007

Police: Shop Owner Shot Fleeing Robber

A shop owner in Orange County, Fla., opened fire and shot one of two men who had just robbed him, according to police.

Police said the shooting incident happened at Kappy's sandwich shop in Maitland Friday morning.

The shop owner said he was closing up shop early Friday and taking out the night deposit when the two armed men jumped out of a vehicle and robbed him.

When the culprits began to drive away, the businessman pulled out a gun and opened fire, hitting one of the men, police said.

Police found one of the suspects hiding at a nearby Post Office and the man was taken into custody.

The other man, who was shot in the shoulder, was tracked down by a police K-9 who took him down.

El Dorado, Arkansas

From the Pine Bluff Commercial of July 27, 2007

Police: El Dorado man, 93, shoots robber after beating

An elderly man beaten unconscious by an assailant wielding a soda can later awoke and shot the man during an attempted robbery, police said.

Willie Lee Hill, 93, told police he saw the robber while in his bedroom Wednesday night. Hill confronted Douglas B. Williams Jr., 24, of El Dorado, who struck the elderly man at least 50 times, kknocking him out, police said.

Hill, covered in blood from the attack, regained consciousness and pulled a .38-caliber handgun on Williams. Williams saw the gun and charged Hill, who fired one round, police said. The bullet struck Williams in the throat.

When police arrived, officers said Williams told them, "I can't feel my legs and I got what I deserved."

Paramedics took Hill and Williams to the Medical Center of South Arkansas for treatment. Doctors later sent Williams to the Louisiana State University Medical Center at Shreveport, where he was listed in critical condition Friday.

Employees at the Medical Center of South Arkansas refused to give Hill's condition or say if he'd been discharged from the hospital Friday, citing medical privacy laws.

Officers reported finding a set of keys, two hearing aids, a CD player, an MP3 player, a Craftsman drill bit set and three pocket knives inside Williams' pockets. Police plan to charge Williams with residential burglary, second-degree battery, theft of property and theft by receiving.

El Paso, Texas

From El Paso’s KFoxtv.com of July 27, 2007

Homeowner Scares Teen With Gunshot

A teen is in a Dona Ana juvenile detention center after he was found trying to break into a neighbor's truck at 9:30 Wednesday night on the 6600 block of Gopher Road.

The owner of the truck shot a handgun into the air to try to scare the teen. The homeowner reported that he does have a permit to possess a concealed weapon.

The teen was charged with two counts of burglary of a vehicle.

The teens says he was looking for his puppy.

Tucson, Arizona

From the Arizona Daily Star of July 27, 2007

Skrappy's settles suit over shooting death

Insurer pays part of $250,000 to man's parents

The parents of a 27-year-old Mesa resident who was shot and killed in the parking lot of Skrappy's youth club Downtown have settled their lawsuit with the club and the man who shot him. Ray "Darrin" Pierson's parents settled the lawsuit for $250,000, said Tucson attorney James Dyer.

Skrappy's has agreed to pay Phoenix residents Jeffrey Pierson and Julie Maynard, Ray Pierson's parents, $150,000.
Jordan Asch's homeowners insurance has agreed to pay the remaining $100,000, Dyer said. Asch, who shot Pierson, was not charged in the case.

The county attorney ruled the shooting justified

Ray Pierson was shot and killed Dec. 7, 2005, outside the club at 201 E. Broadway.

Despite the settlement, what happened that night remains a hotly contested issue.

One side maintains Pierson died protecting the crowd from a Columbine-type massacre.

The other insists Pierson was a member of a national group known for provoking melees and Asch shot him in self-defense.

The group, FSU, is known in some circles as Friends Stand United. Others contend the initials stand for a vulgar expression related to creating disturbances.

In a prepared statement faxed to the Arizona Daily Star, Sue Krahe-Eggleston, executive director of Our Family Services, the nonprofit organization behind Skrappy's, expressed her relief that the lawsuit has been resolved.

"While we do not believe Skrappy's was in any way at fault for causing this unfortunate incident, we welcomed the opportunity to settle as a way to avoid the costly legal fees of continuing the case.

"We would not characterize the actions of Darrin Pierson as that of a hero. While our hearts go out to his family, we believe he and his accomplices were the initiators of an unwarranted and violent attack on a number of innocent concertgoers."

While one of five bands playing that night was performing, a large group ran into the crowd and began hitting people, according to police reports. Others began throwing microphone stands, speakers and amplifiers into the crowd.

A member of Skrappy's management turned on the lights and told everyone to leave, that the police had been called.

According to some accounts, Asch, who sometimes acted as volunteer security for the club, went to his car to get an assault rifle to prevent the situation from escalating further.

Asch's friends insisted Asch was persuaded to put the rifle back into his truck and it was while they were at his truck they were attacked by a mob carrying pool balls in socks, hammers, baseball bats and machetes.

Asch, who is now 25, told police one of the men "went to the passenger (door) and busted out my window and started climbing in after me with the hammer in his hand, so I shot him center mass."

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Wanatah, Indiana

From the Michigan City News-Dispatch of July 25, 2007

Sheriff's Deputies Find Intruder Held At Bay In Garage

A Wanatah man held an intruder at bay with a handgun early Tuesday until police arrived to take away the man, who claimed to be homeless.

Sheriff's deputies were called to the 100 block of South Lincoln Street at 3:13 a.m. to deal with a man who allegedly broke into a detached garage at the home and was rifling through a refrigerator.

When police arrived, they found the owner standing in his garage holding a pistol at his side. Mathew N. Franz, 13422 S. County Road 300 West, apparently was standing in the rear of the garage between a vehicle and the refrigerator.

The homeowner told police he'd gone to the garage when he saw the motion sensor light turn on and found Franz inside. The man said he never pointed the gun at Franz, and that Franz was apologetic and "very cooperative."

He told police Franz never moved from the time he told him to "freeze" until police arrived.

Officers said Franz admitted he entered the garage, saying he was hungry and looking for food. He told police he had moved out of his parents' home and moved in with friends in Valparaiso. He said he felt as though he was burdening his friends, though, and asked them to drop him off at the Speedway gas station in Wanatah.

While he was walking along Lincoln Street, he said he noticed a light on in the garage and went inside.

Franz was arrested and charged with burglary.

Ridgeland, Mississippi

From the Jackson Clarion-Ledger of July 26, 2007

Ridgeland clerk, robber exchange gunfire

Ridgeland police are searching for a man who opened fire on a store clerk during an attempted armed robbery Wednesday night.

Just after dark, a man entered the North Park Package Store at 134 Dyess Road, and pointed a gun at a clerk, Ridgeland Police Department Lt. John Neal said.

The clerk then pulled out a gun and pointed it at the robber, he said.

It is unclear who shot first, but both the robber and clerk fired shots at each other, Neal said. Neither was hit.

The suspect fled the scene empty-handed in a tan sedan.

Topeka, Kansas

From Topeka’s WIBW.com of July 26, 2007

Robbery Foiled When Clerk Got to His Gun Sooner

A robbery quickly turned sour for the robber late Wednesday night when the cashier got to his gun faster than he could. According to Jim Cormier, who was working the register that night, the man came into Cormier Liquor, 2611 SE California, around eleven o'clock carrying a black gym bag.

When the man reached into the bag and began to reach for his gun, Mr. Cormier showed his own. The suspect took off running and headed south down the alleyway.

Police described the suspect as a black male, 5'4", 135 lbs., wearing a black doo rag and a black silky scarf around the lower half of his face.

Spokane, Washington

From Spokane’s KXLY.com of June 16, 2007

Man involved in Thursday's fatal shooting says it was in self-defense

The man who was involved Thursday's shooting in east Spokane that left a 24-year-old man dead spoke out for the first time on Saturday.

Allan Turnipseed carries a gun with him at all times. But he'd never had to use it until Thursday. He says his life, and the lives of his family, were in danger.

Thursday afternoon's shooting was a small incident that spiraled out of control. That is the story from Turnipseed, the man accused of shooting 24-year-old Joshua Smith.

Turnipseed has not been jailed and is currently a free man. He declined to go on camera, but spoke from his home. He says on Wednesday evening, he witnessed two young men driving down 8th Avenue, one of them tossing a beer can out the window. He confronted the pair, and as he went to call police, they left.

On Thursday, Turnipseed says he was driving down Ferrall when he saw the same Mazda, with the same men inside and Smith driving. Sensing trouble, Turnipseed says he moved his car to block the young men from coming near his home.

He then alleges Smith drove up to the car and said he wanted to take a crowbar to his face, then took a crowbar out and began making threats. Turnipseed says he pulled his .380-caliber gun and tried to make a citizen's arrest. He then stood in front of Smith's car to keep them from leaving. Seconds later, Smith allegedly tried to run Turnipseed over. Turnipseed was hit, and as he clung onto the hood, fired two shots into the car.

Turnipseed believes the men were drinking, and adds that he'll accept any charges that may come. Police say it is illegal to make a citizen's arrest in Washington. The shooting is still under investigation.

No subsequent stories about this incident can be found

Ava, Missouri

From the Detroit (MI) Free Press of July 25, 2007

Missouri man kills grandson in apparent case of self-defense

A man shot and killed his grandson this morning after the teenager began stabbing him and his wife, authorities said.

William Andrew Nation, 18, came to his sleeping grandparents' bedroom in their home about 20 miles south of Ava. He shouted that he couldn't take it anymore and then started stabbing them with a kitchen knife, said Chief Deputy Trampus Taylor of the Douglas County Sheriff's Office.

Jerry Garrison, took a handgun he kept by the side of his bed and shot his grandson several times, killing him, authorities said.

Garrison was stabbed in the head, shoulder and back, and his wife, Katie, was stabbed in the face. Jerry Garrison was treated at a hospital and released, while his wife was in fair condition Wednesday afternoon, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Taylor said a review could take several weeks, but it appeared that the shooting would be ruled justifiable.

The teen had lived with his grandparents about a year. They said he had been hearing voices and had seen a psychiatrist on Monday, Taylor said. He was scheduled to return to the psychiatrist in a couple weeks.

Leavenworth, Washington

From the Seattle Times of July 25, 2007

Would-be victim sends armed robbers running in Leavenworth

A 57-year-old Leavenworth man turned the tables on two armed robbers who invaded his home Tuesday.

Authorities say that when two masked men armed with handguns got into the man's home Tuesday night, he confronted them, grabbed one of their guns and shot one in the hand.

The two masked men then fled, said Chelan County Undersheriff Greg Meinzer.

Two men from Snohomish County were later arrested after one of them flagged down an ambulance.

The wounded man, 24, from Everett, was treated at Central Washington Hospital. The other suspect, a 24-year-old Lake Stevens man, is charged with first-degree assault and burglary. The wounded man was not immediately charged.

Meinzer did not release the homeowner's name and says he isn't sure whether the homeowner knew the masked men or if the attempted robbery was a random crime.

Orange County, Florida

From Orlando‘s WFTV.com of July 25, 2007

Clerk Fights Back After Robbery At Convenience Store

Tuesday night, a convenience store clerk fought back when two robbers stole money from his store. As the robbers ran away from the Kwik Stop store on West Colonial Drive, the clerk opened fire.

Just as the robbers thought they were getting away, the clerk at the Kwik Stop took matters into his own hands, opening fire on two robbers who ran from the store he was working at.

The sign over the convenience store says food, lotto, and beer, but firepower could be added to the list of offerings. The store was closed Wednesday morning, but Tuesday night, just past 11:00, two armed men wearing hats over their faces walked in, jumped over the front counter and demanded cash.

The clerk complied. The robbers began to run away. That's when this victim turned the tables.

He had armed himself with his own handgun and chased the bad guys into the parking lot. The clerk fired at least two shots at the robbers.

Deputies said the store does have security cameras and investigators were looking over tape Wednesday morning. It was a scary night for the victim and the robbers.

It was unclear Wednesday if the clerk's bullet hit either of the two robbers.

Nashville, Tennessee

From Nashville’s WSMV.com of July 25, 2007

Pets Help Resident Fight Back Intruder

Police said a mother and her family pets fought back a gunman who tried to rob her at her south Nashville home.

The incident happened on Martin Street, just a few blocks from the state fairgrounds around 10 p.m. Tuesday.

Ronda Hill said she, her 2-year-old son and her mother were walking inside their house when a man jumped a fence, pointed a gun at them and demanded their belongings.

Hill said her dogs then went after the intruder.

"When they attacked him, he dropped the gun, and I picked it up, and I fired at him. He then took off running," said Hill.

She said she fired the gun two times and is not sure if any of the bullets struck the robber.

Police are still searching for the intruder.

Colorado Springs, Colorado

From Colorado Springs’ KKTV.com of July 24, 2007

Business Owner Holds Alleged Crook At Gunpoint

A business owner takes the law into his own hands and holds a suspected crook at gunpoint until police arrive. The suspect was allegedly breaking into cars at a business complex on North Cascade.

Just after midnight, something strange was going on outside the businesses. "He had taken a transformer off of Roger's truck and was beating on a car window. That was thumping noise I heard," Kristi Lyons told 11 News.

Her husband, Mike, grabbed his gun and ran outside. They knew there was an intruder when they saw the plastic window on their car sliced open.

Kristi said the suspect was caught red-handed, hiding behind and underneath cars in the parking lot.

"Mike had him at gunpoint. He said, ‘We can do this the easy way or the hard way.’ I called police." She was on the phone for about 5 minutes while she watched Mike go after the suspect.

"Mike had the kid at gunpoint. He started advancing toward Mike with a knife and Mike fired off a shot to let him know that he wasn’t kidding."

Police arrested 24-year-old Richard Richardson.

"I wish he would've shot the guy," said Lisa Yunker who owns the business next door. She said the row of businesses has been broken into several times. “Everyone is sick of it, this whole complex. We don't know why we're targeted."

For now, everyone who works there thinks of Kristi's husband as a hero. Kristi told 11 News she’d do it all over again if another intruder came onto her property, but “With a bigger gun."

Richard Richardon is behind bars charged with criminal mischief, trespassing and assault. Police said they had been looking for him earlier in the night for allegedly attacking a kid with a baseball bat.

Danville, Virginia

From Roanoke’s WSLS.com of July 24, 2007

Would-be Thief Ends Up in Hospital

An overnight robbery attempt landed a gunman not in jail but in a hospital. Shortly before midnight, according to Danville Police Lt. Tommy Merricks, a gunman approached two men on Rocklawn Drive and attempted to rob them. One of the men grabbed the gun, however, and tried to take it away. The gun went off and struck the would-be robber in the head. He fled the scene.

Shortly afterwards, the police heard of a man being taken from Glenn Street to Danville Regional Medical Center.

He was later transported to the University of Virginia Medical Center with a reported gunshot wound to the head that likely fractured his skull, according to the police.

Atascocita, Texas

From Click2Houston of July 24, 2007

Deputies: Homeowner Shoots Drunken Intruder

A homeowner shot a man who broke into his Atascocita home early Tuesday, officials told KPRC Local 2.

Harris County Precinct 4 deputy constables said the homeowner's wife heard a noise outside their home on Devlin Drive near Match Play Drive at about 2:45 a.m.

Detectives said the man, who is partially blind and hearing impaired, appeared to be intoxicated.

The man claimed the home was his and argued with the homeowner, officials said.

"The homeowner discharged one round from a shotgun with a birdshot, giving the intruder a superficial wound to the side of the head," Lt. Michael Young said.

Deputies said the man lives in the area and this was not the first time he has entered a wrong house.

"Apparently this individual has done this before, based on some statements from his family members," Young said.

The man, believed to be in his 40s, was transported to Memorial Hermann Hospital with a non-life-threatening injury.

Investigators have not said what charges the man may face.

The homeowner, his wife and two daughters were not injured.

Charlotte, North Carolina

From Charlotte’s WBTV.com of July 23, 2007

Store Clerk Decision: To Shoot or Not to Shoot?

Robberies and assaults are not new in Charlotte's Hidden Valley Community.

During the past year and a half, the area has been hit hard by crime.

On Monday, a suspected thief was shot to death at a convenience store on Tom Hunter Road.

According to police, a man entered the Fast Mart just after 10 a.m.

He indicated that he had a weapon and demanded money from the female clerk.

Police say the clerk then confronted the would-be robbery [sic]. She allegedly fired one shot as the robber came toward her.

As WBTV's Steve Crump reports, police and the district attorney must now determine if this was a case of self-defense.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

From the July 21, 2007 Oklahoman:

Five accused in invasion try

Five people are accused of attempting a home invasion robbery Thursday morning that went awry when one of the alleged robbers was shot, police said.

A resident of Almonte Apartments, 5901 S May Ave., in Oklahoma City was also shot during the break-in, which occurred about 5:30 a.m.

The wound suffered by the resident, Antwaine Williams, 19, was not life threatening, Sgt. Paco Balderrama said.

One of the alleged robbers is in critical condition following surgery for a gunshot wound at Integris Southwest Medical Center, police said.

According to Balderrama:

Police think Williams shot the accused robber, Darrell Gatewood, 18, but aren't sure who shot Williams.

Minutes after police responded to the shooting, Gatewood was dropped off at the hospital, wounded, with his girlfriend, Chrise Thomas, 23.

Thomas also is accused of participating in the home invasion.

Also arrested are Christopher Hill, 18, Samuel Carolina, 17, and Randale Whitemore, 18.

Pomona, California

From the Ontario Daily Bulletin of July 23, 2007

Inquiry finds shooter acted in self-defense

Suspect now held on other charge

A 31-year-old man will not be charged in the shooting death of a 25-year-old man in June, officials said.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced last week that it will not file a murder charge against Carlos Salazar in the death of Angel Aguayo of Pomona.

Salazar was arrested June 11, three days after Aguayo was shot multiple times in the 400 block of West Grand Avenue, according to a police statement.

Salazar is being held without bail at California Institution for Men in Chino, where he awaits a court appearance on a charge of being a felon in possession of a gun.

The district attorney's investigation found that Salazar acted in self-defense when he shot Aguayo, according to the office's statement.

Aguayo died as he was being placed in the ambulance, police said.

Aguayo's grandmother, Victoria Rosalez, and the rest of his family are still grieving over his death.

"We still can't believe it. We're still sad," Rosalez said from the front porch of her Pomona home Saturday afternoon.

Rosalez said Aguayo's former girlfriend came over the night he died with a bruise on her face. She was upset and claimed that Salazar had beaten her, Rosalez said.

Aguayo was attempting to help her when he got shot, Rosalez said.

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Jacksonville, Florida

From News4Jax.com of July 23, 2007

Police: Man Shot Dead Trying To Rob Another

One man is dead in what police say may be a robbery gone bad.

Police were on the scene early Monday morning at the Plantation Apartments in the 7000 block of Old Kings Road South.

Police said three men in a van tried to rob another man in the parking lot of the apartments. That’s when the man being robbed shot one of the alleged robbers, police said. That man was found dead by the time police arrived on scene.

Police said it may be a case of self-defense. The man is being questioned by police.

Police are still looking for the other two men.

Sgt. Derrick Lewis said they are looking for a dark van with tinted windows.

From News4Jax.com of July 23, 2007

Shooter Claims Self-Defense After Teen Killed

A man who pulled the trigger, fatally shooting a 17-year-old early Monday, said he acted in self-defense.

Investigators said 28-year-old Robert Brown told them his car was being followed by another vehicle with several people inside and that he thought they wanted to rob him.

Detectives with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office continue to investigate the fatal shooting that took place in the 7000 block of Old Kings Road South on the Southside.

Homicide investigators said Brown thought he was being followed and pulled into the parking lot, followed into the parking lot by three people in a minivan. When they got out of the van and approached Brown's car with a gun, he shot one of the subjects in the chest, police said.

"It was either him or me," Brown told Channel 4. "There was not even time to think twice. There was no time. They were strictly about their business. I needed to try and get up out of this."

Brown said he was afraid he was going to die Monday morning and that was why he fired his gun, hitting Tommy Lee Kennedy.

"I looked in the rear view mirror, I see some lights blocking my car in and I see the passenger door open and the sliding door open. Two dudes hopped out, one went directly to my window with a gun, arm pointed straight," Brown said. "You know, God said it isn't my time to go right now."

Police said there was an exchange of gunfire at the scene.

Kennedy died at the scene, and two other young men fled the scene, according to police.

"We don't know what happened regarding the other two people -- we know the other two people fled in a van," Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Sgt. Derrick Lewis said.

Authorities said that they are looking for a dark van with tinted windows.

Kennedy's sister, Tamika Kennedy, and the teen's friends said they couldn't understand why their loved one was killed.

"He is a good person. He takes care of his responsibility, I mean," Tamika Kennedy said. "My brother never meant to hurt nobody."

Police took Brown downtown for questioning and he was later released.

Anna, Texas

From the McKinney Courier-Gazette of July 22, 2007

Anna man catches boy breaking into truck

Robert Trammell, of Anna, said his son woke him up Thursday morning after he saw someone breaking into his truck.

“My son come running in here and hollered at me and said, ‘Daddy, get up, get up, someone just broke in the truck,’” Trammell said. “So I jump up and he said they took off running so I didn’t know if it was an adult or who it was, so I grab my shotgun and went to chase him.”

When they finally caught up to him, Robert said he realized the guy who broke into his car was just a 13-year-old boy.

“He said, ‘I’m only 13 years old, and I was like whoa, whoa, back up,” Robert said.

The vehicle burglary happened around 1:30 a.m. Thursday in the 3600 block of County Road 421 in Anna, according to Collin County briefing reports.

Lt. John Norton, of the Collin County Sheriff’s Office, said Robert’s 18-year-old son, Zach, first witnessed someone trying to break into his father’s 1996 Ford Ranger pickup.

Robert said he wasn’t sure who was out there, so he brought along a shotgun for protection.

“We come out and got in the car and went to chase after him,” Robert said. “At that time, we came running back around the corner and my son almost run into him with the car.”

Robert said he pointed the shotgun at him and ordered him to lie on the ground.

“He kept sticking his hand in his pocket, and I didn’t know if he had a gun or not,” Robert said. “I had the operator on the phone from 911 and she said do you feel like you’re in danger? And I said, to be honest with you ma’am, I don’t know what he keeps trying to put his hand on and she said by all means you could shoot him to defend yourself if you want to.”

The suspect eventually got on the ground, Robert said.

“Finally, he lied down on the ground and the last time he stuck his hand in his pocket, I put that shotgun on the back of his back and I told him, you need to lay still or I’m going to shoot you because they just informed me that I can if you keep sticking your hand in your pocket and I don’t know what you’ve got in there,” Robert said.

He kept talking to the suspect until police arrived. He said he was shocked when he learned the guy who tried to break into his truck was only 13 years old.

“I asked him if you’re 13 years old, what are you doing out at 2 in the morning?” Robert said. “He said my mom and dad are poor, so I’m out trying to get some money. I told him do you realize you almost just lost your life over a $40 radio from Wal-Mart?”

Norton said sheriff’s deputies took the unidentified boy to Medical Center of McKinney for injuries he sustained when he ran into the car door. He was treated and released and transported to Collin County Juvenile Detention Center, where he was being held Friday.

Dallas, Texas

From the Fort Worth Star-Telegram of July 22, 2007

Man questioned in fatal Dallas shooting

One person is dead and another was being questioned Sunday afternoon after a confrontation reportedly led to a shooting in north Dallas.

Dallas police say a couple was moving out of their apartment in the 9500 block of Forest Lane when the wife saw “an individual” walking down the street. She told her husband that the person had robbed her of her cell phone on Saturday, Dallas police spokesman Jamie Matthews said in a statement.

The husband told police that he confronted the alleged robber on the street and that the person reached for a gun. The husband pulled his own gun and shot the victim in the head, he told police.

The victim was pronounced dead at Medical City hospital. Police have been unable to identify the individual.

No arrests had been made as of Sunday evening.

From DFW’s WFAA.cam of July 23, 2007

Man killed may have robbed shooter's wife

A man who was shot and killed Sunday may have been involved in a robbery the day before in Dallas.

Police said the deceased man was in possession of a cellphone that was taken from the shooter's wife during the robbery at 7 p.m. Saturday. The couple was moving out of Snug Harbor Apartments in the 9500 block of Forest Lane about 12:19 p.m. Sunday because of the robbery.

Sunday's confrontation started as the woman's mother noticed a suspicious man walking across the street. The mother had received harassing phone calls from the stolen cellphone, police said. Her son-in-law confronted the man, who pulled out a gun. The son-in-law, who has a concealed handgun license, shot the man.

The shooting victim was taken to Medical City Dallas, where he was pronounced dead.

Police have questioned the shooter and released him, said Sgt. Gene Reyes. The case will be referred to a grand jury.

Midland, Texas

From Midland’s MyWestTexas.com of July 22, 2007

Homeowner shoots teen burglary suspect: Boy flees scene, seeks help after being shot with 12-gauge shotgun

A property owner fired a 12-gauge shotgun at a 16-year-old boy Saturday, who had just broken into the man's rental house, police said.

"The owner is inside and the 16-year-old breaks in the front window," explained Midland Police Department spokeswoman Tina Jauz. "And the homeowner confronts the suspect in the hallway and shoots him with a 12-gauge shotgun."

After being shot, police said the boy fled the 204 South Jefferson St. residence in a van, and then flagged down officers at Louisiana Avenue and Main Street at about 1:15 p.m.

The gunfire grazed the boy's shoulder and neck, police said.

He was seen wearing a bloody white T-shirt just before being transported to Midland Memorial Hospital, where police said he was listed in serious condition late Saturday.

Neither police nor the homeowner knew if the juvenile was armed, Jauz said, noting the boy immediately left the scene.

There had been recent break-ins reported at the unoccupied residence, Jauz said, and the owner was checking on the property when the shooting occurred. No trespassing signs can be seen curbside on the home's windows.

Jauz said charges were pending against the juvenile, whose name was not released, but no charges were expected against the homeowner, whose name also was not released.

Midland County District Attorney Teresa J. Clingman declined comment on the case currently under investigation, but as a matter of clarification explained when the use of deadly force is legal.

"You are permitted to use deadly force to protect yourself or your property in very limited circumstances," Clingman said. "You must first be justified in using force at all, and then to using deadly force against another to prevent the other's imminent commission of several specific property offenses, like arson, burglary or robbery, or in the course of 'hot pursuit' to prevent such other person from escaping with your property.

"But, of course, only if you reasonably believe that deadly force is immediately necessary for prevention or recovery."

Clingman said deadly force can only be used to prevent the perpetrator from fleeing after committing one of those crimes, if the victim believes property cannot be recovered by any other means, and when the use of force other than deadly force would subject you to substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury.

"In other words, in a situation of someone breaks into your home and they have a gun or a knife, etc.," Clingman explained. "Everything is judged by whether the action was reasonable as viewed from the actor's standpoint."

Orange County, Florida

From Orlando’s CFNews13.com of July 22, 2007

Early Morning Shooting Outside Puerto Rican Social Club

Investigators are calling Sunday morning's deadly shooting outside Puerto Rican social club in Orange County self-defense.

It happened a little before one a.m. in the parking lot at the Asociación Borinqueña de Florida Central on Econlockhatchee Trail near Colonial Drive.

Police believe it started when a fight broke out between two groups during a Vietnamese concert at the club.

The fight spilled into the parking lot and that is when shots were fired.

Sheriff's investigators say 31-year-old Long Pharm of Largo fired a number of shots but hit no one. Another person then shot at Pharm, killing him.

Police say that at this point they are treating it as a self-defense killing.

The case has been turned over to the State Attorney's Office. It will decide if any charges will be filed.

Titusville, Florida

From Melbourne’s FloridaToday.com of July 22, 2007

Titusville police: Killing looks like self-defense

Titusville Police said this afternoon they’re confident William Herring shot two men with a handgun — one fatally — in self-defense after they broke into his garage and attacked him with a pipe and tire iron.

Herring was working in his garage at 908 S. Washington Avenue in downtown Titusville when he spotted two men on his property “in an area they didn’t belong,” Assistant Police Chief John Lau said. The two men attacked Herring, who grabbed a gun and fire three shots, Lau said.

Herring then called 9-1-1 to report the shooting. When officers arrived at 12:30 a.m. they found 44-year-old William Wade Hose of Mims dead.

Christopher J. Zagorski, 47, also of Mims, was transported to Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne with serious injuries.

“Both shooting victims knew the (resident), and there appears to have been some type of feud between them,” Hutchinson said in a news release.

Investigators this afternoon are still trying to establish the relationship between the three men.

A pipe and tire iron found in the garage were taken into evidence.

Herring had injuries consistent with being hit by blunt objects, Lt. Todd Hutchinson said.

The investigation is expected to take several days. Detectives have not been able to interview the surviving shooting victim, Hutchinson said.

From Melbourne’s FloridaToday.com of July 27, 2007

New facts come out in Titusville shooting

Homeowner knew 1 intruder

A Titusville man who told police he fatally shot one intruder and wounded another in an act of self-defense grew up with one of the man in Long Island, N.Y., the man's sister said Friday.

Police said one of the intruders was carrying a gun when the shooting occurred.

The home's resident William Herring has not been charged, and authorities have said the preliminary investigation indicates self-defense. But prosecutors will review the case, Titusville Lt. Todd Hutchinson said.

"At this point the physical evidence matches the shooting suspect's version of events," he said. "However, the complete findings and facts will be shared with the state attorney's office, and together we will determine whether there are any criminal charges applicable in this case."

According to police, Herring was working in his garage at 908 S. Washington Ave. when he said he spotted two intruders on his property. He said Christopher J. Zagorski, 47, of Mims and William Hose, 44, of Mims attacked him with a pipe and a tire iron. Herring grabbed a handgun he kept in the garage and shot three times, killing Hose and seriously injuring Zagorski.

Hose, the son of the York County, Pa., Sheriff Bill Hose, was shot first in the stomach and then in the back, Hutchinson said.

Sheriff Hose declined to comment to FLORIDA TODAY.

It was the shot to the back, which hit between the shoulder blades and out the chest, that killed the younger Hose, said Rodney Belcher with the Brevard County medical examiner's office.

The medical examiner's report listed the second bullet wound as entering the front of the left thigh and came out the left buttock, Belcher said.

Titusville police said they recovered a handgun from Zagorski. Detectives are investigating what sparked the incident, including the possibility of a debt Herring may have owed the men.

"Our investigators are looking into whether the shooting suspect owed these victims money," Hutchinson said.

From the Hanover (PA) Evening Sun of August 4, 2007

Shooting of sheriff's son likely in self-defense

A Titusville man who told police he fatally shot one intruder and wounded another in an act of self-defense grew up with one of the men in Long Island, N.Y., the man's sister said Friday.

Police said one of the intruders was carrying a gun when the shooting occurred.

William H. Hose, the son of York County Sheriff Bill Hose, was killed during the alleged break-in, police said.

The home's resident William Herring has not been charged, and authorities have said the preliminary investigation indicates it was self-defense. But prosecutors will review the case, Titusville Lt. Todd Hutchinson said.

Tulsa, Oklahoma

From Tulsa’s KOTV.com of July 22, 2007

Man Saves Neighbor From Vicious Dog Attack

A Tulsa man will be honored this week for saving another man's life. Back in April, Michael Cook came to the rescue when a pitbull attacked his neighbor. The News On 6’s Chris Wright reports Cook will receive the Citizen Appreciation Award from Tulsa police on Tuesday, an honor his neighbor says he more than deserves.

Marvin Battle walks with a cane these days, but says considering what happen to him on April 25th, he can live with the limp.

"I can't bend my leg. I have to go through physical therapy,” said Battle. “I've been on a lot of pain medications. I have panic attacks and I have nightmares."

Those nightmares stem from a vicious pitbull attack. Cook was walking his 6-year-old Chow Chow, Xena, and his 2-year-old Pomeranian, Jazzy, when he says the pitbull came out of nowhere.

"I turned around to go back to the house, and the dog knocked me down,” Battle said. The pitbull killed the Pomeranian, injured the Chow, and then turned its attention to Battle.

"I'm fighting for my life here. If someone doesn't come help me or if this dog doesn't stop, I'm going to be killed. So all I'm thinking is saving my life,” Battle said.

Michael Cook heard all the commotion, grabbed his gun, and came outside. He says the only thing he'd ever shot at before was a target, and the margin for error was thin. Fortunately, the pitbull looked up for a split second, and Cook pulled the trigger.

"So I bent down to try and shoot the dog from the side. When I did, that's when he raised up, and I shot him in the head,” Cook said.

The pitbull was killed, and Battle, though injured severely, was alive. He says he owes his life to his neighbor, and the two, who did not know each other before the attack, have become friends.

"It was terrible. Had my neighbor Mike not come out and shot the dog, it would have killed me,” Battle said.

"I think we're becoming pretty good friends,” Cook said. “Turns out we have a lot more in common than I thought we did. Marvin's a good guy."

Cook spent a week in the hospital recovering from his injuries. No one knows exactly who owned the pitbull. Battle believes it belonged to his neighbors, who have several other pitbulls.

We talked to those neighbors Saturday, and they say the dog was not theirs.

Houston, Texas

From Houston's ABC13.com of July 21, 2007

Man shoots trespasser twice in legs

A northwest Harris County homeowner says he shot a man in the legs on Friday because the man trespassed on his property.

The homeowner told deputies he heard dogs barking so he went outside and saw a man in his backyard.

He confronted the suspect and that's when the suspect pulled out some type of hammer or ax.

The homeowner then shot the suspect twice in the legs.

The suspect jumped the fence and ran off into some nearby woods.

A police dog found him a short time later. He was taken into custody on a stretcher.

Based on the different geographical references, we believe that this is a different incident from the previous post.

Houston, Texas

From the Houston Chronicle of July 20, 2007

Houston homeowner shoots would-be burglar

A northeast Houston resident shot and wounded a man attempting to break into his home this afternoon, according to authorities.

Harris County Sheriff's Deputies were called to the 12500 block of Ann Louise around 12:40 and located the suspect, who had fled nearby on foot.

He was transported to an area hospital and the incident remains under investigation.

Tallahassee, Florida

From the July 17, 2007 Tallahassee Democrat:

Leon County Sheriff's deputies have not filed charges against a homeowner who fired shots at burglars Monday afternoon.

The man received a call from his alarm company around 1:45 p.m. that something tripped his alarm; the alarm company also contacted LCSO, said Lt. Rory Robbins. The man arrived at his home on Seasons Lane before deputies did and found a car behind his mobile home. He took the keys out of his car and drew his handgun when he heard a crash. He saw two men running away from the home and shot at them once.

The men split up and the homeowner followed one around his trailer, Robbins said. He took three more shots at the fleeing man, who fell to the ground, but got up and continued running. Deputies think he fell because of the rough terrain, not because he was shot. There was no blood at the scene.

Note: this is a pretty marginal case. I am a little surprised that there were no charges filed against the man who did the shooting. Perhaps because he was outnumbered, or other circumstances that didn't make it into the article, the sheriff's office decided that he was engaged in a lawful defensive use.

Mansfield, Ohio

From Newark’s CentralOhio.com of July 20, 2007

Judge: Shooting outside MedCentral was self defense

Kevin Teague acted in self defense when he shot a fellow Mansfield teenager in the face, according to Richland County Juvenile Court Judge Ron Spon.

The judge on Thursday acquitted the 15-year-old Teague of attempted murder and two counts of felonious assault. Spon found him guilty of carrying a concealed weapon.

The decision followed a three-day trial during which the Richland County Prosecutor's Office argued Teague shot and intended to kill Jacques Sutton outside MedCentral/ Mansfield Hospital on Feb. 18.

The judge didn't agree.

Spon said the prosecution failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Teague intended to kill the victim.

"The defense ... successfully argued their case that what Kevin did was in self-defense," Spon said, claiming defense attorney Ralph Bove proved three specific points:

First, Teague was not at fault in creating the altercation between himself, the victim and four other juveniles accompanying the victim.

Spon cited testimony from witnesses saying the victim and his friends antagonized and bullied Teague for a lengthy period of time. On the day in question, one of the victim's friends got Teague to let his guard down, then punched him.

Second, Teague had a "bona fide belief of immediate danger and bodily harm requiring the use of force to escape."

Testimony and evidence indicated five juveniles pursued Teague and his acquaintance for at least one city block before getting to MedCentral. From there, security video shows five juveniles attempting to surround Teague to keep him from entering the hospital.

"The video was chilling," Spon said. "It was like watching sharks circle in for the kill. Frankly, the line (Sutton) said that they were only going to the hospital because they were hungry and wanted to use the vending machines to get something to eat was a ploy."

Third, the defense proved Teague did all he could to retreat from the altercation.

"This was a long pursuit," Spon said. "He was retreating the entire distance of at least one block."

Spon said Teague had the gun in his possession during the pursuit, but had it pointed down until the moment Sutton caught up to him outside the hospital entrance.

"The prosecution has argued that (the victim) had his hands out the entire time," Spon said. "But the video showed (the victim) had his right hand in his pocket," suggesting the victim had a weapon for which he was reaching.

"In short, Kevin was being relentlessly pursued by five people with the intent to cause bodily harm," he said. "The defense proved in that moment, his only means at hand was the use of force."
…

Spon ordered Teague, who spent 158 days detained in the Juvenile Justice Center, to be released into house arrest under the supervision of his family while a pre-sentence report is filed. Spon will sentence Teague on his concealed weapon conviction within 30 days.

North Miami, Florida

From Miami’s WSVN.com of July 19, 2007

Check cashing store manager exchanges gunfire with armed robbers

Miami-Dade Police are searching for two armed men who shot at a check cashing store employee.

Police say the suspects approached one of the managers of a check cashing store, located at 140 W. Dixie Highway, as she attempted to open the store Thursday morning. According to the store manager, as soon as she put the key in the lock, the suspects approached her with a gun. "Some words were exchanged and according to the victim, the black male holding the firearm fired a shot at her," said Lieutenant Neal Cuevas of the North Miami Police Department. "She returned fire."

Police found one round of bullets [sic] in the store when they arrived. The store's windows remain boarded up because the windows were shattered during the shootout.

The suspects feld [sic] the scene uninjured. Police describe the suspects as two black males, 140 pounds and five feet five inches tall each. Police also say one of the suspects wore business attire: suit coat, blue tie and crisp white shirt, during the attempted robbery.

Moss Point, Mississippi

From Pasagoula’s The Mississippi Press of July 18, 2007

Wounded man faces charges

A man Jackson County deputies found shot in the stomach Saturday has been charged with burglary and attempted aggravated as-sault.

Deputies responded to call at 4317 Knowlcrest drive in reference to a possible intruder, according to a news release from Jackson County Sheriff Mike Byrd.

Deputies discovered Shontile Leprice Keys, 24, 5119 Meridian, Moss Point, with a gunshot to the stomach. Keys was take to Singing River Hospital, Pascagoula.

It was determined Keys had broken into the residence to await the arrival of the homeowners, according to the report. When the homeowners arrived, Keys attacked them but he was eventually shot, the report said.

No bond has been set and Keys remains in the hospital, according to the report.

West Palm Beach, Florida

From Miami’s CBS4.com of July 18, 2007

Neighbor Shoots Naked Man: Claims Self Defense

A naked man was shot to death in West Palm Beach as he was lunged at a resident who was trying to protect a woman and her children.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said Jonas Morisma may have been under the influence of drugs when he ended up at the woman's apartment complex early Tuesday. Witnesses told police Morisma first attacked a tow truck, banging on the driver's windows and tearing off its lights. He then reportedly began banging on apartment doors and punching through windows.

Police say Morisma was disrobing while doing all this.

A resident came out of his apartment with a gun and told Morisma to leave as the woman and her children sought cover nearby. According to authorities, that's when Morisma lunged at the resident, who fired one shot. Police have not released the name of the man who shot Morisma to protect him from retaliation.

Oroville, California

From the Enterprise-Record of July 13, 2007

Man who held gun on teens won't be charged

After further investigation: authorities said Wednesday that no criminal charges will be filed against a Helltown Road man who held a gun on two teenagers he suspected of trying to steal his medical marijuana.

"I think he was in the right; justice has been done" said the father of the arrested homeowner, Carl Coleman Jr., 37.

The younger Coleman was arrested early Monday morning after one of the two youths he caught on his property and held at gunpoint, fled and later claimed Coleman had assaulted them.

District Attorney Mike Ramsey said Wednesday further investigation by the Butte County Sheriff's Office was unable to disprove Coleman's claims he was lawfully protecting his property.

Unaware of the decision not to file any criminal charges against his son, Coleman's father earlier Wednesday had sought a court writ, challenging the arrest as unconstitutional.

Gordon Dise, a self-professed "legal strategy consultant" and local medical marijuana proponent who accompanied several of Coleman's relatives and friends to court Wednesday afternoon, praised the decision not to prosecute the homeowner.

"I think the district attorney is doing the right thing and pursuing the thieves, instead of the victims, who are medical marijuana patients," the local activist stated.

"You have an absolute right to defend your life, your liberty or property with all force necessary," added Dise, even to the point of pursuing a suspected felon who tries to avoid being turned over to the police.

According to Ramsey, Coleman told authorities he had returned to his Helltown Road home Sunday to find it had been burglarized earlier in the day and that several items were taken.

Relatives say among the stolen property was Coleman's lawful medical marijuana.

He was waiting for the suspects to return, armed with a shotgun, when the homeowner said that one of the two teenage boys started to walk into his back yard late at night.

Grabbing and holding the first youth, Coleman told authorities how he pursued a second teen a short distance, knocking him off his motorcycle, with a blow to his helmet with a flashlight.

Ramsey said at that point, Coleman telephoned his 15-year-old son to come over, though it was uncertain whether that would get the youths to leave, help hold them for police or "possibly to administer some street justice."

Outside of court Wednesday, the homeowner's son, Carl Coleman III, denied reports that he was also armed that night.

He said his father had called him because he knew the two youth.

The two teens were able to get away, one of them calling a family member on his cellular phone claiming he had been physically assaulted by two persons at a Helltown Road home.

When sheriff's deputies and California Highway Patrol officers found the boy in Butte Creek, he told them that the second teen was still being held at gunpoint at the residence.

Deputies reported that they forced entry into Coleman's home after they got no response to knocks on the front door.

Following questioning, the two youths were subsequently confined to the Butte County Juvenile Hall on charges of suspicion of attempted burglary.

Coleman was booked into the Butte County Jail on felony charges of assault with a deadly weapon and false imprisonment.

Ramsey said Wednesday that after asking the sheriff's deputies to do further investigation, "it was the combined opinion that we could not overcome any defense of property or self," claimed the arrested homeowner.

"Although it does appear that Mr. Coleman may have gone a bit beyond the reasonableness standard, we don't believe we could prove it (to a jury)," added Ramsey.

According to family members, they were told late Wednesday afternoon that the jail was in "lockdown" and that Coleman may not be released until sometime today.