McKeesport, Pennsylvania

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette of September 30, 2007

Intruders shot, one fatally, in McKeesport

Two suspected robbers were shot, one of them fatally, during an apparent home invasion on Grover Street in McKeesport last night, police said.

Police were called at 10:10 p.m. to a home in the 2900 block of Grover, where a resident resisted an apparent robbery.

One suspect was killed, and the other was hospitalized with at least one gunshot wound, police said.

The extent of his injuries was not immediately known.

Sierra Vista, Arizona

From Phoenix’ KTAR.com of September 29, 2007

Man Who Shot Teen after Prank Acquitted

A Willcox man who shot and wounded a teenage girl after she and her friends banged on his windows in a late-night prank was acquitted of three felonies, but a jury couldn't reach a verdict on a fourth charge.

The Cochise County jury found Delbert "Cody" Evans not guilty of aggravated assault using a deadly weapon and endangering Kayla Shores, who was 14 when a bullet fired by Evans hit her in the back in February 2006. She has since recovered. Evans was also cleared of endangering another girl who was with a group of five teens on Evans' porch.

The jury was unable to reach a verdict on a charge of aggravated assault causing disfigurement. The verdicts came Friday after a three-day trial and eight hours of deliberations.

The teens had gone to Evans' rural home to get back at him for making a scary prank phone call, testimony showed. He had known Shores for years and they were friends.

Evans, 32, testified he had been threatened by a man over payment for a wood stove and thought he was shooting in self-defense at an assailant.

Prosecutor Vince Festa told jurors that Evans' actions were unjustified, saying Evans shot at ``fleeing shadowy figures'' that were not posing a threat.

Defense attorney Chuck Weninger said Evans would not have fired if he knew Shores was there, noting their long friendship.

A 13-person grand jury unanimously refused to indict Evans in 2006, infuriating some in the community, who accused Cochise County Attorney Ed Rheinheimer of bungling the case. A subsequent recall effort failed.

Rheinheimer eventually asked for a preliminary hearing, and a judge ordered Evans to stand trial on the four felony counts.

A hearing to decide if Evans will be retried on the remaining charge was set for Oct. 15.

From the Arizona Range News of October 17, 2007

Court dismisses final charge against Evans

A Cochise County Superior Court judge dismissed an aggravated assault count Monday against a man who shot a teenage Willcox girl in the back last year.

During a jury trial in late September, Delbert "Cody" Evans, 32, was found not guilty of one count of aggravated assault against Kayla Shores using a deadly weapon and not guilty of endangering the lives of Shores and her friend Shelby Fernandez.

The jury did not arrive at a verdict on a felony charge of aggravated assault against Shores by means of force that caused temporary but substantial disfigurement or loss or impairment of a body organ or part. On Feb. 18, 2006, Evans shot then-14-year-old Shores with a handgun after she and four other children had banged on the windows of his rural Willcox home at night in return for his making a scary prank phone call.

During a hearing Monday, Judge Stephen Desens dismissed the aggravated assault disfigurement count at the request of deputy county attorney Vince Festa.

Festa said the County Attorney's Office decided not to continue to prosecute Evans on the aggravated assault disfigurement count because of the small likelihood of getting a conviction on it.

He pointed out that according to a jury note, the eight-person panel had voted 7 to 1 on Sept. 28 for the acquittal of Evans on that count. Also, he said, during the summer of 2006, a grand jury had voted 13-0 against indicting Evans.

Based on those decisions, he said, it appears the people of Cochise County don't believe a crime was committed.

Sonny Shores, Kayla's father, said the outcome of the case is an "injustice."

"It's pretty sad that a guy can shoot a girl like that and face no consequences for it," he said.

He added that he wanted to thank all of the people who have helped support his family.

During the trial, Festa argued that Evans' actions violated the law. He said a person is allowed to act in self defense while there is apparent danger, but Evans shot at "fleeing shadowy figures" that were not posing a threat.

Defense attorney Chuck Weninger said Evans and Shores had been friends, and he would not have fired at her if he knew she was there. He explained that Evans thought he was shooting at Mark Rupert. He said Evans had been threatened by Rupert because Evans did not pay for a wood stove.

Neither Weninger nor Evans attended Monday's hearing. Also, both were unable to be reached for comment afterward.

Shores was seriously injured as a result of the shooting. She underwent surgery and was hospitalized for nine days.

She has scars from the wounds, and two bullet fragments remain lodged in her body.

Pocatello, Idaho

From Reno’s KRNV.com of August 29, 2007

Marriage of Former Reno Couple Ends in Tragedy

The Bonneville County Sheriff's Office is investigating a deadly shooting at a home in Swan Valley between a wife and her husband.

Last night, Debra Schultz says she shot her husband once in the chest, claiming it was in self defense. 48-year-old William Schultz died.

Detectives are treating it like a homicide until they get all the facts.

Court and crime specialist Suzanne Hobbs spoke with law enforcement and with the woman who pulled the trigger.

Debra Schultz says throughout her relationship he was physically violent and she never got out, although just last week she did go to a women's shelter in Driggs for help, and just returned home where she had to fight for her life.

Three months ago, the couple moved from Reno Nevada to Swan Valley. They lived in an apartment just off the Swan Valley Highway above a real estate office.

Tuesday night, Debra says her husband was high on marijuana and drinking. The fight got so bad he grabbed a gun and said he was going to shoot her. She says it was either shoot him or she would be killed.

She even considered jumping out of the second story window, but says William stopped her.

She didn't want her battered and bruised face to be shown, so when I talked to her, we are showing you her injured leg, hurt as she was running down the stairs last night.

Debra Schultz said, "When he came home last night he told me that he was going to kill me and that was after he beat up my face and he said, "I can't let you go now because if the cops see this I'm going to go to prison." And he already has 5 charges in Reno hanging over his head for domestic violence against me."

Doug Metcalf, Bonneville Co. Sheriff's Office said, "Right now we are treating it as a homicide and it'll - we'll turn it into the prosecutor once we get all the interviews, the evidence from the autopsy and things like that to him, and they'll make the decision whether it's homicide or self defense."

The sheriff's office says their investigation will take several days. Debra, who is fully cooperating, is already making plans to move back to Reno as soon as she can..

From Idaho Falls’ LocalNews8.com of October 1, 2007

No Charges Filed In Swan Valley Homicide

No charges will be pressed against the woman who shot and killed her husband a month ago in Swan Valley.

Today prosecutor Dane Watkins says that Debra Schultz shot her husband in an act of self defense.

The shooting came after a violent relationship that lasted a year.

According to Schultz, her husband William put her in the hospital multiple times during their courting period and again once they were married.

They were from Reno, Nevada and moved to Idaho to escape the five pending domestic violence charges against William.

Bonneville County Prosecutor Dane Watkins says he is not pressing charges against Schultz because theres evidence to prove she was the victim of domestic violence the night of August 28th.

She had extensive bruising and other injuries. She also says William made threats against her life.

Schultz tells investigators that William went for the gun and came toward her and that's when she says she got control of the gun and shot him at close range.

Prosecutor Dane Watkins says her story lines up with the evidence.

In an interview less than 24 hours after Schultz shot her husband she said, "He said I'm going to kill you and so I just pulled the trigger, I didn't know what else to do. It was me or him, he was, I could tell by the look in his eyes I was dead, I was going to be dead."

Prosecutor Dane Watkins explains his decision, "In order to prove self defense the defendant must believe she was in imminent danger of death or great bodily harm and that action was necessary to save her from harm."

Watkins says that William Schultz's family is upset that no one is being held accountable for their son's death.

The case will remain open with the Bonneville County Sheriffs Office, in the case that more information arises in this case.

Debra Schultz has returned to Nevada where her family lives.

Jackson, Mississippi

From Jackson’s WAPT.com of September 28, 2007

Jackson Homeowner Shoots At Would-Be Burglars

Students at McLeod Elementary School were on lockdown Friday afternoon as police searched for two men involved in an attempted home invasion.

Homeowner Fredrico Hamblin said he saw a car in his neighborhood most of the morning, passing in front of his Riverwood Drive house several times.

The two men tried to get into his home through the garage, Hamblin said, so he opened fire, shooting five or six times.

Hamblin said he thinks he hit one of the men. A stray bullet hit a neighbor's car.

"I was just trying to get them away from my home. I shot five or six times. One of them dove over the car. I think that's when I shot him," he said.

Both men ran into a wooded area; police found one of the men about a half-hour later behind the Mississippi Basketball Association Complex.

Police used a helicopter and dogs to search for the other man, and nearby McLeod Elementary was put on lockdown.

A constable arrested another person believed to be the driver for the two men nearby.

Police said Hamblin will not face charges related to this shooting because he was protecting his home.

From the Jackson Clarion-Ledger of September 29, 2007

Gunshots deter break-ins

Jackson residents fend off invaders

There were similarities in two attempted burglaries in Jackson on Friday.

The residents of both homes were watching television when the alleged suspects were caught in the act. And in both cases, the suspects were fired on.

Around 7 p.m., Patricia Parker, 53, who lives in the back of the duplex at 420 Barksdale St., said she was watching Wheel of Fortune when she heard her boyfriend calling her name from outside.

"I opened the door and this dude was laying on the porch," she said. "Otis was over him with a knife. I said, 'Otis, let that man go on.' "

Instead, her boyfriend, whom Parker would identify as Otis, went back into the duplex to retrieve a pistol to further convince the man to leave. But as her boyfriend made his way back to the porch, the man slipped past him and into Parker's home.

Otis followed the man into a back bedroom and fired shots, she said, and he continued to shoot at the man as he ran away.

Precinct 2 police found the suspect running down President Street toward Baptist Medical Center. He was wounded at least once in the right leg.

Sgt. Eric Smith said the man may have been trying to break into the back of the home to steal an air-conditioning unit.

The man, whom police have not identified, was being treated at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Neither Parker nor her boyfriend was charged, but police did take the boyfriend in for questioning.

And about 1 p.m. Friday, Fredrico Hamblin was at home at 1715 Riverwood Drive in northeast Jackson, watching SportsCenter when he heard rustling in his garage.
"It was too obvious," he said of the attempt to burglarize his home. "They stuck out like a sore thumb."

He said he chased the burglars away, firing five or six shots at them. It was unknown Friday evening if he hit hit either of them.

Within moments of the attempted burglary, which coincided with Hamblin's 28th birthday, police had two men in custody and were searching nearby woods for a third.

"The homeowner did a good job," Jackson Police Cmdr. Ron Sampson said.

(Much More)

From the Jackson Clarion-Ledger of October 8, 2007

Man who shot at burglars arrested for gun possession

A Jackson man who shot at two teenagers trying to break into his home has been arrested by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

Fredrico Hamblin was not charged for defending his property, but instead was charged as a felon being in possession of a gun, Jackson Police Department spokesman Sgt. Jeffery Scott said.

Jackson police did not aid in the arrest Friday.

The details of Hamblin’s previous felony conviction was not known.

During Friday’s execution of the arrest warrant, Scott said a large sum of money and narcotics were seized at the home at 1715 Riverwood Drive.

Oji Khanyyan, 17, and Christopher Ross, 18, were arrested for attempted house burglary for trying to break into Hamblin’s home two weeks ago. Neither were injured.

Jackson, Mississippi

From Jackson’s WJTV.com of September 28, 2007

Homeowner Defends Home

Patricia Parker was home watching Wheel of Fortune on televsion Friday night. She says just before 7pm she heard her live in boyfriend Otis yell out her name. She says... at that point, she knew something was wrong.

"He said, Tricia, Just like that. He said Tricia and I knew something was wrong."

When Patricia walked outside she realized that her boyfriend was holding a knife aimed at a man lying on their back porch. Patricia belives the man was trying to steal their air conditioner, and that Otis caught him in the act. She says Otis was so frustrated, he went into the house to get his gun. Instead of taking that opportunity to flee, the suspect ran into the house after Otis.

Patricia says at that point, things seemed to get out of hand.

"I said Otis, please don't shoot that man, please don't shoot him. But he shot twice. "

The suspect eventually ran out of the home, with Otis hot on his trial. He was struck at least twice, buy bullets in Otis' gun. Police found the suspect running down State Street, apparently trying to get to a nearby hospital.

Otis was taken away in handcuffs, though police say he probably won't face any charges. The suspect is recovering at a local hospital. He will likely end up in handcuffs once he is released from the hospital.

Crawford County, Arkansas

From the Fort Smith Times Record of September 28, 2007

Prosecutor Won’t File In Killing

No charges will be filed in the July 27 shooting death of a 25-year-old Fort Smith woman, according to Crawford County Prosecutor Marc McCune.

McCune said Thursday an investigation by the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office turned up no evidence to refute a claim of self-defense by Edna Higgins, 69, of Mountainburg.

Higgins said she shot Heather Dyanne Mizell with a .22-caliber rifle as Mizell threatened her with a hammer in the Mountainburg woman’s residence.

According to investigators, Mizell, who was married to but separated from Higgins’ grandson, Jimmie Mizell, was at Higgins’ house to pick up money Higgins had promised to give her to replace a tire on her vehicle.

Mizell had earlier dropped off her two daughters, Katie, 4, and Megan, 1, with her estranged husband’s parents.

Crawford County Chief Deputy Ron Brown said Higgins told him after she gave Mizell the check, she turned around and Mizell was brandishing a hammer.

Higgins grabbed the rifle and fired twice, Brown reported. Mizell was struck once in the chest. A second shot apparently grazed her.

The shooting victim was taken to St. Edward Mercy Medical Center, where she died during surgery.

Mizell’s mother, Becky Sides of Fort Smith, reacted angrily to news of McCune’s decision.

“This case is not going to close,” she said. “I know it was murder and everyone else knows it was murder. If (McCune) can’t see that, I don’t know what his problem is.”

Sides said she has been told that Mizell’s fingerprints were not found on the hammer. “Without that hammer, it’s murder,” she said.

Sides said her pleas for convening a grand jury, or having a second, independent investigation of the shooting, have so far been unsuccessful.

“When you have a major medical problem, you are entitled to a second opinion. This involves a death, and we don’t get a second opinion,” she said.

She said she continues to contact “civil rights people” and organizations she hopes can help her in her quest for justice.

Sides has assembled a Web site, www.heathermizellmemorial.com, dedicated to her daughter’s memory and family. On it, she reports that Heather, a university student and rack driver for the Times Record, “had so many plans of what she was going to do. Her life was just starting to go the way she was wanting it to go.”

Heather’s husband, Jimmie, died Aug. 11. This week, custody of their daughters was awarded to Heather Mizell’s father, Ed Sanders, who lives in Texas.

“At least something has gone right,” Sides says of the children’s custody. “At least one judge had the common sense to do the right thing.”

Barnstable, Massachusetts

From Providence’s (RI) EyewitnessNewsTV.com of September 28, 2007

Cape Cod man acquitted of murder charge

A Cape Cod man is acquitted of charges that he fatally shot his friend.

Jeffrey Harrington of Bourne was acquitted of second-degree murder and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon charges by a jury in Barnstable Superior Court today.

Harrington was on trial for shooting Gerald Carbone of Wareham in the head at close range in September 2004.

The two men had known each other for years but had been in a dispute involving a woman at a Buzzards Bay bar shortly before the shooting.

Harrington claimed self defense.

His lawyer told the jury that Carbone had threatened Harrington.

Detroit, Michigan

From the ClickOnDetroit.com of September 28, 2007

Police: Carjacker Shot Shot [sic] During Carjacking

Detroit police are investigating a carjacking outside their headquarters in downtown Detroit.

Officers said three people attempted to carjack a man around 11 p.m. Thursday.

The carjacking victim was carrying a gun and fired at the men, shooting and killing one.

Police said the shooter had a license to carry the firearm.

The two other men are in police custody.

Jacksonville, Florida

From News4Jax.com of September 27, 2007

Store Clerk Pulls Gun, Scares Away Robbers

Police Investigate Armed Robbery At Regency Store

A clerk at a Regency area clothing store scared away a group of robbers with a gun when she produced her own handgun during afternoon shakedown, according to authorities.

Detectives with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office on Thursday afternoon launched an investigation of an armed robbery at the 904 Fashion store in the 10000 block of Atlantic Boulevard.

According to authorities, four or five men walked into the store and started grabbing clothes and then produced a gun and tried to take money from the store's clerk.

The store manager and JSO said the store clerk produced her own handgun from her purse and fired some shots at the robbers.

The men ran from store and then fled the scene in a vehicle. The thieves did not get away with much merchandise or money, authorities said.

Thursday's robbery was not 904 Fashion's first run in with a group of robbers. In July, some smash-and-grab thieves robbed the store.

Surveillance video from the July incident shows a truck smashing into the storefront and then several people running in and stealing clothing.

It remains unclear whether the two robberies are related.

Paterson, New Jersey

From NorthJersey.com of September 27, 2007

Woman causes burglar to bolt

The woman had little choice but to pull the trigger. She was locked in her bathroom. An enraged burglar was pounding on the door. A loaded pistol was in her hands.

But now Paterson police are wondering what would cause a burglar to try to attack his victim, when most attempt to flee the scene when they are caught.

The 22-year-old woman indicated that she did not know the man.

The incident occurred at about 10:30 a.m. Monday, when the woman returned to her Thomas Street home.

She walked into the kitchen through a side door, looked up and noticed a man rummaging through her living room, Detective Lt. Anthony Traina said.

The man, who was described as slender, 5 feet 2 inches tall and dressed in blue jeans and a green shirt, saw the woman and charged at her, Traina said.

The woman ran to her bedroom, locked the door and grabbed her husband's handgun and ammunition, Traina said.

The gun is legally registered to the woman's husband, he said.

She then ran into the bathroom, locked that door and loaded the weapon while sitting on the floor.

Meanwhile, the burglar burst through the bedroom door and began pounding on the bathroom door. "But he's not saying anything to her," Traina said.

The woman, still on the floor, pointed the gun at the door and fired.

While the bullet missed the burglar, it pierced the woman's bedroom wall and lodged itself into the outer wall of a neighboring house.

No one was injured and the burglar fled the house.

With her would-be attacker gone, the woman called police on her cell phone. Several patrolmen soon arrived. They entered the ransacked home and proceeded to the bedroom.

They discovered the woman still on her bathroom floor, crying with the handgun by her feet, Traina said.

Val Verde, California

From the Los Angeles Daily News of September 27, 2007

Neighbors' dispute ends in death

Three woman stood Wednesday alongside a narrow road praying the rosary in Spanish, their eyes fixed on the large blood stain on the asphalt.

When they were finished, they splashed holy water from a gallon plastic jug onto the spots that had trickled down the street. The death the night before of Hermilo Talamante, 34, marked the second fatal shooting in rural Val Verde in less than a week.

"It's sad, it's so sad," Prescilla de la Rosa said in Spanish, her granddaughter Jessica Garibay serving as interpreter. Talamante was the boyfriend of Garibay's mother.

Talamante and Clarence Pullum were neighbors on Arlington Street, and had been involved in a long-running dispute regarding family members, Sgt. Martin Rodriguez said.

The shooting happened about 8 p.m. Tuesday after the two were involved in a fistfight, and both went home to retrieve handguns.

Talamante was shot in the lower torso and pronounced dead a short time later at Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital.

Pullum, 38, was interviewed and released, and the case initially was deemed to be self-defense.

However, it is still under investigation and will be reviewed by the District Attorney's Office,

San Antonio, Texas

From San Antonio’s WOAI.com of September 26, 2007

Father Attacked During Home Invasion

A man posing as a police officer forces his way into a home and terrorizes a San Antonio family. The fake police officer attacked the father inside that house, as children and wife watched.

"He hit me with a crow bar in the face threatening to kill me," said the father, who did not want to his identity revealed because he still fears for his family.

He did reveal all of his stitches and staples from the attack.

"All the blood was in my eyes," he said.

He tells News 4 WOAI that he woke up about 3:30 in the morning because someone was trying to pry open the door.

"[The attacker] was posing as a San Antonio Police Department and it was a house raid," said the father. "Two other men came around with pistols and forced their way into the house."

Police say the three men demanded money from him and his wife, while his kids stood by them.

"A three year old and an eight year old scared out of their mind," the father said. "They didn't know what he was going on."

Scared for his family, the father fought back.

"I wasn't going to lay down and let them do what they wanted in my home," said the father. "Good Lord only what they would have done if I would have cooperated they could have killed all of us."

But they didn't because this father managed to get to his gun and fired several shots scaring all three men out of his home.

"We plan on moving out of the neighborhood," said the father. "I've lived here over 30 years, and it's just not safe."

Orange County, Florida

From Orlando’s WFTV.com of September 26, 2007

Beaten Man Says 911 Dispatcher Had Him Return To Scene

A disabled east Orange County man says a 911 operator told him to return to the scene where he was allegedly beaten by a group of thugs. When he got there, he said, he was almost beaten again by the same group until he used his gun to defend himself.

John Holloway says a group of thugs tried to rob him after he picked up some groceries at a State Road 50 Circle K. He said he was punched and the men broke the windows out of his truck before he escaped.

Holloway was then shocked to be told he needed to come back to the scene to get the address of the only Circle K in Christmas.

"Hit me three times in the head with his fist," Holloway said.

In the serene sounding town of Christmas, with one prosthetic leg and another leg paralyzed, Holloway was no match for five men surrounding to rob him.

"All the sudden they're kicking and beating on my car and hollering at me, 'We're gonna get you! 'We're coming to your house. We're gonna get you and after we kill you, we're gonna take everything you have,'" he said.

Holloway said he quickly drove away, but not before the thugs beat him and his Tahoe, even smashing his windows out. He called 911, but was shocked when the operator insisted he go back to the only Circle K in Christmas to get an address.

"I said, 'Please don't make me go back there, because they're still there,'" he said.

Holloway's account is confirmed in the incident report, which also describes what happened when he finally went back.

"I was scared for my life at that point. I was afraid to go back there. I was afraid they were gonna beat me down, if not kill me," he said.

Holloway said, when he went back, he had his pistol in his hand and, when they attacked again, he fired one shot and scared the men away.

The sheriff's office listed both Holloway and his attackers as victims and suspects. Apparently Holloway's mistake was firing his weapon to scare the men away. He said he did what he felt he had to do for his protection.

There was no word if the 911 operator will be reprimanded for sending Holloway back to the scene.

Vinton, Louisiana

From Beaumont’s (TX) KFDM.com of September 26, 2007

Shoot Out At A Vinton Casino

It's something you would usually hear about in a movie, but Wednesday it happened.

What started as an armed robbery in Calcasieu Parish Louisiana led to a group of men in a shoot out with a security guard at a casino.

The men didn't get far.

“Mr. Budwine has been a constant nuisance to Vinton for a long time,” said Calcasieu Parish District Attorney John Degrosier.

Investigators say Kenyon Budwine from Vinton and three men from Orange began a crime spree in Calcasieu Parish early Wednesday morning.

The four men were armed with handguns and a shot gun. Authorities say they took what they could grab from an EZ Mart.

Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Mancuso said, “Took money from the cash register and some cigarettes. A handful of them from behind the counter.”

This was only the beginning of their trip. Down the road, three of the men attempted to rob the Cash Majic Truckstop casino about an hour later.

“We got another call of a robbery in progress,” said Mancuso.

But a quick thinking security guard kept them out. They exchanged gunfire and bullets struck Budwine.

In an attempt to get away, the men drove across the Texas border where Orange County Deputies stopped them.

“Getting ready to put him out of business, where he's going he won't bother anyone for a long time,” said Degrosier.

This isn't the first offense for Budwine. Vinton police say in the past he robbed a truck stop and got away with more than $1,000.

“Likes to rub in the nose of authorities, he called Vinton PD and asked why we were dragging his name through the mud,” said Chief Rick Fox.

Now his name is once again in the jail computer for a crime that cut across two states.

Budwine was treated at Memorial Herman Baptist in Orange and released to authorities.

All four of the men are being held under one million dollar bonds in the Orange County jail, but they'll be headed back to Louisiana soon.

Mont Clare, South Carolina

From South Carolina Now of September 26, 2007

Darlington County home invasion suspect shot to death

Deputies are investigating a series of home invasions that happened this morning, one of which led to the shooting death of a suspect, according to a press release from the Darlington County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies responded the first call at a residence on Pan Road just north of Darlington about 1:45 a.m. They were told five black men dressed in black and armed with weapons were seen kicking in the front door of the residence. The suspects abruptly left in a vehicle, however.

The second call came in about 2 a.m. at a residence on Selena Drive, farther north of Darlington than the scene of the first call. A resident reported hearing several gunshots. He said he got up and checked, but didn’t see a vehicle. He did notice a bullet hole near the window of a back bedroom, though.

Moments later, a third call came in from a residence on London Fog Drive where an unknown number of suspects armed with weapons broke in and confronted several people inside. One of the people in the residents managed to escape into a bedroom and shut the door, but one of the suspects followed and kicked in the door.

Gunfire was exchanged between the two. The occupant was struck by a bullet, while the suspect suffered a shotgun blast to the chest. The intruders fled the residence, but the one who had been shot was found in the back yard. An EMS crew examined him and he was pronounced dead at the scene by Darlington County Coroner Todd Hardee.

The dead man has been identified as 21-year-old Dewayne Antron Washington, Hardee said in a press release. He said Washington was shot while at a residence near Jeffords Mill Road near Mont Clare, a community north of Darlington.

From WPDE of October 1, 2007

No charges in home invasion

Police say they won't file charges against a Darlington County homeowner, who officers say shot and killed a man after that man invaded his home.

It happened at a home on London Fog Drive in Darlington County last week. Deputies say several men invaded the house.

Officers say gunshots were exchanged between the homeowner and one of the intruders. Deputies say both were wounded and the intruder, Dewayne Washington, died.

We're told the homeowner is recovering in the hospital.

Union, South Carolina

From Columbia’s WLTX.com of September 26, 2007

Funeral Home Owner Shoots Robber During Crime

Police in Union say a funeral home owner stopped a robbery by shooting a suspect.

It happened early Wednesday morning at Lewis Funeral Home on Duncan Bypass in Union.

Police say the funeral home owner, Scott Lewis, was embalming a body when a man came in with a gun. Investigators say the suspect threatened to kill Lewis if he didn't get money.

Officers say Lewis told the robber he needed to go to the van to get cash. When they reached the vehicle, Lewis turned around and shot the robber in the arm.

The suspect, 26-year-old Tracy Bishop, is receiving treatment in the hospital and will face several charges. Lewis will not face any charges.

Roseto, Pennsylvania

From the The Express-Times of September 26, 2007

Boy defends home with BB gun

An 11-year-old boy home sick from school on Monday defended his home with a BB gun when an intruder waltzed in the back door, police said.

The boy, whose name was not released, was watching television when a man walked into the Webster Street home about 1:30 p.m. through an unlocked door. Police said the boy's German shepherd, Montana, then stood up and began barking at the man.

Police said the boy jumped up and told the man not to move, pointing the gun at him.

The boy, who only identified himself as Joe when contacted Tuesday, said he shot the man with a plastic BB when he reached for his waistband.

Police said the intruder grabbed his chest and then ran out the rear door. The boy then called his mother on her cell phone, and she told him to call 911.

The boy told police that before the intruder entered the house, he noticed a black sport utility vehicle with tinted windows "creeping" around the block about six times.

Roseto police Chief Jack Nicholais said an officer Monday night spotted a vehicle matching the description in the borough area.

"It seems to be confirmed," Nicholais said.

Bangor and Washington Township police could not find any vehicles or suspects matching the description after the incident, a Roseto police news release said.

The boy described the man to police as a 20- to 30-year-old white bald male, about 200 pounds with a bulky build and broad shoulders. Police said the man was wearing a red bandana around his forehead and had a scar on the left forehead running down through the bandana to just above his eye. He was wearing tinted sunglasses and had a "triangle-type" goatee just below his lip. He was wearing a navy blue shirt with long sleeves.

Fullerton, California

From the Orange County Register of September 26, 2007

Armed clerk foils would-be robber in Fullerton

Liquor store worker fires into ceiling, scaring off armed man, police say.

A liquor store clerk armed with a gun scared off a would-be robber with a warning shot into the ceiling Tuesday night, authorities said.

A man walked in to Crown Empire Liquor at 2631 W. Orangethorpe Ave. about 9:30 p.m., pulled out a gun, and tried to hold up the clerk, said Fullerton police Lt. Doug Cave. But the clerk pulled out his gun and fired a single shot into the store's ceiling, Cave said.

"That caused him to rethink what he was doing, and he left," Cave said.

No one was injured during the robbery.

Police are looking for the would-be robber, who is described as in his 20s with a shaved head.

Lumberton, North Carolina

From the Fayetteville Observer of September 26, 2007

Prosecutor drops murder charge against Brown

The Robeson County district attorney has dismissed a murder charge against a Rowland man.

District Attorney Johnson Britt said the first-degree murder charge against Jaralyn Edmond Brown Jr. was dismissed Sept. 18 before a probable cause hearing in Robeson County District Court.

“Based on the information provided to us, it was a self-defense case,” Britt said.

Brown was accused of shooting James McDougal, 26, who was found deadat Mill and Hickory streets in Rowland on April 2.

Investigators said McDougal and Brown had fought.

Residents who saw the altercation and members of McDougal’s family said McDougal had stepped in to help a relative who was fighting with Brown.

Britt said statements provided by Brown and a witness indicated McDougal initiated the fight. The men said McDougal hit Brown in the face with what appeared to be a handgun, Britt said. McDougal shot at Brown, and Brown returned fire.

“We had no other witnesses who would come forward regarding what specifically happened,” Britt said.

Regina McDougal, James McDougal’s mother, said the District Attorney’s Office only received information regarding Brown’s side of the story. She said she provided investigators with names of possible witnesses.

No one talked to anyone on the victim’s side. No one ever called me or asked me anything from Day One,” Regina McDougal said. “The only call I got from the chief of police was the day of my son’s death, and that was to get the correct spelling of my name. I feel my rights were violated as well as my son. My son would not have been in the fight if the police had done their job. They are taking his word. What about James? It needs to be taken to court to prove that it was self-defense.”

Macon, Georgia

From the Macon Telegraph of September 25, 2007

Macon homeowner gets shot, responds by shooting armed robber in eye

A Macon man was shot in the stomach by an armed robber and returned fire, shooting the robber in the eye Monday night, according to a Macon Police Department report.

Grover E. Glover, 64, of Lamont St., reported to police that Jamel Scott came to his house just before 11 p.m. and asked to use the telephone to call for help for his broken down car.

Once inside, Scott pulled out a gun and demanded money from Glover, according to the report.

After striking him in the head with the gun, Glover told Scott his wallet was in a drawer in his bedroom. Once in the bedroom, Glover instead pulled a gun from the drawer and Scott fired before he could turn around, according to the report.

Glover told officers he then shot Scott in the eye and Scott ran out of the house, leaving his gun behind, according to the report.

Warrants have been issued for Scott's arrest on the charges of armed robbery and aggravated assault, said Macon police spokeswoman Sgt. Melanie Hofmann.

Victorville, California

From the Daily Press of September 25, 2007

Shootout in garage

Roger Gilchrist woke from a dead sleep when he heard his pregnant wife screaming for her life, as she honked her car horn incessantly in their garage.

He grabbed his gun.

It wasn’t 20 seconds after his wife pulled in and saw a masked gunman standing near her vehicle that gunfire erupted at point-blank range, the couple said.

“Under the circumstances, with him having a gun and standing next to my pregnant wife, I’m not going to wait and see what happens — I’m going to fire,” Gilchrist said.

Officials said the crook shot first, and Gilchrist returned fire. About 10 rounds were let off in the confines of the garage, officials said.

“I hit him once, and then I heard the click, click, click, and I knew he was out of ammunition,” Gilchrist said.

His wife, who asked not to be identified by first name, said those “clicks” were aimed at her head from about three feet away.

“I told him I was pregnant and not to hurt me, and he said he wasn’t going to. But when he got shot, there is no doubt in my mind that he decided he was going to kill me — only he was out of bullets,” she said.

Authorities said that around 12:30 a.m. Sunday they responded to a call of shots heard in the 12400 block of Blazing Star Way.

When they arrived they saw a garage door lying in the street behind a car with shot out windows and a trail of blood.

Apparently, Gilchrist was screaming at the intruder — later identified as Timothy Finney, 35, of Rialto — to get out of the house, but Finney responded that he couldn’t, said Deputy Bob Thacker of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Victorville station.

Gilchrist’s wife then put her car in reverse and slammed through the garage door, allowing Finney to run out, and escape in a white PT Cruiser, officials said.

It all happened in less than a few minutes, but now the events of those few minutes will stay with the family for the rest of their lives.

“It’s such a violation, it’s really indescribable,” the female victim said. “Reality still hasn’t set in, I still haven’t cried, I’m still in shock.”

...


Deputy District Attorney Britt Imes on Tuesday said ... that no charges are to be filed against Gilchrist for the shooting.

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Huelo, Hawaii

From Honolulu’s KHNL.com of September 25, 2007

Man Shot in Abdomen During Alleged Burglary Attempt

A man suffered a gunshot wound to his abdomen during an apparent burglary attempt in Huelo Monday night.

Maui police responded to a reported gunshot coming from a home on Door of Faith Road in Huelo at about 8:45 p.m.

A preliminary investigation shows a man and two young boys entered the house to steal some items.

According to police reports, the owner of the house confronted the intruders with a gun and, at some point, at least one shot was fired, striking the adult intruder in his abdomen.

The three intruders fled the area, but the adult suspect later sought treatment at Maui Memorial Medical Center. The man was undergoing surgery Tuesday morning and is listed in critical condition, but is expected to recover.

The owner of the house is also undergoing surgery for severe and multiple facial fractures. He is listed in satisfactory condition.

Police found the two boys later and arrested them.

Framingham, Massachusetts

From TheBostonChannel.com of September 25, 2007

Would-Be Robber Flees After Storeowner Shoots ATM

Police: Storeowner Won't Be Charged

A storeowner will not be charged after he fired his gun during an armed robbery attempt at his Framingham store, police said.

Armand Tavares, the owner of the A&J Variety Store at the corner of Kendall and Frederick streets, told police that a black man with a Luger-type pistol entered the store Monday at about 9:30 p.m.

The robber, who was wearing a hood pulled tight to cover his face, pointed the gun at Tavares and demanded money, police said.

Tavares, who is licensed to carry a gun, pulled out his .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun and fired, hitting the ATM in the store. The startled robber ran out of the store unharmed and without any cash, police said.

Framingham police said Tavares will not be charged in connection with the incident.

Clare County, Michigan

From Cadillac’s 9and10News.com of September 25, 2007

Clare Couple Fights Off Armed Attacker

The quick thinking of a Clare County couple helped them fight off a man who broke into their home and held them at gunpoint.

It happened just before 4 a.m. on Monday on Edgewood drive in Hayes Township of Clare County.

Helen Barker and Jeff Haley were sitting in the living room of Barker's home when a 24 year-old Travis Howell broke through the window, pointed a gun to Haley's head and demanded money and pills.

Haley was able to wrestle the gun away from Howell while Barker called the police.

Howell ran from the home, but was arrested shortly after by police.

Texas City, Texas

From Galveston County’s The Daily News of September 25, 2007

'Jarhead' confronts burglary suspect

An armed and nosy neighbor, an off-duty police officer and an even nosier dog led to the arrest late Sunday of two brothers accused of breaking into an occupied home.

Leslie Nolan Jr., a former U.S. Marine, was inside his 39th Avenue North home about 11:30 p.m., when his wife, Janice, saw a stranger prowling around a neighbor’s house.

Nolan grabbed his pistol, ran across the street and found the tenant’s backyard gate 6 inches ajar.

“I rounded the corner and saw a young man trying to pull the window out,” Nolan said. “It was locked so he busted it out with his hand. He reached in and tried to unlock it. He had his back to me, and that’s when I pulled my pistol and told him to ‘freeze!’ ”

The man bolted toward the open gate, but the tenant kept a piece of plywood on the ground to prevent her dog from escaping.

Nolan said he caught the intruder when he tripped over the plywood and fell to the ground. He said he fought the man with one arm, while keeping his pistol clear from the melee.

“I had him in a headlock and pulled him to the ground,” Nolan said. “He dug his fingernail into me. I took the gun and whopped him on the top of his head ... He went a little limp.”

Nolan gave the intruder one final warning.

“The next one,I explained, would blow his head off,” Nolan said. “I didn’t want to shoot him, but I turned him over on his back, and let him see it.”

Cpl. David Viel of Texas City police identified the man in Nolan’s grip as Irwin Travis Park, 37. Viel said a second suspect fled.

Nolan said he interrogated the man, who then gave him his address.

Janice, who was herself armed, called police to report the incident, and that a second man had hopped a fence and fled through a field.

“What shocked me was I couldn’t believe what I was seeing,” she said. “They called back and kept me on the phone until police arrived. The police showed up really fast.”

Officer J.P. White was on his way to work when he heard dispatchers send police to the burglary call, Viel said.

“Officer White arrives at the scene first and sees the neighbor sitting on top of the bad guy,” Viel said. “A second one got away and he told the officer which way he ran.”

Viel said police found a ball cap, and a tracking dog used that to trace the scent.

Leslie Nolan said police pushed his park bench to a chain-link fence and the dog leapt over. He even lent police his ladder so they could climb over the 6-foot fence safely.

The dog immediately went to the place where Nolan said one of the men hopped the fence. The dog followed the scent through a field and straight to the front yard of 2525 36th Ave., Viel said.

Police returned to get Nolan’s ladder again, Nolan said.

“The front door was open,” Viel said. The officer entered and arrested the second suspect, Jimmy Earl Park, 35, Irwin’s brother.

The Park brothers remained jailed Monday on single-count charges of burglary of a habitation. Their bonds were set at $15,000 each, Viel said.

Nolan said police told him there have been a lot of burglaries reported in the neighborhood.

“I’m not going to hide behind the screen and sit idly by,” Nolan said. “I’m a former Marine and electrician by trade. This jarhead ... is going to stop it.”

Lydia, South Carolina

From Myrtle Beach’s WPDE.com of September 24, 2007

Attempted robbery suspect shot and killed

Police say the suspect in an attempted robbery was shot and killed by one of his intended victims. Police say two men tried to rob a group of people inside a home on Berry Lane in the Lydia Community of Darlington County Sunday night.

They say one of the people in the home shot and killed one of the suspects. The other suspect, 17-year old Demario Hickmon from Bishopville, is charged with burglary and armed robbery.

Police say no charges will be filed against the person who shot the other suspect.

From Florence’s SCNow.com of September 26, 2007

Darlington County home invasion suspect shot to death

Series of incidents under investigation
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,,,

Meanwhile, a home invasion that happened Sunday night on Berry Road in Lydia, where a suspect was shot and later died, remains under investigation.

Christopher Stephenson, 20, of Lydia was pronounced dead after undergoing surgery at a local hospital, Hardee said.

Investigators think Stephenson was armed when, about 8 p.m., he and another man intended to rob four people playing cards inside the residence, Darlington County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Tom Gainey said Monday.

One person at the home had a concealed weapons permit and shot Stephenson with a handgun, according to the sheriff’s office.

Authorities have filed no charges against the person who shot Stephenson. That person has given a statement to the sheriff’s office.

Deputies arrested the other suspect in the home invasion, 17-year-old Demario J. Hickmon of Felder Lane in Bishopville. He faces charges of first-degree burglary, armed robbery and criminal conspiracy. He remains at the Darlington County Detention Center awaiting a bond hearing.

Bradenton, Florida

From the Sarasota Herald Tribune of September 25, 2007

Freed in murder case, man faces new charges

Ronald Oats Jr. will not face a murder rap, but he is not off the hook yet.

Prosecutors dropped a murder charge against the 20-year-old man on Monday morning, but Oats was arrested minutes later in court on gun and drug charges.

Assistant State Attorney Brian Iten decided that Oats acted in self-defense when he shot a man during a drug deal turned sour.

In June, a man invited Oats and his friend to a home on 51st Avenue to sell a large amount of marijuana, Iten said. During a scuffle, someone tried to rob Oats and he grabbed a pistol and killed Jeremiah Matteson, 28, according to a State Attorney's Office report.

"It was exactly a case of self-defense," said Mark Lipinski, Oats' attorney.

After filing a motion to drop the murder count, Iten quickly had Oats arrested on gun and marijuana charges.

Bailiffs arrested him in the courtroom, and a judge ordered Oats to be released on his own recognizance because prosecutors did not have enough evidence to prove he was a flight risk. A trial date has not been set.

Chicago, Illinois

From CBS2Chicago.com of September 24, 2007

West Side Store Clerk Shoots Alleged Robber

Man In Stable Condition After Being Shot In Head, Police Say

A store clerk on the West Side fought back against an alleged robber, shooting him in the head. Chicago police say Monday evening the suspect is in stable condition.

As CBS 2's Mike Flannery reports, the hardware store is just one block from another store that police say was robbed at gunpoint last week.

Police believe a hole in the front door of South Side Hardware was created by one of the shots fired as a clerk tried to defend himself from an armed robber.

Investigators and evidence technicians also believe the dark red drops staining the sidewalk nearby came from the offender as he fled with a bullet in his head.

"He produced the weapon, announced the robbery," said Sgt. Rich Dowling of the Chicago Police Department. "The clerk produced the cash register, at which time he also produced a weapon, and he began firing at the offender."

A man who identified himself as belonging to a local street gang, but declined to give his name, said he is a close friend of the man who was shot.

"He our friend. We be together every day," the man said. "Just so happened today we weren't with him.

When asked if he thought his friend was trying to rob the hardware store, the man said, "He might have. He might was. If he feel he was robbin' that store, he did what he did."

A clerk at a currency exchange next door told CBS 2 that she and the hardware store's owner had called police last week after robbers took cash at gunpoint from a now-shuttered office. She feared that street gang members were sizing them up in preparation for attempting a robbery.

"It's time for us to stand up for the victims," Shirley Walls said. "This was a black-owned business. Black-owned."

She warmly praised the hardware store clerk who shot in self defense.

"He just got married. He has a family," Walls said. "He's trying to make an honest living...This guy came in on him."

Police told CBS 2 detectives had gone to Holy Cross Hospital to await permission from doctors to interview the wounded suspect.

Friends of the hardware store clerk said they did not know whether the handgun he fired in self-defense was legally registered. They said they hope he is not charged with any crime.

Dallas, Texas

From Dallas’ NBC5i.com of September 22, 2007

Business Owner Shoots, Kills Burglar, Police Say

Dallas police said a man shot and killed a burglar who broke into his business early Saturday, NBC 5 reported.

The shooting happened at Walton Machine and Welding in the 2000 block of Chalk Hill Road, police said.

Police did not release the deceased man's identity.

There was no word on whether the business owner will face charges.

From the Dallas Morning News of September 22, 2007

Ledbetter shop owner shoots, kills intruder

A business owner shot a 43-year-old man he saw breaking into his machine shop early Saturday morning, police said.

About 2 a.m., the owner of Able Walton Machine & Welding, who lives at the site in the 2000 block of Chalk Hill Road, awoke to an alarm sounding, police said. He saw a man, later identified by authorities as Raul Laureles, climbing through a pried-open window.

The businessman fired, killing Mr. Laureles, who records show lives about two miles north of the machine shop.

Homicide investigators responded to the scene. Police plan to refer the case to the grand jury to determine whether the shooter is at fault.

Tulsa, Oklahoma

From Amarillo’s (TX) KFDA.com of September 22, 2007

Tulsan acquitted in brother's shooting death

A Tulsan who claimed he was acting in self defense when he shot his younger brother to death has been acquitted of a murder charge.

Jurors deliberated for seven hours yesterday before finding 27-year-old Benjamin Smith not guilty in the March 2006 shooting death of 22-year-old Samsun Smith.

Defense attorney Allen Smallwood successfully argued that Benjamin Smith acted in self-defense when he shot his brother in the chest during an altercation.

The altercation, which took place at a family residence in west Tulsa, escalated when Benjamin Smith aimed a rifle at Samsun Smith. Immediately before he was shot, Samsun Smith threw a pillow at his brother and took a step backward.

St. Paul, Minnesota

From the September 21, 2007 Pioneer Press:

Prosecutors charged a killer today with trying to burglarize two homes seven months after his release from jail.

Feon Stone, 21, is to appear in court Tuesday on a probation violation. He may be sent to prison on his previous manslaughter conviction, for which he had received a stayed sentence.

On Sept. 13, at about 1 a.m., officers were sent to the 1200 block of Rice Street on reports of a man trying to burglarize a house, according to a complaint filed against Stone today by the Ramsey County attorney's office.

According to the complaint:

A man who lives in the home was working on his computer and heard a noise. When he went to check, he saw someone enter his enclosed porch. The man confronted the person on the porch and yelled at him.

The intruder ran toward the man and punched him in the head. They fought, and the man ran to his bedroom to get a gun. He went into the back yard and shot a round into the ground to scare the intruder away.

A police dog was tracking the suspect when police got a call about 1:15 a.m. about a burglary in progress at a home about two blocks away.

Mesquite, Texas

From the Mesquite Star of September 21, 2007

Business owner shoots burglary suspects

A pair of burglary suspects were foiled Thursday evening by the owner of a business in the 700 block of Rodeo Center Blvd. when he entered the second floor of the building and fired a shotgun at the two suspects after they resisted an order not to move, Mesquite police say.

At about 10:25 p.m., Mesquite police received a call noting a burglary in progress at a closed business. The owner entered the building to investigate voices he had heard inside, the caller indicated.

Upon entering the building, officers heard three shots, police reports say. The owner of the building indicated he had found the two burglary suspects on the second floor. He pointed a shotgun loaded with buckshot at the burglars and told them not to move, police say. One burglar advanced toward the owner of the business and he fired, striking the burglar in his chest and face, police say. After hearing the gunshots, officers went upstairs and found both burglars lying on the floor, police reports state.

Charles Ray Knight Jr., 40, a white male, was transported to Baylor Hospital in Dallas suffering from pellet shot to the face, a punctured lung, and one pellet entered his heart. He is listed in stable condition.

James Edward Jamie Black, 40, a white male, was identified as the other burglary suspect.

Both Black and Knight have lengthy criminal histories. Black, who was found with bolt cutters and copper cable belonging to the business owner lying next to him, was arrested and charged with burglary of a building, a felony, and is being held on $2,500 bond. Knight was on parole from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice until 2017. He was also charged with burglary of a building and his bond was set at $1,500. The copper cable found near black [sic] could indicate it as [sic] the motive of the burglary. Copper theft has risen in the area as the price of copper has soared.

The owner of the building will not face charges in the incident.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

From Philadelphia’s 6ABC.com of September 21, 2007

Robbery Victim Turns Tables on Bandit

Philadelphia police had no trouble identifying a robbery suspect. He's the one with the bullet wound in his leg.

One of his victims grabbed the bandit's gun and turned the tables on him.

"I don't know what came over me. I just grabbed the gun from under his arm. I just started shooting," said Lillian Bailey.

She can't believe what happened at her Germantown hair salon as she worked past midnight.

When a client left the popular stylists business, a gunman lurking outside rushed in demanding money.

Her three clients gave him their purses and ran for cover in two back rooms. Lillian was shaken as she shared her frightening story exclusively with Action News.

"He went to reach for my pockets, but he put his gun under his arm with the pocketbooks. In that split second, I just grabbed the gun and started shooting," said Bailey.

The young mother thought about making it home to her children as she aimed at the robber and emptied his .38 revolver.

"After there were no more bullets, I just started bashing him on his head as he was trying to escape the salon," she said.

He got away. Lillian didn't realize he was shot until police found him unconscious in some bushes on nearby Johnson Street. He had a bullet wound in his leg.

The 19-year-old suspect, whose identity hasn't been released, remained in police custody at Einstein Medical Center.

Lillian said he came to the salon the night before asking about prices, but wasn't let in. When he slipped inside with a gun, she knew she had to do something to save herself because he looked high and out of control.

The tenderhearted 27-year-old still feels bad.

"It's like a double edge sword because I feel like I wanted to stop him from taking my hard earned money, taking these people's belongings. But then I didn't want to hurt anybody," she said.

She has not been charged with any crime. Police are trying to determine if the 19-year-old suspect was involved in a street robbery earlier that night where a robbery victim's dog was shot.

Minneapolis, Minnesota

From the Minneapolis Star-Tribune of September 21, 2007

Oops -- robber leaves gun behind

A bumbling robber attempting to hold up a north Minneapolis convenience store left a crucial piece of evidence behind: his gun.

The suspect walked into the E & L Market at 2211 Lowry Av. N. Thursday night and demanded money.

The robber covered his face with something in one hand so he could not be identified. But then he made a critical error.

"He set his gun down on the counter to pick up the cash," said Sgt. Tammy Diedrich, a Minneapolis Police Department spokeswoman. "The clerk grabbed the gun."

The robber dropped the cash and fled.

No one has been arrested.

LaVergne, Tennessee

From Nashville’s WSMV.com of September 20, 2007

Resident Fights Off Intruder

A LaVergne man pulled a gun on a would-be robber Wednesday night.

The incident happened at a home on Jean Drive, officials said.

According to police, the homeowner was lying on the couch when a man with a knife burst through the door.

Police are still searching for the intruder.

The 62-year-old victim, who asked to remain anonymous, suffers from emphysema.

The man said his fight to live became more desperate when a knife-wielding robber entered his home.

“After the initial shock wore off, I’m mad,” he said.

According to the man, the intruder walked into his house through his unlocked front door.

“His words were, ‘Money. Uh, I want your money,’” he said.

The father of two said he managed to pull a .380 semi-automatic pistol from underneath the sofa cushions.

"And I just reached back and grabbed the gun, and then I brought it up. He’s trying to get out the door and I fired,” he said.

He said the results might have been different if he hadn’t had a gun.

“He would have got what little I had, and I would have been at his mercy,” he said.

The man said he believes the intruder was waiting outside his house and had been watching him for a while to learn his routine.

Neighbors said the man is almost always propped up on the couch to breathe better with his door unlocked.

“This neighborhood has always been safe. I can never recall anything like this happening,” he said.

The man said the intruder wore a mask and spoke with an accent. He said it was too dark to be able to see well enough to give police a description.

Huntsville, Texas

From the Huntsville Item of September 19, 2007

Shooting at business leaves man dead

Police are investigating a shooting that left a man dead early Wednesday morning at a Huntsville business.

Police said Wednesday that Terry Reginald Green, from Industry — some 18 miles south of Brenham — was found dead at around 4:30 a.m. at T.J. Burdett & Sons Recycling near the intersection of state Highway 75 and Interstate 45.

The business owner — whose name was not released as of late Wednesday night — shot the man in the chest with a shotgun after he suspected the man to be trespassing.

“The business owner confronted an intruder that had made his way into the locked fenced area of the closed business,” said Sgt. Jim Barnes with the Huntsville Police Department.

The owner told Green to stay put, but Barnes said the man refused. The owner then shot Green an unknown number of times in the chest.

“The business owner was armed with a shotgun and attempted to hold the intruder at gunpoint,” Barnes said. “The intruder failed to comply and was shot in the chest area.”

Green was pronounced dead at the scene by Precinct Justice of the Peace Janie Farris.

Further details were not immediately available, pending an investigation.

Deatsville, Alabama

From the Montgomery Advertiser of September 20, 2007

Homeowner aids in arrests of two

The homeowner normally wouldn't have been home in the middle of the day. He should have been at work. But he came home at 1 p.m. Tuesday to check on a cable repair job.

Lucky for him he did.

When the Deatsville man pulled into his driveway in the Dusty Trail neighborhood, he saw a strange car and noticed the front door was standing open. He suspected something was wrong. And he was right.

Inside, two would-be burglars were ransacking the house.

"He went inside and confronted them," said Capt. Joe Sedinger of the Autauga County Sheriff's Department. "They told him they were looking for somebody who owed them money. He didn't buy it. They ran out, he met them around front and shot the tire out."

The victim, whom Sedinger would not identify, used a 20-gauge shotgun to blast the rear tire of a Kia coupe as the suspects attempted to speed away. His aim was true, and it helped deputies make an arrest.

Sgt. Casey Ott found the suspects a short time later along a secluded dirt road, attempting to change the flat tire.

"One of them looked like he was going to run," Ott said. "I drew down on them and got them on the ground. I called for backup, and help came pretty quick."

Arrested on burglary charges were Gary Arnold Alvies, 22, of 409 Mockingbird St., Prattville, and Aaron Michael Pace, 22, of 208 Deer Trace, Prattville.

They are being held in the Autauga County Metro Jail under no bonds pending a parole revocation hearing, courthouse records show. Both are on parole for theft-related charges, the records showed.

Sheriff Herbie Johnson applauded the quick action of the homeowner.

"A man has the right to protect himself, his family and his property," said Johnson. "I'm so proud of him. I'm thinking about buying him a box of shells so he can keep that shotgun loaded."

Springfield, Oregon

From Springfield’s KMTR.com of September 19, 2007

Sprinfield [sic] man shot by motel owner

A Springfield man was in serious condition Wednesday morning after a Tuesday afternoon shooting at a motel near 12th and Main Streets in Springfield.

Police say Columbus Hayles was shot when a fight with the motel owner got out of hand.

Hayles' wife, Sherry, said they were at the motel to pay for a truck they were buying from a tenant there.

Witnesses say the motel owner, Edward Yu and his wife told them to leave. Apparently, when the Hayles couple refused, the fight began. Police say surveillance video shows Columbus Hayles attacking Yu's wife. They say the owner then shot Hayles, with a 38-caliber pistol.

Investigators call the shooting justified, saying the motel owners were within their rights to protect themselves and their property.

Lawrence County, Pennsylvania

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette of September 19, 2007

Gun store owner pulls gun, foils robbery

A gun store owner confronted by an armed robber grabbed his own gun yesterday and foiled the attempt, after which police tracked down the suspect and put him in jail.

State police charged Jeffrey J. Ierino, 32, of Wampum, with attemped robbery of the Triangle Gun Shop in Perry Township, Lawrence County.

Mr. Ierino walked into the store at 11:24 a.m., pointed a pistol at owner Donald Pieri, 60, and ordered him to fill a bag with pistols, police said.

Mr. Pieri, of Ellwood City, then dived behind a door leading into the back room to retrieve his own gun. At that point, Mr. Ierino ran outside, where an accomplice picked him up.

Troopers tracked him down at his house in Wampum but said he fled when they showed up. They arrested him near the Paramount Cafe.

He is charged with attempted robbery, attempted theft, illegal possession of a gun, carrying a gun without a license, terroristic threats and simple assault.

He was being held yesterday in the Lawrence County Jail on a $25,000 bond.

Kansas City, Missouri

From Kansas City’s KCTV5.com of September 19, 2007

Homeowner Shoots Home Invader

A homeowner shot a man who he said broke into his home around 4 a.m. Wednesday.

Police answered a burglary call in the 6200 block of Forest Avenue early Wednesday morning.

The man who lives in the house said he was home alone when a man broke in through a window.

A struggle ensued and shots were fired.

The home invader was shot but managed to get away in a vehicle driven by another person, the homeowner said.

Police were nearby when they heard the call. They followed a car they saw leaving the scene and took two men into custody just a block away who they believe were involved in the home invasion.

One of the men in the vehicle had a gunshot wound. He was taken to the hospital with a serious, but non-life-threatening injury.

Custer, South Dakota

From Idaho Falls’ Idaho8.com of September 19, 2007

No charges in fatal shooting

No charges will be filed in connection with a fatal shooting last month of a Wyoming man in southwest South Dakota.

Killed was 39-year-old Kevin Fiscus of Upton.

Authorities say Fiscus was shot in the chest with a shotgun by 31-year-old Kathleen Hack at a home about 30 miles west of Custer, South Dakota.

A grand jury considered the incident and decided that Hack was acting in self defense when she killed her boyfriend.

Hack cooperated with authorities and was not arrested.

No charges were presented against a 15-year-old boy who was in the home when Fiscus was shot.

Authorities say the boy was involved in a domestic altercation that preceded the shooting.

West Salem, Oregon

From the Salem Statesman-Journal of September 19, 2007

Drunken man shot in thigh while attempting apartment entry

West Salem family feared for safety as he pounded on door

A drunken man received a gunshot wound to the right thigh while trying to force his way into a West Salem apartment late Monday night, Salem police said.

Salem resident Christopher Cruz, 35, was shot through the door of the apartment by a resident worried for the safety of his wife and 4-day-old child, Salem police Sgt. Kevin Halvorsen said.

Police were called to the residence at 11:45 p.m. Monday as Cruz aggressively knocked on the door at Deer Creek Crossing Apartments in the 1500 block of Wallace Road NW, dispatchers said.

Cruz and the people in the apartment did not know each other, Halvorsen said. Cruz refused demands that he leave and continued to work the doorknob to get in.

Neighbors in the apartment complex said they heard loud banging that drew their attention, and others rose from a sound sleep.

"I stepped out on my balcony, thinking someone was beating on the cars in the parking lot," said Zivile Guevara, who had been working on her computer. "I heard some guy shouting, 'Why are you banging on my door?' "

Salem officers arrived on the grounds of the apartment complex at 11:52 p.m., seven minutes after the initial call, according to dispatch logs.

As officers approached the apartment on foot, they heard two loud thumps they later learned were gunshots, Halvorsen said.

The man in the apartment had fired a 9 mm handgun through the door twice, and one shot hit Cruz.

Cruz was arrested and charged with first-degree attempted burglary and a probation violation warrant for an earlier conviction of driving under the influence, Halvorsen said. No charges were filed against the man who shot Cruz.

Cruz was taken to Salem Hospital for treatment. Three and a half hours after the incident, his blood alcohol level was 0.227 percent, nearly three times the legal limit of 0.08 percent, Halvorsen said.

From Portland’s OregonLive.com of September 20, 2007

West Salem man describes how he gunned down intruder trying to pound down his door.

Yev Gerasimenko lives in a West Salem apartment with his wife and newborn child. On Monday, two men came to his door asking for someone who didn't live there. He closed the door and one of them returned minutes later and tried to beat the door down.

Gerasimenko told his wife to grab the baby and seek safety in the apartment. The 25-year-old has a concealed weapons permit and a handgun. He loaded it, warned the intruder to away, who ignored him. Gerasimenko then shot him.

The Statesman Journal has the full story, including reader feedback on the use of guns. Here is an excerpt.

Salem police arrested the intruder, Christopher Cruz, 35, late Monday, minutes after Gerasimenko wounded him. It happened at Deer Creek Crossing Apartments, in the 1500 block of Wallace Road NW.

Cruz has been charged with first-degree attempted burglary while at Salem Hospital, police said. Three and a half hours after the incident, his blood alcohol level was 0.227 percent, nearly three times the legal limit of 0.08 percent, police said.

Gerasimenko came forward Wednesday to tell his story, stung by public criticism that he'd been irresponsible in his gun use while defending his home.

"I want to let people know I was responsible and that a gun in a good responsible citizen's hand is a blessing," said Gerasimenko, 25, a journeyman electrician.

Salem police did not file any charges against him, saying he acted in self-protection.

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Baltimore, Maryland

From September 18, 2007 Baltimore Sun:
A 21-year-old man was shot multiple times about 9:30 p.m. Sunday when he attempted to rob another man in the 100 block of N. Howard St. Police said a gunman was in the process of robbing another man when the intended victim, 22, grabbed the handgun, turned it toward the gunman and shot him before dropping the gun to the ground. Police said when the robber charged at the victim, the victim retrieved the gun from the ground and shot the other man two more times. The intended robbery victim fled and was being sought. Police said Calvin Ray was shot in the right side of the chest, a hip and lower back and was in serious condition at Maryland Shock Trauma Center. Charges against Ray were pending.

Louisville, Kentucky

From the WLEX of September 18, 2007

Suspects In Home Invasion Killed

Police say two men are dead after an early morning shooting in Louisville.

Police spokeswoman Alicia Smiley says it appears the men were attempting a home invasion at an apartment complex, and got into a confrontation with the resident.

Smiley says the resident appears to have shot both men. She says the resident suffered minor injuries and is being questioned.

Smiley says the two men who were shot died at the scene.

From the Courier-Journal of September 18, 2007

Two men fatally shot in Hunters Trace

Two men were killed in early morning shootings in the 1700 block of Tempest Way in the Hunters Trace area, police said.

The shootings took place just before 6:30 after a possible home invasion at the Thunder Bird apartment complex, said police spokeswoman Alicia Smiley.

A resident of a second-floor aparment told police that he fought with the two men. One man was found dead on a second-floor balcony outside his apartment; the second man was found dead in the middle of Tempest Way. The resident suffered minor injuries.

None of the three men has been identified.

Orem, Utah

From the Daily Herald of September 18, 2007

Orem man shoots attacking pit bull

If John Erickson hadn't had his gun with him when a neighbor's pit bull attacked him, there's no telling how bad things might have been.

Erickson, 22, was walking up to his house on 400 South near 700 West in Orem on Wednesday when a neighbor's pit bull bit him from behind. As he rode his scooter to his house around 8:30 p.m., Erickson saw the dog sitting calmly while a neighborhood girl petted it. Then he parked and took three or four steps toward his house when the dog bit him.

"All of a sudden the dog grabbed my leg from behind," he said.

He swung his scooter helmet at the dog, which backed off for a moment. But when the dog charged forward, Erickson, who has a concealed weapons permit, drew his 9-millimeter pistol and fired at the dog's head. Erickson said he worries about what would have happened if he hadn't been armed.

"There's nothing I could've done. I couldn't run. There's no way I'm going to outrun it. There's nowhere I could go," said Erickson, a student at Utah Valley State College.

Even more, he said he worries about what would've happened if the dog had attacked his wife, Lynn Ann, who came home just two minutes before him, or the many children who walk down that street on their way to and from Orem Elementary School.

Erickson's mother, Lyn Erickson, who lives across the street, said she used to dislike her son's gun.

"Now I'm saying, 'I'm just so thankful he had a gun.' I'm just so thankful because what would you do?" she said.

At Erickson's request, no charges were filed against the dog's owner, said Orem police spokesman Lt. Doug Edwards. Vicious animal citations and letting dogs run free are misdemeanor offenses.

"You can't allow your dog to run at large. It doesn't matter how they get off the property, whether it's a hole (in the fence) or a broken leash. Dogs can't run loose," Edwards said.

The dog survived the shot to the top of its head. Erickson said the owner initially planned to euthanize the dog because its veterinary bills were expected to be as high as $4,000. But the owner had a change of heart and decided not to put the dog down, he said.

The owner of the dog, who Erickson said moved to the neighborhood several weeks ago, was not identified and could not be reached for comment. Orem police would not release the owner's name because no charges were filed.

Erickson said he is now concerned because the hole in his neighbor's fence has not been fixed -- a pile of branches now blocks the hole -- and the dog owner has another pit bull that he worries could get loose and hurt someone.

"Every day little kids from Orem Elementary walk right past the house. It could've been one of the little kids, it could've been my wife who got home two minutes before me," he said.

Lyn Erickson said she plans to talk to police about the hole in the neighbor's fence.

Surry County, North Carolina

From Winston-Salem’s WXII12.com of September 17, 2007

Authorities: Surry County Intruder Shot, Killed

Deputies are investigating a breaking-and-entering case in which they said the intruder was shot and killed.

The incident occurred just after 8 a.m. Monday in Surry County.

Authorities said a man woke up and found another man climbing through a ladder and going through his window.

The homeowner confronted 55-year-old Howard Jones as he came off the ladder, investigators said.

Jones was shot twice with a rifle and later died at a local hospital, according to the Surry County Sheriff's Office.

Authorities said it wasn't the first time Jones had broken into the home.

No charges have been filed.

The case is still under investigation.

From the Mount Airy News of September 27, 2007

No charges filed in shooting

No charges will be filed against a homeowner stemming from his fatal shooting of a suspected intruder last week, Surry County Sheriff Graham Atkinson said Wednesday.

This determination in the case involving the shooting of Ky Howard Jones, 55, was reached after officials with the sheriff's office met this week with District Attorney Ricky Bowman and members of his staff.

Jones, for whom no official address has been given, was shot on the morning of Sept. 17 while trying to burglarize a home he once owned at 484 Surry Gadsberry Road in the Pilot Mountain area, according to earlier accounts.

Authorities have said that Jones had propped a ladder against the house and was attempting to gain entry through a window when he was confronted by Jayme Gullatt, the homeowner, who was awakened by a loud noise and grabbed a .223-caliber rifle.

The intruder then began to advance on the homeowner, who fired two warning shots into the ground, based on Gullatt's statements to investigators. Despite the homeowner's actions, Jones continued to approach Gullatt and got to within a few feet of him before being shot once in the upper body. Jones was transported to Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, where he died later that day.

Atkinson said Tuesday that after reviewing the evidence with the District Attorney's Office, it was determined that the homeowner had acted reasonably and within his rights.

As a result, no charges will be filed against Gullatt, whom authorities ruled was trying to protect himself.

North Carolina law states that a lawful occupant within a residence is justified in using any degree of force that the occupant reasonably believes is necessary to prevent a forcible entry or terminate an intruder's unlawful entry. Deadly force is allowed if the occupant reasonably believes that the intruder might kill or inflict serious injury to someone in the home or commit a felony there.

A lawful occupant does not have a duty to retreat from an intruder in such cases, under state law.

Jones earlier had been convicted of breaking into the house on Surry Gadsberry Road and was a suspect in another illegal entry there which occurred in the days before he was fatally shot.

Waco, Texas

From KWTX of September 13, 2007

Resident Shoots Robber, Foils Robbery

A resident opened fire on a would-be robber Friday morning outside a Waco apartment complex, foiling the hold-up and sending the man to a local hospital.

It happened outside the Parkside Village apartments on North 9th Street in Waco.

Initial reports were that a resident witnessed a man attempting to rob another person and fired as many as six shots at the would-be robber, who was struck at least three times.

Police learned of the incident after the badly injured man turned up at the Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center emergency room.

Late Friday morning police were still at the hospital and at the scene of the robbery.

Other details were not immediately available.

Pine Hills, Florida

From Orlando’s Local6.com of September 14, 2007

Owner Sleeping In Gas Station Over Crimes Surprises, Kills Intruder

A gas station owner in Central Florida who was sleeping in his business after a rash of crimes in the area shot and killed a man trying to break into his store early Friday morning, according to sheriff's deputies.

Investigators said someone apparently began to break into the Citgo gas station located at the corner of Pine Hills and Silverstar Road at about 2:30 a.m.

The owner said when he was awakened by glass breaking he grabbed a gun and opened fire, shooting 14 times.

Police said the culprit was able to flee the business after being shot but was found dead after collapsing in a nearby parking lot.

The owner, who did not want to be identified, said he did not regret using lethal force.

"One way or another, he had to go down," the owner said. "His days were numbered. If it were not me, he would get somebody. And if he had a weapon, I would have gone down."

The owner said there have been 14 break-ins in the last two weeks.

Police said the business owner acted in self-defense but were checking surveillance video and still investigating the case.

The owner said he has slept at the station for the last 10 days to stop any crime at the station.

Bland County, West Virginia

From Bluefield’s WVVA.com of September 13, 2007

Possible Coyote With Rabies

Brian Akers and a group of neighbors were standing outside when a sickly looking coyote approached them.

They tried to run the coyote off by chasing it away with a four-wheeler, but the coyote wasn't startled.

After the coyote lunged and attempted to bite a neighbor, Mr. Akers shot and killed the animal.

The coyote was taken to the Bland County Health Department and is now undergoing testing for rabies.

Denver, Colorado

From the Denver Post of September 11, 2007

Man shoots self when aiming for robbers

A 64-year-old Denver businessman accidentally shot himself in the chest Sunday night as he chased a pair of robbers from his dry cleaning business.

Rick Bugdanowitz went to his business, La Nouvelle Fine Cleaners, 4025 E. Dickenson Place, Sunday at about 7:20 p.m. to check a security alarm, said Denver Police spokesman Sonny Jackson.

Bugdanowitz found two robbers inside and they threatened him, Jackson said. The business owner grabbed a handgun he keeps in the store, Jackson said, and fired two shots at the robbers.

The pair fled and as Bugdanowitz chased them out the front door he tripped, Jackson said. The gun he was holding fired and hit Bugdanowitz in the chest.

His injury was not life-threatening, Jackson said.

Bugdanowitz is married to Sheila Bugdanowitz, president of the Rose Community Foundation, a civic and philanthropic organization formed in 1995 to enhance the quality of life in greater Denver.

Details on Bugdanowitz's injuries were not available Tuesday. An employee at his store referred questions to a manager who was unavailable for comment.

Tyler, Texas

From the Tyler Paper of September 13, 2007

Stepfather Shoots Man In Knee With Shotgun

A Tyler man was shot by his stepfather at a Quitman residence after an altercation broke out between them Tuesday morning.

Police arrived at a home on the 400 block of Main Street at about 10:35 a.m. to find Michael Eugene Bruney, 42, suffering a gunshot wound to the left knee, said Sergeant Wes Criddle, Quitman Police Department.

Criddle said police determined his stepfather, a Quitman resident, shot Bruney with a 12-gauge shotgun after the two men had a disagreement.

Bruney was flown by helicopter to a Tyler hospital for treatment. Neither East Texas Medical Center at Tyler nor Mother Frances Hospital showed record of Bruney on Wednesday afternoon.

Criddle said the stepfather, whose name is not being released, was not arrested.

The case is under investigation and will be sent to a grand jury hearing in Quitman, he said.

Clayton County, Georgia

From the Clayton News-Daily of September 12, 2007

Man killed during alleged home invasion

An early-morning struggle in a darkened duplex left a man lying dead on the floor next to a backpack full of burglary tools, Clayton County Police said.

The renting resident told detectives he heard the noise of someone breaking down his back door at about 4:30, Wednesday morning. He went to check, and bumped into someone in the kitchen.

“He saw the suspect reaching for a gun in his waistband,” said Deputy Chief Tim Robinson, and “was somehow able to disarm the suspect. He fell back — I’m talking, maybe 10 feet — he fired and he killed the suspect.”

The renter, whose name has not yet been released by police, fired several shots inside his 5701 Williamsburg Trace residence, between Riverdale and College Park, according to his statements to police.

The man called 911 almost 2 1/2 hours later. He said he was calling from his cell phone and was standing outside, down the street from his home, according to police.

“He said someone had broken into his house and he had shot him,” Robinson said. “The question we’re trying to answer... We’re trying to account for the time frame between when he said it happened and when he actually called.”

Police dispatch received a report of shots fired, in that neighborhood, at about 5:15 a.m., between the time the man said he shot the intruder and the time he called for police.

A patrol car went through the neighborhood, after the first 911 call, but there was no one on the street and nothing visibly wrong, Robinson said.

The resident told police he was scared, after firing several shots at the man in the dark duplex, and ran away. He said he made calls to friends, on his cell phone, and eventually came back to the neighborhood and called 911, Robinson said.

After getting a warrant to search the home, because the missing 2 1/2 hours made police suspicious, detectives and crime scene investigators went inside.

Everything seemed to match the man’s account.

“The physical evidence tends to support his story,” the deputy chief said. “And he’s been very cooperative.”

The angle of the bullet, the position of the body, the signs the back door was forced open and the bag next to the dead man’s body all lent credence to the resident’s account of being surprised by a home invasion and then shooting a would-be burglar to death.

Police have not yet positively identified the dead man. They have a tentative identification, Robinson said, and have some indication he had burgled before.

“He did have a backpack, and inside that backpack he did have several items that are indicative of someone who was burgling homes,” Robinson said.

The investigation, however, is ongoing.