South Bend, MO

 7/9/21 ABC channel 57:

The St. Joseph County Prosecutor's Office announced Friday it will not be pursuing charges against the 72-year-old man who shot and killed David Austin in April because the shooting was deemed justified....

An eyewitness, who did not know the shooter, said Austin approached the 72-year-old man in an aggressive manner even though the 72-year-old had a handgun.

The eyewitness said Austin approached the 72-year-old in a "boxer's stance." As the witness passed by the two men, he saw the shooter lower the handgun and walk backwards as Austin walked towards the man with the gun, reports said.

Seconds later the witness heard a single gunshot.

The shooter ran home and called 9-1-1, then went back to the scene and waited for police.

He told police that Austin had hit him in the head - and feared another blow would kill him, reports said.

Trenton, MO

6/17/19 WDAF:

Diab was about 30 minutes into transporting an inmate, identified as Jamey Aaron Griffin, from the jail in Trenton to Mosaic Hospital in St. Joseph, when Griffin somehow got Diab’s gun and shot her in the stomach. Griffin was shot in the hand.

“The vehicle by that time came to a rolling stop on us 69 Hwy,” said Missouri Highway Patrol Trooper Jake Angle. “There were some citizens a the Pit Stop convenience store in Winston, Missouri, that I suppose sensed something wasn’t right. Came over to her aid and subdued the suspect until law enforcement arrived.”

One of those good Samaritans was legally armed with a gun.
“In this case, they chose to intervene and come to an officers aid and subdue the suspect and possibly keeping him from escaping or doing more harm,” Angle said. “I am not advocating that people need to feel that they intervene in a situation this level, however, people chose to and in this situation it was critical.”

St. Louis, MO

4/25/17 St. Louis Post-Dispatch:

The female worker involved in the shootout had stepped out of the store at 509 Bates Street for a smoke break when an armed man tried to rob her about 3:50 a.m., according to police. She pulled out a gun and exchanged fire with the would-be robber, killing him.

The robber was shot in the chest, arm and thigh, police said. He died from his injuries at St. Louis University Hospital. Police on Tuesday identified him as Derrell L. Mayes, 30, of the 1500 block of Varnum Drive in Dellwood.

He has a criminal history that includes burglary, assault and gun charges.

The woman, 35, whom police have not identified, was shot twice in the leg. Police said she was conscious and breathing when she was taken to a hospital, where she was stable. Her medical condition was unavailable.

This is a sensitive topic for me: my wife used to work swing shift at a 7-11, long ago.  At the time 7-11 had a no guns policy. Not all owners complied.

Bevo, MO: Someone Didn't See Gran Torino

11/2/16 KSDK:

ST. LOUIS - Two men were killed in a double shooting in the Bevo neighborhood Tuesday afternoon, and police said the shooter was the homeowner.

St. Louis Metropolitan Police said the shooting happened on the 4100 block of Taft Avenue at around 4 p.m.

Police said the 73-year-old homeowner was in his garage when he was approached by two armed men. One of the men put his gun to the head of the homeowner and told the homeowner to back up. The homeowner then pulled out his gun taht he had in his pocket and shot the men. 

Police said the men wanted the homeowner's car, and one of the men had a stolen gun.
Both men were pronounced dead at the scene of the shooting. On Wednesday they were identified as 18-year-old Jonathan Warren of Florissant and 20-year-old Lonnie Middlebrook of Ferguson. 

Of Ferguson?

St. Louis, MO

From 1/18/16 KDSK:

The hunt is on for a robber that started a gun battle in a St. Louis Grocery store.

Sone Maniphonh is one 63 year old you don't want to mess with.

When her business, and her husband were threatened by a gunman, she sprang into action to protect them and nearly paid with her life.

You don't stay in business for 25 years without protecting what's yours.

On Jan. 4, Maniphonh had to prove it, while staring down the barrel of a gun held by this man.

“He walked in, and he wanted a 20 cent candy. I put right here, and he put gun on me. He point at me. After that he turn gun to my husband,” said Maniphonh.

As Maniphonh watched her husband struggle with the robber she grabbed her own gun.She never fired at the robber, fearful she would hit her own husband.

“I stand right here. He shoot one, two, three, four over there. I run follow him to go outside. I only try to protect myself, i don't know how to [be] scared,” said Maniphonh.

Maniphonh says she's had that gun under her register for more than 20 years, but she's never had a reason to use it before.

“Sometimes I cry at home, I say, 'Why they have to do it with us. I don't make too much money'. Business is slow,” said Maniphonh.

Springfield, MO

From 1/5/16 Springfield News-Leader:

The Springfield woman said she cringes to think what might have happened if her husband hadn't pointed a gun at the man and scared him off.

"Our Second Amendment right to carry is what saved our lives," Claxton said. "If we didn't have our right to carry, I feel like we wouldn't be here today."

Claxton said she and her family stopped to get gas at the Rapid Roberts on Sunshine Street just west of Highway 65 at about 8 p.m. Sunday when a man approached their car acting strange.

Claxton said she was in the vehicle with her four young children while her husband was pumping the gas.

Claxton said she reached over to try to lock the doors as the man approached, but she accidentally rolled down the window. Claxton said the man opened the door, leaned into the car and brandished a long knife.

Claxton said she yelled for her husband, Matt, to get his gun, and the man then began to leave.

St. Louis, MO

From 1/1/16 Riverfront Times:

Illustrating the problem of quantifying these types of statistics, on Wednesday, police announced that a particularly nasty shooting death – a fatal gun battle earlier this month outside a North Pointe funeral – had been re-classified as a “justifiable homicide.” Basically, cops think the killing was in self-defense, which means it doesn’t fit the FBI classification used to tally crime stats nationwide.

Parole Violator Shot In Jefferson City

Jefferson City, Missouri

From the October 14, 2009 News-Tribune:

A parole absconder from St. Louis is believed to have shot another man in a Tuesday night robbery near downtown Jefferson City, then was shot by one of his victims who acted in self-defense.

Patrick Evans, 37, who was released from prison two weeks ago, was found hiding in a small room in an upstairs apartment at 611 E. Capitol Ave. just after 7 a.m. Wednesday, more than 8 hours after the shooting incident downstairs at the same address, according to police reports.

"Officers were ready to re-canvass the area as daylight broke when they found a new blood trail which led to the apartment," said Capt. Mike Smith of the Jefferson City Police Department. "A female resident, we believe, helped hide him."

Late Wednesday afternoon, the Cole County prosecutor charged Evans with first-degree robbery. The charges say Evans also is known as Patrick Harris.

Jefferson City, Missouri Robbery Goes Badly

Jefferson City, Missouri

From the October 9, 2009 Springfield, Missouri News-Leader:

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Law officers now say a man killed near Jefferson City apparently was shot by one of the residents in the mobile home he and others were trying to rob.

The Cole County sheriff’s office previously had said that 19-year-old Lamar Gardner, of Kansas City, appeared to have been shot accidentally by another robber.

But Sgt. Bob Bruchsaler (Brook’-say-ler) said Friday that an adult resident of the home now says he fired the shot in defense of the two other adults and two children living there. He did not identify the person.

Missouri: Intruder Shot At Northland Apartment

Kansas City, Missouri

From KMBC of September 7, 2009

Intruder Shot At Northland Apartment

olice said an intruder was shot during an attempted break-in at a Northland apartment complex early Monday morning.

Officers were called to the Wild Oaks complex at Highway 152 and Flintlock Road shortly before 3 a.m.

Police said a man was trying to break into an apartment when the woman inside grabbed her gun and fired at the intruder through the door.

The man pulled out his own gun and fired back.

The intruder was hit twice and was taken to a hospital. He is expected to recover.

The woman was not injured.

Independence, Missouri Customer Shoots Shoplifter in Self-Defense

Independence, Missouri

From August 31, 2009 Fox News channel 4 (Kansas City):

INDEPENDENCE, MO. - Did an Independence man go too far in shooting a suspected shoplifter? The store manager of a Sun Fresh grocery store in Independence was trying to stop a suspected female shoplifter when a bystander intervened and shot her.

You won't hear Bill Miller apologizing. The 37-year-old is on crutches because of a broken foot, but he still sprang to action when he saw the store manager at Sun Fresh chase a female shoplifter into the parking lot.

"The customer service girl coming out screaming, 'Help, help, my manager's on the hood,'" Miller said.

Armed with a 9 millimeter and a conceal carry permit, Miller left his crutches behind and hopped on one foot toward the suspected shoplifter's car.

"I had it pointed downward on her, I told her stop, she looked at me smiled, turned the wheel at me, acted like she was going to run me over," MIller said. "I fired one round, I thought she was going to kill me and the manager."

Miller hit the suspect in the arm and fired another round at her tire.

"Well I don't think he should've shot her, but I agree it's a good idea to try and stop her," customer George Fleming said.

"I don't know, I still think that's vigilante, I just don't go for it," customer Vicki Sims said. "I think it's a little too vigilante."

"No it's not, these criminals got to be stopped," Miller said.

"He was legal to carry it, he was protecting somebody's life or livelihood and he did the right thing," customer Leslie Reid said.

Miller said that police said they would not charge him and that what he did was justifiable.

UPDATE: From September 2, 2009 KMBC channel 9:

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. -- The man who shot a suspected shoplifter in Independence won't face any charges, prosecutors said Wednesday.

...

With the car turned on, police said Carroll lunged the vehicle forward, striking the manager on the legs, leaving her clinging to the hood of the car.

William Miller was in the parking lot and saw it happen. He used his truck to block an exit and pulled out his handgun, repeatedly telling the driver to stop and get out, police said.

Police said Miller feared for his life and for the manager, and he fired a shot into the driver-side window. It hit Carroll in the shoulder and neck.

Missouri: Armed struggle ends with man shot in Northland

Kansas City, Missouri

From the Kansas City Star of July 12, 2009

Armed struggle ends with man shot in Northland

A man was shot in Kansas City, North, shortly after 10 p.m. Saturday after he had come, armed with a handgun, to the home of another man.

Police said the two had an ongoing disagreement and that the man they identified as a suspect went into the other man's home in the 1000 block of Northwest 63rd Street brandishing a handgun.

The two struggled over the intruder's gun, and the resident pulled out his own gun and shot the other man

Missouri: Two injured in early-morning shootings in KC

Kansas City, Missouri

From the Kansas City Star of July 7, 2009

Two injured in early-morning shootings in KC

A homeowner shot a man outside his home with a shotgun early today. Police were investigating whether the gunman was responsible for a shooting that occurred one block away moments earlier.

The incident began about 4:30 a.m. when a caller told police someone was firing a shotgun into an apartment in the 500 block of Gillis Street. The apartment was occupied, but no one was hit.

Officers responding to the call encountered a man in a truck who had suffered a minor wound, possibly from a shotgun pellet.

Moments later, police received another call from a man who heard a commotion outside his home in the 500 block of Troost Avenue. The homeowner saw a man running with a shotgun and told him to drop the weapon. The man with the shotgun allegedly threatened the homeowner and the homeowner shot him.

The shotgun-wielding man suffered serious injuries, police said.

Police were investigating both shootings.

Columbia, Missouri Burglar Shot

Columbia, Missouri

From the April 30, 2009 Missourian:

COLUMBIA — A woman whose house was being burglarized is believed to have shot one of the three men caught in her home early Thursday.

The woman arrived at her home in northeast Columbia and found that her back door had been kicked open, according to a release from the Columbia Police Department. Inside, she found three men robbing her house.

She left the house, and the men followed her. She told police that one of the men had a handgun and pointed it at her. She fired one round at the men, the release stated.

Investigators collected evidence that led them to believe that one suspect was shot. Though local hospitals were notified, there were no suspects at the time of the news release.

Missouri: Homeowner Shoots At Burglars, Hits Friend

Oklahoma City, Missouri

From KOcO of March 16, 2009

Homeowner Shoots At Burglars, Hits Friend

A man is in the hospital after he was accidentally shot when his friend tried to shoot two burglars, Oklahoma City police said.

It happened around 12:30 a.m. Monday morning when two men broke into the house near Northeast 42nd Street and Prospect Avenue, police said. The homeowner heard the burglars, grabbed a gun and allegedly began firing. Instead of hitting the burglars, a bullet hit the homeowner's friend. The burglars ran away from the house.

The homeowner and his friend got into a car and drove to the hospital. Their trip was delayed when they were pulled over by police for speeding a few blocks away, police said. The victim was transported to the hospital with minor injuries.

Police do not have a description of the burglars. Charges are not expected to be filed, police said.

Missouri: Intruder who was shot by homeowner is charged

Clay County, Missouri

From the Kansas City Star of January 26, 2009

Intruder who was shot by homeowner is charged

Clay County authorities today charged a 40-year-old man who was shot after he allegedly forced his way into a Clay County home last week.

George R. England Jr. of Imperial, Mo., faces one count of first-degree burglary for the incident that occurred about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday at a residence in the 12000 block of Missouri 92, just west of Kearney.

Bond was set at $75,000, and England remains hospitalized in stable condition, authorities said this afternoon.

A 48-year-old woman inside the residence dialed 911 to report a disturbance in progress. The woman said an unknown man drove up to the residence, stood outside the front door and began yelling, according to court records.

“Come out here,” England is accused of yelling to the homeowner. “You know me, I’m Animal.”

As the woman was speaking with 911 dispatchers, England allegedly forced open the front door and began to walk inside. At that point, the caller’s 44-year-old husband confronted the intruder and shot him with a handgun, court records said.

Authorities arrived a short time later and transported England to the hospital.

Clay County Prosecutor Daniel White said today that no criminal charges are being considered against the 44-year-old homeowner who shot England.

“The homeowner in this instance acted with remarkable restraint,” said White. “He ensured the safety of his family, repeatedly advised England that England was neither his friend nor acquaintance, only shot when England forced open the front door of the residence.”

The homeowner’s wife and two school-age children were at the home at the time of the incident. No other injuries were reported. Authorities think the intruder was highly intoxicated.

Gainesville, Missouri Shooting Of Uncle Found Justifiable

Gainesville, Missouri

From December 8, 2008 Springfield, Missouri channel 3:

GAINESVILLE, Mo. -- The Ozark County prosecuting attorney says the shooting death of a man from Dora was a case of justifiable homicide. He dropped murder charges against Floyd Russell, 24, who was charged with killing his uncle, Terry Russell, in October.

A coroner's jury found the death was the result of an ongoing family feud that turned violent with another relative.

Missouri: Cape Girardeau woman shoots, kills would-be rapist at her home

Cape Girardeau, Missouri

From the Southeast Missourian of October 31, 2008

Cape Girardeau woman shoots, kills would-be rapist at her home

A Cape Girardeau woman shot and fatally wounded Ronnie W. Preyer, 47, a registered sex offender who had broken into her home early this morning with the intention of raping her a second time, Cape Girardeau Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle said today.

Swingle said he will not be charging the victim, an older woman who positively identified Preyer this morning as the man who raped her on Saturday.

"It is clear that under Missouri's self-defense law the woman was justified in using deadly force upon the intruder in her home because he was in the process of burglarizing her home when she shot him," Swingle wrote in a letter to police chief Carl Kinnison.

Cape Girardeau police had been keeping a close eye on the woman's home, in the southwest part of Cape Girardeau, since she reported the rape nearly a week ago.

In that instance, she'd heard the glass break in a basement window around midnight on Saturday, and decided to make a run for it through her front door, according to police reports of the incident. When she opened the door, Preyer attacked her.

He punched her in the face and forced her into the bedroom, where he raped her.

She reported the rape that night, and described her rapist.

Police were actively working the unsolved rape case, Swingle said, and had been frequently driving past the woman's home in case her attacker returned.

This morning, the woman called 911 after hearing a car door close near her residence. An officer responded, checked the doors and windows, including the one that had been broken during the first attack.

Her landlord had recently repaired the window for her, Swingle said.

Once the officer determined that no one had entered the home, he left.

About two hours later, the woman was at home watching television, when Preyer broke the same basement window and came in, getting the still-wet calking on his clothing as he did so, police reports said.

He found a main fuse panel in the basement and shut off the electricity. The victim immediately tried to call 911, but the phone would not work because there was no electric.

Having recently purchased a shotgun, she grabbed the weapon and when Preyer began banging on the basement door, she was ready for him. When he crashed through the basement door into her kitchen, she shot him once in the chest and ran, heading for a neighbor's house, where she called the police.

It only took officers 45 seconds to respond to the 911 call, Swingle said.

When they arrived, they saw Preyer stumbling away from the home, and an officer ordered him to stop. When he didn't, a female officer drew her own weapon and they forced him to the ground.

He was transported to Saint Francis Medical Center where he died several hours later.

Early Friday morning, the victim identified Preyer out of a photo line-up as both the man who raped her on Saturday and the man who broke into her house today.

Preyer's criminal history is speckled with home invasions and assaults, and he has been convicted of failing to inform the county of his change of address in compliance with registered sex offender laws. Swingle was getting ready to charge him with rape, attempted rape, burglary and attempted burglary this morning, armed with the positive eyewitness identification, when he learned around 9:30 a.m. that Preyer was dead.

Preyer was convicted in 1989 of raping and robbing a woman in New Madrid County and he served 15 years in prison on both charges.

He was also arrested last December and charged with attempted rape and second degree felony assault, but Swingle's office dismissed the charges because he did not think he could get a conviction, he said.

The victim in that case, a woman in her early 30s, allegedly went for a drive with Preyer, knowing of his sex offender status, and he attacked her while in the car.

After talking with the victim in that case, Swingle decided to dismiss the charges because the woman did not use a nearby phone to call for help, and because she went with Preyer because she was "bored," even though he was a sex offender, he said.

"We know in at least one case, he did a good job of picking his victim, this time, he didn't do such a good job," Swingle said.

Missouri: Police say Scott County burglary suspect stopped by armed homeowner

Benton, Missouri

From the Southeast Missourian of October 23, 2008

Police say Scott County burglary suspect stopped by armed homeowner

Scott County deputies arrested a 35-year-old Sikeston man Wednesday in connection with an attempted burglary, according to a Scott County Sheriff's Department news release.

Jason Roach allegedly approached a residence on County Highway 538 on Tuesday and rang the doorbell. Police say Roach turned the doorknob and would have gained entry, according to the homeowner, were it not for the safety latch on the door.

Roach entered the home through a rear garage entrance where he was greeted by the homeowner, who held a handgun, according to the news release.

Roach allegedly told the homeowner he was lost and asked for directions.

Roach had recently been charged with another burglary and was currently out on bond. He is currently held at Scott County Jail on $5,000 cash-only bond.

Missouri: Security Guard Shoots Man At Liquor Store

Kansas City, Missouri

From KCTV of September 24, 2008

Security Guard Shoots Man At Liquor Store

A man was shot by a liquor store security guard on Tuesday night, police said.

Officers said the guard told them a man, who he thought had a gun, was causing problems at the Royal Liquor Store on Southwest Boulevard about 9 p.m.

After telling the man to leave, the guard said the man became violent and during a struggle, the security guard shot him.

The man ran off, and police later found him in an alley about a block away. They did not find a gun.

The man's injuries are considered life-threatening, police said.