Ellport, PA

12/8/17 WPXI:

ELLPORT, Pa. - An elderly man shot and killed one of two intruders at his home early Friday morning in Ellport, Lawrence County, police said.

The 85-year-old man, Don Lutz, was confronted by the intruders about 1:30 a.m. at his Jamison Avenue home, authorities said. An altercation followed.

“I just fired one. It was in the dark. He attacked me and he was up close and I shot him,” Lutz said. “They jumped me and we both went on the floor. I scuffled with them on the floor and the one guy rolled over dead and the other guy, he jumped up and went out the door.”
Police are searching for the second intruder who ran off.

Alcorn County, MS

5/23/17 WMC:

Investigators said Windham left an auction and followed a driver down Mississippi Highway 356. Later, Windam got out of her car carrying a weapon. When she got out of her car, the person she'd followed opened fire, killing her.

The shooter's identity has not been released because he is not facing charges.A witness, Sarah Huggins, said she found Windam in the ditch and immediately told her daughter to call 911.

Huggins described the scene as frightening.

"I was fearing for my life because the shooter was standing behind the door," Huggins said. "I didn't know if he had the gun and was fixing to shoot us or what."

Alcorn Sheriff Ben Caldwell said Windam and the shooter had collided before.

"This is an ongoing feud between these two families taking place over the last several years," Caldwell said.

Investigators said the shooter's actions were justified on the grounds of self-defense. 

Swartz, LA

5/15/17 MyArkLaMiss:

SWARTZ, La - The Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office is investigating, after a burglary suspect was shot and killed by a homeowner in Swartz.

Deputies were called to a home  on Highway 594 Sunday afternoon on a report of a burglary attempt.

The suspect, Jessie Allin 32, allegedly broke into the home and threatened to hurt two elderly people who were inside.

Center Point, AL

3/29/17 WIAT:

CENTER POINT, Ala. (WIAT) — An elderly homeowner is recovering after a deadly home invasion. It happened at a home on the 2400 block of Ormond Drive.

At 1 a.m. Wednesday morning 79-year-old John Croft was asleep when he awoke to a noise in his basement. Officials say two suspects broke in through the basement window and went up the stairs to Croft’s bedroom, where he was still in bed.

“The suspect said ‘Don’t move,'” Croft recalled. Croft said he reached for his gun and fired shots.

“It was just “Pow, Pow, Pow. I have a .38—I got off five shots. I think he must have got off at least one–it hit me, as I was running after him. I fell twice,” said Croft.Investigators said one of the suspects was pronounced dead on the scene. Croft was also shot.

“See the bandage right here [pointing to his ankle], the bullet just came in and went right out, I never felt it. I didn’t know I was shot until the deputy insisted I go to the hospital,” said Croft.

Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Randy Christian said Croft’s fatal shooting of the suspect was ruled justifiable.

Bowie County, TX

1/4/17 KSLA:

The 74-year-old was just about to watch the KSLA News 12 newscast Sunday night when someone wearing gloves and a mask broke into her home.

"And when I started to get up, he was in here on me with a gun facing me right to my face."

What she did next took the gunman by surprise.

Now Bowie County, Texas, sheriff's deputies are looking for the would-be bandit.

"So I had to walk right out in front of him," Rebbie Roberson said as she recalled the harrowing encounter. "I didn't know if he was going to kill me or what."

But she had her own weapon on a table nearby.

"I reached over there and grabbed this gun. And when I swerved around, I pointed it at him and he ran."

With her .38-caliber pistol in hand, Roberson said she followed him, all the while firing her gun and leaving bullet holes in the walls of her home.

San Jacinto, CA

Another member of the M1911 cult!  From 2/1/16 NBC Los Angeles:

When an ax-wielding burglar tried to break into Joseph Milspaugh's home on Sunday morning, the 92-year-old World War II veteran didn't hesitate to defend himself.

When Milspaugh, of San Jacinto, heard the suspect trying to break into his home in the 1400 block of Chase Street, he armed himself with his model 1911 .45 caliber handgun.

s the suspect smashed the door with his ax and tried to crawl into the house, Milspaugh wasted no time and fired off one round from his handgun at the suspect.

"It's stupid what he did," Milspaugh said. "Being a Sunday, he assumed that people would be going shopping or going to church and no one would be home, that it would be a good time to break in."

Never bring an axe to a gunfight.

Gwinnet County, GA

From 12/09/15 Fox 29:

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA (FOX 5) Armed Gwinnett County residents packing heat, took action after hearing a man's cries for help. They credit their guns with saving the elderly man's life.

"Help, he is trying to kill me, help me, help me." Those are the chilling words Karen Duncan heard as she walked up her friend's driveway in Lawrenceville Monday afternoon.

"She kind of started running towards the house," said her friend, Ron Childress. "I could tell something was wrong and she hit the doorbell in a panic."

Childress said when he opened the door he heard the same terrifying words. Duncan said she grabbed her purse with her gun inside and took off to find the man. "As I got closer I realized that there is this elderly gentleman laying on the ground with a younger man on top of him with a knife," said Duncan.  "I see blood and this big old knife."

Duncan said the man was trying to stab another man around 90-years-old. She said she told him to stop, but he did not listen.

"Finally I said, 'I'm getting ready to shoot you' and then he stopped and he looked at me and he tossed the knife away," said Duncan.  Her friend, Childress, who is a former law enforcement officer showed up right behind her.

"I said 'put your arms out, put your legs out and stay right where you are, do not move,'" said Childress.  While Childress pointed his gun at the man Duncan called 911.

Childress said he is convinced that if Duncan had not shown up when she did, the elderly man would have been killed and credits being armed with saving the man’s life.

Elderly Woman Scares Off Home Intruder

Leon County, Texas

From October 26, 2009 Austin channel 8:

Law enforcement officials suspect a home invasion in Leon County is connected to a serial rapist who has been terrorizing elderly women in rural areas of Texas for months.

On Saturday, police say a man broke into the home of an 81-year-old woman.

The woman had a handgun and managed to fire several shots, scaring the man away.

The burglar got away with some cash and other items, but the woman was not hurt.

Investigators believe this incident may be connected to a series of sexual assaults on elderly women across four Central Texas counties, including Bell County.

At least seven women have been attacked since January.

All are over 60, widows and live alone in rural areas.

Ohio: Great-grandmother who shot robber says 'God was with me'

Columbus, Ohio

From the Columbus Dispatch of October 22, 2009

Great-grandmother who shot robber says 'God was with me'

When an armed robber barged into a North Side motel room Wednesday night and ordered the six people there to the floor, he put a 70-year-old woman closer to her handgun.

The great-grandmother knelt between the beds, reached into her purse on the floor and pulled out her .357 Magnum pistol.

She fired one shot at the robber, who staggered from the room, collapsed in the parking lot and died.

"It's a wonder she didn't shoot us all," said her 51-year-old son, who was preparing to hand over his cash when he heard the gunshot. "She's the worst shot in the world.

"She said to me, 'God was with me tonight. You know I couldn't have done that myself.'"

None of the family members, who live in Ironton, wanted to be identified, fearing retaliation; and the woman didn't want to be interviewed. They have moved to a different room in the motel.

"She's torn all to pieces," her son said. "Who would ever want to shoot someone?"

Wayne Winston, 25, died of a single gunshot wound in the chest, Franklin County Coroner Jan Gorniak said yesterday. Police listed his address as "streets of Columbus."

The woman has a permit to carry a concealed gun, her son said, and carries the gun she inherited from her late husband.

Asked to describe his mother, he said, "Religious. She's always been my hero."

The family was staying in a first-floor room at the Continent Inn, near I-71 and Rt. 161, while attending the All-American Quarter Horse Congress. The son said he was in the room with his mother, his wife, his daughter and son-in-law and a family friend.

The door was partially open so the adults could stay within earshot of two girls, ages 12 and 17, in the room next door.

The son said the door flew open shortly after 9 p.m. and they found themselves confronted by a man who pointed a black handgun at them and said, "Everybody here knows what the game is." He told them to get on the floor and began demanding money from the son and his son-in-law, who were closest to the door. The gunman seemed angry that the son-in-law had only $14.

"I was going into my pocket for money" when a shot rang out and the gunman ran from the room, the son said. "I thought I was shot. I didn't realize my mother had shot him. It was mass chaos."

He still wasn't sure what had happened when he went outside and saw the intruder's body in the parking lot. Then he heard a second shot. His mother, the gun at her side, had tensed up and "squeezed off another shot into the floor," he said.

Columbus police don't expect to file charges against the woman but said the case probably will be presented to a Franklin County grand jury as a routine procedure. The son said the officers who met with his family were "extremely supportive."

He has a horse farm and is attending the Quarter Horse Congress to watch his 21-year-old daughter compete and to support others who train at his farm.

Word of the shooting spread quickly yesterday among those attending the event, which is in its third and final week at the Ohio Expo Center.

"That's a hell of a woman," said George Wyeth, 63, of Claysville, Pa. "I don't blame her a bit. You pull a gun on someone, you ought to get shot."

"I give her a lot of credit," said Beverly Hicks, 77, of Perrysburg in northwestern Ohio, who doesn't know many people her age who carry guns. "I'd be afraid to carry a gun."

Police Sgt. Ken Tischler, a community liaison officer, said armed robberies of motel guests near the Continent are rare, but he had warned people attending the Congress about a rash of vehicle break-ins at motels in the I-71 and Rt. 161 area - 102 thefts from autos between mid-August and late September.

Texas: Homeowner's one shot lands would-be burglar in ER

Hawkins, Texas

From KLTV of October 19, 2009

Homeowner's one shot lands would-be burglar in ER

It took one shot for an East Texas senior to put an end to a would-be robber's crime spree. The story began around 2am Monday morning at Southside Bank in Hawkins. The branch is located inside Brookshire's, right off Highway 14. That is where police say 19-year-old David McWhorter was spotted, first. We spoke to the homeowner whose one shot landed the alleged burglar in the ER.

"Just...put the gun up to the window, and he was standing there and I pulled the trigger," said the 78-year-old homeowner.

One shot through the window was all it took. Our homeowner didn't mind an on camera interview, but asked his name not be released. He suffers from a hip injury and was sitting in his chair when the suspect broke into his screened porch. He says it is not the first time he has been broken into. Every window is now nailed shut and a baggie full of ammo for his 4-10 single-shot shotgun is always nearby.

"Everything I worked hard for all my life...no one's just going to come in here and take it if I can help it," said the homeowner.

"If you can't retreat, you have every right in the world to protect yourself," said Hawkins Police Lieutenant A.J. Randell.

Randell says while police worked the call at Brookshire's, another call came in about the break-in about a block away. Police say the suspect was found across the street, inside his brother's car with a gun shot wound to the left shoulder.

"He came in, woke him up and said, 'I'd been shot! Take me to the hospital,'" said Randell.

"I'm sorry that it happened, but he shouldn't be trying to break in and trying to steal other people's property," said the 78-year-old. "Protect what's mine, you know?"

And, after 23 years of retired life, our homeowner doesn't plan on moving anytime soon.

North Carolina: 911 Calls Reveal Details Of Break-In Suspect Shot By Homeowner

Greensboro, North Carolina

From DigiTriad.com of October 14, 2009

911 Calls Reveal Details Of Break-In Suspect Shot By Homeowner

Greensboro police say an 80-year-old man is not facing charges after he shot and killed a break-in suspect early Wednesday morning.

Charles Haithcock called 911 immediately following the shooting of 19-year-old Michael L. Medley who he says broke into his home.

Haithcock: "A man broke in on me and pulled a gun. i shot him and he's laying out in the yard."

911 Operator: "Is he breathing?"

Haithcock: "I don't know. he broke in the window. He pulled the air conditioning out in the living room. And I heard something and he come back to the bedroom. I was in the bed. And I opened the door and he had pulled, what looked like a shotgun, he was pointing it at me."

Police responded to the home on Walnut Street Wednesday morning, which is near Summit Avenue.

When officers arrived, they found Medley, Jr. dead from a gunshot wound.

"The guy ran into the back room, locked his door and shot through the bedroom door and killed him," said Haithcock's neighbor, who did not want to be identified.

At this time, Haithcock is not facing criminal charges. However, police say the shooting incident remains under investigation.

WFMY News 2 has learned that Medley has a criminal record, which includes a conviction for Common Law Robbery.

The apartment where the 80-year-old lives is located near the Greensboro Police Department's Eastern Division precinct.

"The police department is sitting right here, and they still kicked in this door and stole a car from in front of the house," said Haithcock's neighbor. "I would think this was the safest place to be."

Stay with digtriad.com and WFMY News 2 for more updates.

Alabama: 81-year-old man shoots Escambia County home invader to death

Brewton, Alabama

From the Press-Register of October 12, 2009

81-year-old man shoots Escambia County home invader to death

An 81-year-old man shot and killed a masked gunman during a home invasion early this morning at a residence north of Brewton, Escambia County Sheriff Grover Smith said.

The sheriff said the robber had been released from a Nebraska jail just two days before he was killed.

Smith declined to identify the homeowner, but said the man and his wife were in bed in their home along U.S. 31 north of town about 3 a.m. when the intruder kicked in the door to the home and entered their bedroom, demanding money.

Smith said the homeowner managed to retrieve a pistol from the bedside table and pointed it at the robber, who told the homeowner to drop the weapon.

Instead, Smith said, the homeowner fired the gun, striking the intruder in the forehead, killing him instantly.

Smith identified the intruder as Jeremy Paul McCall, believed to be 35 years old. Smith said McCall had a prior record, and had been released from a Nebraska jail about 48 hours before he was killed.

Smith said McCall's body was sent to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences in Mobile for autopsy.

The shooting will be presented to the grand jury, Smith said, but the sheriff said he doubted the homeowner would face any charges.

"The man was in his home, in bed with his wife, and he acted in self-defense," Smith said. "And as far as the wife, she had armed herself with a shotgun by the time I got there."

Oregon: Oregon man, 93, pointed gun before he was shot

Glendale, Oregon

From KTVZ of September 28, 2009

Oregon man, 93, pointed gun before he was shot

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office says the shooting death of a 93-year-old man in southwest Oregon appears to have been in self-defense.

Spokeswoman Andrea Zielinski said detectives learned Clarence Hartley had been pointing a gun before he was shot by 75-year-old Clement Dewart on Friday. She says Hartley was a relative of the Dewart family and lived on their property in Glendale.

Zielinski says the investigation remains active. When it's finished, the results will be forwarded to a grand jury for a review of any possible criminal charges.

Tennessee: Burglary/assault suspect shot by victim's mother

Knoxville, Tennessee

From WBIR of September 18, 2009

Burglary/assault suspect shot by victim's mother

A burglary suspect is recovering from a gunshot wound near his groin--a wound 75-year-old Ruth Robbins gave him after he fought with her son and then got in a scuffle with her.

Jesse Williams, 28, sits in the Morgan County jail, charged with burglary, aggravated assault, and simple assault, as he nurses a gunshot wound to his leg. He was taken there after being treated and released at UT Medical Center.

According to the Morgan County Sheriff's Office, Williams broke into David Brandenburg's Petros home Thursday night. Brandenburg, 43, and Williams fought, eventually making their way out into the yard.

Ruth Robbins came over from her home next door and tried to intervene to help Brandenburg, who is her son. At that point, authorities say Williams turned his attack on her--so she shot him.

The shooting happened at 9:03 Thursday night.

Brandenburg was injured in the fight but declined treatment. No charges have been filed against Robbins.

Ohio: Elderly victim shoots would-be robber, 24, police say

Dayton, Ohio

From the Dayton Daily News of September 19, 2009

Elderly victim shoots would-be robber, 24, police say

A 24-year-old man who allegedly got out of his car and tried to rob an elderly man at gunpoint was shot by the would-be victim, who was licensed to carry a concealed weapon and fired to defend himself, police said.

The younger man was shot twice on Saturday, Sept. 19, and was taken to Miami Valley Hospital, where he was under guard, Dayton police Sgt. Damon Castor said. The gunshot injuries were not believed to be life-threatening, Castor said.

“Apparently he was trying to rob the older gentleman of something,” Castor said of the younger man. “He picked on the wrong person.”

The would-be victim, in his 70s, was not injured, Castor said. The confrontation took place at West Third Street and Brooklyn Avenue in west Dayton, police said.

It was not clear whether the alleged attacker was trying to steal the older man’s car or money, Castor said.

No charges had been filed Saturday. Police are investigating.

Florida: Naked 91-year-old holds burglar at gunpoint

Lake Worth, Florida

From the CBS 12 of September 17, 2009

Naked 91-year-old holds burglar at gunpoint

This next homeowner is a force to be reckoned with. He's 91, he was buck naked, but he and his dog decided to go after a would be burglar. He held the man at gunpoint until police arrived. Deputies say they found the would be burglar on the back porch by the pool drunk and trembling, probably not how he thought it would all go down. He got more than he bargained for when he decided to mess with this elderly man and his trusty rottweiler mix. 91-year-old Robert Thompson and his 5-year-old dog Rett tag-teamed a thug trying to break into their Lake Worth home Friday night.

Thompson said, "I think the guy was scared to death, he was screaming."

Thompson jumped out of bed, totally naked he went to go check things out with Rett by his side.

He said, "I started to let him out the door and he was so anxious he got caught in the door."

According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office 26-year-old Jose Pascual was the man on the porch. Rett pinned Pascual, but this purple heart World War Two Veteran wanted back-up.

Thompson said, "I went in and got my cell phone and dialed 911 and got my gun."

Thompson says Pascual was coming toward him so he fired a shot. Authorities say he held the drunk intruder at gunpoint until deputies arrived, but he's giving his best bud Rett all the credit for the happy ending.

He said, "He's the hero."

Pascual was arrested, Thompson was taken to the hospital. One of the shots he fired ricocheted giving him a minor battle wound. He hopes the bad guys learned a lesson about messing the boys at 504 North C Street.

"If anyone violates my home they better be careful, that's all I got to say," said Thompson.

Thompson tells us that he has been living alone since his wife passed away 10 years ago, and that having Rett around makes life easier. The suspect in this case is facing burglary charges

Delaware: Intruders shot, cut by 74-year-old man, police say

Lewes, Delaware

From the Delaware Online of September 11, 2009

Intruders shot, cut by 74-year-old man, police say

State police say a 74-year-old man shot one intruder and cut another at his home west of Lewes. The intruders fled but were later arrested by police.

The incident happened about 6:20 p.m. Thursday in the 19000 block of Bee Jay Lane, off Beaver Dam Road.

Sgt. Walter Newton said the homeowner arrived back at the house and found an empty SUV in his driveway and a side door that had been locked was open. He then found the front door had been kicked in.

Two men -- later identified by police as Paul L. Spencer, 43, and Gregory B. Stewart, 49, both of Lincoln -- approached the homeowner at the side door and said they were “looking to purchase a dump truck,” Newton said.

The homeowner told them to leave, but they continued toward him. Spencer crossed the threshold and grabbed a landscaping tool and threatened the homeowner, Newton said. The homeowner took a machete from next to the door and swung it at Spencer, striking him several times in his right forearm and hand.

“Both suspects continued toward the homeowner, which caused him to fire two .25 caliber rounds from a handgun. One of the bullets struck Stewart in his abdomen,” Newton said.

Both Lincoln men then fled, but Stewart was arrested at Milford Memorial Hospital, where he was admitted for treatment of a gunshot wound, Newton said.

Police later located Spencer at his home and charged him with burglary, conspiracy, menacing and criminal mischief. He was treated for cuts to his right arm and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution. Bail information was not immediately available.

Warrants were on file charging Stewart with the same offenses, Newton said. He was reported in stable condition at the hospital.

The homeowner was not injured.

Oregon: Chiloquin man shoots intruder

Chiloquin, Oregon

From KTVZ of September 4, 2009

Chiloquin man shoots intruder

Authorities say a Chiloquin man shot and wounded a neighbor who tried to enter his house.

Sheriff Tim Evinger of Klamath County says 24-year-old Calvin Lee Brown used a pair of 18-inch wooden handles to break Monte Rompal's bedroom window, prompting the 77-year-old man to fire a shot.

Evinger says deputies later found Brown at a nearby house - asleep and drunk with a bullet wound to his left upper arm.

Chiloquin Ambulance took Brown to Sky Lakes Medical Center, where he was in stable condition Thursday.

Evinger says Brown will likely be charged with attempted burglary and criminal mischief.

District Attorney Ed Caleb says it's unlikely Rompal will face charges.

Michigan: Woman: Shooting man was self-defense

Bedford Township, Michigan

From the Battle Creek Enquirer of August 22, 2009

Woman: Shooting man was self-defense

A 70-year-old Bedford Township woman said Friday she had no choice but to shoot a man coming at her with a shovel.

"I didn't want to hurt him but I didn't want him to hurt me," Virginia Hawes said in an interview at her home in Bedford Hills Mobile Village. "I didn't want to kill him. I just wanted to stop him. If he would have stopped, no one would have gotten hurt."

Battle Creek police said Hawes shot Nicholas Beltz, 24, in the leg in her yard about 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

"He kept coming at me. I pointed the gun at his head, but I didn't want to shoot him in the head. I wimped out," she said.

Hawes said Beltz threatened her after she called police because his girlfriend, Emily Bannister, 18, said she was being assaulted.

Hawes said Bannister came to sit on her porch until police came. When Beltz began walking toward them, Hawes said she warned him to stay off her property.

"She was sitting on the porch and she got up but I told her to stay," Hawes said. "He said he just wanted to talk to her and he wanted to tell her he loved her and he kept coming. I thought he was going to hurt her."

Hawes' grandson, Bryan Hawes, 23, was outside with his grandmother and picked up a shovel, held it out horizontally in an attempt to block Beltz. But Beltz pushed Bryan Hawes aside and took the shovel.

Virginia Hawes said that is when she went inside her home, put five bullets in her .38-caliber revolver and walked back outside, holding the gun to her side.

She bought the handgun in March as protection from a former family member, registered it and had taken classes and practiced at South Side Sportsman Club in Battle Creek.

"I told him to get back and he kept walking toward me. I put the gun up and told him to get back or I will shoot. He called me an old bitch and he kept coming at me and holding the shovel."

Hawes said he told Beltz a half-dozen times to stop and leave her property.

When they were about four feet apart, she said he dropped the shovel but continued forward.

"He said, 'Shoot me in the head old bitch and I will take the gun away from you,' and I thought, 'If I shoot him in the head, how can he take the gun away?'"

Hawes said she believed that Beltz had been drinking and taking drugs and she decided she had to shoot.

She pointed the gun at his foot and pulled the trigger but said he stepped into the bullet and it hit him above the right knee.

"I figured I had to stop him. He was too drunk or high to understand," she said. "He went down like a tree."

After the shooting, Hawes went back inside the trailer, put the gun away and told her grandson to call police. When officers arrived, Beltz was on the ground moaning and she was handcuffed and placed in a patrol car after officers went inside to retrieve the gun.

Hawes, her grandson and witnesses were taken to the police station and questioned and she was released.

"I was prepared to spend a night in jail, but I didn't want to."

She doesn't regret the shooting.

"He was on our property and we were in danger. I didn't want to shoot in the air. I probably could have reached out and conked him with the gun.

"I have nothing to say to him. I really don't want to see him anymore."

Detective Sgt. Carter Bright of the Battle Creek Police Department said a report about the shooting will be sent to the prosecutor's office "but it appears to be self defense."

Bright said warrants have been issued charging domestic violence against Beltz and his girlfriend and assault and battery against Beltz, with Bryan Hawes as the victim.

Beltz's mother, Denise, said Friday afternoon her son remains in the hospital with significant pain.

"I am very upset by this. It was wrong that she had a gun and shot him. Nick is very upset and doesn't know why she did it."

Denise Beltz insisted her son would not hurt anyone and that her understanding was that he had turned to walk away when he was shot in the back of the leg; Bright said that theory does not appear to be true.

"It doesn't give her a right to have a gun when Nick didn't have a gun," Denise Beltz said.

North Carolina: NC man, 76, shoots youth, 15, after home invasion

Charlotte, North Carolina

From WRAL of August 26, 2009

NC man, 76, shoots youth, 15, after home invasion

Police are unraveling a home invasion and burglary that began at an elderly couple's home and ended with a 15-year-old suspect shot to death on a nearby street.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said robbery and homicide investigative units are working to sort out the Saturday incident that began when four young men pushed into the upscale brick home that C.L. McClure, 76, shares with his wife in northeast Charlotte's Newell community.

"I'm not in any condition to talk" about the incident, McClure, a retired building fireproofer, told The Charlotte Observer on Tuesday.

Police said four teens entered McClure's home Saturday. McClure was bound with duct tape and his wife held at gunpoint. The robbers left with some jewelry and a wallet.

McClure's son, Larry, who lives next door, said his father broke free and after checking that his wife was OK guessed at the robbers' route out of his neighborhood. C.L. McClure grabbed a pistol, got into his dark green van and pursued the crooks, Larry McClure said.

"He thought they might have been driving, and he wanted to get a tag number," Larry McClure said.

Larry McClure said his father told him he was in his van when he saw one of the suspected robbers and thought he was armed. C.L. McClure fired his pistol when the teen turned toward him, his son said.

Marcus Fluker, 15, died later at Carolinas Medical Center. Police said they didn't recover a gun from near his body.

Officers took C.L. McClure to headquarters for questioning but released him without charges.

Police charged the other three teens with robbery and burglary. Police identified them as Joseph Graves, 17, Matthew Everett Morgan, 17, and Tahjaue Wiley, 18.

Police said they want to prevent any possible retribution against McClure and have assigned an officer to keep an eye on the residence.

"I think there's a concern. They just want to be extra careful. It's extra upsetting to have a 15-year-old shot and killed," said Capt. Mike Smathers, who command's the department's robbery unit. "I don't care who you are; that's terrible. They're just trying to make sure peace is maintained."