Cleveland, Ohio

From Cleveland’s NewsNet5.com of May 5, 2006

Robbery Suspect Killed In Gunfire Exchange With Deli Owner

Owner's Son Is Shot In CrossfireOwner's Son Is Shot In Crossfire

A robbery suspect is fatally shot and a deli owner's son is injured after gunfire is exchanged during a robbery attempt at an eastside deli.

The incident occurred Thursday night during a robbery attempt at Mike's Food Market, on East 65th Street.

Police said the suspect entered the store with a gun and mask, and demanded money. Deli owner Marwan Dayem, 47, and his 19-year-old son, Abedeldhmai, began to gather the money, and then Marwan Dayem grabbed a gun he had behind the counter.

He began to exchange gunfire with the suspect, who was struck. The suspect fled the store, and collapsed about a block away. He was transported to MetroHealth Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Abedeldhmai Dayem was shot in the forehead. His injuries are not life-threatening, and he is being treated at Metro.

The identity of the suspect has not been released.

Hazel Park, Michigan

From Southfield’s DetNow.com of May 5, 2006

Man Killed in Hazel Park Home Invasion

A suspected robber was fatally shot inside a Hazel Park home, early Friday morning. Police learned the victim and the shooter were acquaintances.

Around 1 a.m., the homeowner called police saying he’d shot an intruder. When investigators arrived they found 22-year-old Michael Wycoff dead upstairs.

The homeowner claimed his house had been ransacked and a window was broken, so he grabbed his gun and found Wycoff in an upstairs closet. Police said there was a confrontation and the homeowner fired.

According to authorities, the homeowner knew the [sic] Wycoff’s sister and all three were together at her home earlier in the evening.

Police are still investigating and the homeowner has not been arrested. Wycoff has a criminal history including home invasion.

York, Pennsylvania

From the York Daily Record of May 4, 2006

SHOOTING TRIAL: Defendant acquitted

A York County jury acquitted Antwoine Montouth of all charges Wednesday resulting from the July 29 shooting of his estranged wife's boyfriend.

Montouth had admitted he shot Alphonso Davis in the leg and back during a dispute in front of Montouth's Piedmont Circle home. At his Common Pleas Court trial this week, Montouth's attorney, Farley Holt, argued the shooting was in self-defense after Davis grabbed Montouth and tried to muscle him to the ground.

Holt said Montouth, who armed himself before Davis arrived, hit Davis on the head three times, fired a warning shot into the ground and then shot him twice in an attempt to avoid being stabbed by another man who arrived with Davis.

The dispute occurred when Montouth discovered a minor injury on his daughter's back that she said came from Davis.

Miami, Florida

From Miami’s CBS4.com of May 4, 2006

Home Invasion Suspect Shot Dead By Neighbor

Second Suspect Captured
Third Suspect Remains On The Loose
Neighbor's Daughter Also Accidentally Hurt By Her Brother During The Commotion

A home invasion robbery has turned deadly for one of the bad guys, while a second suspect was captured and a third remains loose.

It all started around 10:45 p.m. Wednesday night the trio of armed home invaders knocked on the door of 15980 SW 76th Street in the community of Lago Mar. When the victim opened the door, the three armed men forced their way in with a gun to the victim’s head.

The victim’s girlfriend was in another room. When she realized what was going on, she quickly ran out of the back of the house with her cell phone and called police. Then she ran to her neighbor’s home for help.

That neighbor then grabbed a gun and ran next door to help. At some point however, he was confronted by the 3 armed suspects and there was an exchange of gunfire.

One suspect was hit and he died on the scene.

Another suspect was quickly captured by a MDPD K9 officer, but a third however, managed to elude police and is still at large.

Officers have also recovered at least one knife and several guns from the scene. It's evidence, police say, that was dropped by the suspects when they tried to getaway.

Tragically, when the neighbor ran out of his home with his gun, his son also ran out of the house to help while holding a butcher knife. The boy's 12 year old sister also ran out of the house and was accidentally cut by the brother holding the knife. She sliced an artery and was rushed to the hospital to undergo surgery.

Miami-Dade Homicide detectives are presently investigating this case.

Houston, Texas

From Houston’s KTRK of May 4, 2006

Man tries to rob friends while playing video games

The tables turned on a north Houston man who tried to rob his own friends.

Authorities say early Thursday morning the man found a gun inside his friend's apartment on Greens Parkway and held him and his guests at gunpoint. Two of the victims handed over their belongings, but the suspect dropped the gun.

The resident of the apartment then grabbed the gun and shot the suspect in the leg. The resident's girlfriend says it all started over a video game.

Tanelle Chase told Eyewitness News, "I was in the shower. My baby was asleep. He came in and he acted like he wanted to play the game or something. He picked up the gun and tried to rob them."

The suspect was taken to the hospital and he'll be charged with aggravated robbery. Police say the resident fired in self-defense. No one else was hurt.

Hot Springs, Arkansas

From the Texarkana Gazette of May 1, 2006

Hot Springs woman puts end to indecent exposure

It is not a good idea as a rule for a person to take the law into her own hands, but a Hot Springs, Ark., woman appears to have deterred some crime in her neighborhood with a flash from a gun. Problem is, she may have run afoul of the law herself.

Last weekend, a 37-year-old man turned up in the woman’s yard, exposing himself. The woman, 30, after repeated calls to police, fired a warning shot at the flasher. He jumped and fled, hitching up his drawers as he ran off.

He came back Sunday evening, this time dropping his pants, chunking stones at her windows and howling like a dog.

This time his victim took aim—well, maybe not perfect aim—and shot him in the leg.

That brought an end to his expose.

He took himself to a local hospital for treatment. He told law enforcement officials that he did not want to pursue charges against the shooter because he was in her yard and shouldn’t have been there.

Police, though, are required to forward the case to the local prosecutor for a determination on charges.

Perhaps the woman needs a little counseling about the actual circumstances in which self-defense is acceptable. But that’s all.

If police had showed up while the flasher was showing off, the woman might not have been tempted to end the unwanted peep show all by herself.

At least this guy is not likely to be showing up and out at the victim’s house again. That’s what law enforcement and judicial officials call a crime deterrent.

Clayton observes: The police are right, but barely so. The behavior of throwing stones and howling like a dog would give most rational people a reason to be afraid. This is exactly the sort of difficult case that a jury will decide, and they won't almost certainly decide in her favor.

Wauwatosa, Wisconsin

From TheMilwaukeeChannel.com of May 3, 2006

Police: Wauwatosa Business Owner Shoots Would-Be Robber

Two men tried to rob a tropical fish store on North Avenue in Wauwatosa Tuesday afternoon, but the store owner decided to fight back and fired a gun at the robbers.

An Aqua-Terra Aquarium employee told 12 News reporter Kai Reed that her boss was just opening up the store at noon when two men ran in and tried to rob the place.

Jessica Fohl wasn't there, but she heard the details during a phone call to her boss.

"He said, 'Somebody just came in the store and tried to rob me at gunpoint.' He said, 'Right now,' he said, 'Some guy ran, and I shot after him,' and he said. 'I have another person on the floor right now that I'm standing on and holding at gunpoint,'" Fohl said.

Fohl said the owner has kept a gun under the counter since he opened up the store 32 years ago.

Two stores across the street were held up last week. Several others have been targeted in the last year, 12 News reported.

Fohl said there would have only been $100 or less in drawer.

An 18-year-old was shot in the chest. He ran to a home nearby, where police captured him. He is in critical condition in an area hospital. The other teenager, 17, is in police custody.

From Milwaukee’s JSOnline.com of May 8, 2006
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Two teens charged in Tosa armed robbery

Two Milwaukee teens have been charged with armed robbery in last week's holdup of a Wauwatosa business that left one of the suspects in critical condition with a gunshot wound.

The Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office will not be charging the 52-year-old store employee who shot the robber, saying he acted in self-defense.

Charged in the May 2 holdup of Aqua-Terra Aquariums, 6410 W. North Ave., are Derrek M. Friday, 18, of the 6600 block of N. 51st St.; and Victor Allen Boyd, 17, of the 5900 block of N. 68th St., both in Milwaukee.

Friday faces a second count in connection with the armed robbery of the All Africa Market & Beauty Supply store across the street at 6421 W. North Ave. on April 28.

The aquarium shop holdup was the fourth armed robbery at a business along that stretch of W. North Ave., known as the East Town Business District, since April 19.