Saturday, April 30, 2005

Danville, Indiana

From the Indianapolis Star of April 30, 2005
Jury acquits woman of attempted murder

A Hendricks County jury has acquitted a woman accused of attempting to murder her estranged girlfriend.

After a two-day trial and three hours' deliberation, jurors Thursday night found Cheryl Mize, 47, not guilty of attempted murder. However, the jury found Mize guilty of invasion of privacy and battery, both misdemeanors.

Hendricks Superior Court Judge David Coleman has set sentencing for 2:30 p.m. May 24.

According to court documents, Mize was arrested and jailed without bond shortly after violating a Marion County-issued restraining order prohibiting her from approaching Marie Dean.

Dean and her then-girlfriend, Janet Lee, noticed a 2004 white Chevy Malibu parked near their driveway in the 10000 block of East Eagle Eye Way on Feb. 19. The documents say Mize jumped out of the car, got into a scuffle with Lee, then lunged at Dean with what was described as a pair of hedge clippers.

Dean shot Mize three times. She told investigators Mize yelled, "I'm going to kill you."A bond hearing is set for 2:30 p.m. Tuesday to determine whether Mize can be released from jail.

"The prosecutor presented the case well," said Mize's Indianapolis-based attorney, David Seiter. "But ultimately the jurors found that there was reasonable doubt that my client had the intent to kill even though she had been violating the protective order."

Friday, April 29, 2005

Nashville, Tennessee

From the Nashville Commercial-Appeal of April 29, 2005
Store owner shoots robber, police say

A man was wounded yesterday when he tried to rob a Nashville market, Metro police said.

Ralph W. Fleming, 35, of 210 Old Hickory Blvd., broke the front glass door and demanded all the money at the Lewis Country Store, 5106 Old Hickory Blvd., police said.

Store owner Brad Lewis thought Fleming had a gun, police said, so Lewis pulled a pistol and shot Fleming, wounding him in the right arm and right leg.

Fleming attempted to flee but collapsed nearby. He was treated at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Arrest warrants charging attempted aggravated robbery and burglary were issued in the case.

Thursday, April 28, 2005

Columbus, Ohio

From Columbus’ NBC4i.com of April 28, 2005
Police: Shots Fired After Man Fights Off Intruders Inside Home

Pair Allegedly Broke Into House

Police continue to search for the people who on Thursday morning broke into a home on the city's northeast side, NBC 4's Elizabeth Scarborough reported.

According to police, a couple was inside a home on Gatewood Court with their two children when two or three people came into the house and started shooting.

The parents of the children fought back, and police said one of the intruders was hurt, Scarborough reported.

Police said a 9-month-old child was inside the home, along with a 4 ½-year-old brother.

The parents, who are boyfriend and girlfriend, were in a bathroom at the time of the shooting, Scarborough reported.

Early reports indicated that the criminals entered the house through a back door and began shooting. One of them might have been wearing a security uniform, Scarborough reported.

Either the boyfriend or girlfriend returned fire, Scarborough reported. One bullet went through the wall into a next-door apartment, Scarborough reported.

At least one of the intruders was hurt, but they fled the home, police said.
Houston, Texas

From Houston’s Click2Houston.com of April 28, 2005
Wrecker Driver Opens Fire On 2 Men

Man Tells Police Men Tried To Steal Truck

A wrecker driver opened fire Thursday morning outside a southwest Houston restaurant after he said two men tried to steal his truck.

Police said the wrecker driver claimed the two men jumped into his tow truck at about 12:30 a.m. when he stopped at a restaurant on Richmond at Fondren.

The wrecker driver told police that was when he pulled out his gun and shot at the men. Neither man was injured.

Police questioned the wrecker driver and the two men but did not arrest anyone.
Nashville, Tennessee

From Nashville’s WSMV.com of April 28, 2005
Store owner shoots suspected robber

A suspected robber is recovering at Vanderbilt Medical Center after being shot by a store owner who is also a former Army Ranger. The incident happened in Scottsboro at a family run country store.

Owner Brad Lewis, his fiancee, and another clerk were working late checking inventory when they heard a crash at the front door of their business around 1am.

The owner's brother says Brad tried to protect his loved ones.

"[Brad came out and saw] the perpetrator who had made his way into the store. He had a hood over his head, hands in pocket and told Brad to give him all his money. At that point Brad feared for his life, and that's when he started firing,” said Bryan Lewis, Owner's brother.

Police say convicted felon Ralph Wade Flemming was hit twice, once in the leg and once in the arm. He ran across the street where he collapsed. He was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Flemming is familiar with police having been arrested 69 times in Davidson County. Police say he may not have been working alone.

"We have not found a car, and we don't know if he walked or was dropped off. Maybe someone was waiting on him and heard the shots and fled,” said Metro Detective Robert Swisher.

Police say the store owner had a permit for his handgun and will not be charged. His brother says it is the first incident at the store since opening in February. Just a few hours after the shooting, the store was back open for business.

Wednesday, April 27, 2005

Reno, Nevada

From the Reno Gazette-Journal of April 26, 2005
Newspaper carrier shoots teenager who tried to steal his vehicle, authorities say

A 17-year-old shot by a newspaper carrier after allegedly trying to steal his delivery vehicle also is suspected of being involved in two separate shootings 48 hours apart.

The teenage boy, whose name was not released because he is a minor, is being treated at Washoe Medical Center for a gunshot wound to his stomach and two to his arm, Reno police said.

What started the boy’s wild weekend ride was a fight about 11:45 p.m. Friday at the Frog Pond Bar, 1601 Lewis St.

Lt. Ron Donnelly said the friend of the boy fought in the bar about a woman. The fight spilled into the parking lot, he said, and the boy allegedly fired shots into the air and at the man’s vehicle, damaging its windows. The boy and his friend fled.

Gang-related fight

About 2:15 a.m. Sunday two groups of people had a gang-related fight at a downtown Reno bar, Donnelly said. The boy is suspected to have been involved.

Shortly after at a downtown parking garage, the groups shot at each other and drove away in two vehicles: a silver sports utility vehicle and red pickup.

Donnelly said the groups continued to shoot at each other as they drove throughout the city. The pickup struck the SUV, causing the engine to ignite and disabling it. The occupants of both vehicles fled.

About 4 a.m., the 17-year-old’s parents called police and said he dropped off the red pickup in their driveway and it was laden with bullet holes, Donnelly said.

Thirty minutes later, Jonathan Hafalla, 34, an independent contractor, was filling newspaper boxes in the 1300 block of Carville Drive with copies of the Reno Gazette-Journal. He had left the engine running while he filled the boxes.

Tried to drive away

Donnelly said the 17-year-old got inside Hafalla’s vehicle and tried to drive away. Hafalla, who has a permit to carry a concealed weapon, fired at the vehicle and commanded the boy to stop. At one point, the boy put the vehicle in reverse, nearly striking the man, Donnelly said.

The boy was shot three times. He stumbled out of the vehicle and Hafalla held him at gunpoint while police were en route, Donnelly said. Hafalla has not been charged with a crime.

Donnelly said when the teen is released from the hospital he will be arrested on felony charges related to the attempted theft of Hafalla’s vehicle and possible charges from the other shootings.
Savannah, Georgia

From the Tallahassee Democrat of April 27, 2005
Police: Woman stops rape by shooting attacker

A woman who was being raped ended the assault by shooting her attacker, police said.

The woman told officers she was sitting in a car with her boyfriend Monday night when two men came up to the parked car with a handgun and ordered them out of the car, according to a Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police report.

The two men took a purse and wallet from the couple and then approached the woman. They ripped her pants off and began sexually assaulting her, the report said.

But when one of the men put his gun down, the woman grabbed it and fired four shots. One of the shots struck one of the attackers in the neck, causing him to fall over.

The woman and her boyfriend jumped back into their car and drove off. The men followed and, using the gun, broke the car's rear windshield, the report said.

But the couple got away and went to a home where they called police.

Officers later found Eric Easterling bleeding on a porch.

Easterling, 20, was taken to a hospital and faces charges of armed robbery and sexual assault-related charges, said police spokesman Sgt. Mike Wilson.

Police said they were still looking for the second suspect, whom Easterling said was his brother.

The woman was treated and released at a hospital.
Aiken, Georgia

From the Augusta Chronicle of April 27, 2005
Burglary suspects are shot

The Aiken County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday that it will seek warrants for the arrest of two Trenton men in connection with a convenience store burglary Monday night.

Efrem L. Nipper, 37, of Jacob Mackie Road, and Trah Best, 25, of Lloyd Road, face charges of second-degree burglary, sheriff's Lt. Michael Frank said in a news release.

Robert McFerrin, the owner of Twin Lakes Food Mart at 1230 Bettis Academy Road, shot both men with a shotgun after they kicked open the front door of the store and tried to remove seven cases of beer at about 10:45 p.m., police said.

"The store owner has a butler's building directly beside his store where he stays at night and heard the men go running by," Lt. Frank said.

Deputies found one of the men lying on the ground near the store. He had been shot in the left shoulder, Lt. Frank said.

The Aiken Bloodhound Team traced the second man to a car that he had driven to Edgefield County. The man had called 911 to report that he had been shot, police said.

Tuesday, April 26, 2005

Houston, Texas

From Houston’s KHOU.com of April 13, 2005
Store clerk helps capture attempted robbers

A store clerk's quick thinking helped Houston police capture two men who tried to rob his convenience store.

The two suspects went into the store on Centerwood and the East Freeway around 11 p.m. Tuesday.

Police said the clerk was shot in the shoulder. But he somehow grabbed his own gun, distracted the suspects by shooting in the air, then pistol-whipped one of them.

A second clerk called police from a back room.

The clerk and one of the suspects were taken to Ben Taub Hospital. The other was arrested.

Monday, April 25, 2005

Nashville, Tennessesee

From Nashville‘s WSMV.com of April 25, 2005
Security guard shoots suspected robber

A suspected robber was shot early Monday morning in the chest by a security guard at the Welch Bend Apartments off Harding Road in South Nashville.

Police say the security guard was talking at 1:30am to some of the residents of the complex when a car load of people pulled into a parking lot.

Metro Police say Courtney Robertson, 18, got out of the car and walked up the security guard’s unmarked vehicle and started yelling, “Don't Move”. The guard then un-holstered his weapon.

"Robertson had no idea that the person who was seated in the vehicle was a security guard. Robertson kept looking at his accomplice, back and forth, to make sure he could control the entire situation. As he kept glancing back and forth, the security guard saw an opportunity, pulled his gun and actually opened fire on Robertson from inside the car through the windshield,” said Don Aaron, Police Spokesman.

Robertson was hit in the chest and two of the people with him in the car took him to Baptist Hospital. Those two men have fully cooperated with the police investigation and likely will not be charged.

Arrest warrants have been issued for Robertson including for aggravated assault and two counts of attempted aggravated robbery.

An accomplice who left the scene of the shooting is still at large. Robertson had to have surgery on his wounds Monday at Baptist Hospital.

Sunday, April 24, 2005

Lyons, Oregon

From Portland’s KOIN.com of April 24, 2005
Man Shot After Forcing Way Into Home

Victim Apparently Knew Woman Living There

Linn County detectives are investigating a fatal shooting early Sunday morning.

A home invasion in Lyons ended with the shooting death of the intruder.

Investigators say it all started when a woman called 9-1-1 to say that a man she knew was forcing his way into her home.

A man inside the home and the woman fought with the intruder. The intruder was eventually shot and killed.

Detectives are not releasing the names of the victim or the people involved until all of the parties can be identified.
Walker, Michigan

From Grand Rapids’ WOODtv.com of April 24, 2005
Home invasion ends when homeowner shoots robber

In Walker, police are investigating a break-in that ended with a homeowner shooting one of the robbers.

It happened at a home in the 1400 block of Wilson SW in Walker.

Police say the suspects broke into the home around 6:30 a.m. Sunday morning. The homeowner woke up, confronted them, shooting one suspect with a handgun.

Police say the suspects ran, and according to witnesses, dropped several items from the home along the way. Police are still looking for the intruders.

Saturday, April 23, 2005

Richmond, Virginia

From the Richmond Times-Dispatch of April 22, 2005
Ex-NFL player killed in city

Police say the former VUU standout was in dispute over a woman

Former Virginia Union University standout cornerback Michael Brim survived eight seasons in the violent world of the NFL before suffering a career-ending injury in 1995.

On Tuesday, his life ended in violence on a quiet, residential street in South Richmond after a shootout with another man.

Richmond police said yesterday that Brim, 39, had been involved in a dispute with Gary Miles, 42, over a woman.

Police found Brim about 10 p.m. with a fatal gunshot wound to the chest on the driveway of a home owned by Miles' brother. Miles was found behind the house with a gunshot wound to the leg. He was listed in serious condition yesterday at VCU Medical Center.

Investigators yesterday did not release details on the duration or specifics of the dispute over the woman. But police spokeswoman Cynthia Price said a preliminary investigation reveals that the fatal sequence of events began earlier in the evening at the American Karate Center on Huguenot Road in Chesterfield County.

She said Brim went to the center, where Miles works, and got into an argument. After the initial disagreement, Price said, Miles "got worried and decided to go see his brother," who lives on Pineway Drive near the Westover Hills neighborhood.

According to police, Brim followed Miles in his car to the house, and fired several times at him as he got out of his car. Miles, who police said was also armed, returned fire, police said, fatally wounding Brim with a shot to the torso.

When Miles' brother returned to his home, he saw both vehicles running and two wounded men on the ground, Price said.

Price said that as of yesterday, no charges have been filed in the case, which is under investigation and is being reviewed by the commonwealth's attorney's office.

Friday, April 22, 2005

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

From Oklahoma City‘s ChannelOklahoma.com of April 21, 2005
Teen Shot During Alleged Burglary Attempt

Second Teen Arrested; Police Still Looking For Man Who Fired Shots

Police said a teenage boy was shot Thursday when he and another teenager allegedly invaded a home.

Officers said the alleged burglary attempt happened at 1425 N.W. 105th St. on Thursday morning. According to police, the wounded suspect and his accomplice forced their way into the home but were fought off by a man inside, who fired shots at both teenagers.

Officers said the teenagers tried to break into the home for the second time in 10 days. The second teenager fled the scene but was eventually arrested on Thursday afternoon.

The suspects' names have not been released.

Homeowner LaSautee Nichols said she arrived home to find numerous police cars parked in front of her yard.

"I've never had a problem in this neighborhood before," Nichols said. "I've been here almost three years, and I've never had this kind of problem before. It's just shocking they tried it again."

Nichols said she was scared by the first break-in attempt and had asked two friends to watch the house while she was at work.

"I have an alarm, it's been set ... but I was just wanting to take extra precautions because I don't have any dogs or anything like that," she said. "So I've been having someone stay here while I'm at work, until I get home, and then they leave or whatever."

The person who shot the suspect could not be located on Thursday afternoon, police said. Nichols and a second man who was inside the home at the time of the shooting were cooperating with police.

(More)
Phoenix, Arizona

From The Arizona Republic of April 21, 2005
Reservist who held migrants at gunpoint won't be prosecuted

No criminal charges will be filed against an Army reservist who held seven undocumented immigrants at gunpoint this month at an Arizona rest stop.

Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas said Thursday that Sgt. Patrick Haab had the legal right to make a citizen's arrest because the man smuggling the immigrants into the country was committing a felony and the immigrants themselves were conspiring with the coyote to commit a felony.

Arizona law allows a private citizen to make a legal arrest if a felony has been committed and the citizen believes that the person he is arresting committed the felony.

"I do not want the message to go out that people can start rounding up illegal immigrants whether or not they think they're here legally, whether or not they know all the facts," Thomas said. "This is a very unusual case with a narrow set of facts and very unusual circumstances that allow Mr. Haab to avoid prosecution."

(More)

Thursday, April 21, 2005

Niagra Falls, New York

From Buffalo’s WKBW.com of April 21, 2005
Pizza delivery man fatally shoots robbery suspect

There are new details on a deadly late night shooting in Niagara Falls.

Niagara Falls Police tell us two suspects with a gun, attempted to rob a pizza delivery man on Pierce Avenue about 10 p.m. Wednesday.

The delivery man pulled out a gun and fatally shot one of the suspects at point blank range.

The second suspect took off on foot; he remains at large.

Although the shooting appears to be a case a self-defense, police are still investigating the case as a homicide.
From Buffalo’s WKBW.com of June 27, 2005
Jury declines to indict pizza delivery man for fatal shooting

A grand jury in Niagara County has declined to indict a pizza delivery man who fatally shot a 16-year-old boy during a robbery attempt in April. Police say the unidentified worker shot in self-defense, because Anthony Sheard attacked him in an alley and was carrying a fake gun.

Wednesday, April 20, 2005

Columbus, Ohio

From Columbus’ NBC4i.com of April 20, 2005
Police: Security Guard Shoots Gunman Outside Nightclub

Shooting Victim In Critical Condition

Police said a security guard shot and critically wounded a man outside a north side nightclub early Wednesday.

The shooting occurred at about 2:30 a.m. at Majestic Night Club & Lounge, NBC 4's Kyle Anderson reported.

Witness statements backed up the security guard's claims that the shooting was in self-defense, Anderson reported.

A patron was thrown out of the club by a security and allegedly returned with a gun, witnesses said.

"According to witnesses, he discharged a firearm into the air and made threats against the security officer," said Columbus police detective Michael Higgins.

Detectives said the security officer, who was armed, decided to shoot.

"The suspect had a weapon and actually fired it at him," said special duty guard Cornell McCleary. "He was given the opportunity three times to drop the weapon. He was about to engage the officer and the officer took him down.”

Monday, April 18, 2005

Montgomery, Alabama

From Montgomery’s WSFA.com of April 18, 2005
Man Fights Back Against Would-Be Robber

A Montgomery man fights back against a would-be robber... and wins.

Police say a deacon from Mount Olive Bapist went to the Normandale Compass Bank to deposit the church's offerings when a man approached him. The man then allegedly knocked the deacon down, took the money and started running away.

The suspect, however, was in for a surprise. The deacon was carrying more than a money bag to the bank... he was carrying a loaded gun. He began firing at the suspect, who slipped, fell to the ground and dropped the cash. When the robber went to retrieve the bag, the deacon threatened to shoot him if he touched it.

The suspect ran away.

Sunday, April 17, 2005

Prince George's County, Maryland

From Washington’s WTOPnews.com of March 31, 2005
Police Look for Victim Turned Shooter in Northeast

A would-be carjacking victim in Maryland turned the tables on his alleged attackers by pulling out a gun and shooting them.

The driver shot one teenager in the stomach, and had a bullet graze the face of the other.

Police in Prince George's County believe the carjacking attempt and shooting took place on Route 450. They believe the teens then drove to a Northeast D.C. housing project, where they claimed to have been shot during a robbery.

But investigators soon learned the truth.

Police spokesman Corporal Joe Merkel says both suspects are believed to be 16. A lot less is known about the shooter.

Among the things they want to know is exactly what happened -- and whether the gun is legal.
No subsequent stories about this incident were found.

Saturday, April 16, 2005

Charlotte, North Carolina

From the Charlotte Observer of March 3, 2005
Food Mart employee shoots, kills robber

A convenience store clerk who shot and killed a robber Wednesday night had a relative who was shot and killed while working at a different store a few months ago.

Around 11 p.m. Wednesday a clerk at Midtown Food Mart on Berryhill Road near the intersection of Freedom Drive shot and killed a suspected robber.

According to police, Jamie Mareno, 26, had just robbed the store when the clerk shot him. Mareno died on the way to the hospital. Investigators say so far the clerk has not been charged.

According to a police report, Mareno was armed with a handgun.

A clerk working at the store Thursday said the owner and his son were working during the robbery. He was not sure which one pulled the trigger.

He also told us about the relative who was shot during a robbery in January at the Midtown Food Mart on Shamrock Road. He said the relative died after spending a month in the hospital.

"They aren't hurting anyone. They're doing a good thing having a store in the neighborhood,” one regular customer of the store said Thursday. “With their uncle being shot, they're just fed up.”

"Who wants to be robbed? They could have been killed,” said customer Latoya Graham. “You can't trust people with guns."

Police are still looking for a suspect in the January incident where the clerk was shot and killed. It will be up to the DA to decide if charges should be filed in Wednesday’s shooting.
No subsequent stories about this incident were found.

Friday, April 15, 2005

Jacksonville, Florida

From Jacksonville.com of April 15, 2005
Westside store clerk shoots would-be robbery suspect

The 64-year-old mother of 10 reacted quickly to save her own life while working at Apple Gate Food Store.

Janet Grammer decided in an instant: Thursday wasn't her day to die.

So when a would-be robber burst into a Jacksonville convenience store shortly before 1 p.m. and fired two shots while demanding she clean out the cash register, the 64-year-old clerk and mother of 10 knew one thing.

"I figured either I was going to have to pull the trigger or I'd be dead," said Grammer.

So she did.

Faking a moment's hesitation, Grammer reached under the counter for a .38 special and came up firing, her first shot hitting the man in the chest at point-blank range.

The force knocked him down and jolted the gun from his hand, she said. As the man staggered for the door of Apple Gate Food Store at Wesconnett Boulevard and 105th Street, she fired two more rounds, police said.

The suspect left a trail of blood before running into nearby woods, authorities said.


The incident would have been the store's third robbery in two weeks without Grammer's quick thinking, said store owner George Rubboz.

"I'm telling you, she is the lady," he said.

Grammer said she's handled guns before, during a 10-year stint as a security guard years ago in Charleston, S.C. But she said never thought she'd have to use one, even after warding off a robbery about eight months ago while working at a store near Interstate 10.

"He was thinking I was old, I would give up the money," Grammer said of her assailant Thursday, while standing with her twin sister, Jenice Overstreet, near the crime scene.

"She's going to feel bad if this guy dies," Overstreet said, "but what's she going to do? It was her or him."

Thursday, April 14, 2005

Lauderdale Lakes, Florida

From Miami’s Local10.com of April 14, 2005
Clerk Shoots Would-Be Robber, Police Say

An employee turned the tables on a would-be robber Tuesday in Lauderdale Lakes, pulling out a gun and shooting the man, police said.

Police said the suspect was trying to rob a woman outside a liquor store on Oakland Park Boulevard when a store employee shot him in the arm.

The suspect initially got away, but police caught him later at a Lauderdale Lakes home.

Police said the suspect will be charged when he is released from Broward General Medical Center.
Georgetown, Kentucky

From the Lexington Herald-Leader of April 13, 2005
Man killed in Georgetown

Two are shot after going to man's door

Their faces hidden by bandannas, several men appeared on the front porch of a home on Elkhorn Meadows Drive late Monday, apparently with a plan to rip off the suspected drug dealer inside, police said.

Instead, one of the men was killed and another was hospitalized with gunshot wounds.

Authorities later found more than three pounds of marijuana inside the house, according to an arrest citation.

The shooting took place about 11:30 p.m. Monday at 186 Elkhorn Meadows Drive in the subdivision of the same name near the Georgetown bypass.

The man inside, Sammy C. Whitaker Jr., heard a knock, saw the men outside and grabbed a 9mm handgun before allowing the men inside, said Georgetown Police Capt. Scott Starns.

One of the men, Edwin Eugene Smith, 27, of Lexington, held a .22-caliber handgun. Moments later, Whitaker, 23, fired several times, mortally wounding Smith in the chest and striking another man, Richard T. Spencer, 28, in the abdomen and hand, Starns said. Police said Whitaker's shots appeared to be in self-defense.
From the Georgetown News-Graphic of April 19, 2006
Wounded suspect sues homeowner

A Lexington man police claim was shot while trying to rob a Georgetown man of drugs is suing the homeowner, citing issues of physical, mental and emotional anguish.

In a lawsuit filed April 10 in Scott Circuit Court, Richard T. Spencer, 29, is seeking an unspecified amount of money for what he alleges is suffering he has experienced as a result of being shot by Sammy J. Whitaker Jr. on April 11, 2005.

Spencer and Travis W. Hall, 25, also of Lexington, were both arrested and charged with first-degree robbery and first-degree burglary for trying to break into Whitaker's Georgetown home.

In the lawsuit, Spencer alleges that the incident was not a robbery gone bad as police have suggested, and instead claims he had been invited to Whitaker's home.

Georgetown police said that Spencer and Hall, along with Edwin Eugene Smith, 27, went to 186 Elkhorn Meadows Drive during the night, intending to rob Whitaker of marijuana and money they knew he kept inside his house.

The men, carrying guns with their faces covered with bandannas, then approached the house and met Whitaker at his front door, police said. Whitaker opened fire, striking Spencer in the hand and abdomen and hitting Smith multiple times in his upper torso, police said.

Smith, of Lexington, died a short time later at Georgetown Community Hospital, where he had been taken by Georgetown-Scott County EMS. Police said EMS was alerted to the scene after Whitaker, as well as several neighbors who heard the gunshots, made 911 calls.

With Hall driving, Spencer fled the scene and was dropped off near Blockbuster Video on South Broadway before a pizza delivery man drove him to the Georgetown hospital, police said.

In addition to Hall and Spencer's charges, Whitaker, 24, was arrested and charged with drug trafficking in connection with the more than three pounds of marijuana police confiscated from his home.

Due to the amount of drugs and the guns involved, the entire case was taken over by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Doug Robinson, an ATF agent involved with the case, said the entire matter is still pending in the federal court system in Lexington.

Whitaker was not charged with shooting Spencer or Smith, as police said he had been acting in self-defense at the time of the incident.

Spencer's lawsuit, however, alleges that Whitaker had shot him “intentionally, wantonly, recklessly and/or negligently,” constituting what he claims was “outrageous conduct and assault and battery.”

As a result of the shooting, Spencer has “suffered and continues to suffer physical, mental and emotional pain and anguish, bodily injury, wage loss and impairment of his ability to earn a living,” the lawsuit states.

Spencer is seeking an unspecified amount of punitive and compensatory damages from Whitaker in the lawsuit and is requesting a jury trial.
Charlotte, North Carolina

From Charlotte‘s WCNC.com of April 14, 2005
Man shot as he tries to deliver pizza

A delivery man was shot Wednesday night as he tried to deliver a pizza to a South Charlotte apartment.

Police said a Papa John’s delivery man pulled up to the Winter Woods apartments off Sharon Road and found a man with a gun waiting for him. The suspect asked for money and then shot the delivery man in the shoulder. The delivery man also had a gun and fired back at the suspect, but police do not believe the suspect was hit.

Wednesday, April 13, 2005

Rhea County, Tennessee

From Chattanooga’s WDEF.com of February 28, 2005
Rhea County Man Shoots and Kills Son-in-Law

No charges yet against a man accused of shooting and killing his son-in-law Sunday afternoon.

43-year old Roger Stone died from a shotgun blast to the chest.

TBI agents say Stone made threatening phone calls to James Blaylock.

When Stone showed up at his father-in-law's house, Blaylock allegedly shot him twice, possibly in self-defense.

The DA could decide to file charges, or have a grand jury review the case.
No subsequent stories about this incident were found.

Tuesday, April 12, 2005

Gresham, Oregon

From Portland’s KOIN.com of April 12, 2005
Gunfight Breaks Out In Street During Pot Robbery

Police are on the lookout for at least two suspects after shots rang out at the scene of a home invasion early Tuesday morning in Gresham.

It happened at a neighborhood near Southeast 176th and Division. After beating down a door, pistol whipping the homeowner and stealing his medical marijuana, the suspects were confronted by a neighbor with a gun.

You can see the bullet holes in siding and in windows, as well as chalk marks for the casings, left over from an early-morning gunfight between a group of armed suspects and the neighbor of a home they invaded.

"Kind of didn't feel right," the neighbor said.

The neighbor, who doesn't want to be identified, says his wife woke him up when she heard a crash. He grabbed his gun.

"I was toward the end of the driveway. They were running out at the end of that driveway. It was just the street length across from him. He was shooting right at me, so my instinct was to shoot back."


The suspects are described as black males in dark clothing who got away running north on 176th, dropping pieces of the stolen marijuana plants as they went.

While the victim and his neighbor escaped serious injury, the gunmen may not be so lucky. That's because one of them may have been shot as they were running away.

One suspect is described as a black man, 30-35 years old, 6 feet tall, wearing dark clothing, a black knit cap and possibly a mustache. The other suspect, also a black man, age unknown. He's about 5 feet, 10 inches tall, wearing a puffy ski jacket with a hood. There may be other suspects.
Charlotte, North Carolina

From the Charlotte Observer of February 22, 2005
(Free registration required)
Man fatally shot; police say his father fired gun

43-year-old is killed at home in northwest Charlotte neighborhood

A 43-year-old man with a bullet in his chest died on his sidewalk Monday morning, and police say his 79-year-old father pulled the trigger.

The shooting occurred about 10:15 a.m. after an argument between the two men in the home they shared on Eagle Peak Drive in the Pawtuckett neighborhood of northwest Charlotte, police said.

Frank James Sadler III, who was shot once, died soon after authorities arrived at the scene, said Charlotte-Mecklenburg police Detective Jason Kelly.

His father, Frank James Sadler Jr., was not taken into custody and had not been charged as of Monday evening, Kelly said. Instead, police said they are consulting with the district attorney's office before pressing charges.

Monday wasn't the first time the two men had fought, police said. On Jan. 11, the father called 911 and reported that he had been punched in the face, a police report states.

Police would not say what prompted the argument between the two on Monday morning. A man who answered the phone at the house in the afternoon declined to comment.

Both men lived at the home that the family owned since 1979, but the son had been gone for at least a few years when he served a five-year prison sentence. In 1996, he was found guilty of trafficking cocaine and was sent to prison, N.C. prison records show.

No subsequent stories about this incident were found.

Monday, April 11, 2005

Charlotte, North Carolina

From The Charlotte Observer of April 11, 2005
(Requires free registration)
Resident shoots masked intruder inside home

A man shot an armed intruder at his east Charlotte home Saturday night, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said, sending the masked man to the hospital. A man wearing a bandana on his face entered a home in the 6300 block of Montego

Drive near The Plaza through an unlocked door about 11:30 p.m., said Capt. Earl Mathis.Three adults and two children were home at the time, Mathis said. The suspect followed one of the residents into a bedroom to get money.

The resident shot the intruder multiple times, Mathis said. The intruder, whose identity police did not release, was rushed to a hospital for surgery. He was expected to recover, Mathis said.

The case remains under investigation, but as of Sunday evening no one had been charged.

Sunday, April 10, 2005

Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania

From Pittsburgh’s PittsburgLive.com of April 10, 2005
Home owner shoots intruder

A Hempfield man shot an intruder who invaded his home early Saturday, state police at Greensburg said.

The unidentified homeowner fired two warning shots before shooting Gregory R. Powell, 43, of Greensburg in the legs, police said.

The unidentified family --- a 37-year-old male, a 33-year-old female and 5-year-old and 8-year-old girls --- were not hurt in the 3 a.m. home invasion, Trooper Jared Slater said in a press release issued 13 hours after the incident.

Powell allegedly broke into the residence by using an iron fireplace poker and his fists to break out a pane of door glass. The family called police.

The homeowner, armed with a handgun, warned Powell not to enter the residence. According to police, Powell entered and charged at the man, who then fired two warning shots. After Powell continued to "menace" the man, he was shot in the legs, according to police.

Police said Powell then broke out another pane of door glass and escaped from the house. He was arrested at the scene and flown by medical helicopter to a Pittsburgh hospital for gunshot and laceration wounds. The extent of his injuries was unknown. Police did not say how many times Powell was shot.

After his release from medical care, police said, Powell will be arraigned on charges of burglary, felony criminal trespass, four counts of terroristic threats, simple assault, misdemeanor criminal mischief and misdemeanor possessing instruments of crime.

Friday, April 8, 2005

Rochester, New York

From the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle of April 8, 2005
Man acquitted of murder in gunfight

In its second day of deliberations, a jury Thursday acquitted a Rochester man of murdering another man in front of his home last year.

George Ellis, 37, of Fourth Street was found not guilty of second-degree murder and first-degree assault in connection with the April 23 shootings of Pacer Williams, 35, of Clifford Avenue, and Clarence Robinson Sr., 57, of Parsells Avenue. Williams died from his injuries.

Ellis, who testified at his trial, claimed he acted in self-defense. Ellis had been involved with an argument with tenants earlier in the night.

"The testimony was he was ambushed by the decedent's family," said defense lawyer Lawrence Kasperek. "Relatives of the tenants showed up after the altercation, and when he returned, he was fired upon."

Kasperek said witnesses reported multiple gunshots were fired. Ellis went inside and returned with a long gun and returned fire, he said. Ellis had been free on bail during his trial, which began March 28.
Macon, Georgia

From the Macon Telegraph of April 8, 2005
Police say liquor store clerk shot armed robber

When two men with shotguns held up the Big Daddy's Liquor store Thursday night on Napier Avenue, the clerk pulled a gun and fired as they ran away on foot with the money, police said.

About 10 minutes after the 7 p.m. robbery, police received a call about a person with a gunshot wound on Thomas Place, a few blocks from the store, according to a Macon Police Department news release.

Jarvis Williams, 20, received a gunshot wound to the torso and was lying in the front yard at 1057 Thomas Place, the release stated.

Williams was in critical condition Thursday night at The Medical Center of Central Georgia, the release stated.

While emergency crews responded to the shooting, Macon police detective Jim MacDonald was at the store learning more about what happened during the robbery.

The clerk leaned out the drive-through window, fired a few shots and hit one of the suspects, MacDonald said.

"He was in fear and that was the reason he fired," MacDonald said.

Thursday, April 7, 2005

Memphis, Tennessee

From the Memphis Commercial Appeal of April 7, 2005
Resident thwarts home invasion

Teenage suspect wounded in shootout

A resident of a Hickory Hill apartment thwarted a home invasion in a shootout Wednesday morning, Memphis police said.

The resident shot and wounded one of the robbers, a 16-year-old boy.

The suspect was in stable condition and police custody at the Regional Medical Center at Memphis Wednesday evening, police spokesman Sgt. Vince Higgins said.

The incident occurred mid-morning at the Stonebrook at Kirby Parkway Apartments, 6371 Winchester.

Higgins said the victim gave this account:

Someone knocked on the door of his apartment, 3706 Woody Lane.

When he looked through the glass and didn't recognize the three people outside, he walked to another room.

He heard glass breaking, got a gun and returned toward the door.

He found the three standing inside his apartment with a gun pointed at him.

The resident fired first, striking one suspect in the face. At least one of the other suspects fired back, but missed.

No charges had been filed late Wednesday, and police did not identify the robbers or resident.

Wednesday, April 6, 2005

Sacramento, California

From Sacramento‘s TheKCRAChannel.com of April 6, 2005
81-year-Old Shoots Alleged Intruder

An 81-year-old man apparently turned the tables on an intruder at his Sacramento home Wednesday morning.

The homeowner shot the man around 3:30 a.m., according to authorities. Officers said the homeowner confronted the man who was breaking into his house through the front window, grabbed a gun and shot the intruder in the leg.

The man ran off, but officers found him and arrested him, official said.

The would-be robber was taken to an area hospital.
Houston, Texas

From Houston’s Click2Houston.com of April 6, 2005
2 Robbery Suspects Shot In Store Shootout

1 Gunman Dead At Scene; 1 Wounded

An off-duty police officer and a manager at a southeast Houston pawnshop shot two gunmen during an attempted robbery, authorities told Local 2.

The Brookside Village police officer was working an extra job at the Magnolia Pawn Shop on Evergreen at Lawndale when four armed men tried to rob the store shortly after 2 p.m., officials said. Gunfire was exchanged and two of the suspected robbers were hit.

Investigators said one gunman died at the scene. Three others escaped, but one of them is believed to have received a gunshot wound to the stomach.

Blood, bullets and glass were scattered throughout the store, police tell Local 2.
Atlanta, Georgia

From Atlanta‘s WXIA11.com of April 5, 2005
Father Shoots, Injures Intruder

An Atlanta man says he shot an intruder into his home to protect his daughter.

Amos Evans said his home has been broken into three times over the last two months.

Evans said his home was again broken into Tuesday morning while his 7-year-old daughter was taking a bath.

“I heard some glass break and I thought maybe she fell or hurt herself in the bathroom, so I ran in there and when I looked to my left I saw this guy who had busted the glass and was coming through my apartment,” Evans said.

"I asked him to stop, he didn't stop, I ran in my room got my gun, cocked it, and got off one shot,” he said.

Atlanta police say the intruder fled after being shot in the chest. He was later found near Daniel and Gartrell streets.

Investigators said the shooting was justified and Evans will not face charges.
Laredo, Texas

From the Laredo Morning Times of April 6, 2005
Store owner shoots suspect

An attempted robbery at a grocery store in South Laredo late Monday left the suspected robber dead and a rescuer seriously injured.

Officials said 19-year-old David Rivera was dressed in black, had a handkerchief over his face and was armed with a rifle when he attempted to rob two women outside of a "beer run" drive-thru in the 3300 block of Santa Barbara. As the women were accosted, the owner of the El H-Evito grocery store next door ran outside to intervene.

Owner Manuel Garcia, 59, was shot in the left hip, but he managed to return fire from 10 feet away, hitting Rivera in the head, said County Court-at-Law Judge Jesus "Chuy" Garza.

Rivera, the son of Laredo police spokesman Juan Rivera, was pronounced dead at the scene by Garza.
San Antonio, Texas

From the San Antonio Express-News of April 6, 2005
Man shot outside his home

A 57-year-old man who was shot outside of his West Side home was in fair condition at University Hospital on Tuesday night.

The incident happened around 10:30 p.m. in the 1600 block of North Navidad Street.

The man was shot in the leg.

Police were searching for a maroon pickup that allegedly fled the scene, said San Antonio Police Department Sgt. Adolph Zuniga.

A woman inside the house reportedly returned fire. Police weren't sure if anyone in the pickup was hit.

Tuesday, April 5, 2005

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

From Milwaukee‘s TheMilwaukeeChannel.com of April 5, 2005
Would-Be Robbery Victim Not Charged For Shooting Man

A man visiting from Arkansas will not face any criminal charges for killing a Racine man in self-defense.

The 64-year-old has been released from jail.

Police said a group of young people tried to rob the man at a gas station on 12th and North Sunday morning.

They began beating the man with his cane, police said. That's when the Arkansas man grabbed his gun and shot 20-year-old Kendall Moss.
Hesperia, California

From the Victorville Daily Press of April 4, 2005
Burglar found by owner

An intruder trying to burglarize the gun safe of a Grandview Mobile Home Park resident met up with the homeowner outside — and fled after facing the business end of a revolver.

The resident was returning home around 5 p.m. when he heard a loud banging noise coming from inside his mobile home in the 8500 block of C Avenue, said Sgt. Larry Bowman, of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.

The homeowner grabbed a .38-caliber revolver he had stashed in his car and went to investigate, Bowman said. As he was rounding the kitchen corner he came upon a Hispanic man, about 15 to 20 years old, with a shaved head, wearing a gray sweat shirt, Bowman said.

"Basically they both ran into each other," Bowman said.

The intruder dropped his backpack and took off running, Bowman said. The homeowner pulled the trigger, firing several shots in the general direction of the fleeing burglar, he said. Deputies said they do not suspect the intruder was shot.

Monday, April 4, 2005

Shreveport, Louisiana

From Shreveport‘s KTBS.com of April 4, 2005
Fatal shooting ruled self-defense

An argument over a child left a Shreveport man shot to death Sunday night, police said.

Police concluded the shooting was in self-defense and no charges were filed.

Percy Davenport, 45, was killed during an argument that began over his 4-year-old grandniece, police said.

Police said the argument, which happened on the north edge of the city at Tower and Hawkins, was between Davenport and the child's father.

Davenport pulled two guns and came after the other man, who grabbed one of the guns and shot Davenport, police said.

The name of the man who shot Davenport was not released.
Adair County, Kentucky

From Lexington’s WKYT.com of April 4, 2005
Home Invasion Suspect Killed By Homeowner

State police say a fatal shooting in an Adair County residence will be turned over to a grand jury for investigation, but an indictment would appear unlikely.

Someone broke into the residence of Ozie and Evelyn Toole, 14 miles west of Columbia at 3am Sunday.

State police say Ozie Toole confronted the intruder and shot him. The Adair County coroner says 21-year-old Stephen Penn of Columbia died at the scene.

A police report says entry was gained through a broken window. Investigators say the same residence had been entered earlier in the day when the Tooles were not home and that Penn was also a suspect in that break-in.

Police tell 27 NEWSFIRST Penn had worked for the family and was a neighbor. Penn's family members think he was trying to steal prescription drugs.
Gastonia, North Carolina

From the Charlotte Observer of April 4, 2005
(Requires free registration)
Gastonia store owner kills intruder

Charlotte region sees several shootings of robbers, burglars

A 26-year-old Gastonia man with a long criminal history of break-in charges was scheduled to appear in court Tuesday.

But Tony Lee Long was killed early Saturday in what police described as a final -- and botched -- burglary attempt.

The owner of Mac's M&M Auto Parts shot Long about 6:40 a.m. Saturday, Gastonia police said, at the store in the 3000 block of West Franklin Boulevard. Police did not release whether Long was armed at the time.

The fatal shooting marks at least the fourth time within the past year in the Charlotte area that a store owner or clerk has killed a suspect who was allegedly trying to steal from a store. No one has been charged yet in any of the slayings.

They may not ever face charges. Such deaths are often deemed to be justified killings, meaning the clerks don't get charged because prosecutors decide they pulled the trigger to defend themselves.

Ambrose "Snookie" Nwosu is one who hasn't been charged. He shot and killed a man who police said shot at him during a Sept. 9 robbery attempt at Nwosu's southwest Charlotte convenience store.

Clerks and store owners are protecting themselves for a tragic reason: Sometimes clerks are shot and killed. Mehretab Woldeghebriel died Jan. 20 after being shot weeks before when a man tried to rob his Midtown Food Mart on Shamrock Drive at Eastway Drive.

Saturday, April 2, 2005

Chesterfield, Virginia

From the Richmond Times-Dispatch of February 21, 2005
Chesterfield man dies after shooting

Chesterfield County police are investigating the death of a 45-year-old county man found wounded Saturday night after a Chester resident reported shooting an intruder.

Police yesterday identified the man who died as Farley Todd Pickering of the 9800 block of Kendrick Road.

Pickering was found after police received a call Saturday about 7 p.m. from a resident of the 2900 block Warfield Ridge Terrace who reported shooting an intruder who had broken into the residence.

Pickering was found near the residence and was taken to VCU Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, police said.

County police said yesterday that the shooting was under investigation and that additional information about the incident would be made available today.
No subsequent stories about this incident were found.