Thursday, May 31, 2007

Dover, Kentucky

From the Maysville Ledger Independent of May 31, 2007
Woman, grandchildren safe after attack by family pet

Often described as man's best friend, when a family's pet German shepherd suddenly and viciously turned on a woman and her two grandchildren last week, they found that man's best friend can sometimes also be his worst enemy.

"I'm just thankful we're all living," said Sylvia Kabler, the grandmother who has been credited with saving her two grandchildren's lives by her quick action when the dog, named King, attacked them. "I just thank God we're OK."

Describing the events of May 24, when the attack occurred, Kabler said she had just arrived home with her two grandchildren, a boy and a girl, both 4 years old, when she noticed King had broken his collar and was roaming about the backyard.

Though the children wanted to go outside to play, Kabler said she encouraged them to stay inside while King roamed about. When it appeared the dog, who had played with the children on previous occasions, had settled down a bit, Kabler and the children stepped out onto the deck of the house.

Kabler ultimately let the children go into the yard to play, and eventually they drifted around to the side of the house, out of her view.

"They played about an hour or so," she said.

Kabler, who remained on the deck, called her sister as the kids played. Then, suddenly, the young boy reappeared, and informed his grandmother the dog was "bothering" the girl.

Kabler peered around the side of the house and saw her granddaughter on the ground, the dog on top of her. What ensued next was a vicious game of tug of war over the girl.

"I just dragged her over to the side of the car," Kabler said, while the dog continued to bite at the girl's legs, pulling on the child. Kabler said she yelled for her grandson to go in the house and close the door.

Kabler managed to get her granddaughter in the car, but could not close the door as the dog was pushing his way in through the opening. Her grandson came back out of the house armed with a fishing pole, with which he attempted to hit the animal.

"He yelled, 'grandma, get in,'" Kabler recalled.

King turned on the boy, clawing his back and biting his leg, but Kabler managed to get her grandson into the car along with the girl, blocking the dog's access to the children with her own body.

Kabler still could not get the car door closed, and King continued his attack on Kabler, biting her a number of times. At one point, Kabler said she thought she was going to pass out.

Kabler pried the dog's teeth open to gain a moment's relief from the bites on her leg, and noticed another pet dog, named Rocky, nearby. Kabler said she yelled for Rocky to help her.

While she is not sure what Rocky did, King did suddenly turn and begin to pursue that dog. Kabler slammed the car door shut, safe inside.

When the door slammed, King's attention was once again redirected at the car. Kabler said the dog climbed on the door and the windows, attempting to get inside.

At one point, the dog wandered away to get a drink of water, and Kabler said she attempted to retrieve the cell phone she had dropped when the attack occurred, but the movement of the door opening attracted the dog's attention.

Fortunately, the sister Kabler had been on the phone with when the attack occurred heard what was happening and drove to Kabler's home. When she arrived, Kabler shouted directions at her.

"I told her not to get out of the car," Kabler said. "And get someone."

The sister left the three still inside the car to find someone who could shoot the dog. Two men at Ranger Steel, identified by police as Josh Vice of Maysville and Jason Smoot of Flemingsburg, followed the woman back to the home with a handgun.

The first shot was fired through the open window of the truck the men were in. The second shot killed the dog.

(More)
Mesa, Arizona

From Phoenix’ AzCentral.com of May 31, 2007
Man shoots himself in foot during attack at motel

A man shot himself in the foot as he was defending himself from an attacker at a Mesa motel early Thursday, police said.

Police said a man went to a room at the Tails West Motel, 6205 E. Main St., about 2:30 a.m. looking for another man who he said owed him money.

During an altercation, the man in the room was pushed down onto a bed, where he reached over and grabbed a handgun and fired at the attacker. The first shot hit his foot, and the next two struck the attacker in the upper thigh and hand, police said.

The men were taken to hospitals.

Police plan to release the men's names sometime Thursday.
New Haven, Connecticut

From the New Britain Herald of May 31, 2007
New Britain man takes gun, bullet in left hand from attempted robber

A 32-year-old New Britain man was shot in the hand during an attempted robbery Tuesday in Newhallville.

The victim was identified as Walter Mills.

According to police, Mills and his brother were selling sneakers on Brewster Street when two gunmen pulled up in a car and ordered them to "run it."

One had a handgun and the other a shotgun or rifle.

When one of the gunmen tried to force the victim to the ground, however, Mills resisted and grabbed the gun, which discharged and struck him in the left hand, police said.

He nonetheless managed to disarm the gunman and tossed the weapon as the robbers fled.
Woodbridge, Virginia

From the Manassas Journal-Register of May 31, 2007
Man shoots suspected burglar

A suspected burglar was shot in the head Wednesday after police say the unknown man tried to break into a house in Woodbridge, according to Prince William County police.

The man, who police believe may be responsible for two burglary attempts at the house in the 1900 block of Old Post Terrace, fled from the scene after being shot, leaving a trail of blood, said Officer Erika Hernandez, Prince William police spokeswoman.

The first burglary attempt was around 8:45 p.m. Tuesday, Hernandez said. Police responded to the house and found that a rear window had been tampered with.

Then around noon Wednesday, police say a man tried to break into the same residence by breaking the window that had been tampered with the day before, Hernandez said.

Police said the homeowner fired a handgun at the burglar, striking him in the head, Hernandez said. When police arrived, the burglar was gone.

The burglar is described as a thinly built white man in his early 20s, with blond hair who is approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs about 160 pounds.

The victim was not injured during the incident, Hernandez said, adding that at this time no charges have been brought against the homeowner.

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Gladewater, Texas

From the Tyler Morning Telegraph of May 30, 2007
Man Found Dead After Dispute Turned Deadly

Smith County Sheriff deputies are investigating a dispute that turned deadly after one man allegedly threw tools at another at a home near Gladewater.

Smith County Sheriff Sgt. Randy Meadows said the shooting occurred in the 22100 block of County Road 374 about 12:30 Saturday morning and left a 40-year-old man dead.

"We got a call that there had been a shooting and when deputies arrived they found George Edward Hill dead at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds," he said.

Meadows said detectives at the scene saw evidence of a struggle, including a sling blade that was stuck in the wall.

"It appears at this time that Hill showed up at the home and began arguing with David Allen McBride and then began throwing tools at him," he said.

Meadows said Hill was throwing different types of tools and McBride reported he feared for his life and armed himself with a handgun and fired multiple shots striking Hill.

"Right now it appears to be self-defense, but the investigation is ongoing," he said. "No charges have been filed at this time."

There was no indication to motive for the argument or why Hill began throwing items at McBride.
From the Rosenberg Herald Coaster of June 1, 2007
Apparent home invasion results in fatal shooting

An apparent attempted robbery and home invasion turned deadly early Friday morning when a gunfire exchange between the victim and a suspect left the victim dead in front of his home.

The shooting occurred around 3 a.m. in the 5900 block of Beaconridge, in Houston in east Fort Bend County, where officers with Houston Police Department found the 32-year-old victim dead from a gunshot wound.

A full report from HPD was not available at press time, but a report published by the Houston Chronicle indicates that three suspects tried to enter the home. Shots were reportedly fired by both parties. Two residents escaped through the back door.


From the Houston Chroniclen of June 1, 2007
Man shot dead at home by intruders

A 33-year-old man was fatally shot early Friday at his southwest Houston home, police said.

Police found the body of David Andrew Johnson just inside the front door of his residence at 5934 Beaconridge about 3 a.m..

Witnesses told investigators they opened the door after hearing a knock and were confronted by two men who began shooting.

A witness inside the residence was able to return fire before locking the door, but the suspects forced their way into the house and shot Johnson before leaving in a green four-door vehicle, possibly a Ford Taurus or Pontiac Grand Am with tinted windows, police said.
Cape Coral, Florida

From the Bonita Daily News of May 29, 2007
Cape Coral couple tries to cope after attack at their home

Jacob Seckler keeps a gun in his pocket when he mows the lawn. He keeps a gun in his pillowcase when he tries to sleep, but the shadows dancing across the bedroom walls keep him awake.

“I’m strictly against guns. I never wanted them in the house,” said Seckler. “Now I wouldn’t be in the house without a gun.”

Seckler’s stance on guns changed the morning of May 16. He was mowing his lawn when he turned around and saw two 20-year-old men standing behind him. Seckler said one of the men was pointing a gun at his head.

After Seckler, 50, raised his hands to the sky, the two men pushed him past the garage toward the front door of his home in northeast Cape Coral. They held him at gunpoint and said they were getting into his house no matter what.

A struggle ensued at the front door. Seckler refused to let the men inside and they beat him over the head with the pistol and their elbows and fists. One of the men bit Seckler’s back. Seckler’s fiancĂ©e, Elizabeth Kachnic, 37, said she heard screaming and the door slam repeatedly.

“I don’t know what happened to me,” said Seckler. “I was so scared. I’m not crazy like that, but I knew I had to do something.”

The gun was pressed against Seckler’s temple. He said he pushed the assailant’s hand down and the gun fell to the ground. Seckler said he screamed for Kachnic to call 911 as he and the two men scrambled for the weapon.

“I got the gun. I just turned around and shot,” said Seckler. “If they did not come here with a gun, they would be alive. It’s their fault.”

He fired every bullet in the clip. One of the men, John Patrick Moore Jr., was hit as he sprinted across Seckler’s driveway. He stumbled to the edge of the street and died.

Police say Moore’s accomplice, Damion Jordan Shearod, fled when they lost control of the gun. Seckler said Shearod was hiding in the garage or the side of his home and appeared after the gunfire ceased and ran to a car parked in the street outside Seckler’s residence.

Police say Moore’s 19-year-old girlfriend, Jazzmyne Carrol-Love, was waiting behind the wheel and the two sped away.

Seckler had just killed a man. He hadn’t held or fired a gun since he was 18 years old and serving in the German Army. Even then, he was only aiming at practice targets.

“I was crying, screaming and hurting,” said Seckler, a large man who became tearful while recounting the shooting. “If they would have gotten in they would have killed us both. Everybody says I did the right thing, but it feels so bad. I killed another person.”

(Much More)
Albany, Vermont

From Burlington’s WCAX.com of May 30, 2007
Man Arrested After Albany Shooting

A man is facing charges, after he was shot.

Police say 31-year-old Eric Kelley, of Stowe, broke into his estranged wife's house in Albany and assaulted her and her brother.

During the scuffle, Kelley was shot and suffered minor injuries.

He was the only one charged in the case.
From the St. Johnsbury Caledonian-Record News of May 31, 2007
Stowe Man Released After Shooting Incident

A Stowe man pleaded innocent Wednesday to domestic and simple assault charges in Orleans District Court after being shot in Albany.

Eric Kelley, 31, was still clad in a hospital gown and bound in chains when he stood before Judge Christina Reiss.

Police said Kelley was shot after he tried to break into his estranged wife's home in Albany and attacked her brother and father.

He had been treated at North Country Hospital in Newport City after police said he was shot and grazed Tuesday morning when a side-by-side shotgun went off. The gun had been held by David Croteau, the father of Kelley's estranged wife Dawn, police said.

Police did not say whether Croteau tried to shoot Eric Kelley or whether it went off by accident when Kelley knocked Croteau down.

Kelley pleaded innocent to felony unlawful trespassing into an occupied dwelling, and misdemeanor charges of domestic and simple assault and unlawful mischief.

Orleans County sheriff's deputies released Kelley after he signed conditions of release, including that he not contact or harass Dawn and her family members, including mother, Cindy Croteau, and brother Douglas, records show.

Reiss also ordered Kelley to obey family court orders and not be cited for any other criminal complaints.

(More)

Monday, May 28, 2007

Salt Lake City, Utah

From the Salt Lake Tribune of May 23, 2007
Shots fired during burglary

A man shot at a burglar who entered his apartment Tuesday night.

Police said a man dressed in black broke into an apartment, at 1100 South block of 200 East, about 11:20 p.m. and told a man inside he would kill him. The resident, who was watching television at the time, tussled with the burglar in the living room and broke free, authorities said.

The resident went to the bedroom and grabbed a gun, shooting three times as the burglar ran away, said police.

The burglar appeared to get away unscathed, police said. He was described as white, in his 20s, 5 feet, 10 inches tall and wearing black shorts, a black shirt and a black hat.
Unicoi County, Tennessee

From Bristol’s TriCities.com of May 28, 2007
Unicoi shooting ruled justifiable

Unicoi County authorities have just ruled a Sunday shooting death as a justifiable homicide.

Early Sunday morning, Nathan Gouge, a homeowner on Dexter Gouge Road, shot and killed 39-year-old Clarence Hyder. Gouge told authorities that Hyder had pointed a gun at his head so he shot the man in self defense, Unicoi County Sheriff Kent Harris said.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation assisted in this investigation.

According to Hyder’s family, the man had served in Iraq with the Tennessee National Guard last year. He recently had returned to Tennessee.
Houston, Texas

From the Houston Chronicle of May 28, 2007
Man fatally shot by bar owner in alleged robbery attempt

A man was fatally shot by the owner of a north Houston business he was allegedly attempting to rob Sunday night. Police were called to the 5800 block of Fulton around 10:30 p.m. and discovered the body of a man, dead from multiple gunshot wounds to the torso. An automatic weapon was nearby.

The owner of the bar told police that he confronted the man, who he believed to be a burglar, and the two exchanged gunfire. Witnesses told police that four shots were fired, said HPD Homicide Sgt. Ramiro Lozano. The owner of the business was not injured and the incident remains under investigation.


From Click2Houston of May 28, 2007
Police: Bar Owner Shoots, Kills Robber

A man suspected of trying to break into a north Houston bar was shot and killed by the bar owner, police told KPRC Local 2 Monday.

Investigators said a man armed with an automatic handgun tried to break into Trappers Sports Bar, located on Fulton Street, at about 10:30 p.m. when the owner spotted him outside and opened fire.

The robbery suspect died at the scene from multiple gunshots. The owner was not injured. He was taken into custody for questioning.

Sunday, May 27, 2007

Jackson, Mississippi

From Jackson’s WJTV.com of May 27, 2007
One Dead, One Injured, Two on the Run After Convenience Store Robbery

It happened just before 2:00 a.m. Sunday morning at the Super Seven gas station located at 4564 Bullard Street. According to police, the four suspects entered the store. Two were carrying shotguns and the other two were carrying pistols. Two of the suspects began tussling with the clerk. Eventually, the clerk pulled out his own handgun and began shooting at the suspects. 17-year-old Deonta Thomas was shot in the chest. He died on the scene. 16-year-old Ryaneal Campbell was shot in the leg. He is recovering at U.M.C. and will eventually be charged with armed robbery. The store clerk does not face any charges. The other two suspects fled the scene on foot. They were wearing masks to partially conceal their faces.
From the Jackson Clarion-Ledger of May 27, 2007
Store clerk kills teen, wounds another in Jackson robbery

One suspected robber was killed and another wounded during a robbery of a store early this morning, according to a Jackson Police Department news release.
Four men entered the store at 4564 Bullard St. about 1:15 a.m. Two of the suspects were carrying pistols and two were carrying shotguns. There were two clerks and no customers in the store at the time.

A tussle occurred between one of the clerks and two of the suspects. The clerk was able to take one of the pistols away from a robber and the suspects tried to flee.

One of the clerks then produced a large-caliber handgun of his own and opened fire, hitting two of the suspects, the release said.

Deonta Thomas, 17, of Jackson was pronounced dead at the scene from a gunshot wound to the chest. The second wounded suspect was identified as Ryaneal Campbell, 16, of Jackson, who suffered a gunshot wound to his right leg.

The other two suspects left running on foot and are still at large.

Campbell was taken to the University of Mississippi Medical Center. He will be arrested on suspicion of armed robbery of a business when he gets released, according to JPD.

No charges are being brought against the store clerks, the release said.

Money taken in the robbery was recovered at the scene. There is security video of the incident but it has not been made public.

Saturday, May 26, 2007

North Side, Arizona

From the Tucson Citizen of May 26, 2007
March 3 slaying ruled justifiable homicide

The County Attorney's Office has deemed the March 3 fatal shooting of a 21-year-old-man by a near North Side resident justifiable and no charges will be sought in the case, authorities said.

Killed was Charles Alvin Eisner, police said. Sgt. Decio Hopffer, a Tucson police spokesman would not name the man who shot Eisner because the shooter has not been charged with a crime.

Eisner was shot before dawn after the occupant of a home near East Fort Lowell Road and North First Avenue heard noises in the carport, went to investigate and spotted a stranger in the carport, said Rick Unklesbay, chief trial counsel for the County Attorney's Office.

Unklesbay said the resident went back into the house to put on clothing and when he turned around he found the stranger had rushed into the darkened home and the resident shot the intruder.

A review of the police investigation lead to a determination the shooting was a justifiable homicide and the decision was made this month not to seek charges, Unklesbay said. The shooting was immediately reported to police by the resident, Unklesbay said.
Cleveland, Ohio

From NewsNet5 of May 24, 2007
Man Shoots Pit Bull When It Tries To Attack

A man was attacked by a pitbull on the city's east side Thursday morning before a gas station owner shot the dog.

The attack happened at East 55th Street and St. Clair Avenue.

Gas station owner Steve Daymut said he saw two pit bulls were walking unleashed near the busy intersection and one of the dogs got hit by a car.

He wanted to help the dogs, but when the uninjured dog seized a passerby, Daymut ran back to the station and grabbed his 9 mm handgun. He shot the pit bull as it started to come toward him.

The passerby was taken to an area hospital with injuries to his arm. His condition is not known.
North Miami, Florida

From the Miami Herald of May 26, 2007
North Miami puts the breaks (sic) on suspects' getaway

After a customer wrestled a gun away from a convenience store robber, an unlikely figure foiled the getaway: North Miami Mayor Kevin Burns.

The gunman, wearing a dark blue bandanna over his face, walked into the market at Northeast 14th Avenue and 129th Street about 4 p.m., police say.

After a customer tackled and disarmed him, he ran outside and jumped into a waiting gray Chrysler or Dodge with two other men.

Burns, reelected last week, was driving to City Hall when he saw the scene unfold.

For 10 minutes, he followed the car, trying unsuccessfully to dial 911. The robbers, aware they were being followed by his Secret Service-esque black SUV, abandoned their car behind North Miami's Jewish Community Center, 735 NE 125th St.

''I was just trying to get a tag number,'' said Burns, who said he never went above the speed limit.

The men ran away.

(More)

Friday, May 25, 2007

Los Angeles, California

From Los Angeles’ KABC.com of May 25, 2007
Ryan O'Neal Won't Face Criminal Charges

Prosecutors declined Friday to charge Ryan O'Neal with assault with a deadly weapon for firing a gun during a brawl with his older son earlier this year.

There was insufficient evidence "to prove this case to a jury beyond a reasonable doubt," said a report from the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office.

"Witnesses gave, in different interviews, conflicting stories" of what happened during the brawl, said Jane Robison, a spokeswoman for the district attorney's office.

Mark Werksman, O'Neal's attorney, said prosecutors did the right thing by declining to pursue the case.

"It's a tremendous relief for Mr. O'Neal to have this resolved favorably in this manner," said Werksman, claiming his client acted in self-defense.

O'Neal, 66, was arrested at his Malibu home Feb. 3 for investigation of assault with a deadly weapon and negligent discharge of a firearm. He was freed on a $50,000 bond.

The actor has said he fired a warning shot to scare his 42-year-old son, Griffin O'Neal, who had attacked him with a fireplace poker.

He said his son lashed out at him during a fight, but he ducked and the poker struck Griffin O'Neal's pregnant girlfriend, Joanna Berry. She needed stitches for a facial cut, her attorney has said.

Werksman said Ryan O'Neal suffered bruises to his arms and legs when he was struck several times.
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

From the May 25, 2007 Oklahoman:
A convenience store clerk is in good condition at a local hospital after being shot during a robbery attempt in northwest Oklahoma City this morning, a police spokesman said.

The suspect is also thought to have been shot, police Sgt. Paco Balderrama said. The suspected robber is in police custody after calling for paramedics shortly after the attempted heist.

Police have not released the identities of either the clerk or the robber.

About 2:15 a.m., police responded to the 4 Seasons Gas & Food at northwest 63 and Santa Fe, where the clerk at the store had been shot in the chest and left hand by a robber, Balderrama said.

The suspect ran, but the clerk told police he had shot the robber before the man left the store. A short time later, the suspected robber called for medical help about a gunshot wound from 6316 W Wilshire Blvd., Balderrama said.

The man was taken to a hospital and is currently in police custody. Police think he is responsible for the robbery, Balderrama said.
Charlotte, North Carolina

From Charlotte’s WBTV.com of May 25, 2007
Northeast Charlotte Attempted Robbery

Police are investigating an attempted armed robbery in northeast Charlotte.

Officers tell us a man walked into a Circle K / 76 gas station just before two o'clock Friday morning with a shotgun. This is on the Plaza at Harris Boulevard.

Police say the man and the clerk got into a scuffle and the clerk took the shotgun away from the man. The man then took off but he was empty handed.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

From Winston-Salem’s WXII12.com of May 24, 2007
Police: Clerk Holds Robbery Accomplice At Gunpoint

Police said a convenience store owner held a burglar's accomplice at gunpoint Thursday after an armed robbery at his store.

Authorities said a man entered a Shell station on University Parkway at about 5:11 a.m. and demanded money. After he received an undisclosed amount of money, the culprit demanded money from the safe, police said.

The owner, James William Overby, retrieved a handgun from a concealed location and pointed it at the culprit, according to Winston-Salem police. A short struggle ensued and the culprit fled on foot, police said.

Overby then encountered a second culprit waiting in the suspect vehicle and ordered him to the ground, according to police. Overby detained that person until police arrived.

The investigation is still under way.

Overby wasn't injured.
Richland County, South Carolina

From Columbia’s WLTX.com of May 24, 2007
Suspect Pulls Gun on Clerk, Clerk Pulls Gun on Suspect

Richland County deputies are looking for a man they say robbed a food store on Longcreek Drive.

The robbery took place May 13 around 1 p.m. at the Food Fare on Longcreek Drive.

According to deputies, the suspect came in the store and attempted to rob the clerk. Deputies say the suspect pointed a gun at the employee and demanded money. Deputies say the victim refused, and instead pulled a gun on the suspect, who then ran from the store.

On the surveillance video, the suspect can be heard asking for cigarettes, then demanding the clerk to "give me the (expletive) money." The clerk responded, in part, by saying, "I'll shoot your (expletive)."
Tuscaloosa, Alabama

From the Tuscaloosa News of May 24, 2007
Armed clerk thwarts robber

A masked man’s robbery attempt was thwarted Tuesday night when his intended victim pulled a gun on him, police said.

At 9:23 p.m., a man armed with a gun and wearing a mask entered Winston’s Mini-Mart in the 2500 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and demanded money from the clerk at gunpoint, according to police.

Police said the clerk, who was behind a bulletproof glass window, refused the man’s demands and pulled out a gun of his own.

Police said the robber ran from the store in an unknown direction.

Nothing was taken, and no one was injured.

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Murray, Utah

From Salt Lake City’s KSL.com of May 22, 2007
Pharmacist Wards Off Robber with Gun

A thief handed a note demanding Oxycontin over the counter of a Murray pharmacy, but the pharmacist had a surprise under the counter.

"I just pulled a gun on him and said 'get out of here," Rod Dunn tells KSL. Pharmacist Rod Dunn is tired of getting robbed for pills, and he's not going to take it any more, so he used a gun to protect his pharmacy and employees.

It happened at Millcreek Pharmacy, a family-owned and run business. The man who tried to rob them quickly learned not to mess with this pharmacy.

Rod Dunn has been robbed before, he says, about 20 times. It's why he made the counters tall and deep and the enclosures high. "So we can just step this way and we'll be out of their sight," he said.

It's also why he has a gun. Just over a week ago, he pulled it out on Joseph Chiazzese, who had come into the pharmacy, left, then came back.

Dunn said, "We could see him on the camera - hoodie, dark glasses, cotton gloves - so we knew something was up."

Chiazzese slipped a note on the counter that read 'Oxycontin.' Behind the enclosure Rod started yelling, then, he says, "I just pulled a gun on him and said, ‘get out of here,' and he took off and I started yelling after him."

Armed with a golf club, Dunn's son Jason, went after him. "The whole time I was running after him, thought he had hurt someone or shot someone, and there was no way I was letting him get away," Jason said.

Jason saw Chiazzese drop his knife and tackled him on 1300 East. "At one point he kept saying, ‘you gotta let me go.' When I had him down on the corner with the golf club over him, he was telling me, ‘my wife's going to leave me,' whatever."

In a head lock, Jason dragged Chiazzese back to the pharmacy, where police arrested him.

Murray police detective Kenny Bass said, "Normally we would tell people not to go after them. Looking back at this one, everything worked out well."

The Dunn's will do this again because they don't want to get robbed again. They hope word gets out to leave their pharmacy alone.

Joseph Chiazzese was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail, and we've learned he has since been released.
Oakland, California

From the May 23, 2007 Oakland Tribune:
OAKLAND _ A man trying to rob a North Oakland gas station at gun point Tuesday morning was shot in the face by the owner, police said.

The suspect, a 22-year-old Stockton man whose name was not released by police pending verification, is expected to recover. He was arrested about 15 minutes after the foiled robbery when he showed up at a San Leandro hospital.

The station owner and a clerk who was also there were not hurt.

The robbery happened about 7:25 a.m. at TQ's 76 station, 5425 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, which police said has been robbed in the past.

Officer Ryan, who is investigating the case with Officer Jesse Grant, said the suspect entered the store area of the station where the owner and clerk were. Their names were not released by police.

The clerk fled out of the store and the owner told the suspect to take whatever he wanted, police said.

When the suspect could not get the cash register opened he began looking for the owner, who by then had gotten a gun and was in the garage area, police said.

When the suspect, who was still holding the gun, came into the garage the owner shot him in the side of the face, Goodfellow said.

Based on a trail of blood found, police believe the suspect made it to a car parked about a block away. He showed up about 15 minutes later at San Leandro Hospital, 13855 East 14th St. Police do not believe he drove himself there and were looking for an accomplice.

The man was arrested and later transferred to Eden Hospital in Castro Valley where he was in serious condition Tuesday.

Goodfellow said the gas station owner was released after questioning. The case will be reviewed by the Alameda County District Attorney's Office, but it is unlikely any charges will be filed against the owner. The shooting was the third in five weeks where a business owner or employee has shot a robber. The suspects in the last two were both killed.
Fayetteville, North Carolina

From WRAL of May 23, 2007
Homeowner Shoots Suspect in Fayetteville Home Invasion

Authorities are investigating the death of a man after a homeowner shot him after an alleged home invasion.

At approximately 5:30 a.m. Wednesday, Fayetteville police officers responded to an unit at the Lake Shore Grand Luxury Apartments at 5508 Faith Drive in reference to a home invasion.

Investigators said three men entered the residence armed with a weapon while the occupant was home. Police said the homeowner heard the men enter the residence, armed himself and fired, shooting one of them.

Police said all three men fled the scene and drove to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center where the wounded suspect died as a result of his injuries.

Detectives have the other two suspects in custody. Authorities have not yet released the names of the people involved.


From the Fayetteville Observer of May 24, 2007
Soldier kills home intruder

A Fort Bragg soldier shot a 16-year-old intruder to death in his apartment early Wednesday, stopping an apparent home invasion.

Buchkechio Geddie died at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center. Police said three accomplices took him to the hospital.

Geddie and the three others were planning a robbery at a unit in the Lakeshore Grande apartments, police said. The complex is off Campground Road, not far from Cross Creek Mall.

According to court documents, the four — Geddie, Michael Fripp, Torrian Knowles and Kwuamae Keaton — were at the apartment complex shortly after 5 a.m.

Keaton, 17, reportedly stayed in the car while Fripp, 22, stood at the side of the building. They were acting as lookouts, police said.

Geddie and Knowles, 18, went behind the apartment, court records said. Geddie kicked open the back door and went in.

The occupants of the apartment — soldier Brooks Boone and his wife — were awakened by the noise, records said. Boone reportedly grabbed a gun from a nightstand beside the bed and fired several shots. Geddie was hit in the chest.

The three who took him to the hospital have been charged with first-degree burglary and conspiracy.

(More)

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Coram, New York

From New York City’s WABC.com of May 22, 2007
Tenant shoots suspect during home invasion

18-year-old arrested, charged with burglary

Shots were fired during a daring broad daylight burglary attempt Tuesday.

Police say the incident happened on Sharon Avenue, where a tenant opened fire at a burglary suspect.

Long Island reporter Emily Smith has the latest.

This has been a frightening day for this family. Tenants could be seen power-blasting blood off their sidewalk, which the suspect left as he ran off.

Police say that an 18-year-old boy has been arrested and charged with burglary. They add the shot, apparently fired by the female tenant, was in self defense.

Matthew Swift just wants to get into his home, a beautiful ranch he bought six months ago as a fixer upper.

Now it's surrounded by police tape, and crime scene investigators tell him it was the target of a violent break in involving gunfire.

"I'm a little freaked out," he said. "Absolutely. It's definately scary."

Swift rents the basement apartment to a couple in their 20s. His tenants told Eyewitness News that a man walked right into their apartment around 11:30 Tuesday morning, armed with a pistol.

That's when the tenants says they grabbed a shotgun to defend themselves. Police say the female tenant then fired a shot that hit the suspect in the shoulder. That's when he supposedly ran off.

Swift says, from what he's seen, his tenants are good people.
"They give us rent on time," he said. "They're good people. I don't know much about them."

The tenants, still visibly shaken, say the perpetrator ran from their home, leaving a trail of blood behind.

Now they say they're afraid to go to sleep. And no doubt, so are neighbors who don't know what to make of it all.

"You just never know," one neighbor said. "You could be in the best neighborhood in the world and you don't know what's going on next door."

Police are now trying to figure out a possible motive for this attempted crime.
Woodland, California

From the Sacramento Bee of May 22, 2007
Woodland clerk takes gun away from would-be robber

A Woodland mini-mart clerk wrestled a gun away from a would-be robber Tuesday and chased him out the store, according to police.

About 2:30 a.m., a masked man armed with an assault rifle entered the AM/PM store on the 300 block of West Main Street and demanded cash, Woodland police said in a prepared statement.

As the gunman handed the clerk a bag for the money, the clerk grabbed the barrel of the rifle and yanked it from the robber's grip. The clerk then pointed the loaded rifle at the suspect who was last seen running eastbound on West Lincoln Avenue with a second unidentified male subject.
Pensacola, Florida

Resolution to this incident

From the Pensacola News Journal of May 22, 2007
No charges in Mayfair shooting

State Attorney Bill Eddins announced today that the state attorney's office has completed its review of the April 19 incident and determined that no criminal charges should be filed against Sherri Lovvorn for shooting Kenneth Russell Pike.

Lavvorn shot Pike after finding him and another man at her Hollywood Avenue home.

In a report to James O'Hara, an investigator with the Escambia County Sheriff's Office, Assistant State Attorney David Rimmer said "Pike was in the process of or had unlawfully and forcibly entered the dwelling of Shirley Beall when she and Sheri Lovvorn confronted him."

"Therefore, Sheri Lovvorn was justified in using deadly force to stop him."

Rimmer also cited a state law that says "The person against whom defensive force was used was in the process of unlawfully and forcefully entering, or had unlawfully and forcibly entered a dwelling ...," or what is commonly referred to as the "stand your ground law."

Monday, May 21, 2007

Marion, Arkansas

From May 21, 2007 (although no date appears on the page itself) WREG-TV Memphis:
Marion, AR - A would-be robber is recovering in the med after being shot by the store clerk he was trying to rob. It happened this afternoon at the marion discount pharmacy in marion arkansas. Tonight.. Locals are calling the shooter a hero.

It's well-known around town that marion discount pharmacy had been robbed three times before. Locals are fed up. And when they heard how an attempted robbery got foiled.. Some.. Called the shooter a hero.

"There was a guy laying in front of the door," says Nicky Glover a bystander who hadn't seen anything like this happen in Marion before.

Marion Discount Pharmacy had just been robbed two weeks ago. But this latest attempt sent the would-be robber to the hospital. The shooter? A female pharmacist who was tired of being scared.

"I think she probably solved a lot of problems here in Marion," says a friend who came to give support when they heard pharmacist Susan Burns shot a robber in her store. "We're all tired up and down this mall of robbers, thieves. She's my hometown hero."

Police say around 3pm, the suspect, 26-year-old Jeremy Johnson, walked in with a gun. Police say Johnson then told a pharmacist behind the counter to get down on the ground, and ordered another to get him drugs.

Det. Sgt. G.B. Martin with the Marion Police Department says "There were other customers in the pharmacy. He advised one of the witnesses in there to sit down turn around get out of the way."

Included among the customers was a girl about ten years old. Police do not think she witnessed any of the violence. Somehow, Burns pulled a gun from behind the counter and fired. Police say the last time a robber came in, that robber had stuck a gun to her head. This robber didn't get far.

Witness Glover says "Yeah she was very shaken up, there was policemen surrounding her and comforting her yeah she was very shook up."

Police say Johnson already had a warrant out for his arrest stemming from another robbery in Tennessee. They do not believe he is connected to the earlier robberies at the Marion Discount Pharmacy.
Manatee, Florida

From the May 21, 2007 Southwest Florida Herald-Tribune:
MANATEE -- A suspected burglar was shot early this morning when he and two others busted into a home and were confronted by an armed resident, authorities said.

Brian McKenzie, 22, suffered a gunshot wound to the arm and was later arrested in the break-in of a home in the 8000 block of 43rd Avenue West, police reported. Two others -- Chase Carter, 20, and Michael McKenzie, 22 -- drove the injured man to Manatee Memorial Hospital for treatment and were also arrested.

Investigators say the trio barged into a home at about 2:30 a.m. and pushed past a woman, Teresa Fisher, to get at a 27-year-old man asleep in a back bedroom. The man, Richard Ras, 27, awoke and pointed a gun at the men -- who jumped on top of Ras, police said.

During a scuffle, the gun went off and McKenzie left with a bullet wound, according to reports. The trio was later accused of burglary with battery, a felony count that landed them in the Manatee County Jail. Neither Ras nor Fisher was injured.

Saturday, May 19, 2007

Detroit, Michigan

From the Detroit Free Press of May 19, 2007
Man with unloaded gun killed by victim

A robbery and crime spree aided by an unloaded gun came to a halt late Thursday when the gunman met more than his match: a gun with bullets.

Charles Parker Jr., 18, of Detroit was killed when a 53-year-old man pulled out a 9mm handgun and shot the teen, who was armed with an unloaded .22-caliber handgun.

Detroit police are calling it self-defense.

The botched carjacking on Grand River and Prevost came after a string of robberies in Detroit on Thursday, which police said were committed by Parker and four others, ranging in age from 16 to 20.

The robberies began about 8:40 p.m. Thursday at Kentucky and Curtis when a 16-year-old was robbed of his cell phone, a silver chain and his wallet, by at least two of the suspects, police said.

At 9:30 p.m., the robbers attempted to carjack a couple in the driveway of their home in the 19600 block of Appoline, police said. One pointed the unloaded gun at the couple and pulled the trigger.

The teens fled without the car.

Later, police said, the robbers saw a man at a Detroit car wash and tried to carjack him. The one approached with the unloaded gun and the other wielded a baseball bat, police said.

That's when the man washing his car fired, striking Parker.

Parker's alleged accomplices took him to Sinai-Grace Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Hospital security officers detained the other youths until police arrived. Police spokesman James Tate said a 17-year-old Detroit female, 16-year-old Southfield boy, a 19-year-old Southfield man, and a 20-year-old Detroit man are in custody.

They face arraignment on armed robbery charges today in Detroit's 36th District Court.

After the shooting, police questioned the 53-year-old man and released him, noting that he had a valid concealed weapons permit.

Then they gave him back his gun.

Friday, May 18, 2007

Rochester, New York

From RochesterHomePage.net of May 18, 2007
E. Main St. shooting

A burglar gets more than he bargained for Friday morning when he broke into a store on East Main Street

Rochester police say the owner of "Utility Solutions" called police just before 2 Friday morning to report a burglary and that he had shot the suspect. When police arrived at the store two hours later--they found the 41-year-old suspect with a gunshot wound to the hip. Police say the store owner shot the man when he came at him. He was taken to the hospital and is expected to be ok.

Police did collect the store owner's gun as part of the investigation. They say that gun was registered. They are not yet releasing any names in this case.
From the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle of May 22, 2007
Shot intruder is charged

A city man who was shot in the hip after a break-in at a city store last week is facing burglary charges.

Clayton Walker, 41, of 25 Webster Crescent, was charged with third-degree burglary, a felony, Rochester Police Officer Deidre Taccone said Monday.
A 58-year-old man, who owns the involved business, shot Walker in the hip at 1144 E. Main St. at 4:15 a.m. Friday, nearly 2½ hours after a break-in was reported at the store, city police officers said. Walker entered the store and came at the business owner, who was waiting for officers to arrive to search for evidence, such as fingerprints, Taccone said.
Officers have not released the name of the store owner. Officers said he shot Walker with a registered handgun and called 911.

The business owner turned over his gun to officers at the scene.
Walker was on the court calendar for an arraignment on Monday. On Friday, Walker was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital for treatment of injuries that did not appear to be life-threatening.
A hospital spokeswoman said she could not release any information on Walker.

Taccone said officers have not filed charges against the business owner and have referred the case to a grand jury.
Kalamazo, Michigan

From Kalamazo's WOODtv.com of May 18, 2007
Kalamazoo man fends off attackers with handgun

A Kalamazoo man was able to turn an attempted attack around because of his concealed weapons permit.

Police in Kalamazoo County say 32-year-old Brian Smith was approached by two men in their 20s as he was entering his home early Friday morning.

The two asked for directions, and one of them pulled a gun. Smith was able to reach his revolver and fired two rounds, hitting one of the men in the hand.

One suspect was arrested after he sought medical attention. The other is still on the loose.
Buffalo, New York

From the Buffalo News of May 18, 2007
Clerk thwarts robber by pulling shotgun

A would-be bandit fled from a Best Street convenience store at about 10:45 a.m. Thursday when a clerk pulled a shotgun on him, Buffalo police said.

The attempted holdup occurred at Best Market, 465 Best St., where the bandit entered the store and yelled, “Give me the money and hurry up,” police said.
Nashville, Tennessee

From Nashville's The Tennessean of May 18, 2007
Man says he shot teen at motel in self-defense

South Precinct detectives believe Anthony Poole, 19, who was killed early Thursday at the Super 8 Motel on Harding Place, was shot in self-defense.

The events began when Michael Darvin, 31, went to the Hamilton Inn on Briley Parkway at Interstate 40 late Wednesday and made a crack sale, according to police.

While he was at the Hamilton Inn, he was robbed by three men. He returned to the Super 8, where he was staying. Less than an hour later, Darvin saw the three robbers in the hallway, he told police.

The three men, at least two of them with guns, demanded that he allow them in his room. He pulled his own gun and shot two of them. He told police it was in self-defense.

Poole and Steven Newsome, 26, were wounded. The third man, Kenzo Quezergue, 18, wasn't injured.

Newsome drove to Vanderbilt University Medical Center with Poole and Quezergue in the car.

Poole died at the hospital. Newsome was treated and released. Newsome and Quezergue are being charged with aggravated robbery.

Darvin waited at the motel until police arrived and told officers he shot the men. No charges have been placed against him, but the investigation is continuing, police said.

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Callaway, Florida

From Panama City's WMBB.com of May 17, 2007
Help Needed in Home Invasion Burglary

The Bay County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help to find a man who forced his way into a home this morning at about 11:30 on Minneola Avenue in Callaway. The suspect was met in the home by the victim who had heard the man enter and armed herself with a small caliber handgun. The victim fired at the suspect three times. The man fled the home and left the scene in a newer model, black Volkswagen Jetta.

When deputies arrived they found where the man had entered by forcing open a rear door to the home.

The man is described as a heavy set white male with short hair. At the time of the incident, the man was wearing a plaid shirt. It is believed the man may have been wounded by the victim.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Oakland, California

From the San Francisco Chronicle of May 15, 2007

Teen robbery suspect killed by E. Oakland liquor-store clerk

An East Oakland liquor-store clerk fired the fatal shots that killed a 17-year-old robbery suspect, whose accomplice has now been charged in his slaying, authorities said today.

Tommy Ray Spencer Jr., 17, of Sacramento was shot and killed at about 10 p.m. Friday by the clerk at the Oak Tree Market at 1601 28th Ave. Spencer is the second would-be robber in the past month to die at the hands of an Oakland store employee or owner acting in self-defense, authorities said.

Spencer and Juan Antonio Gonzalez, 23, also of Sacramento, went inside the market with the intent to rob the employees, said Alameda County Assistant District Attorney Tom Rogers.

After accosting the store clerk, Spencer fired two shots from a weapon, prompting the clerk to produce a gun of his own and fire at least one shot, Rogers said.

Spencer was killed, and Gonzalez fled, police said. The clerk, whose name wasn't released, won't face criminal charges because he acted in self-defense, Rogers said.

The investigation led Oakland police on Sunday to Sacramento, where Gonzalez fired shots at Officer Jason Lancaster -- narrowly missing his head -- before escaping, Rogers said. Gonzalez was arrested without incident on Monday after police tracked him down at a Sacramento motel.

Gonzalez was charged today with murder along with the special circumstance that the killing happened in the course of a robbery, making him eligible for the death penalty. Under California's "provocative act"' rule, murder charges can be brought on a codefendant if a crime leads to a homicide.

Gonzalez was also charged with assault with a deadly weapon for shooting at the Oakland officer and two counts of being an ex-felon in possession of a weapon. Gonzalez has a previous conviction for receiving stolen property, authorities said. He is also being held on probation violations.

Burlington, Vermont

From May 12, 2007 WCAX-TV channel 3:
Police in Burlington are searching for several men in connection with a late night home invasion.

It happened at a home on Green Acres Drive Friday night. Police say several men, armed with baseball bats, attempted to rob the home. But they were confronted by the homeowner, who reportedly fired a gun at the men. Police say the suspects fled from the scene and they don't believe anyone was injured.
Victorville, California

From the Victorville Daily Press of May 15, 2007
Shots fired during attempted robbery

Authorities are looking for two men they believe may be responsible for two armed robberies and an attempted carjacking late Monday night.

During the first armed robbery at the Fast Stop Market at Seventh and Victor streets, the gunman opened fire after the clerk grabbed a gun of his own from behind the counter, said Deputy Luke Gaytan of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Victorville station of the 10 p.m. incident.

“The clerk grabs his own gun and he hears the guy (prepare) his gun before he shoots three times at the clerk,” Gaytan said. “He ducks for cover and basically almost takes a round.”

The clerk was not injured.

Monday, May 14, 2007

New Orleans, Louisiana

From New Orleans WWLtv.com of May 14, 2007
Avondale man shoots, kills intruder

A 61-year-old Avondale man shot and killed an intruder into his home Sunday evening, according to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Cornelius Sims said he was asleep in his home around 11 p.m. Sunday, along with his wife and young children, when he was awakened by noises that he believed were coming from his garage area, according to spokesman John Fortunato.

Fortunato said that Sims went down into his kitchen and was startled by a man standing in his kitchen. Sims told deputies that he fired several shots in the man’s direction and that the suspect then fled.

Deputies responding to the scene found the man lying near the side
Bessemer, Alabama

From May 14, 2007 All Headline News:
Bessemer, AL (AHN) - Two employees at an Alabama Wachovia bank were killed Monday when they were shot during a holdup around 9 a.m. Two other employees were wounded, one of them seriously.

Birmingham News reports Bill Vietch, chief assistant district attorney in the Bessemer Cutoff, said, "We have two cases of capital murder and hopefully we won't have to file a third."

Reports state that the gunman walked up to the tellers and started shooting. The first two he shot were killed.

The robber took the bank manager hostage after a customer pulled a gun on him. He exited the bank holding a gun to the manager's head but tripped on a curb outside the building, fell and was shot by police.
Indianapolis, Indiana

From Indianapolis’ WTHR.com of March 14, 2007
Intruder shot and killed by homeowner

An apparent intruder is dead after a possible home invasion led a homeowner to shoot him.

Detectives say they'll question the homeowner Monday morning to find out exactly what happened about 11:30 Sunday night.

That's when police were called to this home in the 3100 block of Park. The homeowner made that 911 call to say he shot an intruder.

"The homeowner indicated the individual, the victim had broken into his house and confronted the homeowner in the front room, living room area and the homeowner had a long gun and discharged his weapon at least one time," said IMPD homicide detective Lt. Kevin Kelly.

Police aren't sure what the victim was looking for.

Sunday, May 13, 2007

Franconia, New Hampshire

From the Boston Globe of May 13, 2007
Feud turned deadly in N.H.

Passerby guns down police officer's killer

New Hampshire authorities said yesterday that they will not press charges against a former Marine who stepped into a deadly shooting and killed a 24-year-old high school dropout who had moments earlier fatally shot a police officer.

The former Marine, Gregory W. Floyd, 49, was driving with his son along Route 116 in Franconia on Friday night when he saw Liko Kenney, 24, shoot Franconia Police Corporal Bruce McKay, 48, four times in the torso. After Kenney drove his Toyota Celica over McKay as the officer lay on the ground, Floyd grabbed the officer's service weapon and shot and killed Kenney.

Authorities said the double shooting was the bloody climax of a long-simmering feud between McKay, a 12-year-veteran of the three-member department, and Kenney, a cousin of World Cup champion skier Bode Miller.

In 2003, Kenney was convicted of assaulting McKay, authorities said. Kenney had contended that McKay had assaulted him, breaking his jaw and leaving him in a coma, according to Bode Miller's father, Woody.

"It was a bad mixture waiting to happen," said Connie McKenzie , a nurse who said she had tried to ad minister CPR to McKay on the lawn in front of her 18th-century farmhouse on Route 116. "They hated each other."

New Hampshire's attorney general, Kelly A. Ayotte, said Floyd will not face charges because he was justified in using deadly force.

"Based on the results of the investigation, our conclusion is that Gregory Floyd's actions were justified based upon dangerous circumstances confronted with and efforts to assist McKay," Ayotte said at a news conference in Concord.

Captain Russell Conte of the New Hampshire State Police condemned the slaying of McKay, a New York native who had a 9-year-old daughter, Courtney, and in June was to marry his fiancée, who has a 14-year-old daughter, Kylea.

"Something this egregious affects everyone in law enforcement, and it is the ultimate act of defiance for someone to shoot a police officer when he's doing his duties," Conte said.
(More)

Saturday, May 12, 2007

Harper Woods, Michigan

From the Detroit News of May 12, 2007
Crooks pick the wrong victim in Harper Woods

Two would-be thieves wound up fleeing their intended victim Saturday afternoon.

The men, one armed with a handgun, tried to carjack a man in the Sears parking lot about 2 p.m. at Eastland mall, according to a Harper Woods Police press release.

But the man turned out to be a retired Detroit Police officer -- and he had a handgun, Harper Woods Police said.

The retired officer fired one shot at the men, striking the stolen Dodge Durango truck they were driving, police said.

Detroit Police found the truck on Buckingham Street, but the suspects were gone. No one was harmed in the shooting and Harper Woods Police detectives are investigating the case.
Schenectady, New York

From the Albany Times-Union of May 12, 2007
DA: Killing is self defense

Schenectady man who shot intruders admits drug, weapon charges

A man who opened fire on intruders who planned to steal a half-pound stash of cocaine from his Raymond Street home killed one of the men in self defense, prosecutors said Friday after the man pleaded guilty to drug and weapons charges.

Police initially charged Harry Glenn with second-degree murder after he killed Richard DeGroat, 39, with a gunshot to the head and shot another man, Bertram Payne, 20, when they forced their way into the house on Dec. 2.

Even though Glenn had a large amount of cocaine in the house, he was still entitled to defend himself when DeGroat, Payne and third person, Nydia Robles, tried to steal the narcotics, Schenectady County Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Philip Mueller said.

"It appears the shootings of both men were instantaneous reactions by Mr. Glenn confronting people who were invading his home," Mueller said.

Glenn, 27, still faces 10 years in prison on drug and weapon charges when sentenced July 13 by County Judge Karen Drago.

Glenn shot Payne first. Mueller said Glenn went to check on Payne and then shot DeGroat who surprised him. The two men had bought a pellet gun earlier in the day and had it with them when the broke into the Raymond Street home.

Payne was shot in the hand but escaped. He was treated at Ellis Hospital.

He and Robles have previously pleaded guilty to burglary and attempted robbery charges. Payne faces a sentence of 11 years in prison and Robles is looking at nine years.

Charges are pending against Amy Sorey, 31, the alleged driver for the trio.

Friday, May 11, 2007

Stockton, California

From the Stockton Record of May 11, 2007
Boggs Tract store owner shoots robber

A Boggs Tract convenience store owner shot and wounded a man who robbed his store today, San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office investigators said.

It was about noon when two men wearing bandanas over their faces entered Sonora Market at 545 S. Fresno St. One man stayed at the front door while the second man who was armed with a handgun demanded the cash from two registers, robbed a customer and took a bottle of liquor. When he turned to leave, the owner shot him twice in the back, sheriff’s Sgt. Robert Moreno said.

Store owner Paramjit Singh was questioned by investigators today. Sheriff’s investigators said they would not be arresting Singh today and it would be up to the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office to determine if he shot the robber in self-defense.

Investigators believe a man who walked into San Joaquin General Hospital suffering two gunshot wounds was the man who robbed Singh’s store. The man’s accomplice had not yet been found this afternoon.

This is the fifth time so far in 2007 that the Sonora Market has been robbed.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

From Philadelphia’s NBC10.com of May 11, 2007
Police: Teen Fatally Shot Breaking Into Home

A teenager was fatally shot while allegedly attempting to rob a Southwest Philadelphia home Friday afternoon, police said.

According to police, the teen was one of two people who broke into the home on the 5900 block of Greenway Avenue.

A 21-year-old inside the residence grabbed a gun and shot at the would-be robbers.

The teen, who police said was 16 or 17 years old, was shot in the chest and rushed to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia but later pronounced dead, police said.

Police reported that the home has been broken into three or four times in the past couple of months.
Cincinnati, Ohio

From the Cincinnati Enquirer of May 11, 2007
Police: Victim shoots robber

The driver of a lunch wagon shot a man who was trying to rob him this afternoon at Millsdale Street at Curzon Avenue, just west of Anthony Wayne Avenue, police said.

Cincinnati Police Lt. Chris Matzen said three young men tried to rob the driver of the lunch wagon at about 12:30 p.m.

During the incident, shots reportedly were fired by one of the three men.

Matzen said the lunch wagon driver pulled out a concealed weapon and shot and hit one of the three. The wounded man was taken to University Hospital, where he went into surgery.

A search is on for the two other men.

The lunch wagon remained in the middle of the cordoned-off intersection this afternoon. Evidence cards were being placed in the street.
Charlotte, North Carolina

From the Charlotte Observer of May 11, 2007
Woman kills man in scuffle

Police are investigating the fatal shooting in southeast Charlotte that might have resulted from a scuffle between a man and a woman.

Details remain murky this morning, but police confirm that a man was shot and killed about 11:15 p.m. Thursday night at an apartment complex in the 1100 block of McIlway Road. That's between Monroe and Randolph roads.

Police said they were called to the apartments and found the body of a man in the parking lot. He had been shot, officers say.

About a half-hour later, police were called to Presbyterian Hospital, where a woman had arrived with a gunshot wound.

During questioning, police quickly determined that the female shooting victim was involved in the death of the man on McIlway Road.

The woman told police that she had been attacked by the man, and a scuffle started. During the fight, she said, the woman was able to pull a handgun away from the man. The woman said she then shot the man.

Police homicide detectives are investigating the case and are asking the public for help. Anyone who might have seen the incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers, at 704-334-1600.

The identities of the man and woman have not been released. They have been described only as a black male and a black female.
Hampton, Virginia

From the Hampton Daily Press of May 11, 2007
Shooting ruled as self-defense

The shooter still faces jail time for possession of a handgun by a felon.

A murder charge against a 22-year-old Norfolk man accused of killing a Hampton man in a 7-Eleven parking lot in January 2006 was dropped Thursday after prosecutors determined the fatal shooting was justified.

Donnell Lyscell Taylor also was cleared of using a firearm in the commission of a felony. The charges were dropped just before Taylor's trial was to begin in Hampton Circuit Court.

Taylor was convicted of one count of possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, however. He faces between two and five years in prison when he is sentenced on July 16.

The fatal shooting occurred Jan. 29 in the parking lot of the 7-Eleven on the corner of Mercury Boulevard and Cunningham Drive.

Taylor shot 23-year-old Bobby Lee Spivey after Spivey threatened to shoot the truck Taylor was riding in with another man and two women, according to court records.

The threat came after Spivey and the truck's driver, Nicholai Peter Williams, exchanged words. Williams, an airman at Langley Air Force Base, also was charged in the slaying, but the murder charge against him was dropped earlier this year.

At a court hearing in January, a witness testified that both Taylor and Williams told Spivey to move away from the truck.

A woman in the truck told prosecutors Wednesday that before the fatal shots were fired, Spivey made a gesture toward his waistband and lifted his shirt.

Taylor remains in jail while awaiting his sentencing because he faces other charges in Chesapeake and Virginia Beach.

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Flint, Michigan

From Flint’s WRJT of May 10, 2007
Delivery man shoots would-be robber

Second man arrested, third man sought

A deadly shooting involving a pizza delivery man and a group of robbers has the delivery man in protective custody and police searching for one of his attackers.

It happened at 10 p.m. Wednesday night at the intersection of Hammerberg Road and Stoney Brook Court on Flint's southwest side.

Police say the driver tried to get out to make a delivery when one of the robbers hit him in the back of the head with a wrench.

The delivery man recovered enough to grab his gun and fired several shots, hitting one of the robbers.

He died near a street sign just feet from the front doors of some shocked neighbors.

Police are still investigating, but here's what we've learned. The pizza delivery man claims self defense and is in protective custody.

It's unclear if he'll face charges because it's simply too early in the investigation.

As for the group of robbers, police are searching for one of them. One was arrested one soon after the attack.

One woman says she doesn't blame the delivery man and wouldn't have been sorry if the other suspects had experienced the same fate.

"I'm sure he's been robbed before. And his life was just as important," said Fran Catalano.

"He was doing a civic duty delivering a pizza to somebody. And let me tell you something: That guy ought to get a medal and he should have shot the other two."

We did speak with the man who runs the Little Caesar's where the driver has worked for at least a year.

He did not speak on camera, but said off camera that his drivers only carry about $25 or $30 at a time, and safety is a top and growing concern for their drivers.

The suspects reportedly demanded money, but the delivery man pulled a handgun and killed one of the robbers, a 24-year-old man.

The case is still under investigation.
From the Flint Journal of May 12, 2007
Pizza deliveryman probably won't be charged in slaying -- prosecutor

It's unlikely that a pizza deliveryman will face criminal charges in the shooting death of an alleged robber this week, said Genesee County Prosecutor David S. Leyton.

Brian Williams, 48, of Flint shot and killed Corneilus D. Gainer, 24, about 10 p.m. Wednesday after Gainer and another man allegedly robbed Williams while he was delivering a pizza on Hammerberg Road near Stoney Brook Court.

When one of the men hit Williams in the head with a wrench, Williams pulled out a gun and started shooting, police said. Williams has a concealed weapons permit and carried the gun for protection.

Wednesday was the second time Williams has shot someone while delivering pizza. He wounded a man in March 2000 after an alleged robbery but the victim declined to file a police report.

Williams was jailed after Wednesday's shooting but released Thursday.

Leyton said reports he has reviewed so far support Williams but said he won't make a final decision on charges until he has all the information.

The other alleged robber, however, will face criminal charges.

Eddie G. Jackson, 20, was charged Friday with armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery and assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder.

Jackson is being held in the Genesee County Jail.
Salt Lake City, Utah

From the Salt Lake Tribune of May 10, 2007
Man was sought after robbery and gunshot

A 25-year-old man was arrested after a nearly five-hour standoff with police at a South Jordan motel after a robbery outside a Murray strip club early Wednesday.

Police booked the man into the Salt Lake County jail on suspicion of aggravated robbery after he gave himself up at Motel 8, 10722 S. Frontage Road, about 9:30 a.m.

Murray police spokesman Kenny Bass said a person attempted to rob two men outside the Southern Exposure strip club, at 5142 S. State St., about 1 a.m.

The robber took money from one man, police said, but the other resisted. A struggle for the assailant's handgun ensued, and a shot was fired, apparently grazing the bandit's hand, Bass said.

Hours later, officers looking for the robber showed up at the Motel 8. They called for SWAT, and a standoff ensued, Bass said. Three others with the suspect left the hotel room, leaving him alone in the room, Bass said. The suspect eventually gave himself up, Bass said.
Syracuse, New York

From the Syracuse Post-Standard of May 10, 2007
Grand jury declines to indict city man in June 24 slaying of Carlos Ortiz-Martinez.

A Syracuse man accused of killing one man while trying to shoot a different one will not face prosecution as a result of a grand jury review.
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The Onondaga County District Attorney's Office reported Wednesday that a grand jury voted not to file a second-degree murder charge against Alfredo H. Dashnau Jr. in the June 24 slaying of Carlos Ortiz-Martinez, 21, in the street in front of 212 Barrett St., Syracuse.

Dashnau, 27, of 134 Putnam St., had been accused of intentionally killing Ortiz-Martinez by shooting him in the head. Chief Assistant District Attorney Michael Spano said evidence indicated the grand jury accepted an argument that Dashnau was defending himself or a companion.

Spano said Dashnau actually was trying to shoot the person with Ortiz-Martinez. That other man has never been publicly identified.

Spano said evidence indicated the man was pointing a gun at a person with Dashnau when Dashnau fired a rifle at the gunman. The shot hit Ortiz-Martinez instead.

That still amounts to a legal justification defense as Dashnau was trying to prevent deadly physical force against his companion, Spano said.

There was no weapon charge filed against Dashnau by the grand jury because the gun involved in the shooting was a rifle and not a handgun that would have been illegal to possess on the street, the prosecutor said.

According to Spano, the two groups of men had been fighting with each other for months. Spano said the source of the animosity has never been made clear to authorities.

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

Benton Harbor, Michigan

From the South Bend (IN) Tribune of May 9, 2007
No charges in teen's shooting death in Benton Harbor

While the man who fatally shot a Benton Harbor teen during an attempted break-in will face no charges in the death, authorities say they will pursue a misdemeanor weapons charge against him.

On the morning of March 26, Jammie Parker, 31, was at his girlfriend's home in the 200 block of Hastings Avenue when Corey Napier Jr., 18, and three others reportedly attempted to enter the home, the Berrien County Prosecutor's Office said.

After a review of the police investigation and physical evidence at the scene, Berrien County Prosecutor Arthur Cotter said in a written statement that "it is abundantly clear" that Napier was shot "while he was in the process of breaking into the residence."

Cotter noted in the release that Michigan law was amended last year to allow self-defense when an individual in such circumstances has "an honest and reasonable belief that there was an imminent threat of death or great bodily harm."

Parker reportedly told authorities that he went into a bedroom and saw the drawn shade of an open window moving as someone attempted to climb in, the release said. Parker said he shot three times at the window with a .40 caliber pistol and then ran outside and fired into the air to scare the remaining teens away.

In police interviews, two of the three youths involved in the attempt admitted they had gone to the home to steal money and marijuana they believed was inside, the release said.

Cotter said he found insufficient evidence that Parker shot at a fleeing youth, and noted that an uninvolved witness saw Parker fire the weapon into the air.

Because the gun was not registered, Parker will be charged with failing to register a firearm, a 90-day misdemeanor.

Two of the youths with Napier face charges stemming from the break-in attempt. Maurice Ray, 17, faces charges of conspiracy to commit a home invasion second degree, a 15-year felony, and attempted home invasion second degree. Another youth is being petitioned in juvenile court on similar charges, and Cotter's office has asked that he be waived to adult court for trial. The investigation into possible charges against the fourth youth is still under way.

A 16-year-old who lives at the home where the shooting occurred is being charged with possession of marijuana with intent to deliver after police reportedly found about 90 grams of the drug in his bedroom, the release said. He is a classmate of the youths who broke into his home. Cotter's office is petitioning to have his case moved to adult court, as well.
St. Paul, Minnesota

From the St. Paul Pioneer Press of May 9, 2007
Man, 68, arrested after teenager shot near St. Paul bus stop

A 68-year-old man who told police three teenagers robbed him on a St. Paul street Tuesday night shot one of the men, police say, but officers are still trying to sort through what happened.

The 18-year-old victim was shot in the shoulder and taken to Regions Hospital, said Tom Walsh, a police spokesman. He said the man is expected to survive.

Officers arrested Donald W. Hurd on suspicion of felony assault, but Walsh said it's unlikely he'll be charged.

Police were called to Como and Snelling avenues about 11:40 p.m. Tuesday on a report of a man yelling he had been shot, Walsh said.

Hurd was there and told police he didn't have a gun and no shots had been fired, but officers found a gun on Hurd, Walsh said. They also found the victim nearby.

The four people involved had been riding a Metro Transit bus, but it's unclear whether they were riding together, Walsh said. They all got off at Como and Snelling avenues, Walsh said.

Hurd said the three teenagers pushed the back of his head, knocked him to the ground and took his wallet, Walsh said. Police are investigating the robbery and the teenagers have not been arrested.
From the St. Paul Pioneer Press of May 11, 2007
Mugging victim leaves jail with nowhere to go

Man who shot one of 3 attackers could still face charges

After spending two nights in the Ramsey County jail, Donald Hurd walked out Thursday with no wallet, no cash and nowhere to go.

The 68-year-old man was mugged Tuesday night in St. Paul, and officers arrested him after he shot one of the suspected robbers.

Hurd was taking the bus Tuesday to pick up his Chevrolet truck from a repair shop and was attacked between stops. On Thursday, he made it to the Roseville shop, but his truck wasn't ready.

The Bigfork, Minn., man thought the jailers would return $100 in cash the robbers hadn't found. He was going to use it to stay in a motel Thursday night. As it turns out, when the jail returns inmates' property, they trade cash for a check. Hurd didn't know what good a check would do him because his driver's license had been stolen.

"I don't like to ask for help," said Hurd, who is retired but comes to the Twin Cities to do odd jobs. He is divorced, and his family lives out of state. "If you get into a situation, it's up to you to get out of it."

Hurd's problems might not be over. Though he was released from jail, he could yet face criminal charges.

He might be a hero in the court of public opinion, but whether Hurd broke the law is a different story.

Hurd said he was only trying to scare the three young men who attacked him. Legal experts said Hurd's case doesn't seem to meet the self-defense standard in Minnesota. The 18-year-old man who Hurd shot in the shoulder is expected to be fine, police said.

You would think somewhere between the letter of the law, there's some space there for some consideration and understanding," Hurd said. "It is an injustice."

The robbery suspects weren't arrested. The investigation into the robbery and the shooting continues, police said.

Hurd was born in St. Paul and raised in San Francisco. He came back to St. Paul when he was 15, after his mother was killed in a car accident, and he lived with his father.

On his 17th birthday, Hurd enlisted in the Army and worked as a military police officer. He was stationed in Germany, what is now Fort McCoy in Wisconsin and at Fort Dix in New Jersey.

After leaving the Army, Hurd returned to Minnesota, where he and his wife raised a family. He worked different jobs over the years - driving trucks and school buses, working as a plumber and an electrician, and being a security guard.

He's a quiet man and said he's embarrassed by the attention his case has received. He said he would have done the same thing if he came across someone in his situation.

"I would give up myself to destroy evil," he said Thursday. "It's just the way I am."

Hurd doesn't have a criminal history, but he acknowledged some problems with the way he handled things Tuesday night. He lied to police at first about the shooting, which he said he did because he was scared and confused. He doesn't have a permit to carry the pistol he had with him.

If he could go back to when he fired his gun Tuesday and change things, he's not sure he would.

"God only knows," Hurd said. "I don't want to say yes and I don't want to say no because you have a different frame of mind in that situation. I felt like I was violated. You look for some justice for yourself."

State Rep. Tony Cornish, who sponsored a bill this legislative session to give citizens more leeway in using deadly force to defend themselves, said he was outraged by what happened to Hurd.

"Maybe if these scumbags that were beating and robbing our old people had some doubt in their mind if they were going to survive their own crime, they would have some doubt about committing it in the first place," said Cornish, R-Good Thunder.

Cornish's bill, which he called "Stand Your Ground" legislation, didn't get a committee hearing. Though it might not have applied directly in Hurd's case, Cornish said, the law would have offered clarity about when and how citizens can defend themselves.

Current Minnesota law says it's justifiable to kill someone if you are "resisting or preventing an offense" that you "reasonably" believe could lead to "great bodily harm or death" for you or another person. If you are in your own home, deadly force can be used to prevent someone from committing a felony.

Even so, local attorneys think an argument could be made for Hurd's actions. If he is charged and the case goes to a jury, he'll likely come across as a sympathetic figure, they said.

"These aren't cases prosecutors like to take to juries," said Richard Frase, a University of Minnesota law professor.
Fort Lauderdale, Florida

From the Miami Herald of May 9, 2007
Armed store owner blasts jewel thieves

Two armed wanna-be jewelry thieves in Fort Lauderdale collected lead slugs instead of gems Wednesday morning after they faced-off against the store's owner, who was packing a handgun, police said.

The gun battle, which took place shortly after 11 a.m. at Bentley's 1900 Jewelers, 2753 E. Oakland Park Blvd., left the two bandits in critical condition, said Fort Lauderdale police spokeswoman Kathy Collins.

"The first bad guy got shot in the head and was stopped," Collins said.

"The second bad guy tried to get away, despite being shot several times, but we caught him a few minutes later."

Police are on the scene and are investigating.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

From Philadelphia’s KYW1060.com of May 9, 2007
Suspect Nabbed After Being Brought to Univ.of Penna. Hospital

A thief who attempted a car break-in Wednesday morning in the city's southwest section was foiled apparently by his own gun -- and a fearless car owner.

The incident happened around 10am in the 8400 block of Lindbergh Boulevard. Police say a car owner spotted the suspect attempting to break into his car.

When he approached the suspect, who was armed with a handgun, a struggle ensued. During that struggle the gun discharged, and the suspect was shot in the thigh by his own gun. He then fled to a waiting car where an accomplice rushed him to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

In the meantime, the car owner called 911 and informed police of what had happened. When the suspect and his accomplice arrived at the hospital, police were waiting and both the alleged thief and his accomplice were placed under arrest.

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Kingsport, Tennessee

From the Kingsport Times News of May 8, 2007
Kingsport senior citizen shoots sister-in-law's attacker during intersection fracas

A Monday evening shooting, though still under investigation by Kingsport Police, may have been in self-defense.

Shortly before 6:15 p.m. Lawrence Jennings, 46, of Virgil Avenue, blocked the intersection of Nassau Drive and Kingston Court, not allowing his ex-girlfriend to pass. According to a press release from police, Jennings' former girlfriend was a passenger in the car of Giles Eddie Ferguson, 69, who is her brother-in-law.

Jennings began to kick the door and beat the windows of Ferguson's vehicle. He was able to get inside and attack Ferguson, at which point the senior citizen shot Jennings in the abdomen, according to police.

Jennings then drove to Valero Market on East Stone Drive, where he told the clerk he had been shot. He was taken to Holston Valley Medical Center where he underwent surgery.

Det. David Cole said several witnesses observed Jennings stop Ferguson's car, as well as the shooting. He said the incident is still under investigation, and would not confirm Ferguson's actions as self-defense at this time.

Det. Cole added that they were waiting to see if Jennings' condition improved so they could talk to him again about the incident.
From the Kingsport Times-News of May 15, 2007

Police clear senior citizen in Kingsport shooting

After reviewing statements and the evidence from the scene, police say a senior citizen acted in self-defense when he shot a man during a fracas in a Kingsport intersection.

The incident began last Monday at about 6:15 p.m. According to Kingsport Police, Lawrence Jennings, 46, of Virgil Avenue, blocked the intersection of Nassau Drive and Kingston Court, not allowing his ex-girlfriend to pass. Police say Jennings' former girlfriend was a passenger in the car of Giles Eddie Ferguson, 69, who is her brother-in-law.

Having stopped Ferguson and his ex-girlfriend in the roadway, Jennings allegedly began kick and hitting the car. Police say Jennings cursed the two occupants before he opened the vehicle door and began hitting Ferguson in the face.

It was at this point that Ferguson apparently pulled out a gun -- which he had a valid permit to carry -- and shot Jennings in the abdomen. Jennings then drove to Valero Market on East Stone Drive, where he told the clerk he had been shot. He was taken to Holston Valley Medical Center where he underwent surgery.

Det. David Cole said several witnesses observed Jennings stop Ferguson's car, as well as the shooting. On Tuesday police announced Ferguson's actions were in self-defense while Jennings had charges placed agianst him.

Jennings is charged with auto burglary, for breaking into Ferguson’s vehicle with the intent of committing an assault, and vandalism for causing damage to the vehicle. Jennings bond was set at $6,000 with arraignment scheduled for Wednesday.

Contacted at his home Tuesday afternoon, Ferguson declined to elaborate on the incident.

Cape Girardeau, Missouri

From Kennett’s the Daily Dunklin Democrat of May 8, 2007
Man who shot another released

A man who admitted to shooting another man in the stomach early Sunday morning in Cape Girardeau was released while prosecutors decide whether to file charges or declare the shooting self-defense, a Cape Girardeau police spokesman said.

Police called to the 3000 block of Themis Street about 1:30 a.m. Sunday found a 27-year-old man with a gunshot wound to the belly, Cape Girardeau Police Department spokesman Cpl. Jason Selzer said Monday. While officers were questioning witnesses, the shooter stepped forward and admitted his involvement, Selzer said.

The shooter, a 31-year-old Cape Girardeau resident, saw a fight in the street outside his apartment building, grabbed his gun and went outside to break it up, Selzer said.

"Before he gets down there, at some point the guy who got shot gets away from the fight and gets a screwdriver and starts threatening people with it," Selzer said. "The shooter and the victim exchanged words, with the shooter telling him, "Get out of here, it is over" and the victim with the screwdriver attempting to stab him."
Decatur, Tennessee

From the Decatur Daily News of May 8, 2007
Decatur clerk pulls gun to thwart would-be robbery

A convenience store clerk scared away a would-be robber by pulling a gun, Decatur police said Monday.

The incident took place at Jet Pep, 106 Sixth Ave. N.E., shortly before 11 p.m. Friday.

Pretending to buy a drink from the cooler, the woman waited until the clerk, Gayathri Penmathsa, opened the register. The woman then told Penmathsa to give her the money from the drawer, police said.

Lt. Chris Mathews, a police spokesman, said Penmathsa pulled out a revolver kept under the counter for protection and pointed it at the woman, who ran out of the store.

The woman was described as 5-feet 3-inches tall, 180 pounds, and about 35 years of age with brown hair and brown eyes. She was wearing a white shirt and blue jeans and left in a red Ford Taurus.