Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

From WTOC of August 16, 2007

Suspect Shot After Breaking into Home

39-year-old Kenny Cantwell of Hilton Head was shot early this morning when he broke into a home he mistook as his own.

Beaufort County Sheriff's deputies proactively patrolling the area night clubs first made contact with an intoxicated Cantwell at Hilton Head Plaza just after 2:30 am this morning. While inebriated, Cantwell was not disorderly at the time. Deputies offered to assist Cantwell by securing him a taxi to transport him to his nearby home at 24 Compass Point Rd. in the Point Comfort neighborhood. Cantwell agreed to the offer and left without incident in the taxi several minutes later.

However, about 15 minutes after Cantwell's departure, deputies were called to respond to a report of a gunshot victim at the residence of 16 Compass Point Rd. Upon arrival, deputies discovered Cantwell lying at the bottom of the steps of the residence, disoriented and bleeding profusely from his left leg.

Deputies met with the complainant, 51-year old Raymond Gaudreau, who resides at 16 Compass Point Rd. Gaudreau recounted to deputies that he was asleep on the couch in the living room of his home when he was awakened by the sound of someone trying to come in the front door. Gaudreau advised seeing the door come partially open, but an engaged chain lock prevented it from being opened completely.

Gaudreau called out to the unknown individual outside the door, asking his identity. The subject outside identified himself as "Ken" and yelled that he lived there and to open the door. Gaudreau warned the subject not to come in and that he was armed with a gun, at which time the subject threatened to break the door down.

Gaudreau fled through the house to the back deck outside where he called 911. During this time, the subject did make forced entry through the front door, charging through the home where he confronted Gaudreau on the back deck. Gaudreau, who was armed with a 9mm handgun, repeatedly advised the subject that he was armed with a gun and to stay back.

The subject disregarded Gaudreau's warnings, becoming violent as he picked up the metal patio table separating the two men and threw it at Gaudreau. As the subject lunged towards Gaudreau, Gaudreau fired his gun, shooting the subject in the lower left leg.

After being shot, the subject finally retreated, crawling back through the home and out the front door, where he was found by arriving deputies. The deputies immediately recognized the subject as Kenny Cantwell, the intoxicated subject whom they had sent home from Hilton Head Plaza just minutes before.

Cantwell was transported to Hilton Head Regional Medical Center for medical treatment of the gunshot wound to his leg. His condition is undisclosed at this time. The incident remains under active investigation by the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office.