Kansas City, Missouri

From the Kansas City Star of August 2, 2005

Carrier scares off assailants with gun

A veteran contract carrier for The Kansas City Star parked close to the store at 5th Street and Troost Avenue like always early today. It meant a quick trip back to the safety of his van.

But one of his four attackers, the biggest guy, was too quick for the carrier to drive away.

The assailant and perhaps others in his group rained punches on the 66-year-old carrier through his driver-side window. He used a gun to fend them off, firing three times.
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The Star has no prohibitions on contract carriers carrying weapons on their routes, so long as they abide by state laws, Christian said. They are not, however, permitted to bring guns into Star facilities.

Police said the carrier was in line with Missouri gun laws.

Beaufort, South Carolina

From Savannah’s WSAV.com of August 1, 2005

Beaufort Man Shoots Burglary Suspects

A 22-year-old victim of a burglary fought back in Beaufort early Monday afternoon.

Police said the victim shot at two suspects who broke into his home on Goethe Hill Road while he was sleeping. One suspect fled to the Department of Motor Vehicles in Burton and the other caught a ride to a McDonald's in Beaufort.

Nineteen-year-old Michael Shane Kearney of Beaufort is charged with second degree burglary.

The 16-year-old suspect is in Beaufort Memorial Hospital and will also be charged with the burglary.

The burglary victim asked not to be identified. He said he was simply defending himself.

Fort Walton Beach, Florida

From July 21, 2005 WHJG channel 7:

A home invasion burglar in Ft. Walton Beach was shot and seriously wounded during a residential break-in around 3 a.m. Thursday morning.

Twenty-one-year-old George Everitt Yates of Ft. Walton Beach was armed with a hand gun and was wearing a black mask when he broke into a home on Classic Court.

Yates was wounded when shot by one of the residents there, 21-year-old Devin Michael Gamache. He shot the suspect as he held a gun to the head of another person who also lived in the home.

Fulton County, Georgia

From Atlanta’s 11Alive.com of June 14, 2005

Woman Fends Off Home Intruder

Police are investigating a complaint from a north Fulton County woman that a man she doesn't know broke into her home early Monday morning. The woman told police she was able to shoot at the man as he fled her residence.

Michelle Johnstone, 38, told police that her attacker threw her to the ground after entering her home, located in the 500 block of Alstonefield Drive.

"She was awake. She came downstairs in her home and that's where the struggle began, that's where she was confronted by the suspect," said Fulton police Lt. Dexter White, conveying to reporters what Johnstone was telling investigators.

She told police she was able to reach for a gun she keeps inside her home and shoot at the intruder as he fled. Police later confirmed that Johnston had fired her gun five times. At least two of the bullets went through a rear window.

There is no evidence she hit anyone.

A neighbor, who asked that she not be identified, said the noise woke her up. "I heard a loud bang, and I thought it was a shot that had come into my house, because it was that loud," she said.

According to police, Johnstone is the one who called 911. Another neighbor said when Johnstone was getting into an ambulance, her head was bloody and she was wearing only a towel.

Johnstone was treated at North Fulton Regional Hospital for cuts and bruises. A police detective drove her home at 1:30 pm.

No subsequent stories about this incident were found.

Dayton, Ohio

From Dayton‘s WHIOtv.com of August 1, 2005

Pharmacist Opens Fire In Attempted Robbery

Authorities said a man tried to hold up a Dayton pharmacy, but the pharmacist decided to fight back.

The attempted robbery happened Monday afternoon at Ray's Pharmacy on Catalpa Drive. Police said a man in a mask entered the business and tried to hold it up.

Officers said that is when the pharmacist opened fire.

Authorities said the robber was not injured and ran away. Police continue to search for him.

Shreveport, Louisiana

From Shreveport‘s KTBS.com of August 1, 2005

Robber, clerk get into shootout

A would-be robber and a convenience store clerk got into a shootout early today in Shreveport.

It happened at a Citgo on South Lakeshore Drive.

Police said a man walked into the store and demanded money. Rather than give up any cash, the clerk pulled a handgun.

Both men started shooting at each other. Neither was wounded.

Florence, South Carolina

From the Florence Morning News of June 23, 2005

Florence robbers leave gun behind

The two men who attempted to hold up a Florence pawn shop at gunpoint earlier this week remain at large.

Police said one of the robbers left a gun behind while fleeing the scene after a shootout in which a local man was injured.

The suspects initially entered the Ivey’s Pawn Shop on 130 N. Dargan St. posing as customers about 3 p.m. Tuesday. They purchased a couple of items before one of them jumped the counter and fired two shots at close range at a man identified as J.P. Costas, a friend of the store’s proprietor, hitting him once in the abdomen, Florence police investigators said.

“Meanwhile, (Ivey’s) owner Kenneth Alvin Davis retrieved a pocket pistol and returns fire, in self-defense, shooting at the individual holding the gun on him,” Lt. Ron Swaggard said.

Costas is expected to make a full recovery. Officers do not know whether the suspect Davis shot at was wounded, but they did recover his gun, Swaggard said.

“It has similar characteristics to the weapon used in a recent Florence County robbery, so (sheriff’s deputies and city police) are trying to establish a connection between this one and theirs,” he said.