Princeton, West Virginia

From the Bluefield Daily Telegraph of February 9, 2006

Robertson not guilty of murder

After more than seven hours of deliberation, a Mercer County jury decided a Princeton man shot his son-in-law in self defense. Jerry Lee Robertson, 49, was accused of killing his son-in-law, Aaron Paul Lowe, 26.

Lowe was allegedly inside Robertson’s home, a house where Lowe also once lived, at the time of the fatal shooting. What happened inside the house on Sept. 10, 2005 remained a key point of contention between the state and the defense throughout the trial that started Tuesday in Circuit Court Judge Derek Swope’s courtroom.

During the proceedings, Prosecuting Attorney William Sadler and Assistant Prosecuting Attorney George Sitler said Robertson planned the shooting. They argued that Lowe was family, that he had a right to be in the house, and the only movement he made before he died was toward the door, and not Robertson.

The prosecution also argued that Robertson had the gun in advance, and loaded it in advance, therefore making the murder premeditated.

Meanwhile, Robertson’s attorney, Joe Harvey, argued that Robertson was simply defending himself against Lowe. With a history of past altercations, Harvey said his client had reason to fear for life and saw no other choice but to pull the trigger the day Lowe died.

Harvey also stated that Robertson, who suffers from neck and back injuries, was defending himself and his house. Considering his size, standing at 5 feet, 3 inches tall, Harvey said he turned to a gun for protection.

Testimony from Robertson’s preliminary hearing indicated that Lowe had been sitting on the couch when he was shot and may have removed his baseball cap and laid it on the couch.

Just after the shooting, Robertson allegedly told Det. Sgt. C.N. Poe of the Princeton Police Department, that Lowe was no good, and had “broken in on me.” When informed that Lowe was not yet dead, Robertson allegedly told Poe, “I must have missed.”

Reading, Pennsylvania

From the Reading Eagle of February 9, 2006

Jury acquits city woman in shooting

A Reading woman wept Wednesday in Berks County Court when she was acquitted in the shooting of a woman during an argument about parking tickets.

Heather Ebling, 23, of the 100 block of North Fourth Street was acquitted of attempted murder and related charges in the shooting of Bethzaida “Betsy” Rios, 28, at Fourth and Washington streets Feb. 9, 2005.

In an unrelated shooting, Rios of 1142 Marion St. was killed April 2 at a birthday party at a speakeasy in a city row house.
…

Ebling told the jury she fired her gun because she thought Rios was going to stab her with a knife.

“She (Rios) came over and started banging on the window,” Ebling said. “I thought she had a knife. I went over to my glove box and pulled out my gun. I didn't know what to do.”

Ebling said she didn't mean to harm anyone.

Witnesses said Rios was shot in the right arm and chest.

Prosecution witnesses testified Ebling shot Rios with a 9 mm handgun when Ebling was arguing with Rio's friend, Rosa Rivera, over parking tickets.

Ebling was dating Rivera's son Jeremiah, Rivera testified.

Rivera said she bought a car for Ebling because Ebling did not have enough credit.

Rivera said she and Ebling argued at District Judge Thomas H. Xavios' city office because Rosa Rivera had to pay $700 in parking tickets for Ebling's car.

Ebling testified that Jeremiah Rivera told her some girls were going to kill Ebling.

When Ebling left the courtroom she saw her tires were slashed and she reported it to police, she said.

Later that night, Rosa Rivera testified, she was driving with Rios in Rios' yellow Lexus when Ebling ordered Rios to pull over.

“Heather fired point blank at her (Rios),” Rosa Rivera testified. “I heard the blast and I saw the sparkles.”

Rios then drove herself to Reading Hospital, Rosa Rivera testified.

Ebling's lawyer, Eric K. Dowdle of Allentown, said Ebling fired the shots because she was defending herself when Rios held her at knifepoint.

“Heather Ebling decided not to live like a rat in a cage,” Dowdle said. “She decided to no longer be afraid.”

Howard countered Rios did not use a pocketknife that was found in Rios' glove box.

“There was no knife when this woman shot Betsy Rios,” Howard said.

Fairbanks, Alaska

From the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner of February 9, 2006

Teens try to rob gun store

Three teenagers are in jail after the owner of Alaskan Guns and Ammo withstood a blow to the head Wednesday afternoon and pulled a gun on his assailants, according to Fairbanks police.

One of the would-be robbers struck store owner Stevan Smith on the back of the head with a crowbar. Smith said he thwarted the robbers when he pulled a gun. One robber fled and Smith said he held the other two at gunpoint until police arrived.

"As soon as I got the gun out, the situation changed dramatically," the 62-year-old said.

Smith sustained a minor injury from the crowbar but declined medical attention, saying he felt OK. He later learned that two of the suspects also had guns.

The incident happened about 2 p.m., shortly after the three boys entered the store at 308 Sixth Ave. and began looking around.

"They were just asking questions about hunting," Smith said.

One of the youths had been in the store before. Otherwise, Smith was not acquainted with them.

Their behavior seemed suspicious, Smith said, but he declined to elaborate. As soon as Smith turned his back on one of them, he was struck with what felt like a hammer, he said.

"He hit me hard," Smith said.

The proprietor almost fell to the ground but kept his composure. Then the tables turned.

"Once I pulled my gun out," Smith said, "he bolted. The other two were trapped. They couldn't get out. I just told them to stay and face the wall until police arrived."

Two of the youths, ages 16 and 17, face charges of first-degree robbery. The third teenager, arrested later at his home about eight blocks from the gun store, faces charges of first-degree robbery and third-degree assault, Fairbanks police Sgt. Eric Jewkes said. Jewkes said the youth with the crowbar carried a firearm at some point but "stashed" it inside the gun store. One of the two who were held at gunpoint by Smith also had a gun.

Westerlo, New York

From the February 7, 2006 Albany, New York Times-Union:

WESTERLO -- A New York City man has been charged in connection with the theft of nearly two dozen firearms that were stolen last month from a rural gun store in southern Albany County.

Most of the guns have been recovered, including some that were found in New York City in the possession of suspected street gang members there, authorities said.

Richard M. Mwazi, 20, of Queens, is accused of smashing a window and stealing 21 guns from the Southwings Gun Shop on Route 405 on Jan. 22. The burglary took place a week after another burglary at the store in which three handguns were taken, and Mwazi is a suspect in that break-in as well, police said.

Mwazi's mother, who works for the United Nations, has a summer home on Sleepy Hollow Road in Athens, not far from the gun store, authorities said.

During the second burglary, the store's owner fired a shot at Mwazi's car as he fled, striking the vehicle, and that would later help Albany County sheriff's investigators confirm that he was involved in the heist, sheriff's officials said.

Johnson County, Texas

From the February 7, 2006 Burelson-Crowley Connection:

Paul Peterson, 22, of Fort Worth, “who went on a one-man crime spree” and was shot Jan. 30, is in custody at the Johnson County Corrections Center on $17,000 in bail after being released from John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth, Johnson County Sheriff Bob Alford said.

...

Peterson reportedly stole a Ford pickup about 6:30 a.m. Monday belonging to a Joshua resident that was parked in Big Willy’s parking lot along Interstate 35 and Farm-to-Market Road 1187. He was then involved in a hit-and-run accident in the vicinity of I-35 and Renfro in Burleson. Alford said several motorists called 9-1-1 because of the reckless way Peterson was driving.

Alvarado police then attempted to locate the vehicle, which crashed into a guard rail at the Greensville/Barnesville exit on I-35. Callers related that Peterson jumped out of the vehicle and fled on foot and Johnson County deputies became involved.

A call at 7:30 a.m. from a residence in the 8800 block of I-35 reported a suspicious person wanting the residents to hide him in their attic. The man was identified as Peterson, who again fled the area on foot into a wooded area near a creek.

At about 9:40 a.m. Peterson resurfaced and was observed breaking into vehicles located in the 3400 block of County Road 204. Peterson then made his way to the 3700 block of CR 204 where he had broken into a vehicle, a building and then stole a Kawasaki All-Terrain Vehicle that was later recovered with stolen property on it, including a .22-caliber rifle.

Peterson next showed up in the 4200 block of CR 204, where he attempted to solicit help to get back to Arlington.

“This is when Peterson was confronted by one of the owners of the stolen property, a fight ensued, and Peterson was wounded when shot with a shotgun,” Alford said.

Manchester, New Hampshire

From the February 6, 2006 WMUR channel 9:

MANCHESTER, N.H. -- Two people were arrested in connection with an armed robbery at a Manchester market in which the store's owner wrestled a gun away from a man who was pointing the weapon at his wife.

Police said that Patrick Shiner, 22, of Deerfield, N.H., pointed a gun at Zohra Lakbiri, who was working as a clerk at the Orange Street Market, during a robbery attempt on Friday.

Police said Lakbiri's husband, Matti Kenzou, was able to sneak up behind Shiner and grab the shotgun, pointing it toward the ceiling. The two wrestled while police were called. Two friends entered the store and helped Kenzou subdue the man.

"I couldn't think, especially when I saw my 4-year-old son yelling, 'Don't kill my daddy. Don't kill my mommy,'" Kenzou said. "That was it, and beside that, I was lucky."

Investigators said that Shiner and his girlfriend, Dorothy Collins, were going to use the money from the robbery to get an apartment.

The two were staying at a Manchester motel. Police said that Collins was supposed to be Shiner's getaway driver, but she fled when she realized that something was going wrong.

Police tracked Collins down to the Manchester Inn and recovered a second shotgun under the bed. Both of the weapons had the serial numbers removed, and police said that Collins told them she was planning on selling them after the robbery.

Effingham County, Georgia

From February 6, 2006 WTOC channel 11:

Deputies were called to the Timesaver on Deerfield Street after a man apparently walked in with a gunshot wound.

Deputies now say that three men--David Wiltz, Burney Cobb, Jr., and Timothy Sikes--forced their way into a home on Zeigler Road and tried to rob the man living there at gunpoint. They had a shotgun, but the homeowner had his own gun and opened fire, hitting Wiltz.

The men took off, but when they got to Highway 80, they kicked Wiltz out of the car at the Timesaver. That's where where police and ambulance crews found him.