Houston, Texas

From the Houston Chronicle of November 17, 2006

Woman kills intruder at a southwest Houston home

A woman fatally shot a man around 7:30 p.m. Thursday in southwest Houston after she felt "forced to use deadly force to protect herself and her children," Houston Police Sgt. Mark Newcomb said.

The man entered the woman's apartment at 10211 Sugarbranch at the Forum Park Three Townhomes where he was shot once, fled the apartment, and collapsed and died nearby.

Two witnesses, one of whom is a security guard at the complex, will be charged with possession. The woman also was in possession of narcotics at the time of the incident and was an acquaintance of the victim, Newcomb said. The woman's children are in the care of relatives.

Dunn, North Carolina

From the Dunn Daily Record of November 16, 2006

Jury: Hines Not Guilty In Shooting

A Dunn man was found not guilty yesterday by a Harnett County Superior Court Jury in a controversial shooting.

Brad Hines, 33, was acquitted of a charge of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and inflicting serious injury.

Mr. Hines was charged with the Aug. 1, 2005 shooting of Robert Surles, 43, of Dunn at Mr. Surles' auto body shop.

A service manager for Perry Brothers Tire Service, Mr. Hines testified he was attacked by Mr. Surles and an unknown, armed black male while attempting to collect a debt owed his employer.

Mr. Hines testified that Mr. Surles attacked him with a board and the other man drew a gun on him.

Mr. Hines said he pulled a handgun, for which he has a permit, and fired a single shot in self-defense, wounding Mr. Surles.

In an October 2005 hearing, District Court Judge Marcia Stewart found no probable cause for the charge against Mr. Hines.

But Senior Assistant District Attorney Peter Strickland decided to press on with the case and secured a grand jury indictment against Mr. Hines.
…

After the closing statements, Superior Court Judge Jim Ammons charged the jury and dismissed them to make a verdict.

The jury returned after about 10 minutes and a not guilty verdict was read by courtroom clerk Vivian Jackson.

Gun To Be Destroyed

After the verdict was read, Judge Ammons gave Mr. Hines some advice.

"Take that concealed weapon permit and turn it in to the Sheriff's Office - you don't need it," Judge Ammons said. "If the gun is returned to you, go sell it. You don't need it."

Mr. Strickland told Judge Ammons he wants the gun destroyed.

Judge Ammons convened a hearing to decide the matter.

"In a hearing before a judge, the weapon can either be returned to the defendant or I can order the firearm turned over to the sheriff and destroyed," Judge Ammons said.

Mr. Hayes defended Mr. Hines' right to keep his firearm.

"The court heard the evidence, Mr. Hines is in lawful possession and has a legal permit," Mr. Hayes said. "You're destroying a $600 to $800 gun which belongs to someone who has never committed a violent crime and you've heard testimony of his good character and reputation."

"We have heard the evidence and Mr. Hines took a firearm into a situation late at night where he knew it might be used," Mr. Strickland said. "The state is concerned a similar incident might happen again."

After hearing arguments from both sides, Judge Ammons ruled the firearm be turned over to Harnett County Sheriff Larry Rollins and destroyed.

You have a right to bear arms (unless you exercise the right)

Sacramento, California

From the Sacramento Bee of November 17, 2006

Police: Tenant killed invader

Sacramento resident broke free of beating, shot one assailant.

The man found shot to death in the doorway of a south Sacramento duplex Tuesday was one of two home invaders who burst into the apartment, dragged the resident into the front yard and began pistol-whipping him, Sacramento police said.

James Robinson, 36, was shot by the 24-year-old resident of the duplex on the 2300 block of 32nd Avenue, one block south of Fruitridge Road, said Sacramento Police Officer Michelle Lazark. Robinson, whose body was found lying in a hallway of the duplex, was pronounced dead at the scene.

No charges have been filed against the tenant, whose name was not released, police said.

Meanwhile, Robinson's alleged accomplice in the robbery -- 33-year-old Jermain Giles of Fairfield -- turned himself into police Wednesday night, Lazark said. He is being held in the Sacramento County jail on a parole violation, according to jail records.

According to police, Robinson and Giles showed up at the victim's home about 1:40 p.m. Tuesday. They dragged the resident from the apartment and one of the men beat him with the handle of a gun, Lazark said.

The victim broke free and grabbed his own gun, opening fire and killing Robinson, Lazark said.

Texarkana, Texas

From the Texarkana Gazette of November 16, 2006

No charges filed in Condit shooting

Family spokesman says self-defense; police await autopsy for final finding

Preliminary findings indicate Tuesday’s shooting death of Stacey Condit, a Texarkana attorney’s ex-wife, was self-defense, and no charges have been filed.

“We’re speculating it’s self-defense, but they are still taking statements. We want to wait until the autopsy results are back,” Wake Village Police Chief Tony Estes said late Wednesday.

The body has been sent to Dallas for an autopsy.

Condit, 39, was the ex-wife of attorney Bruce Condit. The shooting happened about 8:15 p.m. Tuesday at Bruce Condit’s Wake Village home. Bruce Condit, his two grown children and two of their friends were at the house at the time of the incident.

They were questioned by police and released. No charges have been filed, said Wake Village Police Detective Keith Schutte.

Schutte said police know who shot Stacey Condit but are not releasing the person’s name pending the completion of the investigation.

Schutte said Stacey Condit went to the home with a rifle, apparently intending to hurt her ex-husband, and entered the house. She was shot with a shotgun that belonged to someone in the house, he said. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Michael Peek, Bruce Condit’s close friend and law partner, said he had spoken to Condit, who told him what happened at the residence Tuesday.

(Much more detail)

Indianapolis, Indiana

From the Indianapolis Star of November 15, 2006

Robber takes homeowner's gun

An elderly man was assaulted in his home by a robber who took the man's shotgun when the homeowner tried to defend himself.

James Wortman, 82, was awakened early Tuesday by somebody breaking into his house, in the 5800 block of East 19th Street.He reached for his shotgun. The intruder quickly grabbed the gun, pointed it at Wortman and demanded money.

The man ransacked the house but found no money. He left the house taking only the shotgun. Wortman was not injured.

We also post ALL instances that we find of unsuccessful use of firearms in self-defense.

Salem, Oregon

From the Salem Statesman-Journal of November 16, 2006

Gunfire follows house blaze

Iraq veteran says he found intruder at site a day later

A two-alarm fire damaged a Salem home Tuesday night, displacing the family of a National Guard sergeant who told police that he exchanged gunshots with an intruder inside his house the morning after the blaze.

Brian Mumey, who was not home when the fire broke out, told police that he returned to his house at 225 Stark St. N after the blaze to check his damaged possessions and saw an unidentified man inside his bedroom Wednesday morning.

Mumey, 43, said the intruder, described as a white male in his 50s, fired a shot at him, prompting him to fire five to six rounds back. After another exchange of gunfire, the unidentified man reportedly fled.

Mumey called 911 to report seeing a man inside his home. His house no longer had a front door because of the fire.

"I saw a light and I thought, 'Great, my house is burnt, and now I'm getting robbed,'" he said.

Salem police did not find any evidence of a suspect inside Mumey's home or any shell casings from a second weapon, said Sgt. Kevin Halvorsen. They did find evidence of gunshots from Mumey's firearm, which he has a permit to carry.

Knoxville, Tennessee

From the Knoxville News Sentinel of November 16, 2006

Lawmaker turns into lawman for the day

Burchett nabs teens he says were breaking into warehouse on Amherst

State Sen. Tim Burchett says he caught a group of youngsters during a break-in Wednesday, held them at gunpoint and fed them chocolate-chip cookies until Knox County sheriff's deputies arrived.

Burchett said the youths had knocked the lock off a warehouse on Amherst Road where he keeps old motorcycles and parts and gone inside when he "snuck up" through nearby woods to the building about 11:30 a.m. Wednesday.

"I got four of them. One got away," said Burchett, adding that deputies told him the fifth had been arrested later. "I think that's pretty good. I'm sick of crime. I'm sick of being a victim. I've been staying up at night trying to catch these guys."

Martha Dooley, spokeswoman for the sheriff's department, confirmed that arrests had occurred at Burchett's warehouse, but no report had been filed late Wednesday and she could not provide details.

Burchett said that three motorcycles and a security camera had been stolen from the warehouse over the past two weeks and he thought, since the burglaries apparently occurred after school hours, that school-age teens might be involved.

He said he had previously stood watch, sometimes with a friend or his father, without success. On Wednesday, he learned that Karns High School had been closed for the day because of a plumbing problem and decided to try again to catch the youths in the act.

Burchett said he called 911, told the person answering that he was armed and planned to apprehend the suspects.

"The lady said, 'Are you going to shoot them?' and I said, 'No, I'm not going to shoot some kid over a dad-gum motorcycle'."

The state senator, who said he holds a conceal-carry permit, had a recently purchased 9 mm Glock pistol and a .25 automatic Keltec as a "backup," according to his account. He said he brandished the larger pistol and told the youths to "put your hands up" and then to "put your hands behind your head."

"One of them said, 'Well, which one do you want - hands up or behind the head?' and I said, 'Either one'," Burchett said.

He said they waited about 15 minutes "in the rain and mud" for deputies to arrive. During the period, he said, the youths began talking - one of them basically admitting to the break-in - and he gave them some of the cookies that a friend had given him earlier in the day.

Burchett said he understood from the deputies that one of the youths was 18 years old and the others were juveniles. He said he intends to press charges, fearing that if punishment is left to parents "they might take away the GameBoy for one afternoon."

Burchett said he had "almost been obsessed" with catching the burglars and had "staked out" the warehouse on several previous occasions.

"It was an exhilarating experience" to finally catch the culprits, he said.