Augusta, Georgia

From Augusta’s WJBG.com of May 4, 2007

Another Local Homeowner Forced To Kill Intruder

An 84-year old man fired the shots overnight. Investigators say he hit the woman trying to rob his home--- a woman in her late 20s early thirties who is now in serious condition at MCG. Frank Sams says the same woman had been coming to his house trying to steal from him and his wife several times this week. He was outside with his gun early this morning when she came back. He says he saw her trying to break in this building behind his house when he fired. Investigators say this is just another case of a homeowner protecting themselves and their property. This shooting follows a similar incident earlier this week. Authorities say a homeowner came face to face with a burglar trying to get in his home Wednesday. The army captain shot and killed him. No charges are expected.

Henry County, Missouri

From the TheKansasCityChannel.com of May XX, 2007

Deputy: Neighbor Dispute Ends In Slaying

Deputies said a dispute between two neighbors led to bloodshed Thursday morning in rural Henry County.

Edwin D. Walrath, 36, was shot to death at a mobile home in the 1000 block of Northeast Highway C, officials said.

Investigators said they suspect Walrath's neighbor shot him twice, and then the neighbor called 911.

The first deputy to arrive at the scene tried to save Walrath's life.

"She began CPR until the ambulance arrived, which happened just a few minutes after," said Maj. Rob Hills with the Henry County Sheriff's Department.

Deputies said John E. Hicks, 55, was questioned and released. Officers said they searched his home for evidence.

KMBC's Bev Chapman reported that there was an ongoing feud between the neighbors, who shared a long lane just north of Truman Lake.

"We've had several calls in the past about property issues, property disputes going on. We've been there numerous times," Hills said.

There have been at least six police reports over the years, officials said.

"We feel self-defense is going to be an issue, a claim in the case in the facts," Hills said.

A coroner's inquest will be organized in the coming days, and then a prosecutor will decide whether to file charges.

Note: An earlier version of this story said investigators found drug paraphernalia at the home, which is incorrect. We regret the error.

Cleveland County, North Carolina

From the Charlotte Observer of May XX, 2007

Woman cleared in shooting of husband

The Cleveland County district attorney on Thursday dismissed a murder charge against a woman accused of fatally shooting her husband.

Tina Weaver acted in self-defense when she shot Ronald Todd Weaver, 41, at their Kings Mountain home on Nov. 25, court documents said.

"The dismissal completely exonerates my client from any criminal wrongdoing," said Weaver's attorney, David Teddy.

There was a history of domestic violence between the couple, court documents said, and Weaver's husband had severely beaten her just before the shooting.

Weaver, 40, has been out on $40,000 bond since November.

Weaver, a mother of three, is relieved that the charge has been dropped, Teddy said.

"This has been a heavy burden she's been carrying since November," Teddy said.

Independence County, Arkansas

From the Batesville Daily Guard of May 3, 2007

Shots fired at armed midnight intruder

Responding to a call for help around midnight, the parents of Rebecca Little of 150 County Line Road arrived to see a man armed with a shotgun fleeing from the residence.

When told to stop, the man reportedly turned and pointed the shotgun at the parents, and a shot was fired at him in return before he fled into a wooded area.

Sgt. Mike Price with the Independence County Sheriff’s Office said Little told him that she was awakened by someone knocking and then pounding on her door around midnight.

Unable to see anyone outside, Little said she called her mother and step-father, Tony and Debbie Mesa, to come to her house.

“When they arrived they saw a white man, approximately 18 to 25 years old in a white T-shirt and jeans with short blond hair, run from the area of the house near the master bedroom into the backyard,” Price said.

“The suspect was carrying a shotgun with a black synthetic stock. Mr. Mesa yelled for the suspect to stop and at that time the suspect turned around to face Mr. Mesa in a threatening manner. Mr. Mesa stated he then fired his pistol at the suspect, but didn’t’ believe he had struck the suspect,” Price said.

The intruder then reportedly fled into a nearby wooded area in the direction of Marce Lane, and the family left the residence to call police, mistakenly leaving a door unlocked.

Price said when officers arrived they searched the area but couldn’t find anyone and then called for Little to return home.

After the family left someone reportedly entered the home, pulled a bed comforter and sheets from a bed and threw them in the floor. Two other comforters, a cell phone on a charger and a package of diapers were reportedly taken from other areas of the residence.

No suspects were listed at the time of the incident, according to Price.

Des Moines, Iowa

From the Des Moines Register of May 3, 2007

Man with gun vs man with dog; no charges filed

Des Moines police declined to file charges against a man who pulled a gun on a neighbor's dog.

Eric Wilson, 36, of Des Moines, complained to police that a man pulled a gun and pointed it at his rottweiler (sic) about 2 p.m. Wednesday.

Police said the man reportedly yelled at Wilson, telling him to put the animal on a leash. Wilson also claimed the man also pointed the gun at him and assaulted him by poking him in the chest with a finger.

Officers spoke to the man with the gun in the 1400 block of Highview Drive. He claimed the dog came onto his property and "charged," him, which is when he pulled the firearm. He said Wilson also came onto his property and yelled for the dog to stop.

The man said he ordered Wilson and the dog off his property and admitted only that he "lightly tapped" Wilson on the chest with a finger. He added that he pointed the gun only at the dog.

Police concluded the man was acting in self-defense. They filed no charges and did not release the man's name. Police said Wilson loudly disagreed with their decision.

Purcell, Oklahoma

From the Norman Transcript of May 3, 2007

Liquor store owner foils robbery attempt

A Purcell liquor store owner refused to comply when a man entered his store and told him to hand over his money Tuesday. Instead, the owner pulled out his gun and told the would-be robber to get out.

At about 4 p.m. Tuesday, a white male entered Butch's Cork and Bottle, 528 S. Green Ave. in Purcell, said owner Butch Kluth, 63.

The man demanded all of the money in the register, and Kluth said he replied, "F-- you," according to the police report.

"What do you mean, 'F-- you?' Give me all your money," the man responded, Kluth said in the report.

Then the man reached into his pants, "like he had a gun," Kluth said.

So Kluth retrieved his own Smith -- Wesson 357 and pointed it at the man, telling him to get out of the store, Kluth said.

The man made an attempt to grab the gun, but when he failed he ran out of the store, Kluth said.

Kluth then followed the man to a dark green Mustang parked on the south side of the liquor store, the report said.

Kluth fired one shot in an attempt to hit the man's tire, but the round struck the right front fender instead, the report said.

"I was a little feared for my life, but at that point I didn't think about it," Kluth said Wednesday afternoon in his store. He didn't bother to close the store after the incident, saying the attempted robbery didn't shake him up.

Police were dispatched on the report of an attempted robbery with shots fired at 4:11 p.m.

Wayne police caught up with the car in the 200 block of South Seventh Street. The suspect was ordered to exit the vehicle and was arrested for robbery in the first degree.

He identified himself as Jeremy Lloyd Cox, 32, of Ardmore. Kluth said he had never seen Cox before.

Cox was processed at the Purcell Police Department and then transferred to the McClain County Detention Center. He will be arraigned 1:30 p.m. today.

Kluth said he's been in business for only a year. He said he'd never expected to be robbed, but kept a firearm in the store just in case, because "things like that happen."

He said he'll keep his gun handy in the future, too.

Mobile, Alabama

From the Mobile Press Register of May 3, 2007

Man found shot faces robbery charge

Mobile police said Wednesday that the passenger found shot last week inside a wrecked car was responsible for a botched robbery that left him wounded and the driver of the car dead.

Travis Goff, 23, was charged with two counts of first-degree robbery and was taken to the Mobile County Metro Jail, according to police spokesman Officer Eric Gallichant.

Goff was found shot April 26 inside in a maroon, older-model Buick at Mobile and Betbeze streets in an area behind Three Mile Creek and the University of South Alabama Medical Center, police said.

Antron Willis, 22, was found dead in the driver's seat. The car hit a fence and came to a stop on the lawn in front of a house on the northwest corner of Mobile and Betbeze streets.

Investigators believe the men were trying to drive themselves to the hospital.

Gallichant gave the following account Wednesday of what led to the wreck and eventually Goff's arrest:

Goff, Willis and a third person, identified Wednesday as Anthony Legget, were in the same room at Willis' residence on Betbeze Street.

While they were together, Goff attempted to rob Willis and Legget, and Goff and Willis began struggling over a handgun, Gallichant said.

Police believe the robbery was drug-related, the spokesman said.

While Goff and Willis struggled, Legget got another handgun from somewhere inside the house, and began shooting. "Unfortunately, he shot Willis as well as Goff in this melee," Gallichant said.

Willis and Goff left the house, and Willis got into Goff's Buick, Gallichant said. Willis was trying to drive away when Goff jumped into the car as well, and the two drove until they hit the fence, Gallichant said.

No charged had been filed against Legget as of Wednesday, Gallichant said, and that case would be sent to a Mobile County grand jury for review.