Fairbanks, Alaska

From the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner of July 3, 2007

Two grizzlies shot on Chena Hot Springs Road

Two sibling grizzly bears were killed Sunday night within a half mile of each other on Chena Hot Springs Road, one by a state wildlife biologist responding to a report of two brazen bears in a woman’s yard, and the other by a homeowner who shot it after the bear tore a window out and ripped siding off his home.

The two shootings bring the number of nuisance grizzly bears killed in and around Fairbanks this season to eight, not counting another grizzly that was found dead from a gunshot wound, a case that state wildlife troopers are investigating.

The two bears were killed in the yards of residences at 19.5 Mile and 20 Mile on Chena Hot Springs Road, about 20 miles east of Fairbanks.

(More)

Jay, Oklahoma

From the Joplin (MO) Globe of July 3, 2007

Authorities: Teen, fatally shot in home burglary, identified

Authorities on Monday identified a Delaware County teenager who they said was fatally shot after he allegedly broke into a home early Sunday in Colcord.

Sheriff Jay Blackfox identified the victim as David Gudde, 17, of Colcord. He was pronounced dead at the scene about 4 a.m. Sunday.

Jack Doughty, 62, of Colcord, told investigators that Gudde and another man, who has not been identified, were in his house and were opening a door to a room when he shot in the direction of the door with a revolver, said Jessica Brown, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation spokeswoman.

Doughty said he was trying to scare them, Brown said.

The pair ran out the door, and Doughty followed behind, firing two shots in the air to alert neighbors that there were problems, Brown said.

Brown said Doughty also sold fireworks from his home.

When authorities arrived, they found Gudde on the ground, Brown said.

The shooting remains under investigation, and no charges have been filed, she said.

From the Miami News-Record of November 2, 2007

Man cleared in shooting

Oklahoma's “Make My Day” law was the deciding factor in the fate of a Colcord man who fatally shot a 17-year-old this summer, according to District Attorney Eddie Wyant.

Jack Doughty, 62, stood accused of shooting David Gudde in the early morning hours of July 1.

According to police reports, Doughty operated a fireworks stand out of his Delaware County home in June and early July. Doughty told authorities that he was awakened around 4 a.m. on July 1, by what he believed to be intruders.

Gudde and 18-year-old Lance Stick were reportedly in Doughty's home and were opening an inside door when Doughty fired a shot in the direction of the door with a .22 caliber rifle.

Doughty told investigators that he chased the intruders as they ran outside, firing two more shots to “alert neighbors”.

When authorities arrived at the scene, they found Gudde lying on the ground outside Doughty's home.

An Oklahoma law passed in 1988, protects residents from being prosecuted for using deadly force against suspected threats to themselves in their homes and on their properties.

After investigating the incident, Wyant said he will not file charges against Doughty because is actions were in accordance to the “Make My Day” law.

“With the number of residential burglaries, I am really surprised more people don't get shot for breaking into people's houses with this law on the book,” Wyant said. “I hope people realize the risk they put themselves into when they unlawfully enter someone's house.”

Stick was charged July 30, with first-degree burglary and is currently in Delaware County Jail on a $20,000 bond.

Last year, legislators passed a law in accordance with the “Make My Day” law. The “Stand My Ground” law protects people from prosecution if they use deadly force in other locations, such as their vehicle, when they reasonably feel their life is in danger.

Hobart, Indiana

From the Merrillville Post-Tribune of July 3, 2007

Hobart man arrested after he's shot

A shooting last week led to an arrest Monday -- the person who was shot.

Lawrence Halt, 43, took two shots to the chest and hand in from a handgun fired by Michael Peco, 39.

Peco shot Halt in his own home, apparently acting in self-defense, said Lt. Leo Finnerty of the Hobart Police. The Lake County Prosecutor's office is not filing charges against Peco.

Instead, Halt was charged with four felony counts Friday for trespassing, strangulation and two counts of criminal confinement.

Shortly before 6:30 p.m. June 26, Halt walked from his home in the 100 block of North Guyer Street and approached Peco, sitting on his porch on the 100 block of North Wilson Street.

Halt told Peco he wanted to work on his air conditioning unit, but Peco refused, according to court documents. Eventually, Halt made threatening comments against Peco and placed him in a chokehold.

Peco struggled loose and went inside. Halt entered Peco's home without permission. Peco retrieved his .25-caliber handgun from the bedroom moments before Halt grabbed him again, placing him in another chokehold, court documents state.

During the struggle, Peco shook loose and fired his gun at Halt. Peco then called 911.

Halt was found by police in the street, standing in a small pool of blood. He told officers that Peco came outside to shoot him. Police found a trail of blood leading from Peco's home.

Paramedics transported Halt to the St. Mary Medical Center, where tests showed his blood alcohol content level to be 0.28 percent. Halt was discharged two days later.

Nearly two hours before the shooting, Halt confronted another neighbor, Anne Allendorf, 46, in an alley between Guyer and Wilson streets, according to court documents.

Halt told Allendorf he wanted to shake her hand, and then grabbed her arm, pulled her closely and refused to let go. Allendorf broke loose and ran to her mother's house on Wilson Street, across from Peco's home. Allendorf and her son told police that they saw Halt choking Peco on his porch before the shots were fired.

Phoenix, Arizona

From Phoenix’ KPHO.com of July 2, 2007

Armed Robbery Escalates Into 2 Gun Battles

2 Robbers Wounded

What began as an armed robbery at a South Phoenix jewelry store escalated into two gun battles on Monday, leaving two of the three robbers wounded, police said.

The first gun battle erupted outside Luxor Jewelers between the robbers -- a woman and two men -- and store employees, police said.

The two men jumped a block wall, officers said.

Two jewelry employees chased them on foot, where a second gun battle broke out near the parking lot of a K-Mart store at 331 E. Baseline Road.

Both men were hit by bullets, detectives said. One of them suffered life-threatening injuries, according to officers.

The second robber was driven to a hospital by the woman, police said. Officers said they caught up with them there.

One of the jewelry store employees was grazed by bullet and treated at the scene, police said.

London, Kentucky

From Lexington's WKYT of July 2, 2007

Man Shoots and Kills Son-In-Law

Police say a homeowner shot and killed a man, suspected of trying to break into his home.

It happened in a trailer on Sinking Creek Road late Sunday night, just off west Highway 80.

Kentucky State Police tell 27 NEWSFIRST 46-year-old Jesse Justice reportedly tried to enter the home, and that he was armed with a Machete.

When police arrived, they found Justice dead at the scene, shot and killed by the homeowner, Paul Whitworth, the suspects father-in-law.

Police say that an active Domestic Violence Disorder was in effect at the time against Justice, taken out by his wife, Edna Whitworth, and her parents.

No charges have been filed in the case.

The incident remains under investigation by the Laurel County Major Crimes Task Force.

Hagerstown, Maryland

From the Hagerstown Herald-Mail of July 2, 2007

Inturder shot, killed in apartment

A 32-year-old Hagerstown man is dead and a 21-year-old man faces 18 charges after an apparent attempted robbery early Sunday at Youngstoun Court turned violent, according to the Washington County Sheriff's Office.

Sheriff's deputies were called to an apartment on Youngstoun Court shortly after 3:30 a.m. Sunday for a report of a shooting, according to a news release. Deputies found James Michael Conely, of 329 Central Ave., dead in a bedroom, allegedly shot and stabbed by one of the apartment's residents during a struggle.

Michael John Watkins, of 42 East Ave., has been charged with first-, third- and fourth-degree burglary; first-, third- and fourth-degree conspiracy to commit burglary; and two counts each of attempted armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, attempted robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, attempted theft and conspiracy to commit theft.

According to charging documents, the apartment's occupants - Carri Humphrey, 22, and Michelle Reeder, 24 - were preparing for bed at about 3 a.m. Sunday when someone knocked at their door. Humphrey said she looked through the peephole and saw a man who looked like another resident of their building.

She opened the door, and Conely, carrying a rifle and covering his face with a red bandanna, rushed in to the apartment, documents state. Humphrey said she screamed to Reeder to get her handgun. Conely then pushed Humphrey into a closet door, hit her in the face and head with his fist, and pointed his gun at her, documents state.

Reeder retrieved a handgun she owned, ran into the living room and saw Conely holding his gun to Humphrey's head, documents state. Reeder said she took cover behind a couch and attempted to fire a warning shot, but her gun's safety was still on. As she turned it off, Conely pointed his gun at her and said he was going to kill her, documents state.

Reeder said she fired several shots at him, but couldn't tell whether she hit him because he was still coming toward her. Police said Conely suffered a gunshot wound to the upper torso.

Reeder said Conely struck her on the head with his gun, and she briefly blacked out. Then, she said, he chased her into her bedroom, where they struggled, documents state.

Humphrey said she locked herself in the bathroom to call 911, and, hearing the fighting in the bedroom, ran to that room. Reeder told her to "get me my knife," she said, so Humphrey got the knife and gave it to her roommate. Reeder stabbed Conely in the back, and the women fled to a neighbor's residence, documents state.

A deputy responding to the call spotted a man on Mount Aetna Road who matched the description of the one who allegedly knocked on the women's door. He took the man into custody.

Watkins told police that he had been at Conely's residence Saturday night, and that Conely had said he knew of an apartment where they could find drugs and money, documents state. Watkins said the men then planned a robbery, and Conely directed Watkins to the women's apartment. Watkins said he didn't know Conely had a gun, according to the charging documents.

The women were treated at Washington County Hospital and released, a hospital spokeswoman said Sunday.

Dallas, Texas

From the Dallas Morning News of July 1, 2007

Senior: Man I shot robbed me

An elderly man shot a 31-year-old man who he said had robbed him at gunpoint late Friday night in northeast Dallas.

Charlie Andrew Myers III of Dallas was recovering Saturday from gunshot wounds in the throat and shoulder at Baylor University Medical Center.

Amor Kerboua, 79, was driving into the parking lot of his apartment in the 6400 block of Melody Lane, near Northwest Highway and Skillman Street, when a man police identified as Mr. Myers approached him, according to a police report. Mr. Myers put a handgun in Mr. Kerboua's face and demanded money, police said.

Thinking it was a joke, Mr. Kerboua pushed the gun away, but Mr. Myers pointed it at his face again. Mr. Kerboua opened his back door and handed Mr. Myers a cup containing $242.50. Mr. Myers then pointed the gun at Mr. Kerboua's stomach and told him, "I'm going to shoot you, [expletive]," according to the police report.

Mr. Kerboua then drew a .38-caliber Smith & Wesson handgun from his front pocket and shot Mr. Myers in the throat. Mr. Myers fell to the ground but kept his handgun pointed at Mr. Kerboua, who then fired two more times into Mr. Myers' shoulder, police said.

Investigators released Mr. Kerboua, who has a concealed handgun permit, after concluding that he had shot in self-defense. Reached Saturday, Mr. Kerboua declined to comment.

Mr. Myers was expected to face charges after his release from intensive care.