Elkhart, Indiana

From Elkhart's eTruth.com of November 12, 2005

Store owner pulls gun on robber

A store owner thwarted an armed robbery Thursday with a gun of his own.

Employees at Saleh’s Market, 401 Middlebury St., told Cpl. Robert Perry that a man wearing a Halloween mask entered the store at about 6:35 p.m. Thursday, aimed a BB gun rifle at them and said, “If you move, I will kill you.”

The 64-year-old owner of the store then grabbed a gun of his own and pointed it at the robber, who dropped his gun and fled down Middlebury Street with the owner in pursuit, said Perry. The owner lost sight of the robber after a short chase, he said.

Glendale, Arizona

From Phoenix’ AZFamily.com of November 11, 2005

Arrests made in gun shop robbery

Police say they caught up with the four men who robbed a Glendale gun shop after the teens tried breaking into another place in Phoenix.

More than a dozen firearms were taken when the Lone Wolf Gun Store was robbed on Halloween.

While Glendale detectives from the property-crimes department were receiving information from the public, just days later, Phoenix detectives informed them of a separate burglary in Phoenix. That's when police were able to locate the suspects and link the two crimes.

" A few days later, a burglary was taking place in the city of Phoenix when that resident came out and interrupted those burglars he had a weapon and gunfire was exchanged between that homeowner as well as the supsects," said Michael Pena with the Glendale Police Department.

The homeowner in the Phoenix case actually shot one of the suspects and police were able to arrest the teens.

Twenty-one weapons were recovered out of the 38 that were stolen.

Federal prosecutors will be handling the case.

The suspect who was shot is expected to be OK.

Juneau, Alaska

From Anchorage’s KTVA.com of November 11, 2005

Juneau man defends boat while naked

According to the Associated Press, a Juneau man defended his boat from an intruder before dawn Thursday with a shotgun and little else.

Russell Peterson grabbed his shotgun, sprang out of bed and marched the intruder off the vessel - all while in the nude. Peterson says he saw a man in a black coat standing in his bedroom doorway aboard his boat docked in Aurora Harbor. Peterson says he used his sawed-off shotgun to march the man off his ship.

Peterson then called 911. After explaining the situation, Peterson told the dispatcher he needed to get off the phone so he could get his pants on.

Police say 27-year-old Clay Calabrese was jailed at the Lemon Creek Correctional Center on a charge of criminal trespass. Peterson says Calabrese lives on another boat at Aurora.

Hattiesburg, Mississippi

From the Hattiesburg American of November 11, 2005

Police: Resident shoots suspected home invader

An intruder was shot early today in the living room of a house in the 400 block of South 13th Avenue, police said.

Kenneth James, 54, was taken to surgery at Forrest General Hospital with a bullet lodged near his kidney, Police Lt. Shane Tucker said.

The shooting occurred shortly after 5 a.m. when the residents woke up to find James in the bedroom, he said. Police did not release the names of the residents.

James apparently entered the house through the back door but it was unclear whether the door was unlocked or if he allegedly broke in, said Sgt. Robert Teck.

"He was shot in the living room and ran outside," Teck said.

Police found James in the yard on the south side of the house when they arrived, he said. James was transported to the hospital by AAA Ambulance Service.

No charges have been filed.

Rush, Kentucky

From Lexington’s Kentucky.com of November 11, 2005

Police: Hall of fame hunter shoots alleged intruder

A member of the Kentucky Turkey Hunters Hall of Fame fatally shot an alleged intruder in his home early today, Kentucky State Police said.

Roland Burns, 65, of Rush, told investigators that he awoke shortly before 12:30 a.m. EST to find the man in his home in rural Boyd County, Trooper Ed Ginter said.

Shannon Scott Conley, 32, of Rush, was pronounced dead at the scene.

No charges have been filed in the case. State police are investigating.

Ginter said Burns told investigators that he was awakened by a vehicle in his driveway. He said he went to investigate and found the alleged intruder in his house. Burns told police he returned to his bedroom for a gun.

"Mr. Burns ordered the man to leave the home," Ginter said in a press release. "A struggle ensued, and Mr. Conley was fatally wounded."

Burns, who was inducted into the Turkey Hunters Hall of Fame in 2003 by the Kentucky chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, was not injured, Ginter said.

From Lexington’s Lex18.com of November 15, 2005

Charges Unlikely Against Hall Of Fame Hunter Who Shot Alleged Intruder

Charges are unlikely to be filed against a member of the Kentucky Turkey Hunters Hall of Fame who fatally shot an alleged intruder in his home early Friday, according to officials.

Roland Burns, 65, of Rush, told investigators that he awoke shortly before 12:30 a.m. Friday to find the man in his home in rural Boyd County, Trooper Ed Ginter said.
Shannon Scott Conley, 32, of Rush, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Boyd County Commonwealth's attorney J. Stewart Schneider says it is unlikely he will charge Burns with a crime. He said Tuesday that it looks like Burns acted within state law when he shot and killed Conley.

Relatives say Conley had grown up in the house where burns and his family now live. They say the former Marine, actor and model, was bi-polar, and that, as a child, his father had told him there was hidden treasure in the house. They also say Conley was obsessed to the point of madness to get back into his family's former home.

Ginter said Burns told investigators that he was awakened by a vehicle in his driveway. He said he went to investigate and found the alleged intruder in his house. Burns told police he returned to his bedroom for a gun.

"Mr. Burns ordered the man to leave the home," Ginter said in a press release. "A struggle ensued, and Mr. Conley was fatally wounded."

Burns, who was inducted into the Turkey Hunters Hall of Fame in 2003 by the Kentucky chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, was not injured, Ginter said.

Houston, Texas

From Click2Houston.com of November 11, 2005

Father Fights Burglary Suspects To Keep Family Safe

Authorities Arrest 3 Honduran Men At Nearby Convenience Store

A dad fought back to protect his home from thieves Thursday morning, KPRC Local 2 reported.

Francisco Rocha told authorities he grabbed his shotgun and chased two men out of his home on Atascocita Road near Alder Street at about 6:20 a.m.

Authorities told KPRC Local 2 that they do not recommend homeowners fighting back against intruders, but said they understood that he didn't have much of a choice.

"As a father to me, he was trying to protect his family and that's what he felt was the right thing to do at the time," Harris County Sheriff's Dept Sgt. Bryan Pair said.

One of the thieves was armed with a 9 mm handgun.

No shots were fired during the burglary.

The two men, along with a getaway driver, were all arrested at a nearby convenience store. Deputies charged them with aggravated robbery.

Deputies said all of the men are from Honduras. If convicted, the trio will serve time before being deported back to Honduras.

Investigators told KPRC Local 2 that they are trying to determine if the suspects are linked to any other crimes.

Charlotte, North Carolina

From the Charlotte Observer of November 11, 2005
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Women fight off attackers

Women fought off attackers in a pair of overnight incidents in Charlotte, in one case firing shots at an intruder.

The first took place shortly after midnight in the 5100 block of Eaton Circle, off Morris Field Drive near Charlotte/Douglas International Airport.

Police say a woman was asleep when she was awakened by a man who had forced his way into her home.

The man cut the woman with a knife, but she responded by grabbing a gun near her bed and firing at the intruder. She failed to hit the man, but he ran out of the house and fled.

The woman said the intruder stole some of her property.

The victim was treated for the knife wound at Presbyterian Hospital.