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Third Time’s the Harm
After midnight on a Friday in July, a would-be burglar attempted to force his way into two homes in the Bay Area city of Richmond, California. He succeeded in breaking a window and gaining entry into the third home he tried. The sound of breaking glass alerted the homeowner, who armed himself and investigated the noise.
Finding the intruder in his house in the middle of the night, the homeowner defended himself and his sleeping family by opening fire on the man, striking him in the torso. The intruder was transported to a local hospital in critical condition. Police stated he had an extensive criminal record. Police also said the homeowner acted in clear-cut self-defense and it was unlikely any charges would be filed against him.
SOURCE: KNTV, San Jose, California, 7/6/18
Loyal Son
The ringing doorbell was quickly followed by what sounded like an attempted forced entry at an Akron, Ohio home. The homeowner, who had been watching TV with her adult son, went to the front door, while her son went to the back door. The son found a man trying to force his way into the house, and a shoving match broke out. The homeowner fetched a handgun and gave it to her son, who used it to shoot the intruder, wounding him.
Despite this, the unknown intruder attempted to force his way in again, causing the son to shoot him a second time, this time with fatal results. Police and an ambulance responded to the 911 call, but the intruder was dead at the scene. Neither the woman nor her son knew who the intruder was or why he was trying to gain entry.
SOURCE: Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, Ohio, 6/26/18
Off Duty, Not Off Guard
In the pre-dawn darkness, an off-duty Wichita, Kansas police officer encountered an armed individual who had let himself into the officer’s home through an unlocked door. The masked intruder gave the officer orders, and the officer feigned compliance as a ruse until he could surreptitiously retrieve his duty sidearm.
Fearing for the safety of not only himself but also his wife and children, the officer engaged the robber with his sidearm, striking him multiple times. The robber’s return fire injured the officer in the leg. Both men were transported to local hospitals, where the officer was treated and released, while the intruder died of his wounds. Police say the intruder had previously been arrested for burglary, and neighbors said he was involved in a rash of local thefts. The intruder’s gun turned out to be stolen.
SOURCE: KWCH-TV, Wichita, Kansas, 7/3/18
Luck Was on Her Side
When a woman went into a Dallas, Texas convenience store to pay for her gas late on a Wednesday night in July, she left her children in her SUV and the vehicle running. Looking out the store window, she saw a man get into the SUV and begin to drive off. She ran after her departing vehicle and managed to clamber into the back seat. When he ignored her demands to stop, she engaged the carjacker in a physical struggle in the gap between the front seatbacks as the SUV barreled down the road.
While continuing to struggle with the carjacker, the woman accessed the glovebox and pulled out her pistol. She shot the man once in the head, causing him to lose control of the vehicle. This sent it careering off the road and into a telephone pole. The carjacker was transported to the hospital, while the woman and her children escaped unhurt.
SOURCE: KTVT, Fort Worth, Texas, 7/5/18
[Editor’s Note: This incident is an example of luck and courage triumphing over bad practices. Only the woman’s bravery and a lot of luck prevented any of a multitude of sadder endings. Don’t leave your car running, don’t leave your kids in a running car and, as Pat Rogers was fond of saying, “Your car is not a holster!”
