Selection Process
On a Tuesday night in late January, a woman was outside her Fayetteville, North Carolina apartment smoking a cigarette when she noticed a stranger knocking on apartment doors. On seeing her, the man walked over, claiming to be looking for a girl. Closing the distance, he then asked if she would give him a cigarette. She did, and he took the cigarette, then drew a pistol and demanded money.
Shoving her back to her apartment and through the front door, he threatened to shoot her if she didn’t hand over cash. Upstairs, the woman’s soldier husband heard his wife plead, “Please don’t shoot me!” He grabbed an M4-style rifle and came downstairs with it. The would-be robber turned toward the husband with the gun raised, and the soldier fired multiple times, striking the intruder with fatal results.
The deceased attacker’s weapon was found to be a pellet gun. No charges were filed, as the shooting was in self-defense.
SOURCE: WTVD, Durham, North Carolina, 2/3/18
Liquor Store Stickup Stopped
Early on a Monday evening, two men burst into Princess Liquors in Maplewood, Minnesota. Attempting to rob the store, one of the two began beating on the woman behind the counter. Hearing the commotion, the woman’s husband and co-owner of the store approached with a drawn gun and shot and hit the attacker who was assaulting his wife.
Both assailants fled from the gunfire, and the wounded man was found in the yard of the house across the street. Responding officers attempted to revive him, and he was transported to a nearby hospital, where he died of his injuries. The deceased had recently moved to the St. Paul suburb from Chicago, where he had a lengthy criminal record of theft and assault.
SOURCE: WCCO, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1/22/18
Front Porch Firefight
A man was awakened from an afternoon nap in his Indian River County, Florida home by the sound of someone violently kicking his front door. He got out of bed and grabbed a gun, heading to investigate the noise. As he opened the door to confront the would-be intruder, he discovered two teens on his front porch. One fired at the homeowner, who returned fire and struck the intruder multiple times.
Both teens fled, with the wounded one collapsing in the street, where he tossed his gun into the roadside vegetation. He was transported to a nearby hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
The Sheriff told reporters the incident should serve as a warning to would-be burglars that the citizens of his county are armed and able to protect themselves and their property.
SOURCE: WPTV, West Palm Beach, Florida, 2/1/18
Wee Hours Intruder
At three o’clock in the morning, a Lakeland, Florida couple in their 60s were awakened by the sound of someone kicking at their front door and yelling profanities. Calling the police, the husband grabbed a shotgun and went to the foyer to stand guard. Yelling through the door that he was armed did not cause the disturbance to stop, but instead triggered a new torrent of cursing and kicking at the door.
When the intruder succeeded in kicking the door open, the 66-year-old homeowner leveled the shotgun at the intruder and warned him again that he would shoot if the man approached. Ignoring the homeowner’s warning, the intruder stepped into the house and was hit by a single shotgun blast to the chest. Responding EMTs reported the suspect was conscious and combative. He was transported to a hospital, where he was listed in critical condition and would face burglary charges if he survived.
SOURCE: WTVT, Tampa Bay, Florida, 1/28/18
