Two young criminals saw a 73-year-old man in his garage and, no doubt thinking he was an easy target, decided to steal his truck. Neither knew the homeowner was an avid hunter, and was armed.
Police Capt. Mary Warnecke told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch the 18- and 20-year-old robbers—armed with pistols—walked in, placed a gun to the head of the homeowner and demanded the keys to the pickup parked outside. The victim then pulled a gun from his pocket and fatally shot both intruders, who fell dead between the garage and the man’s home.
“It appears the homeowner acted in self-defense,” concluded Warnecke. Two neighbors said they have known the homeowner, a retired fireman, for decades, and that “He would never miss a chance to stop and say ‘Hi.’” They also said the man would never have shot anyone during a robbery unless he feared for his life. “Not his truck, but his life.”
