A burglary spree on April 20 ended with a twist when the Santa Rosa County Sheriff offered shooting classes to a victim. The day started with multiple break-ins in a Pace, Fla. neighborhood. The sheriff’s office started getting calls and reports of a suspicious person and then of shots fired. During one of the alleged break-ins, the homeowner fired multiple shots at the suspect, but did not strike him. About 20 officers arrived, some with their K-9s, cornering the suspect in a different home that he had previously burglarized that day. After attempting to barricade himself in the bedroom, he jumped headfirst out of a window but was captured and arrested. According to Sheriff Bob Johnson, the suspect’s first police interaction was at 13 years old and since then has been arrested around 17 times. “We sent him to prison for six and a half years for home invasion, and he just can’t seem to get the picture of crime does not pay.” The suspect was charged with one count of attempted burglary with assault, one count of resisting arrest, two counts of burglary to an occupied dwelling, one count of criminal mischief, one count of attempted larceny and one count of burglary to an unoccupied dwelling. No charges will be brought against the person who shot at the suspect, but the sheriff suggested he take a gun-safety course they conduct: “If you take that, you’ll shoot a lot better, and hopefully you’ll save the taxpayers money.” (pnj.com, Pensacola, Fla., 4/21/22)
In the early morning hours of April 22, Geneva County emergency responders were alerted to a home break-in and shooting. The homeowner said he was awakened by sounds coming from his back-door area. After arming himself, he went to investigate and found a man allegedly attempting to burglarize the home. The suspect was told to leave but did not comply. He instead attempted to fight with the homeowner, who was armed with a handgun and shot the criminal twice, in the leg and abdomen. He was taken to a nearby medical center where he was listed in stable condition. Upon release from the hospital, he was to be charged with home invasion; no charges were expected to be filed against the homeowner. (wdhn.com, Webb, Ala., 4/22/22)
