A 17-year-old male forced to defend a home fatally shot an armed intruder March 22 in Cobb County, Ga. Local law enforcement said three suspects attempting to rob the residence were confronted by the young armed citizen, whose shots hit two of them. One home invader succumbed to his wounds at the scene as his partners in crime fled. The two accomplices, including a man wounded in the robbery, have since been charged with murder, aggravated assault, attempted armed robbery, burglary and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. Police said they do not plan to charge the armed citizen who acted in self-defense. (fox5atlanta.com, Atlanta, Ga., 3/23/20)
A dice game in Hinds County, Miss., took a bad roll after one teenaged male tried to rob another participant. In the early morning hours of April 6, according to the Hinds County Sherriff’s Office, a man trying to leave the scene was approached at his vehicle by the would-be robber, who allegedly fired a gunshot into the car. The victim exited his vehicle and fired back at the assailant, who then fled in a stolen car with two other occupants. Deputies reported that the stolen vehicle later crashed and all inside fled. However, the instigator was found across the street from the wreckage with gunshot wounds and was subsequently taken to a nearby hospital. Investigators said one of the accomplices was also struck, and both were in stable condition. The suspect reportedly would be charged with attempted armed robbery, aggravated assault and possession of a stolen vehicle, and he was also wanted for other felony charges. The armed citizen was questioned by deputies and released. (wjtv.com, Jackson, Miss., 4/6/20)
Baton Rouge Police said that a three-on-one attempted holdup ended in the death of one perpetrator and incarceration for his accomplices. According to investigators, the trio was held off by a 26-year-old man who exchanged gunfire with the criminals while acting in self-defense. The armed citizen reportedly suffered serious injuries in the attack, and as a result, the surviving thugs were arrested and booked into Baton Rouge Parish Prison on charges including attempted first-degree murder and principal to first-degree murder. (theadvocate.com, Baton Rouge, La., 5/1/20)
A motorsports store owner was finishing a late-night dinner with his girlfriend in the parking lot April 22 when two men reportedly came up to his vehicle and started shooting. The businessman and his girlfriend took cover as he returned fire and subsequently ended one thug’s criminal ways, fatally wounding him. The other man fled, but was later arrested to face charges of conspiracy to commit robbery, attempted robbery and assault with a deadly weapon. While the store owner and his girlfriend were not struck in the attack, news accounts said the deceased armed attacker had been hit multiple times. According to reports, the owner was trained in firearms protection and has a valid permit to carry concealed. The Clark County district attorney ruled that the shooting was a clear case of self-defense. (8newsnow.com, Las Vegas, Nev., 4/25/20)
A 32-year-old Arizona man, who allegedly attempted to break into a home around 10 p.m. on April 16, was shot by the homeowner during the attempted break-in. The intruder allegedly stole a vehicle before breaking into the home, which was reported to local law enforcement. After being shot by the armed citizen, the alleged intruder was taken to a local hospital and treated for his wounds. The armed citizen sustained minor injuries during the struggle with the intruder, who was later booked into the Maricopa County Jail for robbery, theft of means of transportation, residential burglary and trespassing. (abc15.com, Phoenix, Ariz., 4/17/20)
A Panama City, Fla., man in his 70s fatally shot a home invader who was attacking his wife on the morning of May 26. Sheriff’s deputies said the intruder was initially standing in the residence’s driveway, acting erratically, making threats and swearing. The 31-year-old bandit then burst through a glass door and began beating the homeowner’s wife. The armed citizen said he could not physically stop the younger man, so he retrieved his firearm from another room and stopped the threat by firing at the intruder. The woman subsequently required treatment for her injuries at a nearby hospital. (fox6now.com, Panama City, Fla., 5/28/20)
