Columbus, Georgia

From the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer of November 30, 2004

Masked man flees when store owner pulls own gun

An armed robber was scared off Monday afternoon when the business owner pulled out a gun.

Columbus Police Lt. Mark Starling said the robber was wearing a hockey mask about 1:30 p.m. Monday when he walked into Yong’s Grocery, 848 25th St. The man ran out of the store when the owner pulled out his on weapon, Starling said.

The robber matched the description of a man who robbed a Spectrum convenience store on 12th Avenue on Sunday afternoon, Starling said.

Omaha, Nebraska

From the Omaha World-Herald of November 29, 2004

Omaha man shoots back at intruders

A 54-year-old Omaha man exchanged gunfire Sunday with intruders at his home.

Police said they responded to a break-in at the home of Rene J. Cantu, 2925 Martha St., about 7 p.m.

Cantu told police that three people forced open a door and began shooting at him. He said he fired back and may have hit one or more of the intruders.

Cantu was shot in the right hand and was treated at the Nebraska Medical Center and released, a spokesman said.

Wilmington, North Carolina

From Wilmington‘s WECT.com of November 29, 2004

Store employee kills robber

An attempted robbery has turned deadly in Lake Waccamaw.

Authorities tell News 6, an employee at Hills Supermarket on Old Highway 74/76 shot and killed a man trying to rob the store.

Police say the 911 call came in around 9:45 Sunday night, just before closing time at 10:00pm. No customers were inside the store at the time.

According to Chief Scott Hyatt, the would-be robber was rounding up three employees into the office area when one of the employees shot the man. He died at the scene.

As of early Monday morning, police were still trying to identify the robber. They say he is a black man in his late 20’s or early 30’s. His body has been taken to the Columbus County hospital.

Police are still investigating whether there were possible accomplices to the robbery, perhaps waiting nearby with a get-away vehicle.

At this time, no information is being released about the employee that shot the robber.

Decatur, Georgia

From the Augusta Chronicle of November 28, 2004

Woman killed, suspect shot at DeKalb motel

DECATUR, Ga. – A woman was stabbed to death and her alleged attacker was killed by a security guard at a DeKalb County motel.

Earnest Marshall, the night manager at the Super Inn Motel, said a man ran into his office around 1:30 a.m. Saturday and told him that his girlfriend was being attacked in her room. Marshall called 911, and someone also notified an armed security guard who was patrolling an apartment complex next door.

When they got to the woman’s room, witnesses said the suspect came out covered in blood and lunged at the security guard with a knife.

“It was a horrific scene,” Marshall said. “It was just like he wanted the man to shoot him… he wanted to die. The man just kept coming.”

The guard fatally shot the man, saying he was forced to do it in self-defense. Inside the room, the woman was found stabbed to death.

“They (the police) told me pretty much I was a hero,” the guard told WSB-TV in Atlanta. “I was just wishing I could have gotten here a little bit earlier.”

DeKalb County police have not released any names or a possible motive for the stabbing.

The investigation is ongoing, and police have not charged the security guard with a crime.

Charlotte, North Carolina

From Charlotte’s WSOCtv.com of November 24, 2004

Man Shoots Home Intruder

Jamie Harris woke up Tuesday morning in his southwest Charlotte apartment and realized an intruder was inside his home. He grabbed his gun and shot the intruder.

“My girl was sitting on the couch and all of a sudden I hear two booms. After the second boom, I got up and the dude was already in the house,” said Harris.

Not knowing if the intruder was armed, Harris grabbed his gun, but quickly lost control of it.

“He had it to my head, but somehow I reversed it,” He said.

Harris then shot the intruder in the leg. He said he had no choice. Knowing his fiancé and baby were inside the apartment, Harris said, “That’s what gave me the intention to shoot.”

Officials say the intruder wasn’t armed. According to police statistics from January through August, there were 408 home break-ins in the area of southwest Charlotte.

…

The intruder was caught not far from where he was shot. Police say he was taken to the hospital and that his gunshot wound to the leg was not life threatening.

Officials say they will be filing felony breaking and entering charges against the intruder.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

From the Philadelphia Inquirer of November 26, 2004

Security guard shoots, kills shoplifter in N. Phila. store

A security guard at a Walgreens Drug Store in North Philadelphia shot and killed a would-be shoplifter who pointed what appeared to be a gun at him Wednesday night, police said.

Police said the shooting occurred about 9:20 p.m. outside the store at Broad Street and Hunting Park Avenue. The man, whose name was not released, had removed some items from a shelf and was trying to leave the store without paying when the security guard confronted him.

The two men struggled, and the man pointed a replica of a handgun at the guard, according to police. The guard’s name was not released. No charges have been filed and the investigation is continuing.

Indianapolis, Indiana

From the Indianapolis Star of November 23, 2004

Mars Hill home robbed during slumber party

Retaliation may have been the motive behind a home invasion early Sunday during a teenage girl’s slumber party, authorities said Monday.

Three Indianapolis men are accused of breaking into a home in the 2800 block of South Roena Street in Mars Hill and robbing the residents. The teens were not injured. The robbery suspects were arrested; one had been shot several times by a bystander.

The incident started about 5 a.m. Witnesses said the three men entered the residence as the teens and adults slept. They struck some of the adults or pushed them to the floor and robbed them, then fled.

The robbery was retaliation for a prior incident, police said, but details were unclear.

Arrested on preliminary robbery charges were Franklin Thomas, 27; Ismael Ortiz, 23; and Chad Buster, 30.

Reports say Michael D. Thompkins, 23, told detectives he was walking up to the house as three men fled. He said one chased him and struck him, so he drew his 9 mm pistol and fired several times, striking the man.

All three got away, but authorities were called later after Ortiz and Buster took Thomas to Methodist Hospital, reports say. His wounds were not life-threatening.

Midvale, Utah

From the Salt Lake City Deseret News of November 21, 2004

Homeowner with gun holds 2 burglars at bay

Police say two men who attempted to burglarize a Midvale home Friday were met by the homeowner — and his shotgun.

According to Midvale police, the men broke into the home, located near 200 East and 6900 South, just before 11:30 p.m. Friday. They were then confronted by the home’s owner, who held them at bay with a shotgun until police arrived, said Sgt. Ken Jarvis. No shots were fired.

Jarvis said the men began resisting orders while standing on the home’s front porch, prompting police to unleash their police dog. One man was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail, while the other was taken to a local hospital for treatment of dog bites.

The men, ages 24 and 29, are being investigated for residential burglary,

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

From Jersey City’s NJ.com of November 9, 2004

City man suffers 3 stab wounds

He scared off attackers by firing gun, police say.

A 29-year-old city man was stabbed in the back outside a city nightclub Sunday morning, but he was able to escape his attackers and scare them off by firing a gun, police said.

Arturo Robles Jr., of the 1000 block of Livingston Street, told police he was jumped by at least three men at 40 West on Broad Street. The men followed him to a friend’s car and then stabbed him three times near his left shoulder blade, police said.

Robles was treated at St. Luke’s Hospital Sunday morning, police said.

Robles, his wife, Candy, and two friends were at 40 West when the Robles got into an argument, according to witness statements.

Arturo Robles and his friend, Abimael Cruz, went outside the club to talk. Robles told police he bumped into a heavyset man, who then misunderstood something Robles said, according to police reports.

The men started punching and kicking Robles, who was able to get away. Cruz and Robles got to Cruz’s car, parked at Broad and Guetter streets, reports say.

One of the men who followed them yelled, “Stab him,” and one of other men did, police said.

Robles had two handguns under the passenger seat of Cruz’s car; he was able to get one and fired three shots in the air, police said.

The three men fled toward Main Street, police said.

Robles, his wife and Cruz got into a car driven by Ileana Torres, who was with them at the club.

Nearby officers heard gunshots and responded to the scene. One officer stopped the car Torres was driving at New and Broad streets because the driver looked hysterical, records say.

After stopping the car, Torres told the officer Robles had been stabbed and also that he had a gun.

Robles has a Northampton County permit to carry firearms and fired in self defense, police said.

Chattanooga, Tennessee

From Chattanooga’s WDEF.com of November 23, 2004

Robbery Victim Kills Suspect

A robbery suspect dies from a gunshot wound after attempting to take money from a 61-year old man.

It happened last night in the 1100 block of North Hawthorne Street.

Earl McIntrye who runs a candy shop out of his home says he got jumped by four men who tried stealing his money.

That’s when McIntyre reached for his handgun shooting one of the suspects, “I was there serving a boy and I got his stuff for him and went back to give it to him and he had taken it. And they said, “Get him! Get him!” So they rushed in and knocked me down.”

McIntyre says the three other suspects got away.

He will not be charged with any crime.

Atlanta, Georgia

From Atlanta’s WSBtv.com of November 21, 2004

Home Invasion Deadly To Intruder



A man and woman burst into a home and shot the occupant Sunday, but he returned fire and fatally wounded one of the intruders, police said.

The resident was hospitalized in critical condition after the home invasion on Markone Street in Northwest Atlanta.

The female intruder drove the wounded robber to a gas station, asked to use the telephone, and then fled, the gas station attendant said.

“He was foaming out of the mouth as we were pulling him out,” Harold Russell said. “She just said, ‘My boyfriend got shot in the chest.’”

The wounded man was taken to Grady Hospital, where he died. He was identified as Jason Warner, 21.

Police were searching for the woman Sunday night.

Vancouver, Washington

From Portland’s (Oregon) KATU.com of November 20, 2004

Police Say Homeowner Shot Suspected Burglar

Police say a deadly shooting in Vancouver early Friday morning started when a homeowner confronted a man inside his garage.

The shooting happened just before 2:00 a.m. in the 1800 block of S.E. 176th Place.

“We had a homeowner report that he heard noises in his garage,” said Officer Ron Stevens with the Vancouver Police Department. “He went to investigate those noises and when he went into the garage, he was confronted by a male subject who was armed. The homeowner shot the subject and the subject died at the scene as a result of his injuries.”

Police say that although the suspected burglar was armed with a handgun, the homeowner was not injured in the incident.

Shreveport, Louisiana

From Shreveport‘s KTBS.com of November 19, 2004

Deejay who says she shot husband in self defense is acquitted

A Caddo Parish jury has agreed with a former Shreveport deejay’s assertion that she shot her husband in self defense.

Julia Austin was found not guilty late this afternoon of illegal use of a weapon.

She could have faced up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

Austin was a disc jockey at radio station 92.1 The Buzz when she shot her husband, Patrick, two years ago at their home in Shreveport.

The couple had a tempestuous marriage. Patrick Austin testified his wife shot him after he told her to move out.

Julia Austin said her husband beat her and she had to shoot him in self defense.

The Caddo District Court jury deliberated about two hours before returning its verdict.

Bel Air, Maryland

From the Baltimore Sun of November 19, 2004

Suspect arrested in attempted holdup outside Harford Mall

An attempted holdup of an armored truck ended amid gunfire yesterday afternoon outside an entrance to Harford Mall, and a suspect — found hiding in a food court employee break room — was arrested, Bel Air police said.

Shortly before 3 p.m., police received a 911 call reporting a gunshot near the east side food court entrance to Harford Mall. The shot had been fired by a Brinks armored carrier employee at a would-be robber outside the mall along U.S. 1, where the truck had arrived moments earlier for a pickup at a Liberty Federal Savings & Loan branch, police said.

The shot shattered an entrance door to the mall, and the fleeing suspect ran into the door and fell before recovering and running inside, police said.

During a search of the food court, after officers received a description of the suspect, a 27-year-old man hiding in the break room was arrested without incident, police said.

Montgomery, Alabama

From the Montgomery Advertiser of October 2, 2004

Shooter allegedly feared robbery

A man was shot early Friday morning by a man who claims he thought he was about to be robbed.

Corey Lavan Guice, 20, of Montgomery was shot in the left thigh shortly after 2:30 a.m. outside an apartment building at 101 S. Burbank St., a Montgomery police report stated. The alleged shooter, Johnnie B. Shepheard Jr., 55, who lives in the building, told police he panicked when he saw Guice and two other men coming toward his vehicle.

Shepheard fired two warning shots, the report said, and then fired three times at Guice and the other men, who were not named in the report. Two bullets struck the trio’s vehicle, and the third hit Guice.

Montgomery police Lt. Huey Thornton said Guice had not filed charges against Shepheard as of late Friday afternoon.

No subsequent stories about this incident were found.