Los Angeles, California

From the Los Angeles Times of July 31, 2005

Man Killed by Security Guard After Argument

A security guard fatally shot a man outside a bar early Saturday in what police say appeared to be self-defense.

The man argued with the guard after being denied reentry into the bar in the 15000 block of Roscoe Boulevard, Los Angeles police said.

The man walked away and returned with a big stick, swinging it at the guard while threatening him with physical harm.

During the confrontation, the guard fired once at the man, hitting him in the upper body, police said. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. His identity has not been released.

The 30-year-old guard was questioned by police and released, authorities said.

Cedar Bluff, Alabama

From the July 28, 2005 Cherokee County Herald:

An early morning shooting in Cedar Bluff Thursday, July 28, appears to be a case of domestic violence between an ex-boyfriend and girlfriend, according to a Cherokee County Investigator. The shooting occurred around 1 a.m. at the residence of Darlene Horn on Cherokee county Road 41 near the Unity and Watson’s Crossroads communities. The victim, according to reports, was identified as Mickey Hall, 34, who was transported to Floyd Medical Center in Rome where he remains in critical condition. A restraining order was apparently in place against Hall to keep him away from the residence.

Marion, Illinois

From the July 28, 2005 Southern Illinoisan:

At about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Marion police responded to a 911 call at 1301 W. Central in Marion. Police say that, according to resident Ian Copeland, two men with ski masks entered Copeland’s garage with each brandishing a handgun. An altercation ensued which resulted in one of the alleged assailants, Irvin Lemons, being shot three times.

Cobb County, Georgia

From the July 21, 2005 Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

One of two men who burst into an apartment in Cobb County Wednesday afternoon was critically injured when he was shot by the resident, Marietta police said.

When police arrived at the Cinnamon Ridge Apartment on Franklin Road about 5:25 p.m., they found the front door kicked in and the man lying on the floor, said Detective Jake King.

The man was taken to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital with a life-threatening gunshot wound to the face and remained in critical condition Wednesday night, police said.

About five to 10 gunshots were fired in the exchange between the resident and the home intruders, said Officer Brian Marshall. The second suspect got into a getaway truck, driven by someone else, and fled.

Selma, Alabama

From the July 13, 2005 Selma Times-Journal:

In his alleged third attempt to steal wine from the Big M#2 convenience store on Broad Street, a Selma man unexpectedly found himself in a stand off with an angry store clerk holding a handgun, according to police reports.

The clerk told police that early Wednesday morning a man entered the store and attempted to steal a bottle of Wild Irish Rose wine.

It was reported that the man – later identified as 22-year-old Terrence White – had made similar attempts on at least two other occasions that evening.

In order to prevent the theft, the clerk locked White inside the store and called police.

Lt. David Evans, spokesperson for the Selma Police Department, said White pulled out a knife and threatened the clerk.

“At this point, the clerk produced a handgun and shot Mr. White in the foot,” Evans said.

Flint, Michigan

From the July 27, 2005 Flint Journal:

FLINT – People stopping at the Lewis Street Market on Tuesday were still telling Sean Hannosh he did what he had to do when he returned fire during an attempted armed robbery last week, killing 14-year-old Hakeem Nelson.

A beer vendor making a delivery said Hannosh and his brother, who owns the party store, are “good people,” but Hannosh said he’s still bothered by what he felt he had to do in self-defense.

“It bothers me a lot,” he said, ringing up beer and candy for a customer. “I don’t want to kill nobody. We’re here for business.”

Hannosh said he was working the cash register, checking a customer’s driver’s license about 10:50 p.m. Thursday when Nelson came through the door, wearing a ninja-style mask and carrying a shotgun.

Police are still looking for another masked man who followed Nelson in the store but ran after the shots were fired.

“He pointed the shotgun on me. He said, ‘Everybody down.’ When we went down, he shot,” Hannosh said. “I don’t know why.”

Hannosh scrambled behind a section of protective glass, grabbed a large-caliber handgun and returned fire twice, hitting Nelson, who ran from the store. He was pronounced dead at Hurley Medical Center.

It was the first armed robbery attempt at the party store – a market that relies on neighborhood regulars for its business – since Hannosh’s brother purchased it about three years ago, the two men said.

Since then, Hannosh said he’s been bothered by news accounts of the shooting that he believes portrayed him as too quick to shoot the young teen.

“I didn’t have time to call time out,” he said. “I didn’t know if he was 14, 15 or 100 years old.”

…

Flint police have said the shooting appears to have been justified.

“I didn’t want to shoot him,” Hannosh said. “I’m sorry he was 14. I have three kids, too.”

Corpus Christi, Texas

From July 29, 2005 KRIS-TV channel 6:

A burglar broke into the Deluxe Antique Store on the 800 block of South Staples around 2:00 AM Friday. The elderly man didn’t let the suspect easily flee.

A portrait of a young girl sits idle among a scene of chaos. Bullets flew – destroying merchandise and a picture hanging on a wall. The business owner doesn’t want to be identified, but said his 71-year-old father put up a fight, after a robber broke through a wall and headed for the cash register.

“My dad came out there. He said stop or I’ll shoot. The guy ducked down here and come up with something and threw it at my dad,” said the owner. The elderly man who lives on the premise shot at the robber several times, but the suspect managed to smash a mirror on the 71-year-old’s head, causing series head wounds.

Busting through this window, the suspect escaped, but he had some sort of head wound that was dripping blood. The wound dripped blood all along the side walk creating a blood trail a couple of blocks long. Police eventually found the suspect in the hospital being treated for a head wound. With such an entry the business owner believes the robber once visited the antique shop.

Sherman, Texas

From the July 29, 2005 Herald Democrat:

Resident detains burglary at gunpoint – A Sherman man watched as a man walked down an alley, then jumped the fence into his yard, entered his shed and fled with a single gas can. The resident got his pistol and, outside, saw the man running back down the alley, carrying the gas can. The resident jumped the alley and caught up with the burglar just as he placed the gas can in the rear of a pickup, reported Officer Ed Colvin. He kept the gun on the burglar, 17, and walked him back to his residence, then called police.

The suspect remains in jail in lieu of $2,500 on a charge of burglary of a building, for a gas can valued in the report at $15.

Long Beach, California

From the July 28, 2005 Press-Telegram:

A would-be robber picked the wrong house when he tried to steal some marijuana plants and ended up getting shot by the angry homeowner.

…

Police were called to the house in the 5900 block of Gaviota Avenue at about 2:30 a.m. when the shooting occurred, said Officer Jackie Bezart, a Long Beach Police Department spokesman.

The homeowner told police that when his wife saw the 29-year-old man in their backyard early that morning, she screamed. After confronting the failed thief, who was trying to steal an undisclosed amount of marijuana plants, the homeowner said he opened fire.

The 29-year-old was hit in the upper torso, but is expected to survive, Bezart said.

Thus far, the 36-year-old is not facing any charges for either the shooting or the drugs, she said.

“He had documentation that it was for medicinal purposes…,” Bezart explained.

Kansas City, Kansas

From Missouri’s TheKansasCityChannel.com of July 29, 2005

Shooting Near KCK Business Leaves 1 Dead

Police are investigating a shooting at bike and tire shop Thursday.

At about noon, the owner of Cyberyde, located at 760 Osage St., was confronted by two people with guns, police said.

The owner told KMBC the men came in and demanded money.

Witnesses told KMBC that they heard at least three shots fired. Two people were shot. One of the victims died. That person’s name has not been released. The other victim was reported in serious condition, officials said.

The owner was not injured in the shooting.

KMBC reported that one of the victims was found near the shop. The other had flagged down a pickup truck driver to ask for help.

High Point, North Carolina

From the July 27, 2005 Greensboro News-Record:

HIGH POINT — The manager of a fast food store shot an armed man in the neck after he refused to drop his weapon during an attempted robbery Tuesday night, police report.

High Point police today identified the man shot as 22-year-old Titus Michael Johnson of 2607 E. Kivett Drive. He was admitted to High Point Regional Hospital and is reportedly in stable condition, police said in a press release.

According to police, Johnson entered Whites Fast Food located at 1421 West English Road at 8:35 p.m. and approached the counter.

Johnson then turned and pointed the gun at store manager James Hackenberg, 45, police said.

Hackenberg retrieved his handgun from a holster he was wearing, pointed it at Johnson and repeatedly told the him to drop his gun, police said. Johnson refused, police said.

Hackenberg fired one shot, striking Johnson in the neck.

Bonita Springs, Florida

From the July 12, 2005 News-Press:

A Bonita Springs beach resident held a burglar at gunpoint and on the floor until deputies arrived after the man allegedly broke into a rental home over the weekend.

The accused burglar, 40-year-old David Weber, told officials that when he found out Hurricane Dennis was on its way he looked for empty homes along the beach where he could stay.

He chose 27586 Hickory Blvd., a home belonging to Michael and Chris Bielski, a Bonita zoning board member, because it had no cars in the driveway and no one answered the door when he knocked.

From Friday through Sunday Weber used the Bielskis’ home to shower, brush his teeth and watch television.

“I have warned people up and down the beach on Saturday … to beware of looters,” said Bonita Councilman Bob Wag-ner. “He evidently tried several other places and fortunately people were home.

“They (the burglar) happened to pick on the wrong person,” Wagner said.

…

On Sunday morning, Chris Bielski was walking on the beach when she noticed a towel hanging on the railing of the couple’s rental home.

Michael Bielski went to the residence armed with a gun and found Weber in the living room. Bielski pulled out his weapon and ordered Weber on the floor until deputies arrived.

Temple, Texas

From July 3, 2005 KCEN channel 6:

Temple police are trying to piece together an unusual shooting Saturday night at a house on Parkdale Drive, where police found a man shot several times.

Just minutes earlier, a homeowner says he scared several intruders away with a gun. Police are now trying to figure out if the homeowner shot one of the alleged intruders.

“We’re unsure at this time whether or not the suspect, whether they know each other — their relationship is still unknown,” says the Temple Police Department’s Lt. Rick Ashe. “We’re getting conflicting stories, so we’ll have to work through that right now.”

Toledo, Ohio

From the July 16, 2005 Toledo Blade:

Toledo police were trying to determine if a man found shot at a South Avenue residence was connected with an earlier burglary where the business owner fired at a suspect.

Andrew Supinski, 36, was in surgery last night in Medical University of Ohio Medical Center, a hospital spokesman said.

Police found him behind 2716 South about 4:30 a.m. with a gunshot wound.

The homeowner said he called police after Mr. Supinski asked for help.

An officer said Mr. Supinski told him he was riding his bicycle on South when he was shot, but later said he was robbed.

Lt. Bill Moton said Gene Thomas, owner of Great Lakes Standard Manufacturing, 2970 Airport Hwy., told police he fired a shot at a person who broke into his business about 1:15 a.m.

Mr. Thomas said the man broke a window to enter his business, where he also lives, and started banging on a vending machine with a large crow bar.

Mr. Thomas said he walked to a hallway armed with a handgun and told the man to drop the crow bar.

He said the man screamed and began charging at him.

Mr. Thomas said he fired one shot and the man stopped, then fled out the window that he had broken to enter the building.

Troy, Ohio

From July 21, 2005 WHIO channel 7:

TROY, Ohio — Deputies in Miami County questioned and released a homeowner after a teenager was shot overnight.

Teen ShotAuthorities said the Troy teen suffered a serious gunshot wound to his leg. The shooting happened around 12:15 a.m. Thursday near the intersection of Peters Road and Maple Street in Troy.

Investigators said it appears the 16-year-old from Southview Drive in Troy was shot with a deer slug. They said his 14-year-old brother was not wounded in the shooting.

Authorities said deputies received a call about a possible burlgary at a home with a shot fired into the air as a warning. When deputies arrived, they found the teen had been shot in the leg. Deputies said they have a lot of questions about why the brothers were in the neighborhood, which is a couple of miles from their home.