Often times, I get questions by well meaning people asking me “Do you really think that the average citizen could defend themselves against a armed criminal?” The answer is yes, every single time.
See, what most people don’t realize is that self defense shootings happen all the time. The problem is that these instances aren’t shown on the national news, or even local news for that matter. Most of the time you will be lucky to read a small postage-sized report in a local newspaper.
So, for the time being, every week I will compile a report and post it here of every self defense shooting I can find in the US.
Jan 4th – Walton County, Georgia – Walton County Home Invasion
A mom and her twin 9-year-old children tried hiding near the attic – but the crook wouldn’t back down.
Police say the crook was armed with a crow bar and the terrified woman inside the home opened fire on the crook, striking him five times.
It all happened around noon Friday at the Henderson Ridge subdivision in Walton County.
Investigators say Paul Lee Slater is in critical condition and in an intensive care unit at Gwinnett Medical Center in Lawrenceville.
Jan 4th – York, PA – Homeowner wrestles for shotgun, shoots at home invader
One of four men arrested in connection with a botched home invasion in Chanceford Township where shots were fired but no one was injured pleaded guilty Friday in York County court to attempted robbery.
Zachary D. Underwood, 18, of Harrisburg, and three others forced their way into a home in the 600 block of Salem Church Road shortly after midnight on July 12 demanding drugs and money, according to police reports.
The occupants wrestled a shotgun away from one of the men and one of the intruders fired four shots into a wall.
Jan 3rd – Cleveland, Ohio – Cleveland homeowner defends self in second home invasion attempt in 2 months.
A man attempting to break into a Cleveland, Ohio home was shot by the homeowner.
It just so happens that the same homeowner shot and killed another burglar at the same Portage Avenue house less than two months earlier.
The first incident happened in late November. The burglar, 43-year-old David Fletcher, was attempting to break into a home owned by a man neighbors call “Mike.” Neighbors say that Mike bought a half a dozen homes on the block to remodel, but trouble soon followed.
Portage Avenue is plagued with abandoned homes.
“Everybody has this problem with people breaking in these abandoned houses,” said neighbor Ben Blair in November.
In the November incident, Feltcher was wielding a knife as he attempted to break into Mike’s home. Feltcher was killed.
Jan 3rd – Akron, Ohio – Akron meat market shootout
Investigators believe the men entered Hever’s Family Meats, 3307 Cleveland Ave. NW, at 12:07 p.m. Wednesday with their weapons drawn. Davis said they attempted to take money from the cash register and, during the robbery, one of the robbers fired several rounds.
“Fire was immediately returned by an employee. A gun battle ensued inside the store,” Davis said. At some point, the robbers ran out the front door, jumped into the car and sped away.
Mercy Medical Center video shows one of the men soon after being dropped off at the hospital and the car leaving, Davis said. Bush was found there with multiple gunshot wounds.
“A short time later, we believe the second suspect checked himself in at Affinity Medical Center in Massillon with at least three gunshot wounds,” Davis said. That man was identified as McLendon.
Jan 3rd – Lubbock, Texas – Homeowner shoots at thieves
Police went to the 100 block of Avenue S around 5:30 a.m. after receiving a “burglary in process” call from the homeowner, said Lubbock Police Department spokesman, Sgt. Jonathan Stewart
Stewart said two men attempted to steal a television from the backyard and fled after the homeowner came out and shot at them.
Stewart said the number of shots fired hadn’t been determined and because the two men had not been located, it was unknown if one of them was hit.
“If there’s reasonable evidence the homeowner shot at the men to protect his home, he will not be convicted of any crime,” Stewart said. “Nothing is pending against the homeowner at this time.”