North Carolina oldster won't be charged in killing: "A Conover man who shot and killed another man during an argument earlier this month won't be charged by the District Attorney's Office, authorities said. Officials decided not to charge John Kenneth Hedrick, 73, in the Oct. 6 shooting death of 36-year-old Raymond Weathers because it appeared that Hedrick fired in self-defense, authorities said. "There was not enough evidence to prosecute this as a crime," said Capt. Roy Brown of the Catawba County Sheriff's Office. The men had starting arguing, likely over a female they both knew, in front Weather's Newton home, Brown said, and Weathers began hitting and kicking Hedrick. Brown said the men were fighting on the ground, with Weathers sitting over Hedrick, and Hedrick was able to reach into his van and grab a gun off the floorboard. Weathers was shot at least two times -- in the neck and shoulder -- with a revolver, and Hedrick had "visible injuries" to his upper body and head when the men were found in Weather's yard, Brown said."


Illinois: No charges for man who shot drunk U. of C. student: "A man who shot a threatening University of Chicago student in the chest Wednesday night acted in self defense and will not be charged, authorities said today. The student, who was reported to be in critical condition, threatened to hit a fellow apartment-building dweller with a vodka bottle and kicked in the door of the man's Hyde Park apartment, police said. The incident began about 7:30 p.m. as the student and shooter were riding together in an elevator of their apartment building in the 5400 block of South Cornell Avenue, Chicago Police Officer Laura Kubiak said. The 24-year-old student, who was drunk and carrying a vodka bottle, followed the man out of the elevator and down the hall, threatening to "hit him in the head with the bottle," Kubiak said. As the man entered his apartment, the student kicked the door and pushed it open, continuing to yell threats, she said. The apartment's resident retrieved a handgun and shot the student once in the chest as he entered the apartment, Kubiak said.


Pennsylvania robber shot: "A robbery suspect was shot and killed while trying to rob a Philadelphia business Thursday morning, police said. Police said a man in his 20s entered Geppert Recycling in the 4500 block of Wayne Avenue at about 9:30 a.m. David Geppert, the owner of Geppert recycling, said the suspect called his business in the early morning hours saying he had scrap metal to sell. When the suspect arrived, he pulled out a gun and demanded money from employees. Two employees removed weapons of their own and shot the suspect. "He never had any metal to come and sell. That was just his way to get up here. He pulled a gun on my employees and my employees returned fire, and shot and killed him," said Geppert. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene. Police are investigating the incident as self defense."