KY: Confused woman cleared of guilt in firing at cops: "Reminded that Americans have always had the right to defend themselves and their homes, a Fleming County jury found a woman accused of shooting at sheriff's deputies not guilty of all five wanton endangerment charges. "I heard a truck come through the house. It woke me up," Wells said. "I thought it was the Mexicans.... There was no truck that morning just before 10 o'clock. The sound Wells heard was probably the back door of her home being kicked in. Before Kinder kicked in the door he asked Kissick again if there was a chance that Wells was inside and unable to come to the door because she was hurt or sick. Kissick said yes. With that the deputy, who has made several welfare checks on residents, kicked in the door. Kinder also testified that throughout the incident he had identified himself as a deputy with the Fleming County Sheriff's Office. Galbraith, however, reminded the deputies that lately home invasions were taking place all over the country with men claiming to be police, breaking in the home then stealing, beating and even raping the residents. Once the door was opened Kissick and Miller ran into the home, according to Kinder. Both came back quickly after finding Wells with the gun. Kinder said he and Orem stood by the back door trying to get Wells to put the gun down. She fired a shot and both men ran out the door and off the porch. Kentucky State Police Trooper Michael Fogelman was on the scene by this time. He talked to Wells on her cell phone and asked her to come out of the house. Wells surrendered to Fogelman and was arrested."




FL: Robber shoots, kills self in botched home invasion: "A Fort Myers man is wanted in connection with a botched home invasion robbery in Port Charlotte on Monday that ended with one of the robbers fatally shooting himself. Charlotte County sheriff's spokesman Richard Carpenter said 19-year-old Arien Mayo of North Port, accidentally killed himself while striking 25-year-old homeowner Kody Michael Foehner with a gun after fatally shooting his dog. According to detectives, Shanks [above], Perkins, Garcia, Johnson and Mayo forced their way into Foehner's home on Fort Smith Circle in Port Charlotte around 10 p.m. The others said Mayo shot and killed Foehner's dog and then turned the shotgun around and struck Foehner in the head. As he did that, the gun went off, wounding Mayo. At that point, the other suspects carried him to a car and drove away. Foehner and his girlfriend, who also suffered a minor injury, were taken to a local hospital, treated and released, Carpenter said. A short time later, a trooper with the Florida Highway Patrol tried to stop a speeding Toyota Corolla on Hillsborough Boulevard. It turned out to be the getaway car, and the driver wouldn't stop. On Prineville Street, the four men ran from the car, jumped into a canal and fled on Ravenswood Boulevard. The trooper found Mayo in the back seat, dead. Deputies deployed road patrol, K-9 units, a helicopter and additional troopers, and were able to catch Garcia and Johnson.


Update to case blogged here on 10th: "An accused robber has been arrested after his alleged partner was shot and killed last week during a Sacramento home invasion, police said Friday. Gary Hobbs, 22, was taken into custody in Sacramento County Thursday for warrants related to the Nov. 8 break-in, police Sgt. Norm Leong said. Police said officers were called at 8:02 a.m. regarding a report of a shooting at a residence the 4000 block of 51st Street. Authorities arrived to find a man suffering from gunshot wounds. He was later pronounced dead at the scene. The deceased man was described as white, in his early 30s, 6 feet 5 inches tall and 260 pounds. His name was not released. Leong said investigators believe that Hobbs and the other man broke into the residence and tried to rob a resident. The resident grabbed a gun and shot one of the robbers in self-defense, Leong said. Hobbs is believed to have fled after the shooting, police said. The victim was said to be an acquaintance of Hobbs and the deceased man."


Good guys with weapons benefit society: "The UF population, having engaged in debate concerning carrying concealed weapons on campus, would do well to reread Wednesday's article "Police name suspect." This article demonstrates two truths. First, bad people ignore the law. Why do you think so many felons, such as the one who was shot Saturday, always pop up in the news for committing crimes with firearms? The obvious answer is that, as criminals, they ignore the law by definition and obtain guns illegally. Furthermore, do you really think that someone bent on armed robbery, rape or murder will really heed the laws prohibiting them from bringing guns onto campus? The second point is that good people with firearms are a good thing. In the article, a local convenience store clerk with a concealed weapons permit shot and wounded a felon who entered his store and began firing his weapon. The police are a great asset to society, but what can they do the moment someone opens fire on innocent victims? Response times simply aren't quick enough to protect the people in harm's way."