Home Invasion: St. Louis Man Stops Drunk Intruder By Shooting Him in Leg, Police Say

By Sam Levin Wed., Mar. 13 2013 at 12:50 PM

Another day, another attempted intrusion in a St. Louis home thwarted by gunshots.

This time the intruder survived -- and was reportedly being very intoxicated.

Last month, police said that a 53-year-old woman fired a single shot at three men in hoodies who had broken into her St. Louis home; they ran out. A week before that, a resident near Gravois Park fired shots at two young burglars; one of them died and the other is now facing murder charges.

A Tower Grove South break-in last night similarly ended in gunfire.

Police say that the attempted burglary happened at around 1 a.m. this morning in a home on the 4000 block of Humphrey Street with three residents inside at the time. A 19-year-old female resident woke up and told her 47-year-old father that she heard someone trying to get in through the front door.

When the man opened his front door, the suspect, a 32-year-old male, came toward him, police say.

via Google Maps

So the resident fired a shot at him with his handgun, prompting the suspect to flee east. He was arrested one block away -- and sustained a gunshot wound to his leg.

He was taken to a nearby hospital where he was listed in serious, but stable condition.

The Post-Dispatch reports that he was "clearly intoxicated."

The paper says it's not known at this time whether he was actually trying to rob the house -- or if maybe he thought he was home.

This is the third case in less than a month of a St. Louis resident taking advantage of the Missouri law that allows individuals to use deadly force on intruders in their home.

Here's the full incident report.

Incident: Attempt Burglary 1st (Shooting)
Location: 4000 block of Humphrey
Dates/Time: 3/13/13 @ 24:50- :05
Victim#1: 47-year old black male
Victim #2: 45-year old black female
Victim #3: 19-year old black female
Suspect: 32-year old white male

Victim #1 was upstairs when Victim #3 awakened him and reported hearing someone attempt to gain access through the front door. Victim #1 opened the door and when the suspect advanced towards him, Victim #1 fired a shot at him with his handgun. The suspect fled east and officers arrested him in the 3900 block of Humphrey. The suspect sustained a gunshot wound to the leg and was conveyed to a local hospital listed in serious/stable condition. The investigation is ongoing.

Send feedback and tips to the author. Follow Sam Levin on Twitter at @SamTLevin.

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ThatsMyTattooo topcommenter

MO: Shoot first, ask questions later.

Why would you open the door for a presumed intruder? Just askin'... seems pretty relevant. Not by the hair on my chinny chin chin!

James Madison

When you discharge a firearm at someone, shoot to kill. A drunk or doped up guy may not even feel the bullet in their leg. And probably less paperwork will be involved.

J.d. Folk

The only thing the homeowner did wrong was not emptying the clip into the drunk's chest. Now, he'll probably get sued and have to pay the fool's medical bills.

Rodney Bionic-Actiongrip Cook

My home invasions are thwarted daily by security doors, lights, & cameras. No threat of anyone being shot...unless you count the porch thats secretly a catapult.

Thee Lovingcup

It is dangerous to enter a home other than your own uninvited. Shot to the leg is probably better than a baseball bat to the face.

12judges

One other point...

Defending your life and your property DOESN'T always mean having a gun. It DOES mean having the will and ability to fight back. I use guns to defend myself and my property but my boyfriend doesn't. He uses a projectile taser similar to what the police carry. Use a taser, mace, a bat, a slingshot, a frickin' sword if it takes the edge off the "deadliness" of using a gun but stop thinking the problem will go away because you won't or don't react. If you don't have a plan, get one. If you don't think it will happen to you, wait a while. Willful ignorance and cognitive dissonance are not plans and will not help you before or after an assault, or life for that matter. Stop agonizing over the way the world should be and start focusing on the way it is.

Clyde Rhoads

Quit breaking the law! He got what he deserved.

jealousblues

well at least something is working, eventhough its not stopping people from attempting to break and enter

Tory Plays ToWin Whiteside

Guns are good when in the hands of good people.

Steve Mincer

good.

ohari

This is unfortunate. Someone lurching drunk and disoriented could be very hard to tell from someone rushing you. It's probably a case of a drunk coming home to the wrong house, I'm glad the homeowner shot to wound, rather than to kill (though in general, if you must shoot you should be aiming for the center of the target, not the extremities).

12judges

So I guess you're telling everyone you would've taken the chance it was a case of mistaken identity. Sounds like famous last words to me...

ohari

Not sure what you're trying to say here. Are you making the "But it could be a member of your family" argument? Even in the dark I can identify everyone who lives with me or is allowed to just come into my house.
What I would have done in this specific set of circumstances is not open the door, turned on the outside light, looked at the person there, then talked to them out a window.

12judges

I agree completely with you that not opening the door (if that's what indeed happened) and getting more info (albeit armed) would've been the best policy here. I'm saying that from the description of events this was not a "drunken" lurch. Furthermore the police have charged him with attempted burgarly so there's probable cause he intended to cause harm, albeit deluded. If it had been me I wouldn't of assumed a case of mistaken identity, a stumbling drunk, or benign intent and would've done exactly what the resident did...shoot him. I don't think that's unfortunate at all.

12judges

...the 3rd time in less than a month...of those that get reported...for 1 city. And to think that there are those here and all over this country that oppose such common sense laws allowing defense of life and property against a motivated aggressor. And to think that there are many that would rather these defenders call the police and/or adopt a live-and-let-live attitude towards criminals and home invasion. When are people going to wake up and realize those who want to vicitmize you don't care about your feelings. You can't reason with someone unreasonable, shame the shameless, or use harsh language to repel someone with harsher intentions. WAKE UP. Take personal responsibility for your and your family's safety. Stop deluding yourself that there aren't people (many more than you think) in the world that want to hurt you for no reason. You're wrong.