Armed citizens making a difference thread.

[internet troll]

https://www.dailyherald.com/news/201...gh-speed-chase

Lake County car break-in leads to fatal shooting, high-speed chase

One person is dead and five people are in custody after an attempted car break-in near Old Mill Creek early Tuesday morning resulted in a homeowner apparently shooting one of the would-be burglars and the accused accomplices leading police on a high-speed chase from Gurnee to downtown Chicago.

Lake County sheriff's office spokesman Chris Covelli said the department was called at about 1:15 a.m. to the 17600 block of West Edwards Road from a homeowner who said he shot at a group of people trying to steal his car. Covelli said the caller believed he shot at least one of the would-be burglars who fled.

Covelli said the four passengers fled the vehicle, but were eventually captured.

WGN reported three were captured on foot and a fourth was found hiding in a garbage can. Covelli couldn't confirm how the four were captured, but said the sheriff's office did use a canine in the search for suspects.

Covelli said it was determined the Lexus was stolen two days ago in Wilmette.

Ultimately, five people -- a mix of male and female adults and juveniles -- are in custody awaiting charges.

Lake County Sheriff John Idleburg has scheduled an 11:30 a.m. press conference today to discuss the case.

Covelli said the sheriff's office is working with the Lake County state's attorney's office to determine all the charges in the case, including possible charges against the homeowner who opened fire on the would-be car thieves.

A short time later, Covelli said a 2015 Lexus SUV carrying six people stopped where Gurnee police were investigating a traffic crash at Route 132 and Hunt Club Road, near the Gurnee Mills shopping center.

Covelli said the occupants of the Lexus told police one of the passengers needed medical assistance.

The people inside the car removed an unidentified male who had been shot, Covelli said. Officers began administering first aid, Covelli said.

One of the passengers remained with the injured male, who was eventually transported to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville where he died.

But the other four got back in the Lexus and drove away at a high-rate of speed with Gurnee police and eventually Lake County sheriff's deputies in pursuit, Covelli said.

The Lexus soon got on southbound Interstate 94 and began driving at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour, Covelli said.

Illinois State Police also joined the pursuit as Gurnee police pulled off. Eventually the Lexus exited the interstate at Randolph Street in Chicago and came to a stop near the intersection of Randolph and Halsted Street.

[internet troll]

More on the story in post 2673. Sounds like a wild one.

https://www.dailyherald.com/news/201...d-car-break-in

Authorities: Homeowner fatally shoots teen during attempted car break-in
Jake Griffin
One person is dead and five others in custody after a homeowner opened fire on would-be car burglars near Old Mill Creek early Tuesday morning, fatally wounding one and triggering a high-speed police chase from Gurnee to downtown Chicago, Lake County authorities say.

Along the way, the suspects dropped off a mortally wounded accomplice with Gurnee police officers who were stopped for an unrelated traffic crash, before continuing their flight from law enforcement.

SAM BORCIA/ Lake & McHenry County ScannerPolice gather at Grand Avenue and Hunt Club Road in Gurnee early Tuesday after a fatally wounded teen was left behind by the driver of a stolen Lexus SUV. The teen was shot when he and several others were confronted by a homeowner who believed they were breaking into his vehicle, authorities say.
SAM BORCIA/ Lake & McHenry County ScannerPolice gather at Grand Avenue and Hunt Club Road in Gurnee early Tuesday after a fatally wounded teen was left behind by the driver of a stolen Lexus SUV. The teen was shot when he and several others were confronted by a homeowner who believed they were breaking into his vehicle, authorities say. -

Lake County Sheriff's Sgt. Christopher Covelli said deputies were called about 1:15 a.m. to the 17600 block of West Edwards Road by a 75-year-old man who reported shooting at a group of people trying to break into a car parked in his driveway.

The man was armed with a small-caliber revolver when he walked out his front door to approach the people, Covelli said Tuesday morning. The man reported that two of the people started walking toward him and he believed one had a weapon.

Fearing for his life and that of his wife, the man told investigators, he shot at the two people approaching him, sheriff's police said.

Covelli said investigators haven't determined how many rounds were fired, but it appears to have been more than three. One of the bullets struck a 14-year-old boy in the head.

The teen and five others then got into a vehicle and fled, authorities say.

Covelli said deputies later recovered a Bowie-style knife at the scene of the shooting. Investigators believe one of them might have been holding it when they approached the 75-year-old man, he said.

Lake County Sheriff John Idleburg and Sgt. Christopher Covelli leave a news conference Tuesday when they answered questions about an early-morning shooting Tuesday near Old Mill Creek that left a teenager dead and trigged a high-speed chase from Gurnee to Chicago.
Lake County Sheriff John Idleburg and Sgt. Christopher Covelli leave a news conference Tuesday when they answered questions about an early-morning shooting Tuesday near Old Mill Creek that left a teenager dead and trigged a high-speed chase from Gurnee to Chicago. - Mark Welsh | Staff Photographer
A short time later, a 2015 Lexus SUV carrying six people stopped at Route 132 and Hunt Club Road, where Gurnee police officers were investigating a crash near the Gurnee Mills shopping center, Covelli said. The occupants of the Lexus told police one of the passengers needed medical assistance and removed the 14-year-old boy who had been shot in the head, he added.

Covelli said he couldn't get into the specifics of what the people said when they came across police.

"They were calling for help when they approached the police car," Covelli said. "One could imagine they saw an emergency vehicle and that's why they pulled over there to help their wounded friend."

Another passenger, a 17-year-old boy, remained with the injured teen as Gurnee officers performed first aid until he was rushed to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville. The boy later died at the hospital.

"Anytime there's a loss of life it is a tragedy for the family and friends of the deceased," Lake County Sheriff John Idleburg said at a news conference Tuesday morning. "Our condolences go out to the family of the young man who lost his life."

The driver of the Lexus and its three remaining passengers sped off from the crash scene, with Gurnee police and eventually Lake County Sheriff's deputies giving chase, Covelli said. The pursuit continued onto southbound I-94, with speeds reaching up to 120 mph, Covelli said.

Illinois State Police joined in, before the Lexus got off the interstate at Randolph Street in Chicago. It stopped near the intersection of Randolph and Halsted street in the West Loop and the occupants ran from the vehicle. Covelli said police later learned the SUV had run out of gas.

Three of the occupants -- a 16-year old male, a 17-year-old male and an 18-year-old female -- were captured by police almost immediately. A fourth, a 17-year-old male, was caught hiding in a garbage container about 45 minutes later by Lake County Sheriff's police dog Dax and his handler, Deputy John Forlenza, Covelli said.

Authorities later determined the Lexus was stolen two days ago from a driveway in Wilmette, Covelli said.

The five taken into custody, all Chicago residents, remained locked up Tuesday in the Lake County jail. The sheriff's office is working with the Lake County state's attorney's office to determine what charges should be filed, including possible charges against the homeowner who opened fire, Covelli said.

Under state law known as the felony murder rule, a person can be charged with the murder of an accomplice killed in the commission of certain crimes.

Lee Filas, a spokesman for the state's attorney's office, declined to comment Tuesday.

Lake County Sheriff's deputies were called early Tuesday to the 17600 block of Edwards Road near Old Mill Creek, where a homeowner reportedly shot and killed a teenager suspected of breaking into his car, authorities say. The shooting triggered a high-speed chase from Gurnee to Chicago.
Lake County Sheriff's deputies were called early Tuesday to the 17600 block of Edwards Road near Old Mill Creek, where a homeowner reportedly shot and killed a teenager suspected of breaking into his car, authorities say. The shooting triggered a high-speed chase from Gurnee to Chicago. - Mark Welsh | Staff Photographer
The only properties on the 17600 block of West Edwards Road are a home and an attached exotic-meats farm. A worker at Blackwing Meats who answered the phone Tuesday morning said she was "not allowed to give any information out" about the shooting.

It does not appear that suspects specifically targeted that home, Covelli said. It is not uncommon that thieves steal from or drive away with vehicles left unlocked in front of homes in Lake County, he added, noting it most often occurs when the owner accidentally leaves keys in the vehicle.

"All a car thief has to do is open the door, step on the brake, push the ignition button and off they go," Covelli said.

[internet troll]

https://www.reviewjournal.com/crime/...fense-1825042/

Fatal shooting in northeast Las Vegas believed to be self-defense

Las Vegas homicide detectives suspect a man was acting in self-defense Monday evening when he fatally shot his roommate in the northeast valley.

The shooting was reported shortly after 4:30 p.m. on the 6000 block of Yellowstone Avenue, near East Lake Mead Boulevard and Mt. Hood Street. When officers arrived, they found a man suffering from at least one gunshot wound, according to the Metropolitan Police Department. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Metro homicide Lt. Ray Spencer said that the roommate was detained for questioning but has since been released. The case is being submitted to the Clark County District Attorney’s office for review.

No other details were immediately available, including the circumstances leading to the shooting.

The man who was shot will be identified by the Clark County coroner’s office after his family has been notified.

The death marked the 87th homicide in Clark County this year and the 65th investigated by Metro, according to records maintained by the Review-Journal.

[internet troll]

https://www.postandcourier.com/news/...50bd09a2e.html

Court rules SC man acted in self-defense in father’s killing, charge dismissed
A 27-year-old Greenville County man will not a face a manslaughter trial in his father’s killing after a judge ruled Austin Mendez acted in self-defense when he used deadly force to save his mother from a brutal beating.

Circuit Judge Letitia Verdin recently granted Mendez immunity from prosecution under the state’s “stand your ground” law, which allows people in certain situations to use deadly force when defending their property or facing imminent serious injury.

Mendez had faced up to 30 years in prison for the July 2017 fatal shooting of his father, 50-year-old Richard Mendez, during a confrontation at the family’s home in the Upstate suburb of Taylors.

But Verdin found his actions were justified that night. The judge stated that Austin Mendez and and his mother, Kara, were in grave danger from a man caught “in an increasingly downward spiral of abusive behavior.” Richard Mendez was an angry alcoholic who had physically abused his wife and eldest son, threatened to kill them and had multiple guns hidden throughout their house, the ruling stated.

“Mendez faced a mortal threat from the Deceased and his actions to defend his mother and himself were both reasonable and necessary,” the judge concluded in her 31-page ruling issued in late June.

Mendez and his family could not be reached for comment this week. A family spokesperson said the family did not wish to discuss the case at this time.

Thirteenth Circuit Solicitor Walt Wilkins’ office initially pursued a murder case against Mendez, though a Greenville County grand jury later indicted him on a reduced charge of voluntary manslaughter. Marcia Barker, a spokeswoman for Wilkins, said prosecutors accept the judge’s ruling and have no further comment on the case.

“We just don’t have anything to say about this,” she said.

A history of violence

The case had pitted Wilkins’ office against advocates who normally work with prosecutors to convict abusers. It also underscored deep-seated disagreements about what constitutes domestic abuse in a state that is among the nation’s deadliest for women killed at the hands of men. And it reignited a debate about when deadly force can be used to save a loved one from dangers within their own family.

Kara Mendez told The Post and Courier last year that her son saved her life that night, sparing her from another pummeling at the hands of a rage-filled, domineering man who had abused her for years. She described how problems had escalated after the family moved in 2016 from Michigan to Greenville County, where Richard Mendez had landed a job with General Electric.

Judge Verdin recounted a litany of threats and violence in her ruling, noting that text messages, audio recordings, photos and medical records bolstered witness testimony about Richard Mendez’s “lengthy and worsening history of alcoholism and domestic violence.” Among other things, Richard Mendez had struck Austin with a hammer; tried to strangle him during an argument; punched, choked and whipped his wife with a belt; and repeatedly pulled out guns and threatened to kill his family while drunk, the ruling stated.

In a 2015 tirade captured on his younger son’s cell phone, Richard Mendez described how he would “take down” his family and in what order, the judge stated. Another recording, from April 2017, chronicled threats Richard Mendez leveled against his wife after learning she had discovered his affair with a paramour and had consulted a divorce attorney. He threatened to shoot her, claim self-defense and collect on a $1 million life insurance policy he had taken out on her, the ruling stated.

“What would a real man do?,” Kara Mendez said to him.

“Shoot you,” he replied, according to a written transcript of the call. “The bullet is cheaper because a bullet costs 50 cents and there’s always that million dollars. It’s a win for me.”

A deadly night

His killing occurred July 7 of that year, shortly after Richard Mendez and his wife returned home from an evening out. The ruling, and previous interviews with the Mendez family, said the incident played out this way:

An argument broke out, and Richard Mendez threw his wife across their bedroom, punching and kicking her while screaming threats.

Her younger son, Alex, heard the commotion and texted his brother to come help. Austin came running, armed with a pistol.

“I thought this was it,” Austin Mendez would later tell authorities. “I thought he was going to kill her for sure.”

After hearing their father threaten to “punch her teeth down her throat,” Austin Mendez burst into the bedroom and found his father standing above his mother with a fist raised. Austin Mendez fired two shots as his father lunged at him, both rounds striking Richard Mendez in the face. Richard dropped to the floor and died.

While some witnesses testified at the court hearing that Kara Mendez did not appear injured on the night of the shooting, the judge noted photos and medical records that documented bruising on her body and a torn rotator cuff. The judge also found that Richard Mendez had attacked his son without provocation and presented a clear threat to Austin; he was larger, and had a gun in his nightstand.

“Based on the Deceased’s threats to kill them all, the prior attempts at strangulation, the previous infliction of serious bodily injuries, and repeatedly pointing a loaded pistol, (Austin) Mendez had a reasonable belief that deadly force was necessary to prevent a violent crime,” the judge concluded.

[internet troll]

https://www.wnct.com/on-your-side/cr...from-hospital/

Police: Suspect in Thursday’s shooting will not be charged
Aug 9, 2019 / 12:22 PM UTC
Crime Tracker
by: WNCT Staff

Posted: Aug 8, 2019 / 06:55 PM UTC / Updated:
sirens
NEW BERN, N.C. (WNCT) – New Bern Police said on Friday that the suspect in a Thursday afternoon shooting that left a man with a “minor injury” will not be charged after the victim refused to cooperate with investigators.

Investigators said the victim, Harry K. Brown, age 42, of New Bern, was shot and was taken to CarolinaEast Medical Center at 12:55 p.m. Thursday, for treatment of what police called a “minor injury.”

Police said a witness and the suspect, who they did not name, both cooperated with the investigation, but Brown refused to cooperate with investigators.

Detectives then consulted with District Attorney Scott Thomas and determined the suspect was justified in shooting Brown, so no charges will be filed against the suspect.

Police are investigating a shooting after responding in reference to a gunshot victim at a hospital in New Bern.

On Thursday at 12:55 p.m., the New Bern Police Department responded to CarolinaEast Medical Center, in reference to a gunshot victim.

Upon arrival, police discovered that Harry K. Brown, 42, of New Bern, had sustained a non-life threatening injury.

Brown was treated and released.

The location of the crime has not been determined.

Officers are continuing to investigate.

[internet troll]

https://www.ky3.com/content/news/Gre...537684171.html

Greene County homeowners hold stolen car suspect at gunpoint

Posted: Mon 1:17 PM, Aug 12, 2019
GREENE COUNTY, Mo. -- Greene County deputies arrested a man wanted for thefts along the Lawrence-Greene County line.

Deputies received the call Sunday that homeowners had returned home to find the man on their property. They held him at gunpoint and called 911.

Investigators believe this is the same man wanted for a stealing a car on Saturday night. Deputies then set up a perimeter between State Highway K and State Highway 266 to assist the Lawrence County Sheriff's Office. However, the driver then escaped capture.

Then later in the night, someone saw the same man running into the woods near Farm Road 49 and I-44. Witnesses said he appeared to have been injured

[internet troll]

This article is cut off because of ad blockers

https://www.washingtonpost.com/

Armed bystander foils robbery, Loudoun authorities say

An armed bystander fired shots that apparently thwarted a robbery attempt in Loudoun County, the sheriff’s office said.

[internet troll]

https://www.chron.com/news/houston-t...s-14302991.php

Man shot in face over litter of puppies, Houston police say

By Michelle Iracheta6:30 am CDT, Wednesday, August 14, 2019
Houston police said a man was shot in the face over a disagreement about the ownership of a litter of puppies. Photo: OnScene.TV

Houston police said a man was shot in the face over a disagreement about the ownership of a litter of puppies.

Houston police said a man was shot in the face over a disagreement about the ownership of a litter of puppies.

The shooting took place at the 2800 block of Russell Street around 7 p.m. Tuesday when a man with a concealed handgun license walked over to a neighbor's home to discuss the puppies, Lt. Larry Crowson said.

When the homeowner pulled out his gun, the CHL holder felt threatened and "felt like he was in danger," Crowson said.

He fired one shot that stuck the other man in the face, Crowson said.

Police arrived to the scene but did not locate the man. He had already driven to the hospital, Crowson said.

The investigation is ongoing, and police said the district attorney will make a determination whether there'd be charges filed.

It's unclear what breed of puppies the men argued over, Crowson said.

[internet troll]

https://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/l...-say/975366055

Clay County man trying to climb into moving Lyft shot by driver, police say

CLAY COUNTY, Fla. - The Clay County Sheriff's Office arrested Matthew Bryant Caudill, 32, on Monday around 5:30 a.m. after he allegedly tried to climb into a moving Lyft car, CCSO says.

The victim had stopped on the side of CR-218 because he saw a dog lying next to the road. He had just dropped off a Lyft customer in Middleburg and was searching for information on his phone regarding where to transport the missing dog.

Then, Caudill ran up to the passenger side door of the victim's car while yelling. The victim could not understand what Caudill was saying, and stated that he became scared and started to drive away, according to the police report.

As the victim began to drive away, Caudill grabbed a partially down window and began running alongside the car. As the victim accelerated, Caudill tried to climb on top of the car.

The victim told police he was scared for his life as Caudill then began climbing inside the car feet-first. According to the report, Caudill began kicking the victim, and the victim pulled out a handgun from his center console and fired three rounds, striking Caudill in the legs.

Caudill fell from the car, and the victim called 911. When police arrived, Caudill was transported to a hospital before being transferred to the Clay County Jail. Deputies said Caudill was uncooperative.

[internet troll]

https://www.wavy.com/news/top-storie...-newport-news/

Burglary suspect shot multiple times at Newport News home, police say
Aug 13, 2019 / 02:38 PM EDT
Top Stories
by: WAVY Web Staff

Posted: Aug 12, 2019 / 10:32 PM EDT / Updated:
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) — A male suspect was shot multiple times during a burglary attempt Monday night in Newport News, according to police.

It was originally called in as a burglary in progress at 10 p.m. from the 500 block of Purlieu Drive.

Officers arrived and found the suspect, a 26-year-old man, with multiple gunshot wounds, which were believed to be life-threatening.

Police say the victim of the burglary, a 25-year-old man, shot the suspect, and both the victim and suspect knew each other.

The suspect was taken to the hospital, and the investigation remains ongoing at this time, police say.