Shattering glass broke the early morning calm in New Castle, Pennsylvania in recent days when a brazen home intruder smashed his way into a (formerly) quiet home. It all happened at 6a.m., hardly primetime for criminals, but bad guys rarely RSVP their attacks.
Meanwhile, Mr. Homeowner heard the crash of the breaking glass and sprang into action. In a matter of moments he retrieved his gun and moved to confront whoever had smashed his way in to protect his family and home.
The burglar then called Mr. Homeowner’s bluff. Maybe the intruder thought the homeowner didn’t have the stones to use actually his gun. Maybe the bad guy thought the gun wasn’t really loaded, just kept in the home as a magic talisman against evil.
The would-be burglar found out, however, that the gun was very real and that Mr. Homeowner had the stones to use it. A shot rang out, striking the intruder in the leg and dropping him right there.
Police rolled up promptly to find the perp making a mess on the carpet. An ambulance hauled him off to the hospital and cops launched their investigation. No charges were filed against the homeowner. Lt. Steven Brooks made it clear the shooting appears justified, a clear case of armed self-defense while protecting a family.
Neighbors are still reeling from the rare incidence of violence on their peaceful street, where kids play freely and life is low-key. One nearby resident summed it up perfectly: “I’m so thankful he was able to protect his family. Luckily, he had that on him and he was able to do that…he was there at that time to make sure his family was safe.”
The street might feel a little less sleepy now, but one thing’s crystal clear: thanks to a prepared homeowner who stood his ground, the family is unharmed, the bad guy got exactly what he earned, and the message is loud—break into the wrong home in New Castle, and you might leave in an ambulance instead of with stolen goods.
That’s not a tragedy; that’s a happy ending.
Here’s a report from WPXI:
“It’s just crazy to know that that was just right next door.”
That’s how one neighbor on South Jefferson Street in New Castle was feeling Tuesday.
Early Monday morning, police said a neighbor on her street shot a man in the leg after they said the man broke into the home.
The neighbor didn’t want to be on camera, but said her street is always quiet.
“I’ve been here for four years, and this is a very quiet street,” she told Channel 11’s Andrew Havranek. “The kids go out and play every day, I mean, they’re always nonstop running around outside. It’s very quiet, nobody bothers you, I mean, the kids go to church right up the street, so that was just very alarming when I heard that. It was just like…Wow.”
Lt. Steven Brooks with the New Castle Police told Channel 11 the suspect is still in a Youngstown hospital and might be for some time. Charges have not been filed and he said the investigation is still ongoing.
Brooks said the man and the homeowner did not know each other. Right now, police do not expect charges to be filed against the homeowner.
Projectile assisted deterrence creates happy ending.
😊