Armed Citizen in New York

MidHudsonNews.com, March 24, 2010: State Police are investigating an attempted burglary to a residence 24 Taylor Road in the Town of Deerpark. At about 9:40 pm. On Tuesday, March 23, homeowner heard someone walking through their backyard. The homeowner, who is licensed to carry a handgun, went outside and saw a man trying to break into his garage. When confronted, the would be burglar turned towards to homeowner and appeared to have an object, believed to be a weapon, in his hand. The homeowner fired a shot at the suspect, who then ran into the back yard. The homeowner fired two more rounds at the man, who fled into the woods behind the house. A search of the area was conducted with the assistance of K-9 units from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and Port Jervis Police Department, along with members of the Town of Deerpark Police Department, but the suspect could not be located. It is unknown if the suspect had been injured. The investigation is continuing into the incident, and anyone with information is asked to contact the State Police at 845-344-5300.

WABC, March 9, 2010: A man was shot and killed inside a home in West Babylon, Long Island Monday night. It happened around 7:30 in the evening. When officers arrived, they found a man shot to death in the kitchen of the home on 6th Street. He was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Apparently a woman and her boyfriend were inside the home when the woman’s ex-husband came inside the home. The couple said they assumed a burglar was breaking in and the boyfriend allegedly shot the man. “It’s an ongoing investigation. The deceased did not live at the house. The matter is under investigation at this time as to the circumstances of the shooting,” said Detective Lieutenant Gerard Pelkofsky, Suffolk Police Homicide Squad. The man was shot in the upper body according to investigators.

Buffalo News, January 21, 2010: A 52-year-old city man shot a 22-year-old man in the chest Wednesday evening, but police said he is not expected to be charged after investigators learned he was likely defending himself from a burglar. The younger man, Parrish C. Spencer Jr., of Falls Street, broke the window of a side door and kicked in the door about 5:30 p.m. to get inside the two-story home of Willie J. Carson in the 500 block of 25th Street, police said. After Spencer got inside and went upstairs, Carson shot him, police said. Spencer is in stable condition today at Erie County Medical Center. Investigators found broken plexiglass at the scene. Captain Ernest C. Palmer, chief of detectives, said Carson was not charged but the case has been turned over to the Niagara County district attorney’s office for further investigation. Charges may be filed against Spencer, Palmer added.

WCXA, January 12, 2010: A grand jury finds a central New York woman was justified in fatally shooting a man who ransacked her home in October. Deanna Candee of Schroeppel (SCROO’-puhl) in Oswego County was cleared of wrongdoing in the death of Timothy Hartigan, whom she found inside her home after returning from a shopping trip. Deputies said Hartigan had ransacked her home and attacked Candee. Her son pulled Hartigan off of her and she grabbed her revolver and shot the intruder. Hartigan’s relatives said he had a history of mental illness. The Oswego County district attorney’s office said it would have no further details of the grand jury findings.