Home Invasion In Delaware Ends With Shootout

[CT-Mike]

delawareonline ¦ The News Journal, Wilmington, Del. ¦ Man shot in home invasion south of Hartly

A 29-year-old man was shot in the leg during a home invasion early Monday south of Hartly, state police said.

The victim was not seriously injured and refused to be taken to the hospital, state police spokesman Cpl. John W. Barnett Jr. said.

According to investigators, two or three men entered the home in the 3000 block of Hourglass Road by an unsecured ground-floor door about 2 a.m.

When the intruders were confronted by the homeowner, one of the intruders fired a gun at him.

The homeowner returned fire at the suspects using a handgun, Barnett said.

After several shots were fired, the intruders fled without taking anything.

The homeowner was struck once in the left leg, Barnett said. The gunshot wound was minor and he was treated at the scene.

A 22-year-old woman and two children, ages 2 and 11, were also home during the incident. They were not injured.

The 3000 block of Hourglass Road is about a half-mile off Del. 8 and about 10 miles west of Dover. Only three houses are in the 3000 block of Hourglass Road, and, as is typical of western Kent County's agricultural flatlands, all occupy big lots and are set back far from the road.

Nobody responded to a knock on the door at one of the houses, but two young people came out of a second house to say they had heard about the shooting but didn't know anything about it.

A third house, partly obscured by trees, sat about 100 yards off Hourglass Road and was rendered inaccessible by a locked gate and ditches full of murky water.

The investigation is ongoing and state police major crimes detectives are asking that anyone with information call Detective Kevin McKay at 697-4456 or Crime Stoppers at (800) TIP-3333. Online tip submissions can be made at Delaware Crime Stoppers.

Good for the homeowner.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[treksouth]

I'm really not sure whey the reporter put so much detail in this article about the residence and its location. It almost reads like he's letting others know where to go to visit these people. This is just one of many reasons I'm buying a 12 ga. for home defense.

[Fast Cloud]

Sounds like they picked the wrong house to me. They were lucky to get out of there with their lives. Perhaps next time they won't be so lucky. I'm glad to hear the homeowner and his family wern't seriously injured. Be aware in Delaware!

[Bark'n]

Not much explanation on circumstances surrounding the bad guy shooting first, but it just goes to show that home invasions are very dangerous situations and why no quarter should be given to scuzballs who invade your domicile!

Why give them an opportunity to turn the tables on you? They know the risk of their chosen occupation when they break and enter.

Remember, even though it's your home and you have the advantage of knowing it's lay out, most of the time the home owner is still operating behind the curve during most home invasions/robberies.

A large percentage of the time, the homeowner is awaken from sleep after the bad guys have already gained access. In such cases, you may be disoriented and may take a few moments to gather your senses.

The invaders are anything but disoriented!

They are wired like an 8 day clock and ready for anything. All nerves are on edge and probably have cat-like reflexes. A large proportion are also high on drugs as well. Certainly nothing and no one to mess around with.

This is the main reasons castle doctrine is passing in many states. Home invasions are a deadly situation and nothing to play around with.

Anyone breaks into my house will more than likely be met with deadly force once a positive ID has been made.

And I'm certainly not carrying on a conversation with the intruders.

Any time wasted by conversing with them allows them the opportunity to formulate a counter attack.

Depending on the circumstances, they may not even know they got killed when my gun fires. (remember the final episode of Sopranos?)

[sui-juris]

Not much explanation on circumstances surrounding the bad guy shooting first, but it just goes to show that home invasions are very dangerous situations and why no quarter should be given to scuzballs who invade your domicile!

I like that quote.



Just think if he hadn't been armed..these BG's coming in meant to do serious violence on him and his family. And to think what could've happened to his wife and kids...