Armed homeowner forced to make split-second decision when man breaks into house: 'I didn't want to kill him'



Pennsylvania homeowner Jeremy Cox was prepared to use deadly force to protect his family when someone recently broke into his home. But instead, he chose to take mercy on the intruder.

Last Wednesday, Cox and his girlfriend were enjoying a movie and pizza for dinner. But their relaxing evening came to a screeching halt when they heard a disturbance coming from their basement.

Upon investigation, Cox and his girlfriend saw a man — later reportedly identified as 43-year-old Nathan Harvey — trying to force his way into their basement. Cox rushed back upstairs to grab his .40 caliber pistol while his girlfriend phoned 911.

Jeremy Cox's basement door (Image source: YouTube screenshot)

As they waited for police, Cox told WTAE-TV the intruder initially complied with his commands not to move. But he soon became aggressive, Cox said — and that's when he fired a warning shot.

Unfortunately, the warning shot "didn't scare" the intruder, who continued to move toward the homeowner, Cox said. Cox then made the split-second decision to fire a second shot — this time grazing Harvey's abdomen.

Cox chose to wound Harvey after noticing he was intoxicated. The alcohol-induced bad decision-making meant Harvey tried to get up after being shot, Cox alleged, which prompted Cox to threaten to shoot again. Cox recounted that he told Harvey "he wouldn't be alive" after the third shot. But fortunately, that's when police arrived.

"If they would have been two minutes later, we'd be having a different conversation, I think," Cox told KDKA-TV.

"I didn't want to kill him," he explained. "I didn't want to have to take another human being's life."

Image source: YouTube screenshot

Although Cox said he would have killed Harvey if he were forced to stand his ground in self-defense, Cox wants Harvey to use his second chance at life to get the help he needs.

"Everyone's going through hard times. And I pictured him going through a hard time in his life, and I just, given his condition, I didn't want to take his life and then deal with that type of regret that maybe he was struggling and he had kids and I have kids, and all of those things are just going through my brain while that was happening and now after it's happening," Cox told KDKA.

"Get help," he added. "You're not alone. Life — it's a gift, and you were just given a second chance, in my opinion. So use it wisely."

Upon his arrest, Harvey was taken to a local hospital for treatment. He was already wanted by the Butler County Sheriff's Office on an outstanding warrant and now faces new felony burglary charges.

Cox is not expected to be charged in the incident.

Police: Man shoots home intruder in Butler www.youtube.com

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Home invasion suspect picks the wrong home to enter — and ends up dead when he meets armed homeowner



An armed homeowner reportedly took the life of a home invasion suspect during a Thursday night encounter, police say.

The incident took place in New Orleans, Louisiana, in the famed French Quarter neighborhood.

What are the details?

According to a Friday report from the Times-Picayune and New Orleans Advocate, the suspect — identified by WVUE-TV as 29-year-old Matthew Clark — reportedly entered a French Quarter home around 7 p.m. local time and lunged toward the homeowner.

The homeowner — who is not facing charges at the time of this reporting — remains unnamed at this time.

Neighbors later told police that they witnessed a male who appeared to have been intoxicated and who was yanking on buildings' door handles along the block.

Two witnesses said that the suspect was banging his fists on neighborhood doors and appeared to be so drunk he could barely remain on his feet.

When the suspect arrived at what would be his final destination and began pounding on its door, the homeowner reportedly retrieved a gun and opened the door.

At that point, the suspect reportedly lunged at the homeowner, who, in turn, fatally wounded the would-be intruder.

A New Orleans Police Department spokesperson told the outlet that the homeowner is not facing charges "based on the investigation and circumstances of this incident."

As such, the department said it would not release any further information about the armed homeowner.

Area resident Dereck "Woody" Terry told WVUE-TV that the situation is "unfortunate."

“I mean these things happen but again it's Thursday night at 6 o'clock with a drizzle and you don't expect something like that to go down," Terry told the station. “We don't know the real story. Hearing bits and pieces of what happened. But it's unfortunate regardless."

Surveillance video captured the moments that led to the fatal shooting.