Homeowner fights knife-wielding, would-be burglar who escapes with stunt right out of 'Batman'

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A homeowner in Tacoma, Washington, was awakened just before midnight earlier this month by a loud thud that sounded as though it was coming from his roof, KCPQ-TV reported.

So the homeowner went to check out what was happening and saw someone trying to break in from the fourth-floor balcony, the station said.

Then things got downright bizarre.

The homeowner confronted the intruder, and a fight broke out, KCPQ reported. The homeowner punched the suspect several times, and the suspect swiped at the homeowner with a knife, the station said, adding that the homeowner wasn't seriously hurt.

The suspect was apparently armed with two knives and possibly scissors, the station said.

Then things got downright bizarre — with a stunt right out of "Batman."

KCPQ said the suspect dropped from the fourth-floor balcony and landed on the third-floor balcony — and then jumped to the ground from there.

The suspect ran off, got in his vehicle, and drove away, KCPQ said.

The homeowner got in his vehicle and chased the suspect before losing sight of him, the station said, adding that the victim returned home and called 911.

The homeowner told responding law enforcement personnel that he didn't recognize the suspect, KCPQ reported.

More from the station:

When detectives later released a Crime Stoppers bulletin about the crime, a family member of the suspect identified him to police. The family member said that he had just gotten out of the hospital and didn't know where he was. The relative also told detectives that the suspect had bipolar disorder and that his mental health had been declining.

KCPQ said police arrested the suspect and took him into custody without incident Sunday, adding that the attempted burglary took place May 12.

The suspect has been identified as 33-year-old Adam Groetsch, the station said, adding that he's being held in the Pierce County Jail on first-degree attempted burglary and second-degree assault charges with bail set at $75,000. Groetsch was still in jail Friday afternoon, jail records indicate.

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Intruder armed with knife — who likely missed 'The Untouchables' — runs right into gun-toting homeowner

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It's appears a Texas home intruder may not have watched the iconic movie "The Untouchables" — which includes a warning of sorts to avoid bringing a knife to a gunfight — because this guy did just that Monday night in Taylor. The city is about 45 minutes northeast of Austin.

The Taylor Press said officers responded to an 11:35 p.m. call about a male with a knife attempting to enter a house in the 2300 block of Donna Drive. As officers were headed to the residence, the paper said the male had entered the house — and that the homeowner shot the male.

Police found a large knife with a sheath featuring a 'Hail Satan' inscription the suspect was carrying.

The Press reported that when police arrived, the suspect had exited the home and was lying on the front porch with a gunshot wound to his hip.

Officers identified the suspect as 23-year-old Austin Sumpter of Thrall, the paper said.

Police found a large knife with a sheath featuring a “Hail Satan” inscription the suspect was carrying, the Press said, adding that the suspect was hospitalized; he's expected to survive.

The paper also reported that police obtained a warrant charging the suspect with burglary of a habitation with commission of felony, which will be served once the suspect is released from medical care.

How are observers reacting?

Commenters on the Press' story on Facebook seemed pleased with the outcome:

  • "I’m very thankful we live in a place where I can defend myself and property against people who feel they have any right to something that doesn’t belong to them!" one commenter wrote.
  • "Finally some good news for a change!" another commenter exclaimed.
  • "So glad the homeowners were armed & unharmed inside their home," another commenter said.
  • "He F’d around and found out," another commenter said, adding that "homeowners are tired of thieves! He got exactly what he deserves."

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Rifle-toting intruder forces his way into home in middle of night. Homeowner puts him in chokehold; cops find intruder dead.

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A rifle-toting intruder forced his way into home in Midland, Texas, early Saturday morning — but the homeowner put the intruder in chokehold, and police said they found the intruder dead.

What are the details?

Midland police said George Samuel Butler, 37, entered a home in the 1400 block of Daventry Place “by force with a rifle," MRT.com reported, after which the homeowner placed the suspect in a chokehold "in an apparent case of self-defense."

Police said they responded to the scene just after 4 a.m. after a report of a disturbance with weapons and found Butler dead, the outlet added.

MRT.com noted that the police department's Crimes Against Persons Unit and Crime Scene Unit also responded to the scene, next of kin were notified, and the investigation into the fatality continued.

Not the first instance

MRT.com added that Butler was previously arrested for burglarizing a home in Midland.

The outlet, citing police, said a woman stated in July 2022 that "Butler had kicked in her front door."

Arriving police said officers saw Butler through windows of a residence searching a room and looking under beds — and cops also saw pieces of the front door frame hanging, MRT.com reported.

More from the outlet:

Officers made several announcements for Butler to exit the residence, but he refused and shut the door, preventing officers from conducting their duties. When officers entered the residence and attempted to place him in handcuffs, Butler started fighting an officer and placed him in a headlock. The officer was able to take Butler to the ground before placing him, with the help of other officers, in handcuffs. The officer also sustained a bloody nose.

MRT.com said Butler was arrested for assault on a peace officer/judge, a second-degree felony; burglary of habitations, a second-degree felony; and two misdemeanor charges. The outlet reported that he was held on a $57,000 bond.

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Couple returns home to find armed intruder inside. But homeowner also has a gun — and exercises deadly force with it.

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A couple returned to their Texas home Wednesday to find an armed intruder inside — but the homeowner also had a gun and fatally shot the intruder.

What are the details?

Sgt. Jason Brown with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office told KRPC-TV deputies responded to a shooting that occurred around 5 p.m. in the 19200 block of Westfield Place in north Harris County.

The man who was shot was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, the station said.

“We’re not sure exactly what the circumstances are that led to him being inside ..." Brown told KPRC. "He possibly entered through an unlocked front door, but as of right now the homeowners state that they don’t know who he is or why he would have been in there."

Intruder had a gun — and apparently warrants

Brown added to the station that the fatally shot man was armed with a handgun. KPRC said deputies were able to determine from the man's ID that he had several warrants out of Harris County, but authorities aren't revealing what those charges are until they officially confirm the man's identity.

The homeowner who shot the man isn't expected to face any charges, Brown told the station, adding that once the investigation is complete, the case will be turned over to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.

How are folks reacting?

Most of the individuals commenting underneath the KPRC story on the shooting don't appear upset in the least. Here's a sampling:

  • "Glad to see that there is another case of a good guy with a gun taking out a bad guy with a gun," one commenter wrote.
  • "Being a criminal is a dangerous 'job.' Glad this one ended well," another commenter said.
  • "Great," another commenter remarked. "That needs to happen to all burglars and home invaders. Only sure way to stop the crime. The 'justice' system sure won’t do anything to stop crime."
  • "He shoots! He scores!" another commenter quipped.
  • "Good job citizen!" another commenter declared.

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Intruder fires shots as he enters residence, kicks his way into bedroom and shoots again. But man in bedroom also has a gun — and a much better aim.

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An intruder fired shots as he entered an Alabama residence earlier this week — and fired more shots as he kicked in a bedroom door, law enforcement officials told the NorthWest Alabamian.

But a man inside the bedroom also had a gun and shot the intruder dead, authorities added to the paper.

What are the details?

The Sheriff's Office of Winston County said the home invasion took place Tuesday off County Road 21 in the Poplar Springs area, which is about an hour northwest of Birmingham, and two men were part of it.

Jason Wayne Smith, 40, of Jasper was the first to approach the residence, and he used a gun to hit a male on the porch in the eye, sheriff's officials told the paper, after which Smith entered the home while firing the gun.

Another male was inside a bedroom with his girlfriend, and he armed himself, authorities told the paper.

When Smith kicked his way into the bedroom door and began shooting again, the male inside the bedroom fired five shots, three of which struck Smith, who fell backward into the hallway area, authorities added to the paper.

A second intruder — Donald Webb Jr., 27, of Jasper — approached the residence behind Smith, picked up the male Smith hit with the gun, and forced him into the house, authorities told the paper.

When Webb — who was not believed to be armed — saw Smith lying on the floor, Webb fled the residence and left the scene in a vehicle, authorities told the paper.

What happened next?

Authorities found Smith dead, the paper said.

The Sheriff's Office of Winston County noted that with the help of the Walker County Sheriff's Office, leads were followed, and they were able to find the second suspect.

Webb was charged with first-degree robbery taken to the Winston County Jail, the paper said, adding that other charges may be brought against him. After posting a $30,000 bond, Webb was released, authorities told the paper.

The Sheriff's Office of Winston County said the resident who shot and killed the intruder has not been charged.

'I work hard for what I’ve got. If you come and take it, there’s consequences': Homeowner who shot armed intruder dead issues no-nonsense warning ​to crooks



An Indianapolis homeowner who fatally shot an armed intruder late last month issued a no-nonsense warning to others intent on similar crimes.

“I hate that it happened. I hope these other guys learn a lesson from it. If not, there’s plenty of spots over in Crown Hill,” Howard Murphy told WANE-TV, presumably in reference to a city cemetery. “I don’t want it to be like that, but just like the average worker, I work hard for what I’ve got. If you come and take it, there’s consequences behind that.”

What happened?

Murphy said he heard someone breaking into his West 34th Street home through a side window just after 4 a.m. July 29, WANE reported, adding that he came downstairs to confront the intruder.

Image source: WANE-TV video screenshot

“He took a video game system and threw it at me, and after that shots rang out,” Murphy told the station.

Murphy admitted he shot the stranger, who then ran upstairs while holding a knife and died in a bedroom, WANE said.

“I honestly didn’t even know if he had been shot because he was still moving around and running around,” Murphy added to the station.

He cooperated with police and was soon released from custody, WANE reported.

Murphy also told the station his home had been broken into earlier in the same week as the July 29 incident and that that thousands of dollars in electronics were stolen.

Image source: WANE-TV video screenshot

"You shouldn't have to be armed inside of your own house," he added to WRTV-TV. "It's sad, but it is like that over there in this neighborhood."

Murphy was unsure whether 64-year-old Steve Sheppard, Jr. — the man he fatally shot — was involved in the prior break-in, WANE said.

“I don’t go out looking for trouble," Murphy noted to WANE. "I mind my own business."

He shot intruder in 2014

Citing police reports, WANE said it wasn't the first time Murphy shot someone who broke into his home.

The station said police were called to the same address in November 2014 after an intruder kicked in his door.

“He took a gamble thinking I wasn’t there, and I happened to be there,” Murphy told WANE at the time.

He added to the station that he shot the intruder in the leg: “He reached for something. I don’t know if it was a sledgehammer, but he reached for something and was getting ready to strike me, and that’s when shots were fired."

The wounded man ran off, WANE said, adding that he was eventually convicted of breaking into Murphy’s home — and Murphy was cleared of any wrongdoing.

(H/T: The Police Tribune)

'It was me or him': Detroit homeowner shoots intruder dead who allegedly pounded on door, broke window, and pulled gun in middle of night



A Detroit homeowner shot dead an intruder who allegedly pounded on his door, broke a window, and pulled a gun on the homeowner in the middle of the night earlier this week, WJBK-TV reported.

What are the details?

Maiso Jackson told the station he was awakened around 4:30 a.m. Tuesday to a man pounding on his door and yelling.

"[He was] talking about how someone owed him money," Jackson recalled to WJBK. "I said, 'No one here owes you money. I don't know what you're talking about."

Video of the man was captured on Jackson's Ring doorbell camera at his home on Salem Street on Detroit’s west side, the station said.

Image source: WJBK-TV video screenshot

Jackson told WJBK he tried to no avail to reason with the man from inside his house: "He wouldn’t leave, so I dialed 911."

While waiting for police, Jackson told the station the situation escalated, adding that the man "went around the window here and busted that window out."

At that point, Jackson grabbed a gun he's owned for the last eight years and then confronted the man, WJBK said.

"I came outside and said, 'You have to leave, you can’t be doing this,'" Jackson recalled to the station. "So then he reached for his gun and pulled it out."

Jackson has taken lessons on how to use his gun, WJBK said, and in that moment he put them to use.

"I had to defend myself," he told the station. "I had to shoot him because of that."

Image source: WJBK-TV video screenshot

Jackson fired four shots, hitting the man in the chest and killing him, WJBK said.

"It was me or him at that point," he added to the station. "I didn’t want to hurt nobody, but he just wouldn’t quit."

Jackson also told WJBK he saw the man in the neighborhood previously but didn't know him.

"I was just in shock," he recalled to the station. "He wouldn’t leave. He tried to kill me, and I didn’t do nothing to the guy. That’s the part that’s kind of sad."

What happened next?

Jackson told WJBK that when police arrived, he followed their orders and was led away in handcuffs for questioning.

Image source: WJBK-TV video screenshot

Detroit police confirmed to the station that they questioned Jackson for a few hours and released him without any charges. But WJBK said the prosecutor's office reviews cases like these.

A legal gun owner, Jackson told the station he's confident the law will be on his side in the end: "I had to do what I had to do to save my life."

'You have to be on your guard'

He added to WJBK he hopes his story will encourage others to take caution and be prepared for such situations.

"You have to be on guard; you have to be prepared," Jackson noted to the station. "You can’t just let people run you over, hurt you, and don’t do nothing about it. You have to defend yourself."