Homeowner fatally shoots intruder approaching him with chainsaw; court docs say killing ruled 'justifiable homicide'



An Indiana homeowner fatally shot an intruder approaching him with a chainsaw last month — and WNDU-TV reported last week, citing court documents, that the killing has been ruled a "justifiable homicide."

What are the details?

Authorities around 9:20 p.m. Dec. 14 responded to a call about a shooting at a residence in the 1100 block of Beale Street in South Bend, the station said.

Arriving officers found a man, now identified as 68-year-old Richard Davis, suffering from a gunshot wound, WNDU said, adding that he later died at a hospital.

The subsequent investigation involving accounts from witnesses, including neighbors, determined that a homeowner and his wife were getting ready to enter their house when they received an alarm from their security system, the station said.

The homeowner asked his wife to remain in their car while he approached the rear gate of their property, WNDU reported, citing court documents.

The station said at that point, Davis was said to have approached the homeowner while holding a chainsaw above his shoulders.

The homeowner said when Davis advanced toward him, he feared he would die or be seriously injured, WNDU reported.

With that, the homeowner told police he fired his handgun once, striking Davis, and told his wife to call 911, the station said.

Davis reportedly took the chainsaw out of the homeowner's garage prior to the shooting, WNDU said, adding that it isn't clear if the chainsaw was operating at the time.

The St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office said since it can't prove the shooting wasn't a justifiable homicide, no criminal charges will be filed in connection with the shooting, the station said.

'F*** around and find out'

One commenter on WNDU's Facebook page adamantly defended the homeowner's actions.

"You do that on my property, it's called ... f*** around and find out," the commenter wrote, adding that "worthless people" should "quit breaking the f****** [law] and taking ... s***. More people need to start sticking up for their [property]. I bet the crime rate will go down."

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Homeowner finds girlfriend being assaulted by her ex-boyfriend, orders him to leave. But ex lunges at homeowner with knife, so homeowner shoots him dead.



Police said a 23-year-old man forced his way into an El Paso, Texas, residence Friday evening and began assaulting his ex-girlfriend, KVIA-TV reported.

What happened next?

However, the 20-year-old homeowner — the assault victim's current boyfriend — told police he arrived at his residence in the 11800 block of Vere Leasure near Saul Kleinfeld and Pebble Hills Boulevard and discovered the intruder assaulting his girlfriend, the station said.

With that, the homeowner put his Second Amendment rights into action.

KVIA said he armed himself with a rifle and ordered the intruder to get out of his house.

However, police said the ex-boyfriend lunged at the homeowner with a knife, after which the homeowner shot and killed him, the station reported.

Crimes Against Persons detectives were called to the scene around 7:30 p.m., KVIA said, adding that the female victim wasn't seriously injured and didn't require medical treatment.

Image source: YouTube screenshot

The station said there were no arrests.

Police identified the deceased ex-boyfriend as Aram Sida of Horizon City, adding that the homeowner who pulled the trigger is Hunter Joseph, the station said.

A police spokesman said the homeowner and his girlfriend — also in her 20s — claimed the fatal shooting was an act of self-defense and were cooperating with authorities, KVIA reported. But investigators still were looking at whether that was the case or if murder charges may be warranted, the station said.

Justifiable homicide

But by Monday investigators ruled the shooting death a case of justifiable homicide, KVIA reported.

The following news video aired prior to the justifiable homicide determination:

Man shot dead by homeowner on El Paso's eastside in dispute over womanyoutu.be