A woman said she felt “terrified” when she discovered her ex-boyfriend breaking into her home at 10:30 p.m. on a Sunday, and fired one shot at him while she was on the phone with emergency dispatchers. The woman told police that she and the man had been on-and-off in their relationship for 2½ years, but were in the process of breaking up. Earlier that day they had allegedly argued about items he had left at her second home. She said that while she was driving over to get the items she encountered him on the road, and he followed her. The woman called 9-1-1 to report that he had tried to run her off the road, which police corroborated through video evidence in which he was seen “chasing and blocking” her vehicle. The woman then allegedly obtained a Protection From Abuse order (PFA). Upon returning to her residence, she discovered that she had not locked her doors, and that her ex had been inside. As she attempted to “clear” the house by walking room to room with her firearm, she heard banging, and discovered he had broken down the back door. The woman called 9-1-1 and was on the phone when the man suddenly broke down the front door, charged the woman and ordered her to shoot. The woman fired the one shot, striking the man in the abdomen. The man was able to drive away, but later turned up at a hospital in critical condition. The man is facing eight charges, including criminal trespass, stalking and burglary. He remains in custody at the hospital on an unrelated warrant. (wpxi.com; Pittsburgh, PA; 1/2/24)
