A 32-year-old woman attempted to break into the home of an elderly couple. The homeowners called their neighbors for help, then retrieved a firearm. The couple repeatedly ordered the woman to leave, but the would-be-intruder persisted in her effort to gain entry, all the while threatening to kill them. The female resident, in feared for their lives, shot at the trespasser, hitting her with a fatal wound. The injured woman was able to break into one of the couple’s cars before she died. Law enforcement officers have made no arrests and stated that the investigation “points to this being an act of self-defense.” (abc10.com, Modesto, Calif., 06/29/21)
A California woman woke up one morning to find an intruder in her closet, armed with multiple knives, including a machete. The woman, whose two small children were also home at the time, feared for her life and that of her family, and confronted the man with a gun, ordering him to leave. He refused the demands and eventually advanced toward her, prompting the homeowner to fire at the intruder, hitting him in the leg. Investigators on the scene said they would not recommend any charges, and the San Benito County assistant district attorney told reporters, “There is a presumption that favors the homeowner they're presumed that the person is in imminent fear of either death or great bodily injury. (ksbw.com, Hollister, Calif., 05/10/21)
