Homeowner in Sunset Hills shoots, kills intruder
By Heather Ratcliffe
Of the Post-Dispatch
08/25/2004

A Sunset Hills Police Department officer crosses over the yellow crime scene tape sealing off the home.
(KEVIN MANNING/P-D)


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A homeowner in Sunset Hills fatally shot an intruder who pushed his way into the house using a stun gun early Wednesday, police said.

It happened about 6 a.m. in the 12600 block of Old Gravois Road, at a relatively isolated house surrounded by trees.

Police said the owner retrieved a small-caliber handgun before answering a knock on his back door. A stranger standing outside asked for gasoline and then forced his way in, said Sunset Hills Police Chief William LeGrand.

In the struggle, the intruder shocked the resident with an electric stun gun, investigators were told. The owner fired one shot into the chest of the intruder, who turned and ran about 200 yards before falling dead.

"The evidence indicates that this is a proper use of self-defense," LeGrand said.

LeGrand said there was no apparent connection between the men, and surmised that the intruder had intended to rob the homeowner.

"We're operating under the assumption that this is a random crime," LeGrand said.

Nobody else was seriously hurt. The homeowner's name was not released.

Police were trying to identify the dead man, who looked to be in his 20s but carried no ID and did not appear to have a vehicle parked in the area.

A resident in a nearby neighborhood reported to police that at about the same time, a suspicious-looking man at the door asked to use a phone, made a call and left.

Police said they don't know whether there is any connection to the incident on Old Gravois.

Good for him!

Quoted: Good for him!

+1

We'd have fewer home invasions if this happened a majority of the time!

IIRC, an old monied part of south St. Louis county.

If I lived in that area I'd ALWAYS answer the door with a firearm in hand. It's the kind of area where you usually do not see the house from the street. Think Hillsborough, CA only bigger properties.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Good for him! +1 +2

+3

Quoted: IIRC, an old monied part of south St. Louis county. If I lived in that area I'd ALWAYS answer the door with a firearm in hand. It's the kind of area where you usually do not see the house from the street. Think Hillsborough, CA only bigger properties.

If I am not expecting someone, I always answer the door with a gun. Have been some home invasion robberies in the area lately.

A resident in a nearby neighborhood reported to police that at about the same time, a suspicious-looking man at the door asked to use a phone, made a call and left. Police said they don't know whether there is any connection to the incident on Old Gravois.

This part scares me more. . .  If this is written correctly, someone let a "suspicious-looking" man into their home to make a phone call at 6:00 a.m.  What kind of idiot is this???

Oh yeah, +1 on shooting the asshole.

Small caliber handgun +suspect running 200 yrds after being shot in the chest before dropping = get a larger caliber handgun