Neighboring apartment dwellers reported being shocked at hearing a gunshot as children were up and getting ready for school. Police said a 23-year-old suspect broke into a woman’s apartment and paid the ultimate price for his error in judgment.
Bartlesville officers reported the woman was armed and prepared for such an encounter. She called 911 to report a home invasion in progress but ended up shooting the alleged intruder before officers arrived. She fired at least one shot.
The suspect was found in the threshold of the apartment’s doorway by responding officers.
He was alive then but died shortly after being transported to the hospital.
One neighbor, Laci Robertson, was having a normal Friday morning getting her children ready for school when the shot rang out. She told local media that one of her kids had just walked by when gunfire erupted.
“With that happening just right here you never know when a stray bullet or something could go on. You know there’s things that happen, but you just don’t really think it’s going to happen so close to home.”
Local authorities confirmed the law gives residents the right to resort to deadly force to protect their homes and loved ones.
Bartlesville Police Captain Daniel Elkins said, “It’s very unfortunate, and we’re glad no one else was hurt in the process. The homeowner felt like they had to do what was necessary, and that’s ultimately their choice.
Robertson said the hope is that other burglars reconsider their actions. She noted the world “is just getting more and more crazy every day.”
The woman who defended her home was interviewed and released. The District Attorney will ultimately decide if charges will be filed, though that appears highly doubtful. By all accounts, it was clearly a case of a woman defending herself against a person who apparently made a very foolish choice.
