Posted on 10/10/2008 7:06:08 AM PDT by KeyLargo
'I didn't want to shoot anybody'
A CREST HILL MAN WAS PREPARED FOR 35 YEARS FOR A DAY HE HOPED WOULD NEVER COME.
October 10, 2008 From Staff Reports
CREST HILL -- The same six bullets sat in the cylinder of the man's .38 special for 35 years until he fired four of them at someone who crashed through his bedroom window Wednesday.
"I often wondered if I could pick it up and pull the trigger," the shaken and emotional man said Thursday morning, hours after he gunned down an intruder in his basement apartment.
The apparent housebreaker, 34-year-old Demetrious Groves, a downstate man who moved a block away from the apartment about three months ago, was taken to Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center. He died about an hour after he arrived.
The apartment's resident, a 68-year-old man, said he was watching the news on television when he got up and went into his bedroom about 6 p.m.
Because the man has not been charged with any crime, The Herald News is not identifying him.
"When I got to the door, I heard a loud thump at my window," said the retired electronic technician who served aboard an aircraft carrier during the Vietnam War.
"I took a few steps to my window, and this big black guy threw himself through my window," he said.
The intruder hit the floor, he said, rolled and popped up. The resident grabbed the .38 from his night table and squeezed off four shots.
"I think the last shot, I must have hit him pretty good and he fell down," he said. "He was talking to me. He said, 'A black guy was chasing me so I went through your window.' I said, 'Why did you go through my window? Why didn't you go around the building?'"
Police Chief Dwayne Wilkerson said detectives were "still investigating all facets of the case." If Groves was being chased, his pursuers have not been identified.
The resident called the police. When they arrived, he was ordered to the ground, handcuffed and taken to the police station. A detective interviewed him before he returned home.
"Before I left, they told me he had died," he said of Groves.
Investigation continues Charles B. Pelkie, the spokesman for State's Attorney James Glasgow, said the incident remains under investigation and noted that the resident was cooperating with the police.
The man said he did not know where the bullets hit Groves. Deputy Coroner Bob Brenczewski said his office would not release that information. Coroner Patrick O'Neil said only that Groves suffered "multiple gunshot wounds."
The man said he bought the never-before-fired gun for protection decades ago.
"I live here by myself in a garden apartment, and the neighborhood down the street's getting kind of rough," he explained.
He called his reaction to the man coming through his window "instinct."
"I don't know what else to call it, just instinct," he said. "I've had the gun sitting on my night stand for years, loaded. I didn't want to shoot anybody. I was hoping I'd never have to use it."
The morning after Groves' death, he said he was visited by a man who asked, "Did you shoot my brother?"
"He was nice," the resident said. "He wasn't agitated or mad or anything. He said he wanted to see where he was shot."
He said he brought the man into his bedroom, which was splattered with Groves' blood.
"I told him I was sorry," he said. "He just shook my hand or hugged me, or whatever. He cried a little bit, and he left."
It would suck if the guy was being chased. I guess he picked the wrong window to crash through. Hope the home owner isn’t charged but it is Illinois.
I’m sorry to disagree, but if one is being chased, that is no excuse for breaking into someone’s house.
That is just plain stupid. Like jumping out of the frying pan, into the fire.
The end DOES NOT justify the means.
How racist!..................../s
It would help to ease the pain if the intruder’s rap sheet was brought out...
Well, it kind of sucks to be in your bedroom and have someone crash through your window. I believe any reasonable person would have to react as if they were under attack.
I mean, who can blame him! How could anyone know, his reaction would be my exact same reaction. I would’ve shot, too!
Kind of cool though, that the guy’s brother came and made peace with it all. Sad, but good.
This guy didn't think he was going to die and was already getting his defense ready.
That is the biggest fear that any smart gun owner should face. Good for him that he acted in self-defense, but I don’t envy his nightmares.
He's lucky they fired properly.
That was my reaction also.
Naaaa.
Modern ammo should last forever in a “home” environment.
Excessive heat, moisture, etc. are the bane of ammo. My “carry” ammo has the primer and bullet crimp sealed with clear nail polish. I expect that ammo to fire 100 years from now.
Why? I am not surprised, and trust me I have experience in this department. 35 year old ammo in a bedroom, no problem for ammo. You are talking 1973 ammo. I’ve shot 1918 ammo without a hitch. Blast WW2 surplus a lot (corrosive but good). Helps where’s it’s stored. Dry, no serious temperature fluctuations (freezing/hot,etc).
“So, if this isn’t yours, why was it in your pants pocket?”
“These are not my pants and i didn’t know it was in there.”
No, not kidding....
Isn’t that part about the dead man’s brother coming to visit kind of weird?
Treating the victim like the bad guy, as usual for blue states.
I agree with you. That is why I said I hope the owner isn’t charged. Flinching or hesitating can cost you your life.
Do you have any of the specs on what is corrosive or not? I have a bunch of .30 carbine in the original fast load clips, I think it’s Korean war vintage.
Thanks for that. Good to know. Not exactly the opportune moment to test it, though.
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