Homeowner Shoots, Kills Robbery Suspect

WFTV-TV ^ | 29-Apr-2009 | Staff

[VeniVidiVici]

POLK COUNTY, Fla. -- A Polk County man caught two thieves on his property so he pulled out a gun and started shooting, killing one suspect.

The homeowner, Jamie Jones, was working in his Winter Haven orange grove Tuesday morning when he heard a noise. Jones says he grabbed his gun and saw a man and woman trying to drive away in his SUV Land Cruiser.

Jones yelled at them to stop, but the driver tried to run him over so he started shooting. The Polk County sheriff said Jones had a right to protect himself.

"The word to the thieves is if you break into somebody's home and steal their property and confront them, there is a very good chance a homeowner in this county is going to shoot you," said Sheriff Grady Judd.

[VeniVidiVici]

Grady Judd is an OK guy! A few years ago they had a cop killer on the run in his county. After a long chase they had the guy cornered in the woods. He raised his gun and eight cops shot about 72 rounds into him.

At the press conference afterwards Judd was asked why the suspect was shot 72 times. His answer? "They ran out of bullets".

[FromShadow]

I remember that incident, and I also remember thinking “Only 72 bullets at that range?”

[IGOTMINE]

Happy ending bump!

[snowsislander]

"The word to the thieves is if you break into somebody's home and steal their property and confront them, there is a very good chance a homeowner in this county is going to shoot you," said Sheriff Grady Judd.

Well said, Sheriff Judd.

[ridesthemiles]

At the press conference afterwards Judd was asked why the suspect was shot 72 times. His answer? “They ran out of bullets”.”

I hope this officer can spend some quality time in the future with Sheriff Jor Arpaio.

[Oldpuppymax]

With any luck, Sheriff Judd has raised a VERY large family.

[Vaquero]

[Jonah Johansen]

Please don't misunderstand you, I totally support the rights of a person to us lethal force to protect themselves and I have zero sympathy for home invaders who get shot and killed in the act.

When all the facts come out this will probably have been a justified shooting but all any of us have to go on is the account of the shooter. The woman he shot is apparently a neighbor. The truck and the male have not been found as of yet. We have only the shooters word that in fact they were caught in the act of stealing and that they were trying to run him down.

I have no reason to disbelieve the shooter but I think it is premature to conclude his account is totally factual.
Now if there has been an update or someone lives in the area has more facts, please post them.

[domenad]

"The word to the thieves is if you break into somebody's home and steal their property and confront them, there is a very good chance a homeowner in this county is going to shoot you," said Sheriff Grady Judd.

That phrase probably will lead to a significant reduction in crime.

[stinkerpot65]

Update: Boyfriend to be charged with murder

One white trash meth-head dead.

Another white trash meth-head in prison.

Hero homeowner gets a two-fer.

[ExSoldier]

I remember that incident. IIRC they had a nearly full SWAT team converging on the perp in the woods and he was armed with a handgun, but some of the cops split from the original force and they wound up with only four or five guys to take the subject out. Said each officer ran his weapon dry, but I can't remember if they were using MP5s or not. I think it had to be more than 72 rds in the body or they missed a whole lot.

As to the story in the thread's OP, I thought at first the guy is going to be TOAST even here in FL. Can't kill for property here, and him grabbing a gun to confront the bad guy outside the curtilidge of his home is a no-no. But the attempt to run him over was exculpatory and that makes me glad. For certain the antigun crowd here in Miami Dade would be howling for a lych mob even now, and Janet Reno's successor, Kathryn Fernandez Rundle would be out for gun owner blood durn quick!

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"The suspects crashed through two fences and a ditch before stopping. One shot hit and killed Nikki McCormick who lived next door to the orange grove."

More poor writing by a reporter. At first glance it looks as if the homeowner was in a shootout and a girl who lives next door got caught in the crossfire. What really happened (apparently) is that he killed one perp. Said perp turned out to be his next door neighbor. That is not initially clear.

[VeniVidiVici]

Said perp turned out to be his next door neighbor. That is not initially clear.

One thing to keep in mind too that in this part of the county, his "next door neighbor" may live in a trailer park a mile down the road.

[VeniVidiVici]

LOL! Reading the link in your #10 seems I may have been right about her living in a trailer park a mile down the road :)

Detectives later found Phillips (the BG), who had a warrant for his arrest for violating his probation, at a trailer at 1309 13th Terrace.

[doug from upland]

863-533-0344

I just called his office to give him cudos for the quote. Unfortunately, he does not want to come to S. California to be our sheriff.

[Islander7]

Jones yelled at them to stop, but the driver tried to run him over so he started shooting....

MORAL of the Story: Never drive a Toyota to gun fight.