Home intruder killed in Collierville, TN (Memphis Suburb)

The Memphis Commercial Appeal ^ | 12/19/05 | Andre Cherry

[Sybeck1]

There were others, but they scattered when the owner fired (Memphis suburb)

A Collierville homeowner shot and killed one of several people who broke into his house early Saturday, police said.

The group forced its way through a back door of the Brian Harper home at 1376 Panola Cove, setting off a security alarm, Lt. Greg Flint said.

The 3:45 a.m. alarm awakened Harper, who shot one of the intruders with a .45-caliber handgun. The dead man was identified from fingerprints as 28-year-old Lakim Duffy.

Flint said Harper fired several shots, and it was not known if he hit anyone else. None of the invaders fired a weapon, but police do not know if any of them was armed, Flint said.

Authorities had no current address for Duffy, but he lived in the 2200 block of South Parkway East in late 2004, according to court records.

Since 1998 Duffy has been arrested for criminal trespass, especially aggravated robbery, possession of cocaine, especially aggravated robbery and criminal trespass.

The other invaders fled south on foot and were still at large. Flint said Harper was unable to tell them how many people broke into his home. Also, "it was very dark so we don't have solid descriptions of the suspects," Flint said.

No one in the family was injured. It was unknown late Sunday who else was home at the time.

The four-bedroom Harper home is in the Estanaula Trails neighborhood in southernmost Collierville -- south of Bill Morris Parkway and near the intersection of Holmes and Byhalia roads. Schilling Farms Middle School is nearby.

Anyone with information can call the Collierville Police Department at 457-2520.

Flint said Harper declined to be interviewed by The Commercial Appeal.

One of Harper's neighbors in the cove, Paul Taylor, 34, said Sunday night he has seen an increase in the number of people "who cruise the neighborhood who don't belong. ... It just goes to show you that we can't take what we have for granted, that we have to be especially vigilant around Christmastime."

-- Andre Cherry: 529-2643

Copyright 2005, commercialappeal.com - Memphis, TN. All Rights Reserved.

[mcg2000]

I agree with Sybeck1 ... you'd be hardpressed to find anyone that would disagree with Collierville being a great and growing community.

It'll be a bit of a long commute? You may want to look into the Lakeland or Arlington areas.

[Squantos]

Since 1998 Duffy has been arrested for criminal trespass, especially aggravated robbery, possession of cocaine, especially aggravated robbery and criminal trespass

Sad that Mr Harper had to mop up the states mees & mockery of judicial responsibility.....

Stay Safe Eastforker !

[PAR35]

That's my home defense weapon of choice. Colt's Mark IV/ Series 70.

This story points up the downside of using a .45 for home defense.

If the guy had used a 9mm, the cops might have been able to question the criminal about the identity of his buddies. Since a .45 was used, the other criminals are free to strike again.

[Sybeck1]

I personally would choose a double barrel with buckshot as the best choice, but all I have now is a 9mm myself.

[Farmer Dean]

I also use a 9mm for home defence,an MP5A3.The .45 is for back-up.

[Alien Gunfighter]

Thanks for the heads up. We were stationed in Charleston (SC) before, but we lived on base (where the only danger was being woken up by the Mormons early on Saturday morning). We're looking at buying a house in the area. I just got the final copy of my transfer orders today, so I guess I'll be seeing you all in a few months. =)

[Knitebane]

That's because a 9MM is a .45 set on "stun."

[Knitebane]

A "When you shoot someone with a .45, all they can really do is die" ping.

[EricT.]

The upside is that the perp ain't around to sue you for not creating a safer working environment for him to rob and kill you.

I've read too many accounts of people getting filled with 9mm holes and still fighting back. Besides, the 9mm is just too European for my taste.

[hiredhand]

:-)

[hiredhand]

I JUST noticed your tagline, and do believe that I am entitled to bragging rights here for having BIG part in making you happily Microsoft Free since 1999. ;-) WHOO-HOO!

[gg188]

The new mall which just opened will cause a rise in crime also, I'm afraid.

Yup. Not only that, but Nonconnah---which makes it so convenient to commute to/from Cville---makes it easy for crims from the hood to get to Cville and to get out and back to Memphis. From the site of this home invasion, they could be back on Nonconnah in a minute and back in Memphis in five, blending in with the other trash there.

I wish the Cville mayor would crack down mercilessly in the aftermath of this crime, but I wouldn't count on it. What are we going to need to do? Make all our neighborhoods gated? Or, as so many are doing, move to Fayette County?

Finally, in yesterday's article in the CA the Cville police suggested vaguely that this was not random, as if that was solace for Collierville residents. Yet even today there's nothing to indicate this wasn't a typical home invasion like happens daily in Memphis and which are the wave of the future for Collierville as thugs realize how quickly and easily they can ingress and egress the town. (Hickory Hood---the center of gang activity in Memphis---is five minutes away on Nonconnah.)

[Sybeck1]

My best friend was C'vlle PD up until 2003, he's now with the Homeland Security department. They sat on the "Night Vulture" which was in in effect the Hickory Hill creeper.

The creeper had been breaking into homes for months, with women waking up seeing him sitting on their beds.

He was finally caught in Marshall County MS, not far from my parents rural home. But the mayor of Collierville didn't let them advertise that threat.