Posted on 05/21/2010 2:14:19 PM PDT by smokingfrog
BRADENTON - The 74-year-old man who shot and killed a would-be robber Monday night was targeted by the suspect earlier in the day, according to detectives.
Manatee Sheriff's investigators say the suspect, Lee Andrew Johnson, spotted his elderly victim at a local ATM withdrawing money and followed him home. The violence that followed is still hard to believe for those who live in the neighborhood.
Neighbor Gwen Carnegie says Johnson was her lawn man of several years.
"When I got the phone call I said no, it can't be him, he cuts my yard and he doesn't even seem like that type of guy," Carnegie told FOX 13.
Investigators say Johnson broke into the home of 74-year-old Hosie Harris and demanded money around 11 p.m. Monday.
"[Johnson] was assaulting [Harris], hitting him over the head, and there was a confrontation and the bad guy picks up a gun that was laying by the victims bed," said Sheriff's spokesperson Dave Bristow.
The suspect, deputies say, grabbed the loaded .22 caliber rifle and tried to shoot Harris, but the gun's lock was on.
"He was not able to operate it so he put it back down and turned to do something else," said Bristow, "and the victim picks up the gun and shot the bad guy."
Johnson was shot dead and police say Harris made it to a neighbor's house for help.
Investigators say the 74-year-old suffered minor injuries during the scuffle but is expected to okay.
That brings a smile to Gwen Carnegie's face. She says Harris is well known in the neighborhood and liked by everyone.
"Everybody knows Mr. Hosie. Actually we always call him 'Tex' because he always wears a cowboy hat," said Carnegie. "Hopefully he'll be all right."
(Excerpt) Read more at myfoxtampabay.com ...
So that’s why it’s called a safety.
The suspect, deputies say, grabbed the loaded .22 caliber rifle and tried to shoot Harris, but the gun’s lock was on.
“He was not able to operate it so he put it back down and turned to do something else,” said Bristow, “and the victim picks up the gun and shot the bad guy.”
Stories like this have a big effect on my psyche. I haven’t been this happy in days.
That is some really bad writing.
What part of town was this in? The East Side? Some nasty areas there.
Very good, but in this instance it sure turned out that way.
The home owner would be dead if he didn’t have the lock on there.
I won’t be putting those on the weapon I use in that type of a situation. A better alarm is called for here, so the owner wakes up sooner.
So how soon before Hosie is drummed up by the DA on weapons charges?
So, lady, you'd prefer him dead or beaten?
Scratch one more turd.
So the law-abiding gun owner knew how to safely operate a firearm, but the criminal did not. Imagine THAT, boys and girls....
“...we always call him ‘Tex’ because he always wears a cowboy hat,”
— — —
If the wonderful little lad only knew to never f*** with a guy wearing a cowboy hat, he would be alive today.
Somewhere Darwin must be smiling.
West Bradenton, I think.
And wonderful of Fox that the only photo they thought to publish was that of the victim's mailbox with his address clearly displayed.
Guess they wanted to make it easy for the dead robber's friends and family to stop by for payback should they so be inclined.
She was talking about the bad guy.
One down...
Not likely, Manatee County isn't a bastion of moon bat lunacy.
Hell, he night even get a commendation.
Another idiot predator out of the gene pool. Nature has a way of weeding out stupid people.
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