Prosecutor says homeowner ‘justified’ in killing of burglar
Apr 6, 2012, 2:35 PM | Updated: 4:11 pm
Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist says he will not
file charges against a retired Puyallup police officer who shot and killed a would-be burglar.
“In this case we have a burglary in progress and that’s
clearly a felony and the home owner was well within his
rights to use deadly force,” said Mark Lindquist, Pierce
County Prosecutor.
The 61-year-old former officer told police he was napping when he heard
the sound of four people breaking into his home. He grabbed
his 9mm handgun and fired when several men approached him,
one carrying a crowbar.
The suspects fled, but one of them showed up soon after at
Good Samaritan Hospital with a gunshot wound to his abdomen.
21-year-old Kevin Fernandes died a short time later.
Charges were filed Friday against Malinda Knight, 19, Kyle
Anderson, 29 and Josh Baker, 27. Knight and Anderson pleaded
not guilty and are being held on $500,000 bail. Baker
remains at large.
