69 year-old man shoots home intruders; 83 year-old woman beats intruder with cane

by Chad D. Baus

Two home invasions in recent weeks have made headlines in Ohio.

WBNS (CBS Columbus) reported recently that a 69-year-old Vietnam veteran defended himself and his best friend during violent home invasion.

From the article:

Elec Reed and Ed Finnell have been best friends for nearly half of their lives.

"Eighty percent of the people in the neighborhood think we're real brothers, just the best of friends," explained Ed Finnell.

Several months ago, he had to watch helplessly as his friend was attacked by a stranger in their home.

"All the sudden, he locked the door and just started beating on us. As I say, we didn't have nothing for protection."

Something changed shortly after that incident.

"It made my partner decide to get a gun. He knows that I've been to Vietnam, so I can shoot pretty well for an old man."

He never expected he'd have to use it so soon.

Last night Ed and Elec say a woman from the neighborhood stopped by for an unexpected visit. But she didn't come alone. Three men, at least one of them armed, forced their way into their apartment.

"Just 'We want your money' and that was about all that was said, and then they started hitting on him.”

Elec managed to run outside, yelling for someone to call police. Ed says that's when the intruders turned toward him.

"The guy was just coming straight towards me. I think he was going to climb the table or something, but he had a gun. He was swinging it up toward me and when he did I just reacted."

"I didn't want to shoot nobody, but I didn't want to get shot, just like something sprang and I was right back in Vietnam again- kill or be killed."

According to the article, two of the intruders were shot, the other two ran but were arrested. Ed told WBNS he did what he had to do.

"I don't have any emotions or any remorse for the guys that I shot, but I think about their parents, and that makes me feel sad."

Two of those home invasion suspects remain in the hospital, one was not expected to survive.

The two other suspects - a male and female- were released from custody pending filing of charges.

Police have not released any of their names.

As for Ed, investigators say with the information they have now, they do not anticipate charges being filed against him.

Just a bit further south in Athens County, the Associated Press reported recently that an 83-year-old woman drove an intruder out of her house by beating him repeatedly with her cane.

From the article:

Athens County Sheriff Pat Kelly says it happened Monday around noon in Buchtel, in Athens County.

Kelly says Rozella Brown was watching TV when she noticed someone crawling across her kitchen floor. She encountered the intruder in her bedroom and, according to a sheriff's report, "immediately and vigorously began striking the individual with her cane."

She beat the person all the way to the door while asking his name. The burglar got away with about $100 from her purse but nothing else.
Deputies are searching for the intruder, who Brown described as "school-aged."

Brown wasn't hurt.

Under Ohio's Castle Doctrine law, which took effect in 2008, if someone unlawfully enters or attempts to enter the owner's occupied home or temporary habitation, or occupied car, citizens have an initial presumption that they may act in self defense.

Chad D. Baus is the Buckeye Firearms Association Secretary, and BFA PAC Vice Chairman.