Ohioans continue to use firearms for self-defense in homes and places of business

Incidences of law-abiding citizens using firearms to protect themselves form violent predators continue to occur. The following incidences from around the state occurred in recent weeks.

In Youngstown, police say a 19 year-old was shot by his intended victim during an attempted robbery at his place of business.

From The Vindicator:

According to police, the shooting took place in a parking lot outside a mechanic shop near the intersection.

Officers said the male victim of the shooting was attempting to rob the business when the victim of the robbery pulled out a gun and shot him.

An email sent to WFMJ (NBC Youngstown) reportedly said the robber was shot in the head. Police have not released the robbery suspect's condition.

Across the state, WDTN (NBC Dayton) reports that Police are looking two men involved in a cell phone story robbery that led to a shoot-out with the store owner. The robbery was caught on surveillance video moments before the suspects and the owner exchanged gun fire.

It all happened in just a matter of minutes. The suspects threw a brick through a store front window, setting off the alarm and sending an alert to the owner who is just down the street. Seconds later, the owner arrives and says he’s greeted with gunfire. That’s when he says he starts firing back.

Surveillance video shows the moment suspects throw a brick through a store front window at around 5 a.m. Sunday.

“I got an alert on my phone,” Fix or Cell Now cell phone store owner Adam Seaton said. “That the store was getting robbed.”

Store owner Adam Seaton happened to be right around the corner so he raced to the Fix or Cell Now cell phone store on Watervliet Avenue near Smithville Road in Dayton.

In the short time before he got there, one suspect is seen trying to climb over the store’s security gate then he tries to crawl under it, but can’t squeeze through. Next, he tries leaning on it, but nothing seems to work. That’s when Seaton arrives and the suspects are seen running from the store.

“I zoom over here,” Seaton said. “And I get greeted with gunfire and people coming out of the store. It’s crazy. I’m still shook up about it.”

Seatons says the suspects starting firing at him so that’s when he says he grabbed his gun.

“I took my AK and started fiing[sic] back, ” Seaton said.

Seaton said he initially pursued the armed robbers, but broke off the chase after they continued to fire at him from their vehicle. It was the fourth time his store was broken into.

Meanwhile, several acts of self-defense also occurred during this period in people's homes.

In Licking County, WBNS (CBS Coumbus) reported that a home intruder was killed when he forced entry into a home.

Investigators say the homeowner and his girlfriend were lying in bed when a man entered the home just after 5 a.m.

The intruder pointed a gun and flashlight at the man who owns the home and an altercation followed, according to The Licking County Sheriff’s Office. The intruder was shot and killed at the scene, according to witnesses.

Investigators have identified the man killed as 27-year-old Samuel Beskid.

In its coverage of the home invasion, the Columbus Dispatch reported that the intrusion was not a burglary. Sheriff’s Capt. Chris Slaymen said “there was some prior history between them," but that the men had not known each other long. Investigators say they don’t plan to pursue charges.

In Fremont, the New-Messenger reports a home-invasion suspect was arrested after he removed a window air-conditioner to gain entry into a home and was shot at by the homeowner.

Fremont police said the suspect in a home invasion and shooting has been arrested and charged with burglary and felonious assault, and a second suspect is being sought.

Mychal Scott, 30, of Fremont, is accused of shooting at a man inside a home at 1015 Christy Boulevard in Fremont around 9:26 a.m. Tuesday, according to Police Chief Dean Bliss.

Bliss said Scott allegedly was removing a window air conditioner when another suspect, who is not in custody, kicked in a door at the home.

The resident, Gavin Murray, saw that Scott had a gun and the two exchanged gunfire, according to Bliss.

There were no injuries in the exchange of gunfire, the chief said.

The Dayton Daily News reports a woman was forced to protect herself and her mother-in-law during a domestic violence incident.

Police and medics were dispatched around 1 a.m. to the 2400 block of Edison Street. The 911 caller said Tinsley arrived at her daughter’s house intoxicated and attacked her daughter during a heated argument. She pleaded to the dispatcher to hurry or “you’re going to get someone killed.”

The argument moved inside, and it was there four shots rang out, which could be heard on the 911 audio.

Under Ohio's Castle Doctrine law, if someone unlawfully enters or attempts to enter an occupied home or temporary habitation, or occupied car, citizens have an initial presumption that they may act in self defense, and will not be second-guessed by the State.

Chad D. Baus is the Buckeye Firearms Association Secretary and an NRA-certified firearms instructor. He is co-founder of BFA-PAC, and served as its Vice Chairman for 15 years. He is the editor of BuckeyeFirearms.org, which received the Outdoor Writers of Ohio 2013 Supporting Member Award for Best Website.