On Wednesday, a St. Louis man took fate into his own hands after he confronted a burglar in the early hours of the morning in the city's Central West End neighborhood. The intruder, who gained access to the historic Masonic Lodge via a fire escape, was confronted by the building's caretaker and shot dead.
The shooting occurred just before 4 A.M. when the 37-year-old intruder entered the building and set off the alarm. The security system awoke the man living above the lodge. He then grabbed a firearm and began to patrol the building before discovering the intruder and shooting him, per the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Local authorities responded to the scene where they found the burglar with a gunshot wound on the floor of the building's bathroom.
St. Louis Metro Police Department Sgt. Charles Wall explained that the police are currently investigating the shooting and that the Circuit Attorney would have to determine whether or not the shooting was justified under the state's Castle Law. Missouri's castle doctrine "allows a defendant to use deadly force when she reasonably believes it necessary to defend against the use of force by an assailant unlawfully attempting to enter her home or vehicle," per the University of Missouri.
“No matter what, the facts will be presented to the Circuit Attorney,’” the police sergeant said, as reported by First Alert 4. “Whether they bring charges is their purview.”
Local residents told the outlet that they were still confident that the neighborhood was safe despite the shooting. “I’m sorry for the person who didn’t make it out. That’s sad," resident Patrick Donohue said. "But I think this is still a safe neighborhood. This is something to pay attention to but I’m still happy to live here."
The shooting occurred just before 4 A.M. when the 37-year-old intruder entered the building and set off the alarm. The security system awoke the man living above the lodge. He then grabbed a firearm and began to patrol the building before discovering the intruder and shooting him, per the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Local authorities responded to the scene where they found the burglar with a gunshot wound on the floor of the building's bathroom.
St. Louis Metro Police Department Sgt. Charles Wall explained that the police are currently investigating the shooting and that the Circuit Attorney would have to determine whether or not the shooting was justified under the state's Castle Law. Missouri's castle doctrine "allows a defendant to use deadly force when she reasonably believes it necessary to defend against the use of force by an assailant unlawfully attempting to enter her home or vehicle," per the University of Missouri.
“No matter what, the facts will be presented to the Circuit Attorney,’” the police sergeant said, as reported by First Alert 4. “Whether they bring charges is their purview.”
Local residents told the outlet that they were still confident that the neighborhood was safe despite the shooting. “I’m sorry for the person who didn’t make it out. That’s sad," resident Patrick Donohue said. "But I think this is still a safe neighborhood. This is something to pay attention to but I’m still happy to live here."
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