Homeowner shoots, kills 2 burglars with AK-47

WMCActionNews5.com Staff, Jerica Phillips
Jun 4, 2018 02:47 AM

MEMPHIS, TN (WMC) - Two men were shot and killed while trying to burglarize a home in the Colonial Acres neighborhood, according to Memphis Police Department.

The shooting happened Friday evening on Myrna Lane near the intersection of Willow Road.

Both of the men were pronounced dead at the scene.

The homeowner, who asked not to be identified for his safety, said when he arrived home, the men were already inside.

"I see my house being ransacked and the dog was still going hysterical in the cage," he said. "When he saw me he notified the other individual that was with him, 'hey, they are here.'"

That's the moment he said when the suspected burglars pulled out guns, but he was able to get to a hall closet to get his.

"I had my own personal AK-47," he said.

The homeowner admits it's not the first time there's been a shooting at his home. Police markings show where the home was shot up less than a year ago.

"I don't know what's going on but I know I'm going to defend my life to the best of my ability," he said.

MPD identified the two men who were shot and killed as 28-year-old Azell Witherspoon and 17-year-old Demond Robinson.
"These boys need their father and need some type of discipline. They're out here without any fear," the homeowner said.

He said he did regret the loss of life, but "it was either me or them."

MPD said the man responsible for the shootings was detained but later released. The District Attorney General's office determined that no charges will be filed at this time.

The homeowner gave MPD his home surveillance system to back up his story that the shootings were in self defense.

He said he does worry about possible retaliation.

"That's a possibility. You never know how someone else's family may perceive the situation, but I mean, I just have to take it one day at a time," he said.

KSLA : Homeowner shoots, kills 2 burglars with AK-47

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Ad Astra Per Aspera

Two self defense shootings in less than a year in the same house? Somethings going on that we aren’t hearing about. More likely to get struck by lightning a second time than have that happen.

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USS Brewton FF1086
SWCA#3597

Might have been a past drug house and people thinking there is still drugs there now .. where there are drugs large sums of cash might be there also ..

Time to move IMHO

The first shooting a couple of months ago was not a self defense shooting. Someone shot at his house or at several houses. Current local theory is he stood up to one of the gangs and the two incidents may be retaliation. The home owner and his AK did upset the career development of the two burglars.

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S&WCA 1729

I believe I would try to hire an off duty LEO for security until I moved ASAP.

Maybe....but right now the guy seems to be handling the situation pretty well on his own.

Besides if he did want to move, he would have a hard time selling his house I would think.


Don

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Laus Deo! <><

He definitely needs to keep up his situational awareness. Think I would get a good fence and a dog or maybe two that I didn't keep in a cage.

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Hue 68 noli me tangere

And maybe a few Claymores.

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USS Brewton FF1086
SWCA#3597

It's against the law of the street to pass up an opportunity to retaliate. If I my house were hit once, I'd be very careful. If it were hit twice, I'd move. That's not a good place to live anymore.

I started seeing very subtle signs of trouble in my old neighborhood. My wife didn't understand why I wanted us out of there. A couple of weeks after we sold the house some months later there was a murder on our street and that was just the beginning. The neighborhood has quieted down again, but the front road of the subdivision near where the main road and apartments are is drug city.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

The neighborhood I grew up in Memphis started going bad in 1980's . My parents lived there till they passed away 2004 with Iron bars on the windows and doors. I would chase off drug dealers and punks from front of the house and could hear gunshots all the time. A elderly man nearby was invaded , tied up ,beaten with broken ribs and nose. After that his daughter moved him into assisted living .I begged my parents to move but they wouldn't budge.

I would not sleep in any of the bedrooms in the house and would have as much fire power readily available to me with in my reach as I could .. I would vary my way to work and back home .. also varying the time I would leave ..try not to get in any type of rut that someone could time you by .. where an ambush could be executed !!

AK should be in the car with you .. and with arm reach till this has been settled by the police ..

If it is gang retaliation I would try to leave the area if possible .. Nothing good will happen if he stays ..

Note to self...avoid Memphis.

Ditto from one who lived in Memphis ‘73-‘91.

Ed

If he knew they were inside why did he go in?

Three miles from where I'm typing this.

According to the victims families they were on their way to choir practice, they were good boys.

One had a warrant for two counts of attempted 1st degree murder.

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LIVE FROM THE DAWGHOUSE

As I read it the TWO men responsible for the shooting are dead.

I had not heard that. That should help open up the court docket at 201 Poplar.

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S&WCA 1729

As I read stories like this I always get the chorus from Queen's song; "Another One Bites the Dust" stuck in my head.

Another story HERE

The homeowner said ""I mean, we’re in Memphis, you’re going to need a gun."

Truer words were never spoken.

Yes for most of us it would be within our means to up and move. However, not everyone has the means or we wouldn’t have slums and barrios where good people reside....they would move just like most of us did when we elevated our station in life. And some folks just have the notion that they are not going to be intimidated by evil and will die defending their freedom and rights.......a hard concept to understand in these days and times but one embraced by many of our forefathers when up against forces that it would have been easier to run away from than to fight.....to fight for your property, freedom or safety. He is doing what he can and or believes in.

Why does anyone need an 'assault rifle'. I hear that a lot. I guess in that to us, it's not an 'assault rifle', it's a 'defense rifle." I don't own an 'assault' anything.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

My boys now live in the Memphis, TN. area. When I'm down there, the last thing I do before I leave the apartment is strap on my Ultra Carry. As my son says, "TIM" (this is Memphis.)

Sad state of affairs in many of our once beautiful cities. I do my very best to avoid places such as Memphis and I would really like to pay it a visit once day. I will not just as I will not revisit Philly or NYC. For the folks who do not have the means or desire to relocate I feel for you. Protect yourself as this man did.

Maybe the Russians are involved???

A man needs to choose his battles. I would move if that would prevent me from being involved in a deadly shooting. It's not a question of being "intimidated". I don't plan on dying or killing someone else just to make a point. But, that's just me.

Thirty yrs.ago my parents lived in Opa-Locka Fl.a few punks lived up the street & did some damage to their car, laughed about it & scared my parents.Mom told me & said she was frightened!! I visited the punks ....
there were no more problems!
Jim

I concur. I keep one minimum on me all the time. Most of the times two plus a good auto opening knife.

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Straight shootin'
SWCA#2439

A gun and a BUG would be better then a gun and a knife .. Many of us are older and knife fighting of any kind is way out of our physical capabilities ..

Who here thinks the home owner got his AK back from the MPD??
That’s why AK’s should be bought in pairs!! I wish him the best. Watch your 6!
Semper paratus

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NRA Life Member
CPO

Yep. Memphis Tennessee is not the hill I wanna die on.
I’m catching the dog outta there.

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Halfway and one more step

I could use a few pointers. Please describe in detail the order of events of the visit as they occurred.

W,
I had a bit of a rep.Also....I WAS PISSED!When I drove up I noticed one punk was outside...I called him over to my car....window rolled down....told him who I was ...AND...informed him about THE future!!FUTURE was 1) IF...anything happened to my parents OR their car....something would happen! 2) Told HIM....HE would be the "FIRST"to pay the price! He started to protest...I cut him off....smiled & said......I don't care.....ANYTHING happens ....& YOU.....are mine!Then I calmly drove away!NOTHING....ever happened!

Besides my CCW, I have a "travelin' buddy" in the trunk. Technically a pistol so OK to carry loaded in the vehicle, should I want to. Great for sudden mobs, civil disturbances, or coming home to find unwanted visitors. As I'm in bear and cougar country, I load 154gr JSPs. Since the pic I've put a rail up top and a red dot.

AKs definitely do the job.

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Psalm 27:2

I reread this thread. Because it makes me happy.

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Just hanging with my dogs

Glad I have a Deputy Sheriff living next door. Also one for a Son-In-Law.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

"Homeowner shoots, kills 2 burglars with AK-47 'semi-auto lookalike that only fires one round per trigger pull' ".

There, fixed the headline for the newspaper. Glad to read no innocents were hurt.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Have a friend that was shot in the line of duty in Memphis during a traffic stop,
He called that town "Baghdad on the Bluff" .

I would have two 120lb angry Rottweilers in the yard named Sick Balls and Getum ...


also would upgrade that AK to a 12 gauge Saiga loaded with 00 Buckshot.

I'm one of those: I'm eighty and on a walker with an oxygen tank. I always carry a one-hand-opening knife, a Spyderco Endura or assisted-opening Kershaw OSO Sweet. They're tools for cutting stuff, not for fighting unless I'm out of ammunition and the bad guys are not down or running away.

As for Memphis, I understand it's beautiful and has fabulous barbecue. And is one of the most dangerous cities in the country. Long before I became unable to travel I had made up my mind going there was not on my bucket list.

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Oh well, what the hell.

Uh yeah Memphis is among the top places not to live due to high crime rates. I think they are in competition with Chicago and Atlanta to see which is the most dangerous place to live.

It depends on where he lives. There are some folks who live and/or work in high crime areas that have been robbed or mugged on the street 3 or more times.

Very good Monday morning QBing. Taking emotion out of the equation, he might have done something else. Then again, his background might make him a take charge; take action kind of guy (sheep dog).

Alrighty then...