Murder! Cries Burglar's Family

Malum Prohibitum · May 16, 2007

Ahem. He was climbing through an upstairs window . . .

http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=6515605&nav=9Tai

Dead man's family questions shooting by neighbor

May 15, 2007 05:59 AM EDT

Homeowner shoots, kills intruder

Homeowner Wilbur Carson says he was defending himself.

Lorenzo Copeland reportedly broke into Carson's home and confronted him.

Copeland's brother-in-law calls the incident a "careless murder."

Indianapolis - A near northside man says he was protecting himself and his property when he shot and killed a man in the 3100 block of North Park Avenue. The man broke into his house through a window. But the family of the man killed calls it murder.

Wilbur Carson was sitting on his porch Monday afternoon. When Eyewitness News asked about the shooting at his place Sunday about midnight the 61-year-old said "He broke in, I broke him out." When we asked him if it was self defense he replied "That's what it is. That's it."

We wanted to ask Wilbur more about the shooting that police say was probably self-defense but he said he talked enough, he's tired.

"Look, I'm through. What I said, that's the end of it."

Plus a short time before, he pulled a knife on another reporter. "He got me there," said the reporter pointing out a small scratch to his hand.

So we went to talk to the family of the intruder Carson shot.

"I think that right there was careless murder," said the dead man's brother-in-law Richard Robinson. Police say 40-year-old Lorenzo Copeland went to Carson's house about 11:30 Sunday night. The two knew each other. The dead man did some work for Carson.

"The person who is deceased may have asked for money in an aggressive manner to the homeowner in previous times," said Metropolitan Police Spokesman Sgt. Paul Thompson.

Plus, the intruder didn't exactly ring the door bell.

"The caller stated an individual broke into his home, shots had been fired and he struck the individual inside his house," said Sgt. Thompson. "It appears the homeowner was just defending his home."

"I'm sorry if it happened to a dude like that," said a neighbor acorss the street. "You can't just be going into folks houses. People work too hard to their stuff."

Other neighbors told us the homeowner is kind of crazy and that he sits on the porch drinking all day.

The intruder had a wife and three teenaged children. The dead man's brother-in-law says what bothers him is what the homeowner told him after the shooting.

Richard Robinson says Carson claimed "He was trying to kill him and meant to send him to the other side. He didn't know what to tell his kids. After he shot him the first time he could have stopped and dialed 911 to save his life."

Police will hand the case to the Prosecutors office for review.

Police say the homeowner fired twice hitting the intruder in the chest. The second shot went into the ceiling. The intruder was not armed.

The law says a homeowner can fire in self defense if he feels his life is in danger. Prosecutors are reviewing the case.
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ber950 · May 16, 2007

Boo hoo

Sharky · May 16, 2007

yeah right shoot him once, then dial 911 to save his life.

Meantime, he pulls out a gun from his pocket and shoots me in the process. Nope, anybody with intent to break in my place will be given whats deemed needed to protect ma and my better halfs lives.

legacy38 · May 16, 2007

It never ceases to amaze me...

S&W 40 · May 16, 2007

But he was a good boy.....

Tinkerhell · May 16, 2007

Malum Prohibitum said:

61-year-old said "He broke in, I broke him out."
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jgullock · May 16, 2007

Sniff. There, I'm over it.

slabertooch · May 16, 2007

slabertooch · May 16, 2007

oops double post

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