Firearms Owners Against Crime
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
A would-be burglar changed his mind about breaking into a home near New Smyrna Beach when the 81-year-old homeowner shot at him several times on Monday, sheriff’s deputies said.
The suspect, who may have been hit or grazed by at least one of the rounds, ran away and sped off in a truck, possibly a white mid-2000s-era Chevrolet Silverado 1500, said sheriff’s spokesman Andrew Gant.
And while the suspect sped away, Richard Hansis fired three or four more times at the potential intruder’s truck, investigators said.
The incident occurred around 9:15 a.m. at a home in the 600 block of Old Mission Road, Gant said.
Hansis reported that he was lying in bed and heard someone knocking on the front door and ringing the doorbell. He looked out the window and saw a white male in his 30s or 40s with dirty blond hair, wearing a light blue shirt and khaki pants. Because he didn’t recognize the man, the victim didn’t open the door, Gant said.
When no one answered, the suspect slipped on a pair of white gloves and went to the back of the house, deputies said.
Hansis, who told deputies he feared for his safety and that of his sleeping 78-year-old wife, grabbed his .22-caliber pistol for protection. He heard his living-room window break and saw the suspect reaching through the window to clear away the broken glass, investigators said.
The 81-year-old fired three to four shots at the suspect, who ran back to his truck. The suspect was not immediately identified or located and sheriff’s detectives are investigating, Gant said.
Anyone with information about the incident or the suspect’s identity is encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers of Northeast Florida at 888-277-TIPS (8477), or westopcrime.com. Crime Stoppers tips remain anonymous and could be eligible for a cash reward.