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Shooting justified, sheriff's office says
By PETER GUINTA
[email protected]
The St. Johns County man who shot and wounded one of three intruders at his Cypress Spring Court home last week won't face any criminal penalties, deputies said Monday.
Sgt. Chuck Mulligan of the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office said detectives see the incident as a justifiable shooting.
"The man acted to protect his family," Mulligan said. "There's nothing moving forward as far as prosecuting this individual."
The shooter, whose name has not been released by the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office, fired at Jonathon M. DeMartino, 24, Jesse E. Demers, 19, and Lee Anthony Martino, 20, all of Palm Coast, when the three men burst into the home Thursday evening.
Two intruders carried baseball bats. One carried a gun.
They yelled out something about turning over the drugs, he said.
But, Mulligan said, they did not know there would be so many people in the house. The man's children and their families were visiting, and the intruders ordered them all to get on the floor.
The homeowner, however, was in another room and armed himself. He came out and shot the intruder holding the handgun. All three men fled, but DeMartino collapsed by the road.
The other two drove away but were stopped by deputies soon after and arrested.
They remain in jail under a $5 million bond each, charged with home invasion robbery and kidnapping.
DeMartino remained in critical condition in Shands as of Friday. The hospital would not release any further condition information on him Monday.
Mulligan said the three men had come to the home because someone told them prescription medications were in the house.
"The man who lives there owns those medications legally," Mulligan said. "The family was having a pleasant evening watching TV together when the men came through the door. When you're in your house and someone breaks in, you don't know what those people are going to do."
http://staugustine.com/stories/110805/new_3440805.shtml
By PETER GUINTA
[email protected]
The St. Johns County man who shot and wounded one of three intruders at his Cypress Spring Court home last week won't face any criminal penalties, deputies said Monday.
Sgt. Chuck Mulligan of the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office said detectives see the incident as a justifiable shooting.
"The man acted to protect his family," Mulligan said. "There's nothing moving forward as far as prosecuting this individual."
The shooter, whose name has not been released by the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office, fired at Jonathon M. DeMartino, 24, Jesse E. Demers, 19, and Lee Anthony Martino, 20, all of Palm Coast, when the three men burst into the home Thursday evening.
Two intruders carried baseball bats. One carried a gun.
They yelled out something about turning over the drugs, he said.
But, Mulligan said, they did not know there would be so many people in the house. The man's children and their families were visiting, and the intruders ordered them all to get on the floor.
The homeowner, however, was in another room and armed himself. He came out and shot the intruder holding the handgun. All three men fled, but DeMartino collapsed by the road.
The other two drove away but were stopped by deputies soon after and arrested.
They remain in jail under a $5 million bond each, charged with home invasion robbery and kidnapping.
DeMartino remained in critical condition in Shands as of Friday. The hospital would not release any further condition information on him Monday.
Mulligan said the three men had come to the home because someone told them prescription medications were in the house.
"The man who lives there owns those medications legally," Mulligan said. "The family was having a pleasant evening watching TV together when the men came through the door. When you're in your house and someone breaks in, you don't know what those people are going to do."
http://staugustine.com/stories/110805/new_3440805.shtml
