When a woman in Florida awoke to see a man standing over her bed, she shot the intruder to death.
The incident happened in Clearwater on Tuesday morning when the homeowner discovered her neighbor, 26-year-old Justin Wright, had trespassed on her property.
The woman claimed that during a struggle that ensued after Wright started attacking her, she was able to dial 911 to summon the police.
The victim was also able to go for a lawfully owned shotgun during the assault and shot Wright dead.
Police in Clearwater are currently looking into the event, but they believe it to be a straightforward case of self-defense.
Although it is still unclear precisely how well the couple knew one another, Clearwater Police Chief Dan Slaughter explained at a news conference on Wednesday that the woman had recently moved into her home.
According to Slaughter, the victim’s wounds were consistent with a struggle.
Wright did not have a criminal record, and it is still unclear why he entered the woman’s house and how he did it.
The pair’s possible relationship and their interactions in the days prior to the break-in are both being investigated by police.
Police suspect that the two may have had a run-in before the incident.
How the woman was faring after the event was enquired of Chief Slaughter.
Slaughter stated that she was outraged because “good people don’t want to have to do this kind of stuff to protect themselves.”
Mary Daddario, a different neighbor, told ABC Action News that she felt sorry for the person who had to fire the gun.
Daddario stated, “It is frightening, and I’ve spoken to the rest of my neighbors, and now they’re uneasy just to know that somebody would come in your house like that.”
You can’t get over that because it’s shocking, I tell you. It’s an invasion you’ll never feel comfortable with again, and I’m sure she’ll experience some form of mental struggle as a result of what happened.
She continued, “That’s going to replay over and over in her head.