Interesting story from Des Moines

[tburnsten]

Totally anecdotal, but it is interesting how this plaayed out. Guy was apparently quite the hop-head, didn't even know where he was or if he'd been shot, and just stood on the lawn waiting to be arrested after violently smashing his way into an elderly lady's home.

An 89-year-old Des Moines woman this morning fired a .22 caliber handgun at a man who bashed in the front door of her east side house.

Beatrice Turner said the man pounded on her door at about 5:30 a.m. She said she tried to tell the man he had the wrong house.

The man, 37-year-old Nelson McAlpine, apparently broke the glass in the door and then used his fists to break through the wood door.

Turner said she grabbed a handgun and cautioned the intruder that she would shoot if he came inside.
Turner told police the man broke into her house and she fired a single shot at him.

A neighbor called police and officers were dispatched to the house, located near Hiatt Middle School.

When police arrived, they found McAlpine of 1363 E. 15th St., in Des Moines, standing on the lawn outside of Turner's house. He was arrested on a charge of second-degree burglary.

Officers said McAlpine told them he had been using drugs and didn't know where he was.

Police took McAlpine to Broadlawns Medical Center to make sure he had not been hit with a bullet. After it was determined he had not been shot, McAlpine was taken to Polk County Jail.

He is being held on $10,000 bond.

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20100420/NEWS/100420011/1001/Elderly-Des-Moines-woman-shoots-at-intruder-early-today-

Totally anecdotal, I'm glad the guy broke off his break-in after she fired at him, and I'm glad he wasn't shot. Good on her, she did everything right, there is no way she could have handled this situation in a more appropriate way.