Homeowner defends self during broad-daylight home invasion in Toledo

WNWO (NBC Toledo) reported recently that the victim of a home invasion was able to defend himself during the attack.

From the article:

Officers said they got the 911 call for a person shot just before noon. When crews arrived on scene they discovered two people had been shot inside a house there.

According to a press release from the Police Department, two armed men had entered the residence and tried to rob its occupants.

One occupant, 24-year-old John Hawkins, shot both of the attempted robbers. One of them was taken to Toledo Hospital where he later died while the other was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

Subsequent news coverage from WTVG (ABC Toledo) reports that the 18 year-old Demonte Hartfield as the man who was killed. Two accomplices, a 17 year-old and 21 year-old, face murder and robbery charges in the incident.

Under Ohio's Castle Doctrine law, if someone unlawfully enters or attempts to enter an occupied home or temporary habitation, or occupied car, citizens have an initial presumption that they may act in self defense, and will not be second-guessed by the State.

Chad D. Baus served as Buckeye Firearms Association Secretary from 2013-2019. He is co-founder of BFA-PAC, and served as its Vice Chairman for 15 years. He is the editor of BuckeyeFirearms.org, which received the Outdoor Writers of Ohio 2013 Supporting Member Award for Best Website, and is also an NRA-certified firearms instructor.