An 11-year-old girl in Michigan used her own shotgun to scare off an intruder, MLive is reporting .
The incident took place late last month, but the story is only now going viral in the national media.
At about 3:45 P.M. on Friday, January 30, the unnamed 11-year-old girl was alone at her home in rural Lapeer County, about 70 miles north of Detroit. A vehicle pulled into the driveway, and then a man she didn’t know knocked on all of the doors before forcing his way into the house. The girl grabbed her shotgun and locked herself in the bathroom.
The intruder eventually forced open the bathroom door, where he was met the girl pointing her shotgun directly at him. He fled.
The girl was unharmed.
About 30 minutes later, police arrested two suspects, according WNEM (Saginaw). The alleged introduer, 53-year-old James Wasson, of Detroit, and his accomplice, 31-year-old Rhonda Steward, also of Detroit, were booked into the Lapeer County Jail. Both are charged with first-degree home invasion, second-degree home invasion, and burglary tool possession. The pair is suspected of about 25-50 other burglaries since December.
Lapeer County Sheriff Detective Sgt. Jason Parks praised the young girl for her calm and composure during a terrifying situation. She also praised her parents for teaching their kids about gun use and gun safety.
“The 12-gauge shotgun is her weapon. She and her father are into hunting and avid sportsmen. She was familiar with that weapon. She is fully capable of staying there by herself as we can clearly see based on this situation. She was able to defend herself from an intruder and be able to resolve an event even most adults would be taken aback by. She is fully capable of making sound, good decisions. And be a protector of her home.”
Although stories of kids using guns usually end in tragedy – such as the case of a toddler who found his mom’s gun in her purse and shot and killed her, according to this Inquisitr report – kids can be taught to use guns safely. The National Rifle Association (NRA) recommends that parents of children with guns in the home begin teaching their kids about gun safety at an early age.
“In a home where guns are kept, the degree of safety a child has rests squarely on the parents and gun owner. Parents who accept the responsibility to learn, practice, and teach gun safety rules will ensure their child’s safety to a much greater extent than those who do not.”
Would you allow an 11-year-old to be home alone after school in a home with a gun? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
[Image courtesy of: MLive ]
