An elderly Maryland man defended himself and shot an intruder who broke into his Mitchellville home last week.
According to WJLA-TV, Prince George’s County police were called to the man’s home around 12:30 a.m. Jan. 31. Police say the suspect, who remains unidentified, broke into the home through a basement window before making his way upstairs. He was then shot by 83-year-old Joseph Parker Sr., the homeowner, when he entered Parker’s bedroom.
Parker told the news station that when he first heard rustling and crashing sounds, he thought there was an animal in his attic.
“Then I realized, ‘I’m not alone in this house,’” Parker said.
When he heard doors being slammed open, Parker said that he started to check for what he called “his friend under the pillow.”
“I said, ‘If he exits the house without coming into this room, I’m gonna give him a pass. But if he comes into this room, I’m not going to give him a pass,’” he said.
However, Parker’s bedroom door soon opened, and he saw the intruder, dressed all in black. According to Parker, the man’s face was covered except for his eyes. Parker said that he does not recall how many times he fired his weapon, but police said they found three bullet casings.
“I didn’t want a murder on my hands. I didn’t want to kill anybody. But I didn’t want to be killed,” Parker said.
The suspect was able to flee down to the basement.
Parker’s younger brother quickly rushed to be by his sibling’s side after he heard about the incident.
“I really think, to me, that was heroic. For him at his age to be able to respond,” Morris Parker said.
“I’m just so glad that the good Lord woke me up when I did because if he had come into that room when I was asleep, this story could have ended far, far differently,” Joseph Parker said.
Authorities eventually caught up with the suspect about an hour later after another resident called 911 saying someone was knocking at their door with an injury. Police obtained a warrant for the man’s arrest on first-degree burglary charges.
The suspect, who was shot twice in the upper body, remains in critical condition.