Two adults and two teenagers were thwarted in a home invasion attempt, and of the assailants, one was shot and killed, according to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.
Police were called to the scene after receiving calls about shots fired at about 11 p.m. Wednesday at a home on the 22000 block of Beverly Avenue in Port Charlotte, Florida.
“The original crime scene started on Beverly Avenue with the suspects fleeing the home. The crime scene extends onto Felton Avenue and onto Starlite Lane,” said Claudette Smith, spokesperson for the sheriff’s office.
A neighbor told WBBH-TV that he heard what sounded like two firecrackers going off before a volley of gunshots followed.
“The rapid fire was the one that caught me off guard,” said Jason Franklin. “Like someone just was going for like a good 5 or 6 seconds.”
Deputies said they found one of the assailants wounded in the road when they arrived. He was declared dead at a hospital. Another was critically wounded and taken to a hospital.
The other two were captured trying to flee the incident in a silver vehicle.
Investigators said that no people in the home had been hurt but that two of the homeowner’s dogs had been shot, one having died as a result.
Police have not yet divulged who they believe fatally shot the home invader.
17-year-old Saleef Stevenson was identified as one of the surviving alleged assailants, and he was charged with home invasion robbery with a firearm or deadly weapon. 18-year-old Leah Kirsten Jennes was charged with with accessory after the fact of a first-degree felony and aggravated battery/person using a deadly weapon. 25-year-old Ethan Maaske, a neighbor of the victim, became involved and was charged with aggravated battery to a person using a deadly weapon.
Jennes and Maaske appeared in court on Friday for the crimes, according to video from WINK-TV. Jennes’ bond was set at $250,000 while Maaske’s bond was set at $50,000.
Obellia Garcia told WBBH that the neighborhood is usually peaceful.
“Nothing ever happens, it’s a very peaceful neighborhood, very peaceful,” she said, translated from Spanish.
The sheriff’s office said officers expect more charges to be filed in the case.
Here’s the WINK News report about the incident:
3 people face charges in botched Port Charlotte home invasionwww.youtube.com
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