Man shot dead by homeowner in attempted break-in, deputies say
A 29-year-old man is dead after attempting to break into the residence of an armed homeowner.
According to Sarasota Florida County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called to a home on 47th Street just after 11 p.m. to help the fire department with a medical call involving 29-year-old Aaron Pischer.
The suspect, 29-year-old Aaron Pischer, suffered from mental illness, according to his family, so much so they called the police on him shortly before the break-in occurred. Pischer left his family’s residence shortly before officers responded to the 911 call. Deputies went searching for Pischer and about 10 minutes later said a call came in about a reported shooting at a nearby home.
The homeowner says he shot Pischer in self-defense after he broke into their home, according to the Sarasota sheriff’s office. “At this time, it does not appear the suspect and homeowner are known to one another,” Kaitlyn Perez, a spokeswoman with the sheriff’s office said.
A similar shooting occurred in Houston, Texas, where a 74-year-old man shot a home intruder to death on Monday. The homeowner did not want to be identified, says he shot an intruder after breaking one of his windows and entered his home. The suspect became more aggressive after being shot once, forcing the elderly man to shoot him two more times, killing him.
Both Florida and Texas have Stand Your Ground Laws in place, allowing homeowners to use lethal force against a person they feel is an imminent threat to their safety. President Biden has promised sweeping gun control legislation and recently renewed his call for Congress to take action on gun control following a shooting in California.
At least eight people were killed when an employee of the Valley Transportation Authority in San Jose opened fire early on May 26. The gunman, Samuel Cassidy, took his own life as law enforcement arrived on the scene.
“Once again, I urge Congress to take immediate action and heed the call of the American people, including the vast majority of gun owners, to help end this epidemic of gun violence in America,” Biden said in a statement. “Every life that is taken by a bullet pierces the soul of our nation. We can, and we must do more.”
Biden’s nominee to head up the Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Administration, David Chipman has vowed to ban assault weapons despite being unable to define what an assault weapon is during a contentious moment at his Senate confirmation hearing with Senator John Kennedy of Louisianna.