GREENVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA — The Pitt County Sheriff’s Department is looking into an overnight attempted home invasion after 32-year-old Jasmine Adujar allegedly broke into a man’s house at 1 a.m. and was shot. The intrusion was discovered by the homeowner, who admits to knowing Adujar, and he quickly realized his home and life were in danger.
According to WCTI News Channel 12, the homeowner shot Adujar but the criminal was able to flee. He was picked up by police a short while afterwards and transported to a hospital for treatment for his gunshot wound. Police were waiting on a warrant to arrive prior to charging him with first degree burglary.
The homeowner admitted to knowing the intruder. That’s something that should resonate with anyone who thinks this type of thing just could not happen to him.
According to the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS), a study done on violent crime indicated that 46% were committed by total strangers. That’s defined as someone not recognized by sight or otherwise by the victim. However, 13% of violent crimes (rape, murder, armed robbery, etc.) were committed by people who were recognized as friends or acquaintances. Another 11% of violent crimes were committed by people who the victim recognized by sight.
In that study, victims of violent crime had almost a 1-in-4 chance of having some knowledge of their attacker. That means, as people interested in not being victims, we have to be aware that the perpetrator of any violent home invasion or intrusion may be from someone we know, have met in passing, or may even call a friend.
That’s why we always cover our bases. Home surveillance, lights, and having some means of identifying who’s coming through the door are important. Not only could this information help us later in identifying a home intruder — it could very well stop that person from hurting anyone else.