Teen Shot After Kicking In Door: “I’m At The Wrong House!”

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, FL — A 16-year-old kid tried to ambush and murder a young Florida homeowner one late afternoon earlier this month, and things went south for him pretty quick.

When that didn’t work out for him — he decided to go with a less-than-convincing argument:

“I’m sorry man. It was the wrong house. I didn’t know. It was a joke,” the assailant said according to TC Palm.

As TC Palm reports:

Howard Nelson Bartee III, 19, of the 800 block of Eighth Court Southwest, was charged Wednesday with attempted murder and armed burglary.

Bartee was hospitalized with gunshot wounds after a residential burglary gone wrong in the 300 block of 14th Place Southwest, a Sheriff’s Office spokesman said… A 16-year-old also was charged with occupied residential burglary in connection with the incident, arrest records show.

No charges are expected for the man inside the home who shot Bartee, said Maj. Eric Flowers, spokesman for the Sheriff’s Office.

“At this point, it appears to be a self-defense situation,” Flowers said of the resident, identified as 25-year-old Taylor Reese.

Indian River County Sheriff Deryl Loar said the shooting should serve as a warning for would-be burglars.

“Many residents of Indian River County are armed and prepared to protect their property,” Loar said. “Those who commit these crimes will have to face the consequences of their actions.”

The report also mentioned later on that Reese actually was shot at by Bartee, who tried to ambush him outside his own home when he exited his house to investigate his smashed-in front door.

He shot Bartee twice, and reportedly was so upset over having to do so that he vomited. I don’t blame him.

The trauma aside, there’s nothing like a law enforcement higher-up endorsing the ability and willingness of their community members to defend their property. Thank God for those men and women.

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