INTERLACHEN, FLORIDA — An elderly woman in Florida shot and killed a home intruder who forced his way into her house in the early hours of Wednesday morning, according to law enforcement.
The intruder, 64-year-old Reginald Best, was found by deputies with a single gunshot wound and was later pronounced dead at the hospital, according to WFLA.
The 67-year-old homeowner recounted to deputies that she heard the front door handle rattling at around 3 a.m. and assumed it was her husband returning from work.
When she opened the door, Best pushed his way inside. The homeowner was armed with a gun and repeatedly told Best to leave, but he refused and reportedly lifted his arm to reveal a firearm.
Fearing for her life, the homeowner then shot Best once and called 911.
Prior to the shooting, deputies received several erratic calls from Best and another woman claiming that he was hiding from his neighbors and that people in orange were outside his home.
The Putnam County Sheriff praised the homeowner for her swift and decisive action, saying that her proficiency with a firearm helped to ensure her safety and that of her family. Sheriff H.D. “Gator” DeLoach stated: “All firearm owners have a responsibility not only to themselves, but also to their families to maintain proficiency with a gun, as our victim here today clearly has. If it were not for her foresight to arm herself, the outcome could have been much graver.
“It’s unfortunate that Best was struggling with some apparently profound issues and posed a deadly threat to the victim and her family. She absolutely had the right to defend herself and I’m grateful that her decisive action stopped the threat, and eliminated the risk of further loss of life, making her entire neighborhood safer.”