Armed Homeowner Defends Himself Against 6 Intruders, Including His Granddaughter, After They Target Him For Money To Bail Friend From Jail

ESCAMBIA COUNTY, FLORIDA — A homeowner sprang into action when he heard intruders breaking into his home, shooting one of six suspects just after 3:00 a.m. Thursday. Keith Fendley, a registered gun owner in Florida, never planned on using his firearm for self-defense, but he’s glad he was prepared.

The suspects flipped the circuit breaker in his garage, turning off most of the power inside the home, before breaking in.

Fendley allowed a reporter to interview him inside his home following the incident, in which he described the turn of events that occurred there.

“As soon as they broke through the back door, as soon as I heard the crash, I jumped up and got the gun and I came right here.”

“One of them was saying, ‘Put your hands up! Put your hands up!’ so I stepped back and thought ‘no way.’ That’s when I pulled the trigger,” said Fendley.

Fendley shot a man later identified as Jamarquez Cromwell in the chest, and authorities described the injuries as non-life-threatening.  Fendley said that he didn’t intend to kill the man but says that he was prepared to protect his family at all costs.

“I look at it as, I don’t know if anything I own is worth someone’s life, but it’s not worth them taking my life either,” Fendley added.

The six suspects arrested and charged for the home invasion are, Cynthia Register, 18 (Fendley’s granddaughter), Natalie Gagne, 19, Dominique Gonzalez, 19, Tyari Crear, 18, Clint Hochalter, 17, and the suspect that was shot, Jamarquez Cromwell, 19.

According to Sheriff Chip Simmons, the group hatched a plan to rob Fendley to get money needed to bail a friend out of jail.  He also confirmed that Cromwell was armed with an AirSoft pistol.