Armed Tenant Uses Gun Against Three In Home Invasion

STATESBORO, GEORGIA — A tenant at The Vault Apartments defended himself during a home invasion by shooting a masked man, subsequently sending him to the hospital. The Statesboro Police Department reported that the altercation involved the male intruder and two women who forced entry into the apartment, leading to a physical confrontation. The tenant, who legally possessed a handgun, fired at the male suspect during the struggle. The assailants fled, and authorities were alerted.

Investigative efforts led police to Evans Memorial Hospital in Claxton, where the wounded suspect, identified as 21-year-old Zion Cornelius from Savannah, was receiving treatment for non-fatal injuries. Accompanied by his girlfriend, Antania Sanders, 20, also implicated in the crime, both were arrested after a comprehensive review of scene evidence, camera footage, and interviews.

The Statesboro Police Department charged Cornelius and Sanders with first-degree home invasion and aggravated assault. They are currently detained at Bulloch County Jail awaiting further legal proceedings.