Homeowner Defends Self Against Sword Wielding Intruder

He brought a sword to a gun fight

TURLEY — A homeowner shot and killed a burglar Thursday night when the man threatened him with a sword, sheriff’s officials said.

The burglar who was shot at 6017 N. Owasso Ave. was identified as Billy Jean Tiffey III, 19, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Sgt. Shannon Clark said.

The homeowner, Michael Lish, and his wife arrived home about 10 p.m. to find the back door ajar and a window open, spokesman Clark said.

As Lish, who had a concealed-weapon permit, searched the house, an intruder wearing all-black clothing confronted him while wielding a sword.

The intruder made a threatening statement and walked toward Lish, so Lish ordered him to stop, Clark said. As the intruder continued to walk toward him, Lish fired one shot, striking Tiffey in the abdomen.

Tiffey dropped to his knees and reached behind his back, appearing to the homeowner asif he was reaching for another weapon, the investigation showed. Lish then fired a second and third shot, striking Tiffey in the chest area, killing him, Clark said.

Investigators found that Tiffey was also carrying a .38-caliber pistol, the homeowner’s 9 mm pistol, a knife and a stun gun.

Authorities interviewed the residents, and no arrests were made, Clark said. The case will be sent to the Tulsa County District Attorney’s Office for further review.

Under Oklahoma’s “Make My Day” law, a person can use force — including deadly force — to defend his or her home.

Tiffey has a previous criminal record and had been on probation since Feb. 24 on counts of unlawful possession of a controlled drug and possession of paraphernalia, court records show.

He was arrested again Feb. 28 and then charged March 8 with driving under the influence and driving under suspension, court records show.

Lovingly Cut'n'pasted from Tulsa World, NICOLE MARSHALL AND MATT BARNARD

Killed Bill

John Hopskins student kills intruder - with samurai sword

A Johns Hopkins University student armed with a samurai sword killed a man who broke into the garage of his off-campus residence early Tuesday.

According to preliminary reports, a resident called police about a suspicious person. An off-duty officer responded about 1:20 a.m. to the area with university security. They heard shouts and screams from a neighboring house and found the suspected burglar suffering from a nearly severed hand and lacerations to his upper body, he said.

The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene. Thud.

The student told police that he heard a commotion in the house and went downstairs armed with a samurai sword, Guglielmi said. He saw the side door to the garage had been pried open and found a man inside, who lunged at the student.

Detectives were still interviewing the student and his three roommates. Burglars had already stolen two laptops and a Sony PlayStation from the student's home.

The suspected burglar had prior convictions for breaking and entering and had just been released from Baltimore County.