UPDATE:
Armed men bust into a York County home, trying to rob the owners. But the would-be victim wasn't giving up.
He got out his own gun and fired away at the masked intruders.
We talked to both men who were home at the time of the home invasion. In the aftermath, three men have been charged and are in jail Wednesday night, with a fourth, the one the homeowner shot, in bad shape at the hospital.
“It's blood all through the house, looks like a war zone,” commented homeowner Douglas Downs.
It must have felt like a war zone inside Douglas Downs’ home just after midnight Tuesday. Police say James Herlth, Chad Miller, and Robert Young, all armed and wearing masks, shot the dead bolt off Downs’ Chanceford Township front door and then held him at gun point.
Jacob Dittenhafer waited outside as the alleged getaway driver.
Downs roommate, Andrew Boyd, was also home at the time.
“And at gunpoint he demanded I go downstairs and open safe,” Boyd recalled.
While Boyd was downstairs, Herlth was distracted.
“Peaches, my dog, is barking at his feet and legs and he kind of looked down and that is when I grabbed the pistol I had,” Downs told CBS 21. “Lowered the gun then that's when I shot two to three rounds in chest area, he didn't drop that's when I shot him in the head.”
Downs says he did it out of fear. “He said ‘after we get the money you know we're going to shoot both you guys and you'll be dead?’ I though I had to do something,” Downs continued.
With Herlth down from being shot, that's when Boyd and his captor came upstairs after finding no cash in the safe.
“I shot several rounds in him too, like I said he shot several rounds too,” Downs explained. “Went through the house, one bullet went through the house next door.”
Miller and Young were able to carry Herlth outside, but Downs says he continued to fire at them from his window.
Downs and Boyd’s home is now a crime scene, but they feel secure with one of their intruders hospitalized and the other three behind bars.
“I had to do what I had to do trying to stay alive and keep him alive too,” Downs concluded.
Herlth is being closely monitored at the hospital but his condition is not being released. Downs says he has been the victim of robberies at least four times before.
State Police say this is very much an ongoing investigation.
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A late night robbery turned violent when the homeowner opened fire on one of the suspects.
Just after 1230 a.m., two armed suspects allegedly forced their way into Douglas Downs’ Chanceford Township home on Brownton Road.
The suspects attempted to rob Downs and Andrew Boyd, who was also at the home. Downs struggled with an armed suspect before pulling a handgun out of the recliner.
Downs then fired several shots at James Herlth, 20 of Red Lion, striking him in the chest. Herlth fell down the steps and became unresponsive.
A second suspect, who had taken Boyd to the basement came up the stairs after hearing the gunfire. Downs then fired numerous shots at this suspect.
The second suspect called out to a third suspect, who was outside and together they removed the injured Herlth from the home. Another suspect showed up in a car and the four suspects all fled.
Herlth, the one who was shot, arrived at York Hospital with multiple gunshot wounds. Investigators responded to the hospital and conducted interviews and were able to identify the three other men involved.
Chad Miller, 33 of Felton, Jacob Dattenhafer, 24 of Seven Valleys and Robert Young, 26 of Windsor were identified, located and interviewed. Each were taken to York County Central Booking for arraignment.
Herlth is under close medical observation for his injuries. Charges will be filed against him for his involvement in the robbery as well.
Armed men bust into a York County home, trying to rob the owners. But the would-be victim wasn't giving up.
He got out his own gun and fired away at the masked intruders.
We talked to both men who were home at the time of the home invasion. In the aftermath, three men have been charged and are in jail Wednesday night, with a fourth, the one the homeowner shot, in bad shape at the hospital.
“It's blood all through the house, looks like a war zone,” commented homeowner Douglas Downs.
It must have felt like a war zone inside Douglas Downs’ home just after midnight Tuesday. Police say James Herlth, Chad Miller, and Robert Young, all armed and wearing masks, shot the dead bolt off Downs’ Chanceford Township front door and then held him at gun point.
Jacob Dittenhafer waited outside as the alleged getaway driver.
Downs roommate, Andrew Boyd, was also home at the time.
“And at gunpoint he demanded I go downstairs and open safe,” Boyd recalled.
While Boyd was downstairs, Herlth was distracted.
“Peaches, my dog, is barking at his feet and legs and he kind of looked down and that is when I grabbed the pistol I had,” Downs told CBS 21. “Lowered the gun then that's when I shot two to three rounds in chest area, he didn't drop that's when I shot him in the head.”
Downs says he did it out of fear. “He said ‘after we get the money you know we're going to shoot both you guys and you'll be dead?’ I though I had to do something,” Downs continued.
With Herlth down from being shot, that's when Boyd and his captor came upstairs after finding no cash in the safe.
“I shot several rounds in him too, like I said he shot several rounds too,” Downs explained. “Went through the house, one bullet went through the house next door.”
Miller and Young were able to carry Herlth outside, but Downs says he continued to fire at them from his window.
Downs and Boyd’s home is now a crime scene, but they feel secure with one of their intruders hospitalized and the other three behind bars.
“I had to do what I had to do trying to stay alive and keep him alive too,” Downs concluded.
Herlth is being closely monitored at the hospital but his condition is not being released. Downs says he has been the victim of robberies at least four times before.
State Police say this is very much an ongoing investigation.
___________________________________________
A late night robbery turned violent when the homeowner opened fire on one of the suspects.
Just after 1230 a.m., two armed suspects allegedly forced their way into Douglas Downs’ Chanceford Township home on Brownton Road.
The suspects attempted to rob Downs and Andrew Boyd, who was also at the home. Downs struggled with an armed suspect before pulling a handgun out of the recliner.
Downs then fired several shots at James Herlth, 20 of Red Lion, striking him in the chest. Herlth fell down the steps and became unresponsive.
A second suspect, who had taken Boyd to the basement came up the stairs after hearing the gunfire. Downs then fired numerous shots at this suspect.
The second suspect called out to a third suspect, who was outside and together they removed the injured Herlth from the home. Another suspect showed up in a car and the four suspects all fled.
Herlth, the one who was shot, arrived at York Hospital with multiple gunshot wounds. Investigators responded to the hospital and conducted interviews and were able to identify the three other men involved.
Chad Miller, 33 of Felton, Jacob Dattenhafer, 24 of Seven Valleys and Robert Young, 26 of Windsor were identified, located and interviewed. Each were taken to York County Central Booking for arraignment.
Herlth is under close medical observation for his injuries. Charges will be filed against him for his involvement in the robbery as well.