Police: Homeowner exercised ‘constitutional right’ when he shot intruder

Police: Homeowner exercised ‘constitutional right’ when he shot intruder

A Columbus, Ohio, homeowner fatally shot a man after he kicked in his front door Friday morning, and police say the man was most likely justified in his actions.

The 71-year-old homeowner called 911 just after before noon, according to reports from local media.

“Some … some guy broke into my house, and I shot him,” he told the 911 dispatcher.

The homeowner gave the dispatcher details of the incident leading up to the shooting, and when officers arrived at the home, they found the suspect, later identified as 31-year-old Michael Rinehart, lying just outside the front door. He was pronounced dead at 12:12 p.m.

Sgt. Rich Weiner, a Columbus police spokesman said the homeowner fired a single shot from his revolver as the man tried to break into his home. Weiner said there was “obvious damage” to the man’s front door and that the man was protecting his home and had “every right to do so.”

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