A 12-year-old North Carolina boy shot and killed a home intruder

(The AEGIS Alliance) – When two armed and masked intruders broke into a North Carolina home on Saturday in the early morning, a 12-year-old boy reached for a gun himself.

Police responded to the Goldsboro residence at about 1 a.m. on Saturday and located Linda Ellis, 73, who was apparently injured by a gunshot and, at a close-by intersection, 19-year-old Khalil Herring, who had additionally been shot, the Goldsboro Police Department said.

Both had been hospitalized, however, Herring was pronounced dead from his injuries.

Ellis was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and her condition is stable.

Police believe that Herring was one among two males who “forced their way in” and demanded cash from the home residents prior to shooting Ellis.

The 12-year-old, who has not been identified publicly due to his age, fired at the robbers and sent them fleeing out of the home.

Officials stated the boy was acting in self-defense and isn’t expected to face any charges. The boy’s relationship with Ellis is unclear.

The Goldsboro Police Department said there weren’t any further updates as of Sunday morning, including details about the second suspected intruder.

Kyle James Lee – The AEGIS Alliance – This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.