Armed homeowner in Tennessee turns tables on would-be burglar climbing in through window

A weekend break-in attempt was foiled by a Nashville homeowner’s quick action, which also injured the alleged perpetrator.

The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department reports that on Saturday morning at around 6:00 am, 32-year-old Anton Cosby allegedly made an attempt to break into a home on Shreeve Lane in the Trinity Hills neighborhood. The homeowner and their family were alerted by the disturbance, which included beating on the front door and windows.

Police reported that “the homeowner retrieved a firearm and issued repeated warnings to Cosby, ordering him to leave the premises or face being shot.” Disregarding these cautions, Cosby allegedly broke the kitchen window and started to climb through. The homeowner retaliated by firing one shot, hitting Cosby in the arm.

After dropping a handgun next to the kitchen sink, the injured suspect ran away from the scene. When police found Cosby close by, they tried to help him, but he allegedly turned aggressive. After a while, he was caught and taken to Skyline Medical Center to receive treatment for his non-critical gunshot wound.

Prosecutors in the area think the homeowner won’t be charged because he acted in self-defense. On the other hand, Cosby is charged with a number of crimes, including two firearm-related offenses, felony vandalism, and aggravated burglary.

The neighborhood was rattled after the incident. Linda Thomas, a longtime resident, told WSMV 4 that she was afraid because she had never seen anything like this happen before. Ms. Thomas is thinking about adding more security to her current alarm system and cameras.

“I feel so secure,” Ms. Thomas said. “I really feel people would just not want to walk way up this hill and try to bother me.

She did, however, voice her concerns regarding the use of guns as security.. ““I’m leery that, you know, we have to have guns just to have peace in our neighborhood or our homes. That’s the last thing you really want to have to deal with,” she concluded.