Uniontown man kills alleged home invader
An 81-year-old man awoke early Friday to find a man in a skull mask standing over him in his Lenox Street house. After a struggle, he shot and killed the alleged invader, police said.
Franklin Schrout, 46, of Morgantown, West Virginia, was found dead near a shed at a neighbor蘑菇视频 house by police.
Police did not identify the shooter.
Uniontown City Police Lt. Tom Kolencik said the man rode a bicycle to the house and broke in at about 1:30 a.m. Schrout allegedly demanded money and a struggle ensued between the alleged burglar and the elderly man. The man shot Schrout in the lower torso, police said.
Kolencik said it did not appear that the elderly man was intending to kill the invader.
鈥淗e wasn鈥檛 sure if he shot the actor or not,鈥� he said, adding Schrout fled out the back door, but only made it a short distance.
A bloody hand print remained on the shed Friday afternoon.
The elderly man later asked police if they found the alleged burglar and was told Schrout had died.
鈥淗e told us he wished he was stronger,鈥� Kolencik said, so that he could have fought the man off instead of shooting him. 鈥淗e was remorseful, shook up,鈥� he said.
Kolencik said the man was too distressed to speak to reporters, but he told police his intention was to protect his elderly, bedridden sister, who lives in the house with him. She heard the altercation and called 911, Kolencik said.
He said the man had the .22-caliber handgun on his dresser for 30 years and never fired it before.
Police are not expecting to file charges against the elderly man. They are preparing a report for Fayette County District Attorney Rich Bower to make a final determination as they continue their investigation.
Fayette County Deputy Coroner John Kondrla said an autopsy confirmed Schrout died of a single gunshot wound to his midsection.
Kolencik said Schrout had an 鈥渆xtensive鈥� criminal history. He did not elaborate on prior charges. The alleged burglar was not armed with a gun, but carried a backpack filled with tools that could be used in a burglary.
鈥淚t seemed like he knew what he was doing,鈥� Kolencik said. 鈥淚t seemed like, for whatever reason, he was targeting this specific residence.鈥�
He said the elderly man suffered abrasions in the struggle, but denied medical care.
鈥淗e蘑菇视频 a tough old guy,鈥� he said.