He Brought a Knife to Invade A Gun Owner's Home

During his 18 years on the planet, I suspect Mikel Steven Smith was never unfairly accused of being “too smart.” If he had any intelligence and had been keeping up with recent trends, he might have know that women are one of the fastest growing demographics among gun owners.

Advertisement

How good of a shot some can be under pressure is the last thing he ever learned, shortly after midnight.

An Autauga County woman shot and killed an intruder who forced his way into her home early Friday morning, said Chief Deputy Joe Sedinger.

The incident occurred on County Road 81 in the Booth community, about 12:30 a.m., sheriff reports show. Deputies were dispatched to the home on a burglary in progress call, Sedinger said.

“When they arrived they found an 18-year-old man shot,” Sedinger said. “At this time our investigation shows that the man, who was armed with a knife, had forced his way into the home. The homeowner shot him with a revolver, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.”

The man has been identified as Mikel Steven Smith, 18, of Marbury, courthouse records show. Sheriff’s office reports show Smith was shot three times with a .32 cal. handgun.

Smith managed to stumble away from the home, and his accomplice,  Bryan James Vance, tried to drag him a short distance before Smith died. Vance has been arrested for robbery.

Advertisement

Vance could also potentially face prosecution under Alabama’s implementation of the felony murder rule, in which a person involved in the commission of a felony (in this case, participating in Smith’s first degree burglary) may be held responsible for any resulting deaths, including that of their fellow criminals.

One of these days, criminals are going to realize that it’s a lot smarter and safer to simply get a job.

Join the conversation as a VIP Member

Advertisement
Advertisement