A South Carolina woman used her handgun last week to defend her home and her three sleeping children against a burglar who had kicked in her front door.
Security camera footage shows Cecil Charles Parnell, 43, along with an unidentified woman, attempting to break into the home owned by Ashley Jones. Jones told WSPA she heard banging on her front door and two people speaking on the porch.
“He was like, ‘this is my house, let me in. I’m not going to hurt you’ kind of thing, and I was like ‘What do you want?’” Jones said. “After I called the police, I grabbed a gun and went to the top of the steps and was like, ‘I have a gun. I will shoot you. Do not come in my house.’”
Jones said Parnell went around to her back door, but the lock prevented him from entering the house. The man returned to the front door and continued his attempts to force his way inside the home.
At that point “something just came over me, and I got calm,” Jones told FOX Carolina. “My heart slowed down and I got focused. I told myself if he comes in here, you can’t let him get past your doorstep. You have three young children to protect.”
SEE ALSO: Father Hailed as Hero After Fatally Shooting Gunman at Alabama McDonald’s
Parnell eventually succeeded in kicking in the door, but quickly discovered Jones’ threats weren’t idle. Security footage shows Parnell being shot in the shoulder, and the man runs away… right into the hands of the police who had just arrived.
Officials told Fox Carolina that Parnell was charged with burglary first degree and booked in the Anderson County Detention Center. His injuries are non-life-threatening. Sheriff Chad McBride praised Jones for her actions and said she won’t face any charges.
Jones told FOX that while she hoped she would never have to use her gun, she’s glad she bought it, and she would have been willing to do even more to protect her kids. She also mentioned that she’s received firearms training and taught her children to avoid her firearm.
“Any mother is going to protect their kid any way they need to, so that’s what I did,” she said. “I would’ve killed him if I had to. If I didn’t have a weapon, I wouldn’t have been able to fight him off.”
Is anybody disturbed by the editing of the video? We’re told he kicked in the door and tried to enter. But we don’t see him kick the door or try to enter. In fact he’s shot while backing away from the door.
Also, does his knocking and looking in the window seem like burglar style activity?
I have no idea what he was thinking but the story and the video do not match
Some dirtbag lawyer will probably get the fellow dirtbag criminal to file charges against the woman for violating some imagined “civil rights” the dirtbag lawyer dreamed up then some bleeding heart judge will instruct an ignorant jury they have to ignore the law (another crime that judges commit regularly) and take away the woman ‘s house to give it to the criminal!
I often wonder who are the real criminals in America. Politicians, lawyers, and judges who abuse the law are tops in my list.
I don’t know if that “law” could apply any more. You are allowed to self defense anywhere so how could a doorway make a difference?
she is in deep trouble, unless you can shoot people outside your home in south Carolina. guy clearly gets shot outside the house , and he does not appear to be armed. she should have waited a couple of seconds longer until he was inside and triple tapped him then . they may not prosecute him in criminal court , but in civil court the perp will own her house. hopefully there is more in her favor that will help tilt the scale. she deserve a medal , but the legal outcome will most likely be different.
Its Called A castle doctrine, also known as a castle law or a defense of habitation law, is a legal doctrine that designates a person’s abode or any legally occupied place (for example, a vehicle or home) as a place in which that person has protections and immunities permitting one, in certain circumstances, to use force , he was threatening her on her property and defended her self. But if the new so called pres and his bitch O’Malley have there way the perp would own her home. Support the 2nd!!!!
That a Girl ! Good Job ! Thank Goodness for the 2nd ! I hope her community shows their gratitude and supports her 100%
God Bless this woman. I hope the police do what’s right and not cost her any money for legal bills ETC. She did the right thing,,,clearly
Whether charges be filed, against who, her, that would be stupid, she is a hero in my book protecting not only herself, but her kids!
It’s ridiculous that the right to sue is abused too much in the United States. If you are in the middle of committing a violent felony you should lose all rights to sue. They should hang the District Attorney if they choose to file charges against this woman. Kick someone’s front door in to invade and face the consequences. It’s too bad the bullet did not hit him in the head and go into his brain.
This lady did what she had to do to protect her kids. Nancy Pelosi would have told her she should have waited until the police got there or hide in a closet. You do anything to protect your children. She took immediate action to do so. He’s lucky he didn’t die, but if he did it would have been justified. The neighbors should do something nice for her. I’m just glad her and her kids are alright.
Nancy Pelosi would have been happy had she been powerless and without a firearm for self defense and at the mercy of this violent criminal. Empowering American citizens is not on Pelosi’s agenda at all.
Sounds like he is a future Darwin award recipient.
This lady is awesome. The community should take up a collection and do something really nice for her. A new door, monetary award. She has done the entire community a great service.
AWESOME!!!!!!! That’s a perfect example y we can’t take away the American rights to bear arms…..👍🏼
Awesome for mom. Glad she had a gun. Once you kick a door on someone’s house you are officially a target
I agree. After being warned the idiot still kicked the door in. No need for further investigation. It’s right there on film.
Why is the video footage “disturbing?” It’s actually amusing and educational
I agree. I’d like to see a bit of what went on before the shot. It could be posted on you tube as a lesson in what you should NOT to do on other people’s homes.
That guy is going to cost the taxpayers a lot of money in a trial, medical bills and incarceration costs. Plus his shoulder is never going to be the same. Every time he has a ache there it should remind him not to do stupid stuff. And it’s going to ache for the rest of his life. Every time it gets cold or the weather changes he can think to himself “duh, I wish I hadn’t kicked in that lady’s door”. Hopefully he’ll also think, “I’ll never do anything like that again”.