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Gunshot through door foils break-in
One man is dumped at a hospital after three intruders flee.
By ABHI RAGHUNATHAN, Times Staff Writer
Published September 27, 2007
ST. PETERSBURG - Derrick Pettis was watching television Tuesday night when he heard strange noises coming from the garage. At first, he thought it was a neighbor's door slamming shut. But as he walked to his bedroom around 10 p.m., Pettis began to worry. The noise was coming from the other side of the door that leads into the garage. Wood was being torn away, as if someone was trying to pry open the door and get inside the home on 13th Avenue N. Pettis, 27, didn't hesitate. He got his automatic handgun and fired through the door. He hit a man on the other side twice in the upper body, seriously injuring him, said police, who identified the man as Tarvaris Johnson, 23. Johnson, who has a criminal record that includes arrests on charges such as larceny and marijuana possession, was in the garage with two other men, police said. The three fled in a four door white car and dumped Johnson on the floor of the emergency room at nearby St. Anthony's Hospital, according to an arrest report. Johnson, who faces a charge of attempted home invasion, is in serious condition, police said. Police found a 9 mm rifle in Johnson's garage. Two people have been killed in home invasions in recent weeks. There is no indication that Johnson or his two accomplices are responsible for any other attacks, police said, though they are still investigating. During a brief interview Wednesday, Pettis said he was worried about the other home invasions in St. Petersburg when he grabbed his gun and opened fire. His girlfriend and two children also were in the home at the time. "I've never been through anything like this before," he said. "I just remembered what I heard about all that's happening on the streets, and I didn't want it happening to me." Pettis is no stranger to trouble, with previous arrests on charges of cocaine and marijuana possession. He told police that he didn't know the people who tried to break in Tuesday night, but wants them to be prosecuted. Times researcher Shirl Kennedy contributed to this report. Abhi Raghunathan can be reached at araghunathan@sptimes.com or 727 893-8472.
[Last modified September 26, 2007, 23:39:55]
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by Vincent
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09/28/07 03:15 AM
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"automatic handgun" No, more like semi automatic. It is a great thing that the guy had a legal gun in his home.
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by Understand
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09/27/07 11:28 PM
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Good for the homeowner, I feel that it was not important for the st.pete times in enclose his past. What does that have to do with anything. Way to go Pettis.
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by Charles
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09/27/07 09:05 PM
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A previous not-so-good guy gets a still tying to be bad-guy.
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by Don
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09/27/07 07:36 PM
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Ah,justice! A dope head shoots a dope head.Altho the dope head defender seems to have cocaine charges. That should send both to jail.Cocaine a felony. cant own a gun. Send them both to jail.They can deal in illegal cigarettes. See ya dopers.
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by Patrick
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09/27/07 04:31 PM
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I'm sorry, how did the victim's past criminal history have any bearing on the story? He defended himself and protected his family from these scum. Too bad he didn't get the others too.
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by lfd1
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09/27/07 03:34 PM
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Homeowner-1
Bad Guy-0
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by beverly
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09/27/07 01:40 PM
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the home owner was in his rights. should not be charged at all
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by Rickster
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09/27/07 01:03 PM
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Am glad it worked well for him, hopefully one day, it won't be one of his kids sneaking in late. He shot kind of quick, but he was right, so more power to him. Please remember, kids sneak in and out sometimes, next time it may not be an unfriendly.
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by tm
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09/27/07 12:17 PM
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Good shot..
the more people feel that it is ok to break and enter someone elses home. the more stories i hope we hear with an ending like this one.
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by Glenn
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09/27/07 10:10 AM
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As a resident of Grand Central, St Pete needs to seriously address their crime issues, it is getting out of hand. Lucky they didn't come to my house or there would be no trip to the hospital, just the morgue
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by Bob G.
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09/27/07 08:47 AM
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Good for you . if more people had guns and did what you did I bet tehre would be far fewer brake ins
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by Truth
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09/27/07 08:17 AM
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Regadless of Pettis' record, I'm glad he was able to show force to this piece of scum breaking in. Mayor Tricky Ricky, is this a great day in St. Pete?
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by E.C.
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09/27/07 06:42 AM
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Nothing good can come out of three armed burglars in an occupied home at 10PM. He did the right thing and probably saved someone else besides his family.
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by Aaron
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09/27/07 06:15 AM
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Why oh Why does the St.Pete Times feel like it has to put the victims arrest record in each article. it doesnt fit into thearticle at all. You had to go ahead and throw it in the last sentence didnt you. Please he is a victim give him his privacy.
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by jim
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09/27/07 03:05 AM
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abhi, "automatic handgun" may be a misnomer, and, if it exists, is probably illegal to possess. o-t-o-h, a semiautomatic handgun is legal and common. also, rifles chambered for 9mm are not very popular, and are usually called "carbines."
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