Resident gets into gunbattle with thieves

Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2004 | 11:36 a.m.

A 29-year-old North Las Vegas man said he got into a gun battle with men he caught stealing rims and tires off his truck in his driveway early this morning.

Courtney Hunt said he was awakened about 2:45 a.m. by his blue-gray pit bull Nickel barking loudly.

"My dog only barks when someone comes near the house," said Hunt, a native Nevadan, who lives in the 1400 block of Grey Knoll Circle, near Ann Road and Camino El Norte. "When I went outside, I saw two men trying to break into my vehicle, and they started shooting at me."

Fortunately for Hunt, his wife, Marshanna, had grabbed two handguns and was behind him. She handed Courtney a gun as he fell back into the house, Hunt said. Uninjured, Hunt came back firing.

"They had fired about five shots when I stopped counting, and I fired about four rounds from the lawn near my driveway," Hunt said, noting he ceased his shooting before the men drove away in what he told North Las Vegas Police was a burgundy Expedition. He said he did not chase them firing his weapon.

"I stopped firing after I had made sure they were no longer a threat to me and my family."

North Las Vegas Police do not believe Hunt violated any laws, pending the completion of the investigation.

"Basically, the law is you have the right to defend your life or the life of someone else," said Officer Tim Bedwell, a North Las Vegas Police spokesman.

"The issue is imminent danger. You cannot shoot at someone who is driving off, but if you legally possess a firearm, you can use it in response to a threat of deadly force."

While Courtney was returning gunfire, his wife called 911. Hunt said police arrived less than a minute after the emergency call was placed. Police said the call came in at 2:57 a.m.

The thieves stole three rims and tires off Hunt's GMC Yukon. They had put the vehicle up on blocks and were in the process of removing the lugs from the fourth wheel when they were interrupted by Hunt.

Hunt estimated his loss at about $3,000, plus what it will cost to repair bullet holes in the vehicle. The Hunts' two children slept through the incident.

Courtney Hunt said nothing like this has happened to him in the seven years that he and his family have lived in the home.

A neighbor this morning told Hunt a burgundy Expedition had been seen near his home last Tuesday.

In addition to the vehicle information, Hunt told police there may have been one or more other people in the getaway vehicle in addition to the two gunmen.

"With all of these home invasions, the police are doing a good job, but they can't be everywhere," Hunt said. "It is up to us to stand up and do what we can so long as it is within the law."