Photo: Neal McNeil / iStock / Getty Images
A Memphis mom won't face charges after she shot an intruder who broke into her home, per Black Enterprise.
Video of the break-in showed the mother, who remains unidentified, retreating into a room and asking three intruders to leave her home. The mother informed the intruders that she had children in the house with her before she opened fire against one of the women who broke into her home.
21-year-old Kimari Burnham, 21-year-old Nala Kelley, and 22-year-old Dejwan Payne were arrested and charged in connection with the break-in. Burnham, who was shot, was listed in critical condition following the intrusion.
The Shelby County Sheriff's Office said authorities responded to the scene after receiving reports of a shooting at the woman's home. Three people broke into the residence at roughly 10 p.m. on the night of the incident. When police arrived, they found Burnham with an apparent gunshot wound. Officials believe the incident was domestic.
All three suspects were charged with aggravated burglary. Burnham and Kelley are also facing additional charges of misdemeanor vandalism.
After collecting evidence from the scene, investigators determined that the Memphis mother acted in self-defense in the shooting of Burnham.
“In Tennessee, you can defend your home with deadly force. So once they cross that threshold and they're inside your house, that's enough to assume there's a presumption made that they're there to do you harm,” defense attorney Brandon Hall said in a statement. He also stated that the same law applies even if the intruders did not have a weapon with them.
The Black Information Network is your source for Black News! Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live.