SANTA ROSA COUNTY, Fla. — "If somebody's breaking into your house, you're more than welcome to shoot them in Santa Rosa County. We prefer that you do actually."
That was the message from Santa Rosa County Sheriff Bob Johnson to a homeowner who has yet to come forward after shooting at a man who was attempting to break into his home.
Johnson says it all started around 4:30 p.m. on April 20 when the sheriff's office started getting calls of a suspicious person in an area neighborhood. The person was "frequent flyer" Brandon Harris, according to the sheriff.
"He just can't seem to get the picture of crime does not pay," Johnson said.
Once a perimeter was set and the K-9s were brought out, Johnson says Harris began jumping fences and breaking into homes as he went along.
That's until 5:12 p.m. when the sheriff says a call came in for shots fired. Turns out it was one of the homeowners firing multiple shots at Harris as he was trying to break in, according to Johnson.
Harris would keep running until Johnson says deputies cornered him in the bedroom of a home. As deputies forced the bedroom door open, Harris can be seen on video diving headfirst through a closed window.
Deputies would then take him into custody in the home's backyard.
At this time, the sheriff's office does not know which homeowner shot at Harris and encouraged them to come forward and take its gun safety class.
"If you take that, you'll shoot a lot better and hopefully you'll save the taxpayer's money," Johnson said.
Harris — who was referred to by the sheriff as "job security" — has been charged with attempted burglary with assault, resisting arrest without violence, two counts of burglary to an occupied dwelling, criminal mischief, attempted larceny and burglary to an unoccupied dwelling.
