LAKE CITY, Fla. – A 64-year-old woman shot a man who broke into her home Sunday night, according to the Lake City Police Department.
Police said Jill Stucker was watching TV about 9:20 p.m. at her home in the 800 block of Northeast Lake Drive when 26-year-old Milton Barber Jr. broke in through the bedroom window.
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Barber cut himself on the glass window when crawling in, and Stucker heard the glass break, armed herself with a handgun and started to exit through the back door of her home, police said.
As she tried to flee her home, Barber began chasing her out of the house, police said. They said Stucker began screaming for help as heard by her neighbors, and as she began running toward the road, she stopped, saw the intruder still chasing her and fired one shot at him, striking him once in the chest, police said.
Barber fled out the backyard over a wooden fence, dropping blood on the fence and fled down the sidewalk, leaving a blood trail, police said. They said Barber collapsed on the doorstep of the home of a man who was applying pressure to the gunshot wound when officers arrived.
Barber was treated on scene by rescuers and taken to Shands Hospital in Gainesville for surgery. He was listed in critical condition.
Officers said they found several checks belonging to Deas Bullard Properties on the sidewalk when tracing Barber's blood trail and one check inside Stucker's home. Police said the checks were previously reported stolen by Deas Bullard Properties when officers responded to a burglary alarm about 8:30 the same night.
Police said they were investigating to determine Barber's involvement in the burglary. They said entry was made at the location by breaking the glass window next to the front door.
Barber is a convicted felon and a registered sexual offender. He was also placed on probation by the state of Florida on July 11 for previous charges of burglary, battery and sexual assault until July 2019.