Ohio Self Defense Repository

Published on Monday, 15 March 2010 14:55

This page is intended to be a chronological record of known cases of self-defense in Ohio involving a firearm, and if known, the status of concealed handgun license.  It should be noted that documented cases of self-defense typically do not include those situations where a potential incident was prevented by the mere fact that someone was armed.  If you have a documented event related to a concealed handgun license holder involved self-defense story not listed here, please contact us via the Contact Us links. This is a work in progress. It is incomplete as of 3/15/2010

2010

3/16/2010 - Erick Tehoke - Licensed to carry less than three months, and after almost leaving his gun home for the day, Erick Tehoke was the victim of an attempted robbery at an ATM in Columbus, Ohio.  He instintively drew his pistol and then realized his attacker appeared unarmed.  He credits his concealed handgun training for enabling him to remain calm and not fire a shot.  His attacker promptly fled the scene.
[OFCC Story] [10TV Story/Video]

3/15/2010 - Bengals Food Mart - At 10:15am in the morning less than 48 hours after the Alied Music attempted robbery a clerk at this Toledo, Ohio covenience store exchanged gun fire with a yet to be named suspect.  The clerk fatally shot the suspect, no customers or employees were wounded. 
[OFCC Story] [Toledo Blade]

3/12/2010 - Allied Music of Ohio - After being robbed three times Toledo businessman Eric Bilger (co-owner with his brother), a concealed handgun license holder, shot a man reportedly holding a gun to the head of his clerk.  An exchange of gun fire took place, the suspect was the only one shot and he collapsed in a neighboring Burger King parking lot while fleeing.  After a brief hospital stay Steve James, 30, was transported to Lucas County Jail.  James was previously convicted of four counts of aggravated robbery and was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2001.  No customers or employees were wounded.
[OFCC Story] [Toledo Blade]

2009

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3/31/2009 - Johnny Hayes' Story - Just two years after he purchased his handgun Hayes, 37, the owner of a pizza shop in Akron, Ohio, was forced to shoot and kill 20-year-old Patrick Finney.  While serving customers in his pizza shop Finney burst in with a shotgun and an orange ski mask screaming "This is (expletive) robbery!" - Hayes' fired, and Finney expired across the street.  Hayes obtained his license to carry concealed in 2007 after his friend told him about chasing off a home invasion suspect.  Like most victims of violence documented here, Hayes' regretted the need to use deadly force but knew he had no other choice. 
[OFCC Story] [WKYC TV] [Beacon Journal]

2008

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8/14/2008 - Nathan R. Zeger's Ambush - Logan Ohio Police and Hocking County Sheriff's deputies responded to a 911 call about a man sitting in a vehicle behind a residence who had been shot. That man turned out to be 40-year-old Roy Eugene Floyd, who was flown to OSU Medical Center to have surgery to remove four bullets. Floyd claimed to have been shot while close to the Hocking River near Scotts Creek Road. During the investigation, the tables quickly turned and now Floyd is the suspect, according to Sgt. Mike Peters of the Lancaster Police Department. Nathan R. Zeger, 27, of Galion, who has a concealed handgun license drove to Lancaster after responding to an advertisement for a Bobcat in the Mansfield News Journal.  Zeger is believed to have been ambused and lawfully defending himself against an attack by Floyd.
[OFCC Story] [Logan Daily News] (requires registration)

2007

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4/21/2007 - Damon Wells' Story - Damon was walking home one evening in the Kinsman area of Cleveland, Ohio and dropped some popcorn. Two thugs jumped him as he walked across his lawn, pulling a gun on him.  He surrendered and put his hands in the air trying to defuse the situation, and one teen said 'F--- that', as Damon stepped back only to be blocked.  Having no other option, he fired three times, killing fifteen year-old Arthur Buford and sending accomplice Mardale Williams fleeing.  Williams was later charged as an adult in the death of Arthur Buford.  Despite being backed by city prosecutors and the president of the police union offering to live in his home, the community chased Wells from the neighborhood for defending his life against Buford, already suspected in a previous shooting.  In the months to follow Wells' proved to be a stand up man expressing imaginable remorse and regret.  Plain Dealer columnist Regina Brett took Wells' story far in her regular columns.
[OFCC Story] [Plain Dealer Articles] [Regina Brett] [I wasn't Trying to kill anyone]

2006

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10/24/2006 - Bennie Hall's Story - Quavale Finnell, 14, shot dead by concealed handgun license holder - Hall, 61, of Kennedy Heights, Ohio was forced to shoot and kill an eigth grade child in self-defense.  Nearly a month after the shooting Hamilton County prosecutor Joe Deters issued a press release clearing Hall of any criminal charges, going so far as to release the fact that forensic evidence confirmed that at the time of the first shot Finnell was driving Hall's vehicle directly towards Hall, confirming statements from Hall and an independent witness.  Fourteen year-old Finnell had a lengthy juvenile record.
[OFCC Story] [Prosecutor's Press Release] [Enquirer Historical Front Page (pdf)]

2005

12/29/2005 - Kahlief Tye of the Columbus, Ohio area was out on bond awaiting trial on aggravated robbery charges that took place just around the corner from where he attempted to break into a second home this night.  He was shot by the home owner and found dead a half mile away.

8/8/2005 - Eugene Madill's Ambush - Madill, the Owner of Mr. B's Pizza in Warren, Ohio took the last delivery of the night to an abandoned house that ended up having it's utilities connected, so the lights were on upon his arrival.  Madill was quickly ambushed by four men who beat him and robbed him a knife point, but he was able to draw his 9mm pistol and shoot three times, creating a diversion allowing him to flee.  He immediately called the police from his place of business to report the crime.  The next day, shortly after noon, a 16 year-old boy was found dead in a yard neighboring the scene of the crime.
[OFCC Story] [Madill Returns To Thank Firearms Instructors] (published media reports no longer available online)

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