In a dramatic turn of events, a 71-year-old Seattle resident defended his home and himself against an intruder armed with a pitchfork. The incident unfolded on Sunday afternoon when the homeowner returned to his residence on Beacon Avenue South to find a chaotic scene. Items were askew, a kitchen window was shattered, and a stranger stood within his living room.
A physical altercation ensued, during which the intruder, identified as a 61-year-old man, allegedly pinned the homeowner down and attacked him with the pitchfork, injuring his eye. The homeowner managed to escape the attacker's grasp and retrieve a firearm from a bedroom. The intruder pursued him, attempting to seize the weapon. The homeowner's 61-year-old wife bravely intervened, trying to pull the assailant away from her husband.
The situation escalated further when the homeowner's firearm malfunctioned. In a decisive move, he then armed himself with a samurai sword and stabbed the intruder. The injured intruder fled the scene, seeking refuge in a nearby residence, where police later apprehended him. Responding officers found the homeowner still clutching the samurai sword, visibly injured but thankfully with non-life-threatening wounds to his face and torso.
Seattle Fire Department paramedics treated the homeowner at the scene. The intruder received treatment for his stab wound at Harborview Medical Center, also described as non-life-threatening. Following medical clearance, the suspect will be booked into King County Jail on burglary charges. This incident underscores the importance of home security and the right to self-defense.
