WICHITA – Danny Hohl and his daughter Isabella have lived in their west Wichita neighborhood near 13th and Maize for years. They said it’s been nothing but peaceful, but that all changed early Monday morning.
“We spent a lot of time outside and walking around and never… Been here seven years never had any issues at all,” said Danny.
“Yeah, whenever you see like neighbors outside, they’ll wave and say hi,” said Isabella. “I was very shocked. I mean, like just living here, I can’t believe it was right next door to our house. You never know, it could have been our house.”
Police said one of their neighbors shot two people, both 19 years old, around 2:00 Monday morning. He apparently heard the two talking about targeting his home. When they pulled into his driveway, he yelled at them before firing. The car sped away and crashed into a tree just down the road.
“Both of these individuals had sustained apparent gunshot wounds,” said Lt. Mike Linnehan with the Wichita Police Department.
When it comes to self-defense, attorney Dan Monnat said that while there are many variables, Kansas law is already on your side.
“A person is presumed to have justification for using deadly force whenever it’s used to prevent or terminate an aggressor’s unlawful entry into a home,” said Monnat.
But, like in this case, what if they’re on your property but not in your home?
“Now, if they’re in the driveway, is that what the law considers a dwelling? If they’re in an unattached garage, is that what the law considers a dwelling? Those are the legal questions that have to be researched and answered,” said Monnat. “Every case depends upon its specific facts.”
As for the Hohl’s, they just hope it’s not something they’ll have to worry about.
“It’s hard to believe that it was a couple people my age doing that. I mean, I feel so young like, going in breaking in somebody’s house? I would never,” said Isabella.
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