ST. PETERSBURG — A masked intruder was shot dead with his own gun Friday after a struggle with the man whose apartment he was burglarizing, police said.
Jack Donaldson, 27, arrived home about noon to find the burglar inside, armed with a semiautomatic handgun. A struggle ensued, and the burglar dropped the gun.
Donaldson picked it up and shot him dead.
He then saw another man running away from his apartment, located on the west side of a duplex at 1018 22nd Ave. S.
He fired at least once, but apparently missed. He then called police. Donaldson could not provide a detailed description, saying only that the man was wearing all black, police said.
When police arrived at Donaldson's apartment they found the body of Lajuan Dandy, 39, still wearing a cloth mask and gloves, said police spokesman Bill Proffitt.
Dandy, whose last known address is 650 60th Ave. S, has a long criminal history including charges for aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer and drug possession.
Police aren't sure if anything was taken.
Detective J. De Luca said police will refer the case to prosecutors but probably will not recommend criminal charges.
"It appears to be more of a self-defense," De Luca said.
Police shut down part of 22nd Avenue S during the investigation. Spectators surrounded yellow crime scene tape as word spread about what happened inside the duplex.
"Who's to say they won't hit you?" asked Vincent Jackson, 42, who said he lives about a block away. "It could have happened to anyone. You can never say."
Cecilia Williams said she likes the neighborhood and feels safe despite the shooting. She's raising four children down the street from the duplex.
She hears gunfire and sees suspicious activity sometimes but knows the neighbors on her street are good people, she said.
"It's terrible when anybody dies," she said, adding she also sympathizes with Donaldson. "I wouldn't want to walk into my house and see somebody in my house."
Stephanie Garry can be reached at (727) 892-2374 or sgarry@sptimes.com.
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