Clearwater woman fatally shot man who broke into her home, police say

CLEARWATER — A woman fatally shot a man who broke into her Clearwater home Tuesday, police said.

Officers responded to a 911 call at 1639 Flagler Drive at 8:49 a.m. after a woman said she woke up to find an intruder, 26-year-old Justin William Wright, in her bedroom, Clearwater Police Chief Dan Slaughter said Tuesday afternoon.

The woman told police that Wright began attacking her. During the ensuing struggle, the woman was able to call 911, Slaughter said.

As the fight continued, the woman reached for a gun that was kept in the home and shot Wright once, according to Slaughter. He died at the scene.

The woman had injuries that were consistent with a struggle, Slaughter said, but she was not taken to a hospital.

No one else was in the home at the time, he said.

Wright recently moved to 1637 Flagler Drive, and the two were next-door neighbors. However, Slaughter said he did not know how well the two knew each other.

The police chief also said he did not know how Wright got into the woman’s home, if he had a weapon or what his intent was when he entered the home.

Slaughter said the shooting appears to be self-defense and that the woman used a legally owned firearm. However, the investigation is ongoing.

Police are withholding the woman’s name, citing Marsy’s Law.

Wright does not have any local criminal history, according to Slaughter.