A young Missouri archer fatally shot a purported thief in defense of his neighbors. The minor, whose name is being withheld, shot the thief with an arrow after catching the man attempting to steal a tractor on the property of family friends.
Jefferson County Sheriff Dave Marshak described the incident that happened earlier this month near the town of Dittmer. Marshak identified the man killed as 40-year-old Michael Stotts of Dittmer, MO.
According to reports, the young man was on his way to a tree stand for some deer bowhunting when he encountered the trespasser in an apparent attempt to steal a lawn tractor and a wood splitter.
The boy called his father and the man confronted the suspected thief, but during the incident, the suspect turned and ran toward the boy. After multiple warnings, the boy “in fear of his safety,” according to the family attorney, loosed an arrow at the advancing man.
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Deputies did not take the boy into custody and are not currently pressing any charges. They also confirmed that he had permission to hunt on the neighbor’s property.
The sheriff’s department is investigating multiple other thefts from the property.