Homeowner shoots intruder
BY ZACK STOYCOFF & AMANDA BLAND World Staff Writers
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
A drunken intruder who was
shot inside a Tulsa home is
“lucky to be alive” and likely did
not enter with criminal intent, a
detective said Monday evening.
Robert Dee Rankin, 35, was
arrested and taken to a hospital
for treatment of a gunshot
wound that was inflicted by a
homeowner in the 700 block of
South Maplewood Avenue on
Monday morning, Officer Leland
Ashley said.
Rankin locked himself inside
the home after forcing his way
past the armed resident who
opened the door shortly before 7
a.m., Ashley said.
The resident shot Rankin once
in the abdomen before running
to a nearby restaurant to call the
police, Ashley said.
The resident told police that
Rankin had locked himself in a
bedroom where a loaded shotgun
was stored.
Officers surrounded the house
minutes later and shot Rankin
with pepper-spray balls after he
opened a door about 8:30 a.m.,
Ashley said.
Medics treated Rankin and
transported him to St. John
Medical Center in serious condition,
an EMSA spokesman
said. He remained hospitalized
late Monday.
Police originally considered
the incident a burglary, but further
investigation revealed that
the intrusion didn’t meet the
criteria for a burglary, Cpl. Gene
Watkins said.
Rankin did not break and enter,
and there was no evidence of
criminal intent, he said.
Instead, the intoxicated man
apparently thought he was at a
friend’s house, which is a block
from where the shooting occurred,
Watkins said.
But police said he was aggressive
with the resident and
punched a hole in the wall.
Watkins said the resident was
justified in feeling threatened
and was within his rights to
shoot Rankin.
“The guy’s lucky he’s alive,”
Watkins said of Rankin.
Oklahoma’s “Make My Day”
law allows residents to use
deadly force against anyone who
illegally forces their way into a
residence.
Detectives will present information
gathered during
their investigation to the Tulsa
County District Attorney’s
Office, which will determine
whether to file charges against
Rankin.
Zack Stoycoff 918-581-8486
zack.stoycoff@tulsaworld.com
Amanda Bland 918-581-8413
amanda.bland@tulsaworld.com
