67-year-old woman shoots, kills armed intruder in her home, deputies say

INTERLACHEN, Fla. (WCJB/Gray News) - Authorities in Florida say an armed man was shot and killed when he was attempting to break into a woman’s home.

According to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, a 67-year-old homeowner was woken up by her front door handle shaking during the overnight hours on Wednesday.

The woman said she thought it might be her husband returning from work. So, she opened the door.

Deputies said the woman told the intruder, later identified as 64-year-old Reginald Best, to leave her house multiple times but he refused.

According to authorities, Best then raised his hands while holding a gun and the woman shot him as she was fearing for her life.

The sheriff’s office said Best died in the shooting.

Earlier that evening, authorities said dispatch had received several calls from Best where he told them that he was hiding from his neighbors and “people in orange.”

Another neighbor had also called to say the 64-year-old had jumped out of a window with a gun and was running down the street.

“It’s unfortunate that Best was struggling with some apparently profound issues and posed a deadly threat to the victim and her family,” Sheriff H.D. “Gator” DeLoach said. “She [the homeowner] absolutely had the right to defend herself, and I’m grateful that her decisive action stopped the threat.”

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