Florida woman, 67, fatally shoots armed intruder in her home

INTERLACHEN, Fla. — A Florida woman fatally shot a man she said entered her home with a gun early Wednesday, authorities said.

>> Read more trending news

Reginald Best, 64, of Interlachen, was found by deputies suffering from a single gunshot wound, according to a news release from the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office. He was taken to an area hospital, where he died.

According to the sheriff’s office, the 67-year-old homeowner said she heard the handle to her Interlachen home’s door shaking at about 3 a.m. EST. Believing it was her husband returning home from work, the woman opened the door.

Deputies said Best then forced his way into the residence.

The woman told deputies she was armed and told Best to leave the residence “multiple times.” She said she shot him when Best allegedly raised up his arms and she saw that he had a weapon in his hand.

That is when the woman discharged her weapon. She called 911 after the shooting.

“You absolutely have the right to defend yourself in that particular scenario,” Putnam County Sheriff Homer “Gator” DeLoach III told WJAX-TV.

The sheriff said the woman’s 90-year-old mother, who has Alzheimer’s disease, was also in the residence.

“Had she not had the firearm, we might be investigating a double homicide,” DeLoach told the television station.

DeLoach said the sheriff’s office received several “erratic” 911 telephone calls from Best and another woman in Interlachen, the news release stated. Best told the dispatcher that he was hiding from people outside his house and that there were people in orange standing outside the residence.

DeLoach said Best’s residence was about a half-mile from the home he attempted to break into.

“It’s unfortunate that Best was struggling with some apparently profound issues and posed a deadly threat to the victim and her family,” DeLoach said in a statement.