Resident, suspect in Palm City home invasion wounded
April 16th, 2009 by Ana X. CeronPALM CITY – The other two times that someone broke into the house on Crossing Circle, nobody was home.
But Thursday was different. Linda Schultz was there, and so was her handgun.
Schultz called 911 shortly before 9 a.m. to report that a man had broken into her home in the 1500 block of Southwest Crossing Circle. She told them she thought she shot him, Martin County Sheriff’s officials said.
Christopher Reber
When Lake Village resident Linda Smyth rushed over to her neighbor after hearing gunshots, Schultz was bleeding from the neck, dialing 911.
“I’m proud of her,” Smyth said hours later. “I think it takes a lot of wherewithal to be able to be aware of your circumstances and fight back like that. A lot of people would be afraid to defend themselves.”
Schultz, 47, was transported to St. Mary’s Medical Center for her injuries. So was robbery suspect Christopher B. Reber, 23, who was in serious condition, sheriff’s spokeswoman Rhonda Irons said.
Charges against Reber are pending, Irons said. In the meantime, he is under custody on a St. Lucie County warrant regarding a forgery case.
Investigators located Reber after a relative reported he was at the Suburban Extended-Stay Hotel on U.S. 1. He was found inside a third-floor room shortly after 10:30 a.m., wounded by gunshots.
Back at the house, detectives recovered a shotgun believed to have been used by Reber, and a .40-caliber handgun owned by the homeowners, Irons said.
Sheriff’s officials couldn’t comment on whether Schultz knew Reber, citing the ongoing investigation. A man who answered Schultz’s number declined to comment on a possible connection. Schultz nor her husband could be reached for comment.
Smyth suspected that Schultz and her husband, Joe Russo, had been targeted over the years because they own Brooklyn Joe’s Pizza south of Stuart.
“People think they have a lot of money,” Smyth said.
Reber, whose last known address was in Port St. Lucie, was arrested in 2007 on charges of criminal mischief and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, according to state criminal records.
His house was destroyed in a fire late last month. St. Lucie County Fire District spokeswoman Catherine Chaney said investigators ruled it as an accidental fire but hadn’t been able to determine the source.
Tags: Brooklyn Joe's Pizza, Christopher Reber, Crossing Circle, Joe Russo, Linda Schultz, Martin County Sheriff's Office, Rhonda Irons, robbery
Subscribe to TCoastTalk's RSS Feed
Browse the photo galleries here
April 16th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
Scumbag, Let him bleed out!
April 17th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
This is the reason honest hard working people need to have guns and that is the only reason this homeowner is alive today. Yes the thief is in jail. Its just to bad she did not shoot him between the eyes.
April 17th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
several shots from a 40 cal huh. guess i better invest something bigger.
April 17th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
Our founding fathers ensured that our right to bear arms would not be infringed–in order that we be able to protect ourselves from unlawful intruders, whether they be “common” crooks, or the type we have in Washington now.
Good for Ms. Schultz! –only, I hope she takes some lessons in aiming that howitzer, so she can do a better job next time! Save the cops from having to go hunt the perp down.
April 18th, 2009 at 3:00 am
a .45 to the neck and that crackhead wouldn’t have a neck no more…
April 18th, 2009 at 10:23 am
Another example of a criminal with no regard of someone’s right to the sanctity of their home. Law enforcement cannot possibly be everywhere all the time. It is up to us,as individuals,to take responsibility to defend ourselves.
Law abiding citizens have the right to responsibly keep firearms in their homes for self defense.
December 21st, 2009 at 6:32 pm
Title…
Worm Composting…