An elderly couple remains shaken by a Monday incident where seven people threatened to kill them as they tried to break through the couple's front door - to the homeowner's son shooting through the door as it was coming off the hinges.
“We don't want any trouble,” said Shirley Ashby, 67, who has lived in the home her entire life. “We don't know what brought this on.”
Four people are being held on $50,000 bonds in the Kaufman County Law Enforcement Center in connection with the incident on the 1300 block of County Road 319. One was shot in the right foot during the attempted thief.
According to Kaufman County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Bryan Francis, Glen Lilly, 18 of Terrell; Candace Beam, 20, of Terrell; Jonathon Emory, 18, of Terrell; and Lloyd Gipson, 36, of Forney were arraigned Wednesday morning and are charged with attempted burglary with intent to commit another felony.
A warrant was issued for a 31-year-old Hunt County woman in connection with the attempted burglary. Two other suspects are at large.
Francis said the homeowners called 911 at approximately 10 p.m. Monday when a group tried to break in. The family was watching television when they heard a commotion outside.
As the door was coming down, the homeowner's son, Don Ashby, grabbed a shotgun and shot through the bottom of the door striking Lily in the right foot.
“I didn't know anybody had been shot,” Ashby said.
After the shooting, Ashby got a call from Lily's mother who reportedly told him she didn't appreciate him shooting her son.
Shirley Ashby told the teen's mother she was sorry, but that the man shouldn't have been trying to break into their home.
“They were screaming they were going to kill us,” Ashby said. “I'm so sorry I hurt another human being, but I was protecting my family.”
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