Police in Memphis, Tennessee, reported that a man fought off a burglar until police arrived.

On Saturday, officers were called to a fight on Mayflower Avenue in the Nutbush neighborhood of Shelby County. Upon arrival, officers reported that two men were in a physical altercation.

One of these men was the homeowner who told police that he arrived at the home and noticed that the storm door was open. When he entered the property he found a pile of clothing by the front door and the attic ladder had been left downstairs.

The victim said that after seeing Christopher Barker, 31, in the attic in one of her jackets, she told him to come downstairs. Barker then made his way down the steps, but then dove through a window onto the street.

The owner stopped Barker not far from the property and waited for police, but was told by neighbors News channel 3 Memphis that Barker was beaten before the police arrived, as evident in the mugshot later released by the police.

According to data collected by CrimeGrade, the Nutbush area has a higher rate of property crime than the average for a US city.

Crime data revealed that the neighborhood property crime rate is approximately 69 per 1,000 residents per standard year.

Barker’s bail was set at $5,000. He is scheduled to make his first appearance before a judge on February 21.

How can you defend your home?

In 2022, a Florida sheriff’s advice to shoot home invaders split the internet, but what are the laws around defending your home?

The US common law of the “castle doctrine” says that everyone has the right to use reasonable force to protect themselves against an intruder in their home.

In the 1980s, a series of state laws, often referred to as “make my day” laws, addressed immunity from prosecution when deadly force is used against an individual forcibly entering the residence of another.

Meanwhile, Florida’s controversial “stand your ground” law has come under increasing criticism in recent years.

Florida law states: “A person who is not engaged in illegal activity and who is attacked anywhere else they have a right to be has no duty to retreat and has the right to stand their ground and face force.” . with force, including deadly force, if he or she reasonably believes it is necessary to do so to prevent death or serious bodily harm to himself or another person or to prevent the commission of a forcible felony.”

The “stand your ground” and “duty to retreat” laws vary in different states, but at least 28 states have a law that does not allow the duty to retreat in a place where one is lawfully present. Ten of those statements include language that one can “stand your ground.”

Despite these laws, it is always a good idea to stay safe and call 911 for assistance in the event of a home invasion.