Harrowing home invasion. (Exercising the Right).

Shortly after 2 a.m. on March 6th, Sherry Lewis was asleep in her living room when she was awakened by the sound of three intruders who had entered the rural Grant County, Indiana, residence through an unlocked door. Also at home at the time was Lewis' companion, Jeffrey Shaw, and their two children (a boy, 10, and a girl, 14).

One of the intruders was armed with a knife, while another had a pool cue. They attacked and brutally beat Lewis on her face, back, and shoulders. Shaw, who was in a bedroom, heard the commotion and tried to help her, but the invaders overpowered, beat, and stabbed him. Leaving Shaw bleeding on the floor, they then went to the children's bedrooms, ordered the boy to stay put and keep quiet, and forced the girl into the master bedroom. After this, they began ransacking the one-story home, shoving items into a pillowcase.

About 10 minutes later, Shaw was able to make it back to his bedroom, where he kept a .22-caliber rifle. It was loaded with 16 bullets. Emerging from the room, he opened fire at the intruders, striking all three. The wounded thugs fled through a side door and jumped into a waiting car, dropping the loot-filled pillowcase in the driveway. Shaw followed and kept firing until the rifle was empty, flattening the vehicle's left-front tire and grazing the driver.

The two children were not harmed. Lewis and Shaw were treated at a local hospital for their injuries and released. ...