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On Thursday, June 8, 36-year-old Joseph Gibson was killed in a shooting in Centerville, Ohio. Authorities reported that Gibson, a possible trespasser, was fatally shot by a homeowner after he supposedly tried to illegally enter a property. Gibson was pronounced dead at the scene of the crime.
The shooting currently remains under investigation by Centerville authorities. Investigators have yet to confirm whether the shooting was a murder or an example of a homeowner legally defending their property using a licensed firearm. No other injuries have been reported.
Authorities and witnesses describe the shooting of Joseph Gibson
Authorities received reports of the shooting at approximately 5 am. A caller claimed that a home invader, later identified as Joseph Gibson, had been shot dead during a botched break-in.
Yahoo reported that upon arriving at the scene, officers found Gibson with a fatal gunshot wound to his head. On the front lawn, a 40-year-old woman was lying unresponsive. Officials noted that this was unrelated and that the woman suffered no serious injuries.
One neighbor, who remained anonymous, described their account of the incident. The man said that he became suspicious at approximately 5 am when he went to his house’s ground floor for a glass of water. He said he saw a car in front of the opposite house with its lights on, which he found unusual. The man said:
“Looked suspicious. I went back to bed, got thirsty again, came back downstairs again maybe an hour later, same car was still out front with its lights on.”
He added that he did not hear the gunshot at night.
“I had no idea what happened until the police told me.”
Another neighbor, Dave Sterling, told WHIO reporters that shootings are rare in the area. He expressed concern, speculating whether one possible home invasion could mean there are more to come. Sterling said:
“I was kind of asking them what went on because, you know, burglaries or break-ins, it would be a spooky deal.”
He continued:
“I’m scared because I live right there. We keep our back sliding glass door locked all the time just in case something happens up here, but yeah, it’s very, very frightening.”
The Centerville Police have not revealed the homeowner's name involved in the incident. They have also not confirmed the circumstances around the 40-year-old woman found on the front lawn. Officials have not disclosed whether Joseph Gibson had a criminal record before the incident.
