Gwinnett Woman, 78, Shoots Would-Be Burglar, Chases Him Out of the House

A would-be burglar who thought nobody was home at a Gwinnett County residence earlier this month, found out the hard way there was someone inside — and she was packing heat.

Citing a Gwinnett County police report, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported 73-year-old Hilda Douglas shot the suspect through the door to her bedroom during an Aug. 3 robbery attempt.

Police said Jaime Christopher Lewis, listed as a Snellville resident, suffered a non life-threatening wound to the chest in the shooting. He showed up at Eastside Medical Center in Snellville while officers were investigating the incident at the residence near Falconhurst Drive and Hewatt Road in unincorporated Lilburn.

Lewis was arrested and charged with burglary on Aug. 4 and released on Aug. 15 on an $11,200 bond, according to county jail records.

The AJC reported the woman became worried when someone rang her doorbell around 9:45 p.m. on Aug. 3, so she called 911. Soon afterward, she heard glass breaking and saw that someone was in the house.

While in her bedroom, she fired her gun at the door when she saw the doorknob being turned. The shot hit Lewis, whom she chased out of the house, firing more shots.

The woman handed out food on Thursday in the Gwinnett Police Department parking lot as thanks, but refused to talk to reporters, the AJC said.

(Photo: Jaime Christopher Lewis. Credit: Gwinnett County Jail)