Authorities in Arizona say a woman protected her family during a home invasion by grabbing a gun and forcing the suspect out.
According to KNXV, Anthony Chambers is accused of breaking into the Tempe home on Sunday evening.
A homeowner reported finding “a pair of shoes inside that were not there before” shortly before a man approached her and warned her not to call the cops as she attempted to walk outside with her phone.
Police say the suspect ran away from the scene, leaving his shoes behind, and jumped over a wall just as officers arrived on the scene. He allegedly ended up at a nearby apartment complex and forced his way into another woman’s home.
“A guy walks in and is telling me to be quiet, be quiet,” the woman said.
The suspect allegedly told her to pretend to be his girlfriend.
“I asked him to wait in the living room because my first instinct was to go grab my gun because I just need to protect everyone else,” she said. “I hid it behind my pants.”
The woman, home alone with her two kids shortly after her boyfriend left the apartment, said her instincts kicked in.
“I’m trying to calm him down, see if I can get him help,” she said, noting that she refused his request for a knife.
When she made a move to call police, she said he moved in to stop her — and that’s when she grabbed the pistol and pointed it at him.
She reportedly forced him out and called police, who were nearby looking for him, as reported by KPHX.
“Chambers was given several commands by police at the top of the stairs,” police reports claim.
From there, police reports allege he became combative and officer released a K-9 officer who bit the suspect and “held on to Chambers’ arm with his bite as Chambers began to punch the K-9 on the head several times.”
The suspect then allegedly fought with the officers, two of whom reported minor injuries related to the scuffle.
According to the armed mother, Chambers “was really fighting” and was practically “begging” police officers to shoot him.
Reports indicate the suspect was transported to an area hospital for treatment of dog-bite injuries and was booked into jail upon his release.
He is expected to face a dozen criminal counts including aggravated assault against officers, kidnapping, and harming a service animal.
[Featured image: Anthony Chambers, handout]