Homeowner fights off home invader

DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. (WSVN) -- The Broward Sheriff's Office has arrested a man accused of breaking into a home and shooting a man, then invading another nearby home in hopes of eluding police.

BSO said A.J. Benefield shot a man after breaking into his home located at 166 SW 3 St., just after 5 a.m. Tuesday. Then, deputies said, Benefield broke into another home just a block away, at 179 SW Third Court.

Nearby resident Jannie Morris described what happened next. "[Benefield said], 'Hide me, help me,'" she said. Instead, the homeowner refused. "They were, like, 'No we're calling the police,'" said Morris. It was at that point that Benefield pulled his gun. "He tried to shoot him too, and they just got into a fight," said Morris.

The homeowner fought the subject and restrained him until deputies arrived. "Him and his wife and his stepson put the whooping on him," said Morris.

BSO deputies arrived to the scene and found the subject on the ground. "They found the homeowner and another woman in the front yard with the suspect," said BSO spokesperson Dani Moschella. "They were sitting on him and holding him at knife point." The homeowner suffered a head injury.

Benefield's mother said her son is not a criminal, but acknowledged he has fallen in with the wrong crowd and needs help. "This is not his nature. He would not do nothing like this, so obviously something was wrong with him. He was on drugs or something," said Regina Lewis.

Benefield was arrested. The victim shot was taken to Broward Health North with non life-threatening injuries. He is the cousin of the homeowner who fought the suspect.

(Copyright 2013 by Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)