No Charges Against Boulder Homeowner Who Shot Intruder

BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4)- The Boulder District Attorney will not file any charges against the homeowner who shot and wounded a woman who entered his home and would not leave.

Police said the woman, Zoey Ripple, entered the home just before 3:30 a.m. Wednesday in the 400 block of College Avenue in Boulder. That's when the man and woman who live in the home, a husband and wife, were awakened by a noise which they originally thought was a raccoon outside their exterior bedroom door.

The screen door was closed but not locked.

When the woman realized the noise was not a raccoon, but someone who had opened the door and entered the bedroom, both she and her husband shouted for the intruder, Ripple, 21, to get out.

The homeowners then told police they continued to shout to warn Ripple to leave. The man shouted that he had a gun and would use it if the intruder didn't leave immediately.

Ripple kept walking through the bedroom toward the couple. They could see a light she was carrying as she continued toward the bed.

The husband and wife told police Ripple would not acknowledge their demands to leave. That's when the husband fired one shot towards the light and heard what sounded like something falling to the floor.

When the husband turned on the light, the couple saw Ripple on the floor with a gunshot wound to her hip. That's when the couple called 911.

A portion of that 911 call is below:

Caller: "Somebody came into our house."

911 Dispatcher: "4-- College Ave. Is that correct?"

Caller: "Yes."

911 Dispatcher: "Are they in there right now?"

Caller: "Yes, she's in the house now, she's awake. She looks fine but she's shot."

911 Dispatcher: "Somebody was shot?"

Caller: "Yes! Somebody was shot! She walked into our bedroom and we told her we were screaming at her and she kept coming in the bedroom and we shot her."

911 Dispatcher: "Okay, you shot the suspect that came into your, your..."

Caller: "Yes, yes!"

911 Dispatcher: "Okay."

Ripple was taken to the hospital where her injuries do not appear to be life threatening.

Ripple's blood alcohol level was above .20 at the time of the incident. She has no relationship to the couple who live at the home. Police continue to investigate the incident and will decide in the next few days what, if any, charges will be filed.

Boulder District Attorney Stan Garnett released this statement, "Colorado‟s statute 'Use of deadly physical force against an intruder‟, commonly called the "make my day" law, was put in place because the Colorado legislature recognizes the right of Coloradoans to feel safe and secure in their private dwellings, and to be able to protect themselves if they have a reasonable belief that they may be harmed by an individual who has made an unlawful entry into their homes. The facts and evidence in this case, which have been carefully and thoroughly investigated by the Boulder Police Department, fit the type of circumstance to which the 'make my day‟ law applies. Therefore, there will be no criminal charges filed against the homeowner."