Good neighbor.

Early in the morning of July 24, a young woman in Bismarck, North Dakota, called 911 to report that a man had broken into her apartment, then forced three boys (ages 12 to 14) to accompany him while he vandalized vehicles with a baseball bat. She said she knew the culprit, and identified him as 19-year-old David Bad Brave. When police arrived, Bad Brave fled, but not before reportedly doing more than $1,200 damage to at least two vehicles.

A few minutes later, Chris Sell was awakened from a deep sleep by the sound of shattering glass, a woman's scream and the nudging of his wife. Sell, a National Guardsman, had returned from Iraq in the spring of this year.

Peering from their upstairs bedroom window, the Sells saw Bad Brave standing next to their front door, which was wide open. The door was usually locked, but they had left it unlatched that night because they were expecting a late-night guest.

Sell yelled to Bad Brave, "Hey you, stay right there." Rather than comply, Bad Brave fled. Ignoring his wife's plea to "just leave it alone," Sell grabbed a handgun from the night stand and ran after the youth.

As related by the Bismarck Tribune, "Barefoot and wearing only pajama bottoms, Sell jumped a fence and chased Bad Brave across apartment complex parking lots." When it looked like the intruder might escape, Sell cocked the handgun and told him to 'stop or I'll shoot.'" Bad Brave stopped, but then attempted to punch his pursuer. Sell kicked the teen's legs from under him, jumped on his back, then firmly grasped the youth's shirt and ponytail and walked him to a police car parked nearby (one of several that had responded to the young woman's earlier 911 call). Bad Brave was arrested and, two days later, formally charged with burglary, vehicle vandalism and lying to police.