Headed for a fall.

On October 31, 2005, a Janesville, Wisconsin, man shot an intruder. The prosecutor said the man's actions were justified because the man believed he had to protect his family. The prosecutor added that it was possible that the criminal could try to penalize the homeowner with a civil suit, but he didn't think that the criminal could win such a case, reported WBAY channel 2 (Green Bay, Wis.).

The homeowner, Michael Raniero, and his family were asleep about 11:24 p.m. when a loud crashing sound emanated from the living room. Raniero stepped into the hallway to investigate the noise and saw a man standing at the other end of the hallway. Raniero told the intruder to leave, but the intruder went into a bathroom off the hallway. Raniero retreated into the bedroom, retrieved his pistol, reentered the hallway, and again faced off with the intruder, telling him to leave. When the intruder did not make a move as if to leave, Raniero shot him once, causing the stranger to collapse on the floor.

The intruder, Kurt Prochaska, had apparently entered the home through an attic vent and had somehow fallen through the living room ceiling before the confrontation in the hallway. Prochaska has an extensive arrest record, including burglary, theft, felony criminal damage, and battery, reported the Janesville Gazette. In the aftermath of the incident, Prochaska was in critical condition in a local hospital.