Seattle homeowner uses samurai sword to fight off pitchfork-wielding burglar
71-year-old Seattle victim stabbed suspect with samurai sword after having his eye gouged with pitchfork
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A 71-year-old Seattle homeowner used a samurai sword to defend himself against a pitchfork-wielding burglar who had broken into his house over the weekend, authorities said.
Officers responded around 1:30 p.m. Sunday to a report of a residential burglary in the 2100 block of Beacon Avenue South and detained two men, Seattle police said.
The victim, still holding a samurai sword, had visible injuries, while the other man had a stab wound to his torso, according to police.
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The bloodied victim can be heard on officer-worn bodycam video obtained by FOX13 Seattle telling police his house had been burglarized.
"He was inside my house, and he attacked me with a pitchfork," the victim, whose name was not released, said of the suspect. "I grabbed the samurai sword and defended myself with the samurai sword."
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The victim had arrived home to find that several items inside were misplaced, and a kitchen window had been shattered, police said. Walking farther into his home, police said he found a man standing in his living room.
During a physical struggle, the suspect held the victim down and gouged his eye with a pitchfork, authorities told the station. However, the victim broke free and ran to a bedroom, where he grabbed a firearm.
The suspect followed the 71-year-old and tried to wrestle the gun away. The victim’s 61-year-old wife witnessed the struggle and tried to pull the suspect off her husband.
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When the 71-year-old tried to shoot the suspect, the gun jammed, police said.
The victim then found a samurai sword and stabbed the suspect, who subsequently ran outside to a nearby residence where he was later detained.
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Seattle Fire treated the victim at the scene for non-life-threatening injuries to his face and torse. The suspect was treated at Harborview Medical Center for the non-life-threatening stab wound.
The 61-year-old suspect was arrested for burglary. He will be booked into King County Jail after being medically cleared.