TACOMA — A Tacoma family banded together and attacked an armed man who broke into their house last weekend demanding money, records say.
The 48-year-old, with his face painted black, forced his way into the home about 11:30 p.m. and put a gun to the mother’s head.
When she told him she didn’t have money, the intruder went into her adult son’s bedroom, threatened to kill him and again demanded money.
The son recognized the intruder.
Within minutes, the father, another son and a grandson joined the scuffle and tried to subdue the intruder.
When that didn’t work, the mother allegedly grabbed a knife and stabbed the man.
“She said the first knife bent at the tip so she grabbed a second knife and continued to stab the defendant,” according to charging papers. “She said she was trying ‘to protect her family’ and believed the defendant was going to kill her son.”
The intruder eventually dropped the gun and the mother tossed it in the trash.
The father was able to call 911 but dropped the phone.
It was enough to send police racing to the home.
Dispatchers could hear a man talking about shooting someone and when officers arrived on scene, they could hear screaming.
Police found the intruder and both brothers in a bedroom after the rest of the family greeted officers outside.
One of the sons was taken to an area hospital and listed in serious condition. He is suffering from a heart-related condition, records say.
The intruder was stabbed at least 10 times in the back and was treated at the scene.
A bag of methamphetamine was found in the son’s room and the mother admitted her son started using drugs a year ago and occasionally people would come by the house looking for money, records say.
The intruder used a BB gun, which was recovered from the victim’s home.
On Tuesday, the intruder pleaded not guilty to first-degree burglary, two counts of attempted first-degree robbery and residential burglary. He was ordered jailed in lieu of $1 million bail.
Prosecutors said they might file additional charges in the case.
