A Pennsylvania home invasion ended with one dead after a home intruder decided to enter an elderly man’s house and violently attack the homeowner and his wife. The disturbing ordeal was a frightening reminder that “the world isn’t getting any better,” as one resident said. Not even your own home is safe, but there is something you can do about it.
Steven David Shaffer, a 54-year-old Pennsylvania man, reportedly entered a Berwick Township home in Adams County belonging to a couple in their late 70’s. Dressed in only a t-shirt, the nearly naked home intruder launched a violent attack against the elderly couple, beating them with his fists. But, unbeknownst to him, he had met his match. His intended victims weren’t going down without a fight.
After reportedly trying to get into another home on the 800 block of Green Springs Road in Berwick Township and other people’s cars, according to the Pennsylvania State Police, Shaffer entered the unnamed homeowner’s house on the next block and began assaulting the elderly man in the couple’s living room. During the violent attack, the elderly husband told his wife to get their gun from their bedroom, and she complied.
Even with the threat of a firearm, however, Shaffer was undeterred. As the woman made her way to the bedroom, police said a nearly naked Steven David Shaffer followed her — a decision he’d quickly come to regret. The home intruder “violently attacked” the woman on the bed as she tried to retrieve the gun, but thankfully, Shaffer wasn’t the only one who had followed the elderly wife to the bedroom.
Thankfully, the elderly woman’s husband was right behind her, and he was able to get the gun. After retrieving the firearm, the elderly man shot his weapon at Shaffer multiple times, striking him several times and killing him, according to The Blaze. The woman was airlifted to a hospital in critical condition. Her husband was also taken to the hospital and said to be in stable condition, according to police, who added that Shaffer lived down the street from the elderly couple, but they were not acquainted.
Although the elderly couple survived the attack, the incident was disturbing to both authorities and residents of the neighborhood. “Obviously this is a very sad situation,” Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Mark Magyar admitted. “We all have an expectation [of] safety and privacy in our homes and not to have somebody come in and intrude the way that Mr. Schaefer did.”
Residents, who were left shook by the frightening break-in, echoed similar sentiments. “It’s close to home and you’re out with your kids doing things or even home with your kids,” Amanda Collins said, adding, “Not everyone locks their doors when they’re home. You’re supposed to be safe in your house.”
“I actually live down the road like two, three minutes down the road. I was at work and I was just like, here we go again,” Brooke Forbes of York County recalled, according to Fox 43. “The world isn’t getting any better,” she added, reminding us all that threats to our safety could be lurking around any corner — even in our own home.
Sadly, both women are right. The world doesn’t seem to be getting better and our homes are no longer the safe haven they once were. So, we have to be prepared when danger darkens our doorstep. Thankfully, this elderly couple was ready and able to defend themselves, reminding us all that a firearm levels the field. We shudder to think what might have happened if that wasn’t the case. Instead, we are reminded to lock our doors and exercise our Second Amendment rights.
