In 2016 Chrish Gaither, an 11-year-old boy who lived in Talladega, Alabama, safeguarded his home against an intruder. On May 2016 morning, the boy was alone at home when suddenly he heard some noises as if someone had entered his house. Chrish picked up a knife and told the intruder to leave, but the intruder didn’t listen and went upstairs. The boy was very scared but he grabbed a 9-millimeter handgun.
The intruder came downstairs. The boy aimed the gun at him, but instead of being scared, the intruder threatened him, saying he would k*ll him. The boy said he didn’t seem scared at all, even after seeing the gun; perhaps it appeared fake to him. That’s why he kept walking. The intruder successfully exited the premises through the front door while carrying a laundry hamper.
At that moment, Gaither started shooting. The boy fired the first shot into the air to scare the intruder away. Then the boy fired 11 shots without aiming at the intruder, but the last shot hit the intruder’s leg as he tried to jump a fence in the front yard. Gaither’s mom, Renee, told WWMT that this man had previously robbed our home. The boy’s mother said we didn’t know him personally, but we had seen this person wandering around the neighborhood.
The boy told WVTM13 that his stepfather had taught him to shoot when they used to pretend to kill zombies. Many people praised the bravery of this child on social media, but some criticized the boy’s family for leaving their child alone at home.
Christopher Ryan Stringfellow, a 33-year-old accused burglar from Talladega, had been taken into custody and charged with first-degree burglary.