Firearms Owners Against Crime
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
A would be home invader in Florida found out the hard way that you don't want to mess with an armed couple.
Marquise Trevel Yates broke into a home in Jacksonville, Florida around 6:30am. Yates became involved in a physical altercation with a male homeowner after threatening him.
At some point during the altercation, the homeowner was able to access a personal firearm. He exchanged fire with Yates, who was also armed. During the same time, the homeowner's wife grabbed a second handgun and also opened fire on the suspect.
Yates was found deceased inside of the home he broke into, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
The Cokers [the homeowners] were taken to UF Health with non-life-threatening injuries consistent with blunt force trauma, according to JSO.
"If we had not had a gun in our home, we would be dead," Pam Coker said from the hospital Friday. "I'm convinced of that. That guy was strong and he was not going to stop. Nothing was going to stop him."
Pam Coker said she was getting ready for work when Yates kicked in the deadbolted wooden back door and burst into the home.
"He came at me, was chasing me," Pam Coker said. "Had a gun in his hand."
There was also a 7 year old child inside of the home (the homeowner's grandson), however he was not involved in the altercation and was unharmed.
Pam Coker said she was getting ready for work when Yates kicked in the deadbolted wooden back door and burst into the home.
"He came at me, was chasing me," Pam Coker said. "Had a gun in his hand."
She said Yates pushed her down. She screamed for her husband, who jumped out of bed and over Pam, struggling for the gun as Yates bit his finger and beat him.
"He just wouldn't stop," Pam Coker said. "The guy wouldn't stop. He just kept fighting. He hit my husband in the head really bad several times (with the gun) and busted his head. So I got our gun and we had to shoot him."
