Woman shoots alleged home invader in Walton County

A Loganville mother shot an alleged home intruder several times on Friday.

According to Walton County Chief Deputy Keith Brooks, the woman was working upstairs when she spotted a man outside the window of her home on Henderson Ridge Lane.  The woman, who was home with her 9-year-old twins, heard the man knock at the door. She called her husband, who said that he wasn't expecting anyone at the house.

The woman said that the man went to his vehicle and returned with a crowbar. The man then forced his way inside and rummaged through the home.

The woman grabbed a revolver fled into a crawlspace with her children.

When the man opened the crawlspace door, she fired six shots with her .38 revolver, hitting the man several times.

"She comes out of the crawlspace and she's standing over the perpetrator, who she says is crying, telling her to stop shooting," said Walton County Sheriff Joe Chapman.

The alleged would-be burglar -- now wounded --  fled the house, jumped into his vehicle and attempted to drive away, according to Brooks. He lost control of the vehicle and crashed. Deputies arrived on scene and took him into custody.

The man, identified by authorities as 32-year-old Paul Slater of Loganville, was taken to Gwinnett Medical Center. He is listed in critical condition.

Chapman said it appeared to be a justified shooting of a woman defending her home and children.