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Grandmother fatally shoots intruder in Orange County: Is the law on her side?

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A 69-year-old grandmother is currently not facing any charges for shooting and killing a stranger she said broke into her home.

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Virginia Morrison said she confronted the intruder when he tried to break into her home Sunday afternoon and she felt threatened by the suspect, later identified as 38-year-old Ezequiel Rosario-Torres.

“I feel bad about it, but I’m trying to protect me and an 80-year-old man,” Morrison said.

READ: ‘I had to do what I had to do’: Grandmother fatally shoots intruder in Orange County

Attorney Mark Nejame said the law is on her side, and it’s called “justifiable use of force.”

“This all started back in common law with something called the Castle Doctrine, and that is that somebody’s home is their castle,” Nejame said. “And that you have a right to go ahead and protect your home and your occupants.”

Though the incident between Morrison and the intruder started inside and spilled outside, Nejame said Morrison should be protected by Florida’s Stand Your Ground law.

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“The occupants of the home, this man and this woman, didn’t even have to go as far as they did by giving warning,” Nejame said.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office said it is not recommending charges in the case, and will instead leave it up to the state attorney’s office.

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Q Mccray

Q McCray, WFTV.com

Q McCray is an award-winning general assignment reporter.

Adam Poulisse, WFTV.com

Adam Poulisse joined WFTV in November 2019.