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It was him or me': Georgia mother shoots home invader while defending her children
A Marietta, Georgia, mother of three was forced to defend herself and her children by shooting a home intruder who was demanding to know where her husband was while threatening her children's lives. (Image: WSB-TV report screenshot)

It was him or me': Georgia mother shoots home invader while defending her children

A mother of three in Marietta, Georgia, shot and killed an armed home intruder who had broken into her home and threatened to kill her children.

According to WSB-TV, Shaquita Green and her three children were roused in the middle of the night Thursday by a man, later identified as 27-year-old Keandre Funches, breaking into her home.

Funches reportedly forced the family into the back of the house, while demanding to know where Green's husband, William, was. According to Green, Funches threatened to kill her children.

“That’s when I stepped in front of them and said, ‘You don’t have to do all of that,’” Green said.

Unluckily for Funches, he had forced Green and her children into the room where her firearm was stored. Green retrieved the gun and shot Funches, killing him.

“It was either him or me and I wasn’t going," she said. "My kids weren’t going to get hurt and they weren’t going to see me get hurt.”

According to WSB, police said when they arrived, they found Funches dead. Green and her husband, who arrived just minutes later, were taken by police for questioning, while family members took the children.

"The small children are now in the care of other family members, and as just normal protocol, the female is now at the Police Department being interviewed by our detectives," Marietta Police public information officer Chuck McPhilamy said.

William Green believes that the intruder was not working alone and had an accomplice who drove him to the house.

“They better catch him before I get them,” he said.

According to police, Green's hunch was correct. Witnesses identified a man named Javarian Mitchell, who reportedly let Funches into the home. Police said the suspects were there to meet another person who lives at the home.

WSB interviewed neighbors, who were surprised that such an event would take place in their quiet neighborhood.

"It's very alarming, because in this neighborhood, nothing really happens," neighbor Jasmine Garry said. "We're all family here because most people here have lived on the street their entire lives, so it's really shocking, to say the least."

Shaquita Green said her children are traumatized but recovering with family members. She said that she was upset with Marietta police for questioning the couple for 12 hours, as well as keeping her firearm.

“We both work full time. We’re parents. So for them to tear up my house and keep my firearm and I’m the victim, I don’t appreciate that,” Green said.

Still, she said she's glad the situation turned out like it did, despite the fact that someone lost his life.

“I thank God it played out the way it did. I hate that someone had to lose their life, but he shouldn’t have come and brought his ass in my house, excuse my language,” Green said.

According to WSB, Mitchell has "been taken into custody and has been charged with aggravated assault with a firearm, false imprisonment, cruelty to children and felony murder."

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