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Prank gone awry stuns Worthington
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH ^ | Thursday, August 24, 2006 | Kevin Kidder and Encarnacion Pyle

Posted on 08/24/2006 1:56:20 PM PDT by staytrue

Teens throughout Worthington had heard the stories about the home by the cemetery, hidden in a tangle of trees, bushes and weeds, with trails snaking out from the door and around the house. "It’s haunted," some said. "Crazy people live there." And one of the favorites: "They’re witches."

Police learned only yesterday of those stories and the youthful dares of teens driving to the house at 141 Sharon Springs Dr.

But none of those tales involved a man with a gun.

Late Tuesday night, the homegrown scary tale turned to real horror. Five thrill-seeking girls set to begin their senior year at Thomas Worthington High School on Friday ran afoul of an armed resident of the home, leaving 17-year-old Rachel Barezinsky critically injured by gunfire, police said.

Allen S. Davis, a 40-year-old man who lives at the house with his mother, said during a jailhouse interview that he was defending his home.

He admitted opening fire from his first-floor bedroom window after hearing the girls outside around 10 p.m. He said he repeatedly fired shots from a .22-caliber rifle.

"Did they threaten me?" he said. "No.

"I didn’t know what their weaponry was, what their intentions were," he said. "In a situation like that, you assume the worst-case scenario if you’re going to protect your family from a possible home invasion and murder."

Police said the girls were mischievous, but they weren’t even close to the house and hadn’t harassed Davis or his mother, Sondra, when he opened fire.

"It’s just a kid thing," said Worthington Police Lt. J. Douglas Francis. "Unfortunately, this time it had some bad ramifications."

Barezinsky was struck twice, in the upper body and head, police said. She remained in critical condition at Ohio State University Medical Center, where she had surgery yesterday to reduce brain swelling.

The other girls with her, Margaret Hester, Tessa Acker, Rachel Breen and Una Hrnjak, weren’t hurt.

Davis, who police said had no criminal record, is charged with five counts of felonious assault. He was being held in the Franklin County jail pending an appearance in Municipal Court this morning.

Last night, several hundred of Barezinsky’s friends and family filled the football field of the high school, where they signed posters wishing her well and lighted candles.

Barezinsky’s mother, Amy Barezinsky, came directly from the hospital to talk to the crowd.

"She’s doing really well for someone who had that kind of trauma," said her mom, who is a nurse. "I’m going to have to get on my knees and pray. Maybe you guys could do that, too."

Doctors have told the family that they are "cautiously optimistic" about Rachel’s recovery. She has squeezed her aunt’s hand and responded to doctors’ requests to wiggle her toes.

"It’s just so senseless," said her aunt, Tina Wedebrook, who attended the vigil. "We need to focus our energy on healing Rachel. She is such a fighter, so full of energy."

Some of the girls who were in the car with Barezinsky also attended. Una Hrnjak broke down in tears after talking to the assembled crowd. "This is so hard to do," Hrnjak said. "She’s fighting so hard for all of us and for herself."

Lt. Francis gave this account of what happened Tuesday night:

The girls had gone to the Walnut Grove Cemetery for "ghosting," which amounts to teens trying to scare one another. The girls told police that the Davis house, right across the street, is known among local kids as the "spooky house."

"They dare each other to walk into the property," Francis said, saying this week was the first police had heard of the practice because the Davises had never filed a complaint.

Two of the girls stayed in the car while the other three started up the concrete walk to the Davis home. They didn’t get far before turning around.

"One of the girls honked the horn to scare them," Francis said.

After they all were back in the car, the girls heard what they thought were firecrackers, but was gunfire instead. They made the mistake of circling the block, Francis said.

Davis said he fired again as they returned.

"To the best of my knowledge, that did the trick," he said. His mother, he said, was asleep upstairs, and he didn’t learn he’d hit someone until police arrived later.

Police said no one got out of the car the second time the girls drove past. They discovered that Barezinsky, in the front passenger seat, was shot as they drove off. The panicked girls headed for N. High Street, where they found police.

When Rachel Breen called saying, "Mom, I’m all right but ..." Kathy Breen assumed she had wrecked the car.

"Instead, she said Rachel got shot," said Mrs. Breen, of Worthington. "I thought, ‘This can’t be. This is Worthington. Those things don’t happen here.’

"All the kids talked about an old lady — a witch — living there," she said. "They’re good kids. They didn’t ring the doorbell or knock on the window. They had just taken a few steps on the property when they ran back to the car."

Sam Steiner, a friend, called Barezinsky the "typical, upbeat, lots of fun, always-smiling cheerleader-type." Indeed, she’s a member of the Cardinals cheerleading squad.

Davis, who said he is a selfemployed writer, said he and his mother had put up with mischief for months. Teens would bang on their windows and doors, shout and cause a ruckus, he said.

"The main goal was to drive these people off and to teach them to stop coming and harassing and trespassing," he said of shooting out of his window.

"I regret that (Barezinsky was shot)," he said. "However, I would ask, why was that teenage girl engaging in delinquent behavior?"

He said he and his mother didn’t notify police of the ongoing harassment because of their poor relationship with the city.

Worthington officials have responded repeatedly to complaints about the property over the years, most recently when a picket fence collapsed and neighbors complained of overgrown shrubs. "They did the absolute minimum," said Don Phillips, the city’s chief building inspector.

Diana Gilmore and her husband lived next door to the Davises for 18 years, until moving in April.

She said the few times Allen Davis came out to tend to the mass of vegetation growing around the house, "He’d swing that sickle like he was killing it."

Her 33-year-old daughter, Melissa, said that even when she was a teen, she joked with her siblings that the grayhaired Sondra Davis was a witch. The large black caldron Davis used as a planter in the front yard, made the story perfect, she said.

The caldron is still on the property, obscured by brush but visible to anyone who heads up the winding dirt trail that leads to Davis’ front door.

One sign on the trail warns, "Enter at your own risk. Falling walnuts." Posted on the front door is another that reads, "Armed response." But the door, along with most of the house, can’t be seen from the street.

Sondra Davis remained in her home yesterday but would not comment.

From jail, her son laughed at the legend that had brought five girls to his home.

"Wow, a haunted house, huh?

"Wow."


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Ohio
KEYWORDS: banglist; idiot; shooting
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To: staytrue

My rule of thumb:

Don't shoot before you hear the sound of glass breaking (or other evidence of forced entry.)


21 posted on 08/24/2006 2:10:16 PM PDT by Atlas Sneezed (Your FRiendly FReeper Patent Attorney)
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To: Spktyr

That's a pretty broad statute. Interesting. Where as I have no problem with using deadly force in self-defense, I don't think I'd pop someone if they were making away with my lawn mower.

I'm pretty much out in the sticks, so the chances girl gangs will come a'piliging are low.


22 posted on 08/24/2006 2:10:54 PM PDT by Tijeras_Slim (Where did I leave my matches?)
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To: Argus

His story smells. The girls were stupid but it sounds like he was malicious.


23 posted on 08/24/2006 2:11:03 PM PDT by mockingbyrd
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Comment #24 Removed by Moderator

To: Eagles Talon IV

"Natural selection at work"

I think you summed it up.


25 posted on 08/24/2006 2:13:13 PM PDT by samm1148
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To: staytrue
I dunno, if I was single, and I heard 5 girls giggling outside my door late at night, I wouldn't be opening fire, I'd be opening the damn door.
26 posted on 08/24/2006 2:13:41 PM PDT by Caipirabob (Communists... Socialists... Democrats...Traitors... Who can tell the difference?)
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To: Tijeras_Slim

Needless to say, we don't generally have kids pulling this sort of stupid prank in Texas. Especially not when it's completely possible that there's a guy set up in his attic with a completely legal machine gun waiting for someone to come back and try to vandalize his property again (incident involving gangbangers in the DFW area - they TP'd the guy's house, and pulled a driveby rock throwing. He set up with his legal FA M-16, and when they came over the back wall he rocked their world.)


27 posted on 08/24/2006 2:14:37 PM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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To: Spktyr

You're right. Here in Texas, only a suicidal idiot would dare go sneaking around somebody's house at night. "Nothing good happens outside after 10 p.m."

I myself would shoot to kill (from ambush, with no warning) if anyone entered my home without warrant or permission. If I caught someone trespassing on my property outside of my home, however, I'd almost certainly call the police (while observing them from cover with my rifle at hand) instead of just blowing them away.

I was a stupid kid myself once. I won't shoot until I KNOW what I'm aiming at and then only if I have no other choice. My Dad, who taught me to shoot, would never forgive me if I killed somebody by accident. I'd probably never forgive myself, either.

May God have mercy on all concerned.


28 posted on 08/24/2006 2:15:28 PM PDT by B-Chan (Catholic. Monarchist. Texan. Any questions?)
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To: Spktyr; Tijeras_Slim

fyi, worthington is an affluent suburb of columbus.

there is usually very little crime and even the kids who dress like gangsters are doing so for show.


29 posted on 08/24/2006 2:16:35 PM PDT by staytrue
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To: staytrue

cant wait to see a pic of "Una Hrnjak"


30 posted on 08/24/2006 2:16:47 PM PDT by isom35
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To: Spktyr
said Mrs. Breen, of Worthington. "I thought, ‘This can’t be. This is Worthington. Those things don’t happen here.’

It doesn't sound like violent girl gangs are a big problem in this particular community. This is another nutty loner with a rifle. Instead of going up in a bell tower somewhere to pick people off he just fired out his bedroom window.

That doesn't mean we need to suspend the 2nd Amendment or the right to self-defense. But this guy went way out of bounds by any reasonable standard.

31 posted on 08/24/2006 2:17:10 PM PDT by Argus
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To: Spktyr

In Texas it wouldn't have been a .22....


32 posted on 08/24/2006 2:19:00 PM PDT by Deut28 (Cursed be he who perverts the justice)
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To: staytrue
I have a permit to carry and one of the best things that came with it was a pamphlet with excerpts from the relevant state laws on the legitimate use of firearms. He wouldn't be justified here.
The girl wasn't the only one looking for trouble.
Why use a .22 when 911 will do?
33 posted on 08/24/2006 2:19:05 PM PDT by E8Ret
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To: B-Chan
"Nothing good happens outside after 10 p.m."

Am I wrong or aren't High School football games in Texas a big deal?.

34 posted on 08/24/2006 2:19:35 PM PDT by Bloody Sam Roberts (Dawn of light...lying between a silence and sold sources...)
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To: Dr. Bogus Pachysandra
Uhhhh, look at the whole name:

Una Hrnjak

I'd like to buy Una vowel, por favor...

35 posted on 08/24/2006 2:20:06 PM PDT by null and void (Islamic communities belong in Islamic countries.- Eric in the Ozarks)
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To: staytrue
Good Lord - wouldn't firing up into the air work just as well!?? How horrible.

My prayers go out for this girl, and I pray she makes a full recovery.
36 posted on 08/24/2006 2:20:44 PM PDT by reagan_fanatic (What Darwin denied, he now regrets)
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To: staytrue
From the Common Sense Handbook:

1. Don't play in the street assuming the cars won't hit you.
2. Do not sneak up on homeowners you do not know at night.
37 posted on 08/24/2006 2:21:09 PM PDT by msnimje (What part of-- "DEATH TO AMERICA" --do the Democrats not understand?)
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To: E8Ret

Welcome to FR.


38 posted on 08/24/2006 2:21:13 PM PDT by Tijeras_Slim (Where did I leave my matches?)
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To: Caipirabob
I dunno, if I was single, and I heard 5 girls giggling outside my door late at night, I wouldn't be opening fire, I'd be opening the damn door.

I would too. But then I'm not a weirdo creatin who may have had pretty girls dumping on him during his 4 years in High school either.

39 posted on 08/24/2006 2:21:45 PM PDT by staytrue
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To: Argus

Unfortunately, the scenario I've described above isn't just what these girls did, but the MO of at least two home-invasion teams.


40 posted on 08/24/2006 2:21:51 PM PDT by Spktyr (Overwhelmingly superior firepower and the willingness to use it is the only proven peace solution.)
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