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Sheriff honors woman who scared off intruder

Published Thursday, July 02, 2009 11:21 AM

By David Berman
Summerville Journal Scene ®

The Dorchester County woman who sent a would-be burglar running from her house when she aimed her shotgun at him June 18 downplayed the incident this week.

Dana Bennett was the lone civilian honored by Sheriff L.C. Knight at an awards ceremony Wednesday. She was recognized for refusing to be a victim, for her courage and for protecting herself and her property, her certificate said. She also received a sheriff’s office patch.

“Instead of becoming a victim, she stood her ground and ran him off,” Knight said to Bennett and a small gathering of deputies.

While Knight was quick to praise Bennett’s actions, Bennett herself was just as quick to chalk them up to good fortune.

“I just happened to have my hands on my gun,” she told The Journal Scene.

“I don’t feel like I did anything special,” she said.

The way the incident unfolded was like a “chain reaction,” Bennett said.

According to an incident report, Bennett, 28, was at the gun cabinet in her home off Boone Hill Road when a man entered about 3:35 p.m. and said, “Give me the keys to your truck.”

Bennett opened the cabinet and pulled out her shotgun. Upon seeing the gun, the man ran out of the house and fled on foot, the report says. A K-9 tracking team searched the area, but could not find him.

Bennett said the man shouted an expletive when he saw the gun and she responded with “a few, select words myself.”

Despite her reluctance to take credit for the incident, Bennett said she was honored by the sheriff’s recognition.

Contact David Berman at 873-9424 ext. 214 or dberman@journalscene.com

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