Man Shot in Ex-Girlfriend’s Home Ruled Justified
Grand Rapids, Michigan – WZZM13 reports that the Kent County Prosecutor, Chris Becker, has declined to press charges against a man who shot his girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend after he forced his way into their home early the morning of January 8th this year.
51-year-old Adam Andrew Whitz had a history of violence and causing multiple disturbances at the home of his ex-girlfriend, Anastasia Hahn.
“From the evidence we have at this time, Mr. Whitz was committing the crime of home invasion first degree,’’ Becker wrote in a 4-page press release obtained by WZZM13. “He entered the home without permission. It had been made abundantly clear to him that he was not welcome in the home when he was yelling from outside on the porch.’’
At around 2 a.m. Whitz, who was intoxicated at the time, was at Hahn’s home banging on windows and doors to be let in. Hahn, and her current boyfriend, 38-year-old Matthew Jakubowski, had been living in the home as a couple for some time. The pair of residents, who were drinking and watching TV at the time, told Whitz he wasn’t welcome and demanded he leave.
Whitz refused and continued to shout at the couple to open the door so he could attack Jakubowski.
“There is also evidence that he intended to commit an assault before he entered; Mr. Whitz clearly was trying to get Mr. Jakubowski outside to fight, threatening to harm him and Ms. Hahn while he was on the porch,’’ said the county prosecutor.
Jakubowski threatened Whitz with a handgun he told investigators he’d purchased legally from a local gun shop because of the frequent confrontations with Whitz. But the suspect ignored the threat and continued his verbal assault from the front porch.
“The evidence we have is that Mr. Whitz made statements that he was going to kill Mr. Jakubowski (and) harm Ms. Hahn as well,’’ Becker wrote. “The two of them indicate they purchased a gun due to the similar behavior of Mr. Whitz in the past, that made them fearful of what he might do.’’
Finally, Hahn opened the front door to demand once again he leave the property. But when she did, Whitz used the opportunity to push his way in. He rushed Jakubowski and a struggle ensued until Whitz was shot in the upper right side of his chest.
Paramedics responding to the scene pronounced him dead a short time later.
In the press release where Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker declined to press charges against the shooter, he stated that the shooting was justified:
“The actions of Mr. Jakubowski were reasonable because he felt he was going to be killed or seriously harmed that night when Mr. Whitz pushed his (way) inside.”
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