30 October 2023 , 13:23
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Video footage shows the incredible moment a heroic teenage girl leaps into action to save her four-year-old sister from a shotgun-wielding intruder.
The incident unfolded last Tuesday when a man with a shotgun tried to enter the home of 14-year-old Leigha Kissinger. According to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the intruder first broke into a neighbour’s house, where he assaulted the homeowner and stole her shotgun.
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He then attempted to enter the Kissinger residence, when Leigha sprang into action, swiftly guiding her little sister to safety while her pet dog bravely barked, deterring the intruder. The teenage girl promptly called the police, and when deputies arrived, they found the man still brandishing that shotgun.
The man can be seen on video approaching the residency holding a shotgun (WOFL)The terrifying incident in Ocala, Florida, was captured in a video, where the elderly man appears holding a shotgun and approaching the home. He rings the doorbell, knocks on the door, and then opens and helps himself in before he is scared out by the barking dog inside the home.
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Leigha told Click Orlando: "In my mind, I was like, ‘It’s me, my (pet) dog, (and) my little sister.’ I was like, ‘I need to take care of my little sister first because she comes before I do.’ When it’s just me and her, I am going to be her protector."
Leigha Kissinger is a hero (WOFL)She also told Fox News: "I kind of just grabbed [my sister] and took her to my room just to keep us both safe and I locked my door. It was very scary because I don’t know what’s in that gun. I don’t know what he’s going to do. I don’t know if he’s going to come in here and talk to me or just shoot me. There’s no telling what he would’ve done."
The terrifying incident was captured on video (WOFL)She added: "I never thought [someone with a gun] would come to my home ever. I practised it in school, but I never really thought it was a big deal until it actually happens and you have to put your thoughts together and do something."
It was later revealed that the intruder had been diagnosed with dementia. Despite the terrifying stunt, Leigha and her family opted not to press charges against the man, who was transferred to a hospital.
Leigha picks her little sis up from the dining table (WOFL)Leigha noted: "I think the real hero here is my dog. He’s my little crybaby hero. He’s scared of everything, but he can scare people away with his very deep bark, so I owe a lot to him. I make fun of him sometimes for being a little scaredy-cat sometimes, but he did do something, and I’m very proud of him."
The dog is the real hero (WKMG)"I’m still just kind of aware of my surroundings more just because it just happened so (fast), and I’m still not, like, ready to be alone. It was hard to talk about it because it’s like I’m reliving it. My adrenaline gets high, I start shaking again, my heart starts pounding, but now it’s better, and I feel like I’m OK."