According to the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, a man defending his family during a home invasion on Thursday shot an Ohio man wanted for the death of a 77-year-old woman.
Michael James Brooks II, of Columbus, Ohio, was taken to the hospital on Friday after suffering injuries during the home invasion. When he is released from the hospital, he will face charges in Georgia for burglary, home invasion, and theft by receiving, as well as murder charges in Ohio, according to authorities.
Brooks, according to investigators, has a lengthy criminal background. He is wanted in connection with Emily Foster’s fatal stabbing on September 9, 2023, in Columbus, Ohio, as well as the carjacking of a red Ford F-150 pickup in Kettering, Ohio, which was later discovered outside the burglarized home in Georgia.
Deputies from the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) responded to a burglary call at the residence shortly before 2 a.m. on Thursday. A home security alarm also alerted authorities to a possible invader.
Deputies were only three minutes away. According to police, the homeowner was armed with a revolver when he encountered the burglar, who was carrying a knife, in his basement.
Before shooting the suspect, the homeowner allegedly cautioned him. According to police, the homeowner then exited the basement and took a defensive stance on the second-floor stairs to protect his family.
“He took his place there as the subject made his way up to the second floor.” [He] said something along the lines of, ‘You’re going to have to kill me.’ When the resident shot a second time. That was around the time the deputies arrived. According to Fayette County Sheriff Barry Babb, “he was coming down the stairwell with a second gunshot wound.” “At that point, they were still struggling with him [while taking him into custody].”
According to FOX 5, the suspect was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital with two gunshot wounds.
Brooks was identified as the invader by connecting a Ford truck found at the crime site to a vehicle that had been carjacked in Kettering, Ohio, just days before. According to Fayette County deputies, the truck had different plates from the ones displayed.
According to Fayette County investigators, the suspect approached various residences in the Georgia neighborhood and chose the targeted residence at random. Police are investigating whether Brooks has any ties to Georgia or Ohio.
Following another house invasion in Columbus’ University District on September 9, the Columbus Division of Police identified Brooks as the individual responsible for the fatal stabbing of Emily Foster, 77.
Officers arrived at a home in the 2000 block of Luka Avenue, near Ohio State University, and discovered the woman suffering from a stab wound, according to Columbus police. Medics pronounced her dead shortly after 4 p.m.
According to investigators, the attack was random.
Police in Columbus are now investigating how Brooks got to the University District. They posted photographs of Brooks riding his bike through the area without his pants after the fatal stabbing. Cameras in the neighborhood recorded Brooks’ movements, allowing investigators to create a timeline of events.
According to Deputy Chief Smith Weir, police found that the suspect was wearing sweatpants before entering Foster’s residence but removed them afterwards. The sweatpants were discovered near the house.
Brooks was identified using forensic evidence gathered at the residence, and murder warrants were issued on Wednesday.
Brooks was released from the Franklin County Jail the night before the murder, according to Columbus police. In an other instance, he pleaded guilty to two counts of felony flight on aggravated assault allegations. According to police, he was released before to his sentencing in that case.
“At first, he was on parole hold. “And the second part is that, I believe, at some point, the parole hold was lifted, and he began serving time on the pending felony assault charge,” Deputy Chief Weir explained. “And at that point, he was awaiting sentencing, and I believe he bonded out at that point.”
According to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections, Brooks was released in 2016 after serving time for aggravated robbery, robbery, and receiving stolen property. According to the source, he was on parole until June of this year.