A woman broke into a neighbor's home and briefly held the resident's dog hostage in St. Louis County, officials say.
The 83-year-old victim and her dog were unhurt.
Kiauna Nicole Proudie, 24, was charged Sunday with first-degree robbery and first-degree burglary. Proudie's bail is set at $50,000, cash only.
Police say Proudie, who lives in the 10500 block of Castle Drive, broke into the home of a woman who lives about a block away. The burglary was Nov. 9 in the 10400 block of Castle Drive, in the Castle Point neighborhood of unincorporated north St. Louis County.
Proudie came in through a back window in order to rob the woman of cash, police say. Proudie was armed with a starter pistol, which looks authentic but fires blanks.
When the elderly woman heard someone breaking into her home, she grabbed her own gun -- a real one.
Proudie saw the resident with a gun, police say. That's when Proudie grabbed the woman's older, mixed-breed dog.
"The suspect sees the homeowner with a gun and thinks, 'You won't shoot me if I have your dog,'" said St. Louis County Police Officer Benjamin Granda.
But the homeowner takes a shot, proving the burglar wrong, Granda said.
The bullet struck no one -- lodging inside the home.
Proudie only held the dog for a few minutes. After the homeowner fired the single shot, there was a struggle between Proudie and the resident. Proudie grabbed the real gun from the homeowner and ran off, police say.
Police were outside and heard the single shot. They had gone to the home on Castle Drive after the homeowner reported a break-in. Police arrived at about 1:20 a.m. that day and heard yelling and one gunshot inside the home. Police say that was a shot the woman fired at the burglar.
Officers forced their way into the home about the same time the burglar ran out the back. Officers who were outside saw the burglar holding a handgun. The burglar fired at officers, Granda said, and police returned fire. No one was hit.
The burglar ran into nearby woods. Police used a helicopter and dogs to help in the search but didn't catch anyone that day.
The victim initially reported to police that she thought the intruder was a male.
Police say DNA linked Proudie to the crime and that Proudie has confessed.
The victim, Darlene Honkey, 83, said in a brief phone interview Monday: "It's all been taken care of, thank you." She declined further comment.
The neighborhood is just east of Lewis and Clark Boulevard, near the Bellefontaine Conservation Area.
Kim Bell • 314-340-8115
@kbellpd on Twitter
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