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Criminal Charges Filed Against Bucks County Man Who Shot Would-Be Car Thief

MORRISVILLE, N.J. (CBS) - The Bucks County man who chased down and fired shots at a man who was trying to break into his car, is now facing criminal charges.

According the Bucks County DA's office, Baishaun Jones grabbed his legally owned and permitted gun when he saw Joshua Dennis trying to break into his car around 4:30 Thursday morning in the Woodland Manor Apartments in Morrisville.

Dennis tried to drive off in what police say was a stolen car, and Jones gave chase, eventually, police say, firing three shots at the alleged thief, one of them hitting Dennis in the elbow as he tried to run away on foot after crashing his car.

Dennis, the alleged thief, is facing charges, but the shooter, Jones, who is cooperating with the investigation, is also charged with three counts of Aggravated Assault and Recklessly Endangering Another Person.

Bucks County DA David Heckler says the use of deadly force is only lawful when it is necessary to prevent immediate death of seriously bodily injury.

He says in this case, Dennis was not armed and the shooter, Jones, had no reason to believe he was.

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