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Pipe-smoking Virginia man throws ashtray at teen gunman

Posted at 7:52 AM, Jun 28, 2012
and last updated 2012-06-28 07:52:25-04

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) - A Virginia couple said they fought off a gun-toting attacker who barged into their home.  The husband and wife, in their 60s and 70s, used the only weapon they had to defend themselves -- an ashtray.

"For 30 years we've never been -- had an incident like that," said  71-year-old Donnie Snowden.

Snowden said Saturday afternoon he was napping in his chair, his wife was on the couch reading.

"I heard her holler, 'what are you doing?' Loud. And it startled me and woke me up," Snowden said. "He [the intruder] was pointing the gun at my wife but when I jumped up and he turned around and pointed the gun at me and said 'give me the money.'"

Snowden said the gunman had walked into their home through the side door.

"I just jumped up out of this chair and I had this ash tray in my hand and I just slung it at him and when I did that he run out of the house," said Snowden who smokes a pipe.

Police tracked down and arrested the 18-year-old suspect. The Snowdens said they would lock their doors from now on.