Wade Hampton Woman Fends Off Would-Be Robber

A 68-year-old woman in the Wade Hampton area of Greenville defended herself against a man Sunday night when he tried to force his way into her home at 104 Cutler Way, the Greenville County Sheriff's Office said.

At approximately 7:30 p.m., deputies responded to the residence in reference to an attempted armed robbery, said Zach Hinton, public information officer. 

When deputies arrived, they met with the female victim, who told her that a white male had come to her door and had asked to borrow a flashlight because he had lost a key. The woman allowed the suspect to use her flashlight, but as a precaution, she had armed herself by the time the suspect had returned. 

She later spoke to the suspect inside the doorway of her home as he asked to make a telephone call. While she was allowing the man to use her cell phone, he attempted to force his way into the home while brandishing a weapon, Hinton said. 

The woman blocked the doorway to her home and then pulled out her own gun, reportedly causing the suspect to flee. 

"Deputies canvassed the area in an attempt to locate this suspect, but were unable to locate him," Hinton sad. "The suspect was last seen wearing a light colored T-shirt and blue jeans. He is a white male with receding light brown hair." 

WYFF 4 reported that the man had raised suspicions among others in the neighborhood prior to his attempted home invasion.