A 14-year-old girl protected her younger sister from a shotgun-wielding man trying to force himself into their house in a moment of sheer bravery.
Leigha Kissinger was at her home in Ocala, a city in central Florida, with her sister and their dog when she saw a stranger with a shotgun trying to enter through a door.
Once she realized what was happening, she immediately went to her sister and picked her up from the dining table chair and moved to safety.
Their family dog, Loki, kept barking while both sisters locked the room they were hiding in. Right after they were secure, Kissinger called their mom.
Leigha Kissinger was at her Ocala house with her sister and their dog when she saw an unidentified man with a shotgun trying to enter through a door
Once she realized what was happening, she immediately went to her sister and picked her up from the dining table chair she was sitting to go to a room
Their family dog, Loki, kept barking while both sisters locked the room they were hiding in. Right after they were secure, Kissinger called their mom
Footage shows the man being able to open a door and entering the house.
Soon after, two officers from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the scene, ordering the man to drop his gun. He was then taken to a hospital.
Kissinger told ClickOrlando: ‘In my mind, I was like, “It’s me, my (pet) dog (and) my little sister”. I was like, “I need to take care of my little sister first because she comes before I do”.’ When it’s just me and her, I am going to be her protector.
She later told Fox35: ‘I kind of just grabbed [my sister] and took her to my room just to keep us both safe and I locked my door.
‘It was very scary because I don’t know what’s in that gun. I don’t know what he’s going to do. I don’t know if he’s going to come in here and talk to me or just shoot me. There’s no telling what he would’ve done.
‘I never thought [someone with a gun] would come to my home ever.
‘I practiced it in school, but I never really thought it was a big deal until it actually happens and you have to put your thoughts together and do something.’
Footage shows the man being able to open a door and entering the house
Kissinger said: ‘I kind of just grabbed [my sister] and took her to my room just to keep us both safe and I locked my door
Kissinger credited Loki, as the real hero in the story and said that his very deep bark easily scares people away
Kissinger credited Loki as the real hero in the story and said that his very deep bark is able to easily scare people away.
The Sheriff’s Office said the man had first entered another neighbor’s house.
Officials said the woman inside that home tried to get him to leave but he hit her and stole her shotgun.
The man, who also lives on the same street, is an elderly man believed to be suffering from dementia.
Kissinger said she had only said ‘hi’ to him before and never interacted more.
The family is not pressing charges as they want him to ‘get the help he needs’.