Moorhead Police announce they will not charge homeowner who killed intruder

Moorhead, Minn. (WDAY TV) - He took the life of a Moorhead teenager who broke into his home and tried to assault him and today Moorhead Police announced they will not be pressing charges against Vernon Allen.

Police say Allen acted out of self defense and that all the evidence, gun and interviews, was consistent. In June 20th, 17-year-old Joel LaFromboise entered three different homes in Moorhead.

In the last one, Allen's, he walked in disoriented and took a swing at Allen. Allen retreated and LaFromboise took another swing.

Allen then grabbed a gun from his room. The teenager took the gun's barrel tried to pull it away. Allen then shot him in the chest.

Police have been criticized for taking a long time with this case and others have accused them of being racist. They say it had absolutely nothing to do with either: it has to do with evidence and what can or cannot be proven in a court of law.

Tags: wday staff reports, news, crime, moorhead, lafromboise