By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

HAHNVILLE – A St. Rose homeowner shot two men who were attempting to burglarize his home with a semiautomatic laser-scope weapon early Tuesday morning, said authorities with the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office.

The shots, which came from a shotgun owned by the homeowner, killed one of the suspects and injured the second, said St. Charles Sheriff’s Office spokesman Capt. Pat Yoes. Yoes said detectives ruled the shooting a justifiable homicide.

Authorities said Michael Cockerham Jr., 21, of Turtle Creek Lane in St. Rose, was pronounced dead on the scene after being shot by 53-year-old Tyrone Taylor. Cockerham was allegedly attempting to break into Taylor’s home in the 300 block of First Street in St. Rose just after 1 a.m. Tuesday.

According to a release from the Sheriff’s Office, Cockerham allegedly kicked down a rear door of the home and then proceeded to shine a “laser-light” from his handgun through the opening of the door. At that point, Taylor fired a single shot at the intruder hitting him in the abdomen. Yoes said deputies found Cockerham in a yard a few houses from the scene.

Later that same day, authorities announced the arrest of a second man, 20-year-old Aaron J. Vinnet of 525 Turtle Creek Lane, who was also involved in the burglary.

Yoes said investigators received information that Vinnet had sustained an injury consistent with a gunshot wound and were able to connect him to the burglary. He said Vinnet was struck in the middle of his chest by pellets from the gun that killed Cockerham.

Authorities charged Vinnet with attempted aggravated burglary along with second degree murder in the death of Cockerham because, as Yoes said, “He was in commission of an offense when the homicide occurred.”

St. Charles Sheriff Greg Champagne said no charges would be filed against the homeowner. He said the law entitles victims of a home invasion to use force when confronted by an individual attempting to break into a residence.

Vinnet was booked into the Nelson Coleman Correctional Facility, where he is being held on a $350,000 bond set by District Judge Robert Chaisson.