Home invasion suspect shot by Lily homeowner; three arrested

A burglary turned home invasion in the Lily area ended with shots fired and the invader taken to the hospital with a bullet in his shoulder.

According to Laurel County Sheriff John Root, Bobby Lee and his infant child were asleep in the bedroom of his home at 17 Old Whitley Road about 12:30 p.m. Thursday. Lee was awakened by the sound of a suspect, later identified as Jimmy Farmer, 31, of Corbin, walking around the bedroom.

"He (Lee) was laying in bed and looks up and sees this guy walking around the bedroom," said Laurel County Sheriff’s Public Affairs Officer Gilbert Acciardo

He had the gun on the nightstand beside the bed," he said.

Lee told deputies he grabbed the gun, which deputies described as a .45-caliber semi-automatic and fired two shots, striking Farmer once in the shoulder area.

Farmer ran from the home with Lee chasing him down, gun in hand. Farmer tried to jump into the Ford Explorer in which the other suspects, identified as Dudley Farmer, 25, of London and Leslie Hicks, 31, of McDowell, were waiting.

"Lee came out and drew down on them and they knew he meant business," Acciardo said.

Lee held the trio at gunpoint until deputies arrived.

Jimmy Farmer was taken to St. Joseph-London where he was treated for the gunshot wound and then released back into the custody of deputies.

Dudley Farmer, Jimmy Farmer and Hicks were each charged with second-degree burglary and theft by unlawful taking and lodged in the Laurel County Detention Center.

Acciardo said method the trio followed in the burglary is similar to other burglaries the sheriff’s department is investigating but the trio has not been tied to any other burglaries at this time.

Acciardo added that Lee is definitely not facing any charges stemming from the incident.