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Police: 14-year-old defends his family against two burglary suspects

Published  October 19, 2017 10:53am EDT
U.S.
FOX 29 Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - Police say a 14-year-old boy defended his family from two burglary suspects. According to police, the teen stabbed one of the suspects who fled the house with the knife still in his back. The suspect later died.

Candace Johnson is the first one to tell you how proud she is of her 14-year-old son Quadir after he confronted two alleged burglars inside her home on 65th street Tuesday night.

"I thought they had guns. It was just crazy. It was like a movie. It happened so fast. I was so scared. I've never been through anything like that in my life," Johnson told FOX 29 Tuesday night in an exclusive interview.

"I heard them saying he's gonna kill you. My mom was yelling at the top of her lungs," Quadir Boyer told FOX 29.

It was then that Quadir, an 8th grader, stepped in. He quickly tried to get his sister out of the house, then came to his mom's rescue.

"I saw them fighting with my mom's boyfriend. I had to like had to stab him. I got the knife. My sister was frozen at the door, so I had to get her outside the house," Quadir explained.

The alleged intruder and his accomplice fled the house with the kitchen knife still in his back. Police say he collapsed half a block away on the front steps of another home. The knife still intact. He was pronounced at the scene.

"He believes he's the man of the house, so I believe he was just I'm gonna step up and do something," Johnson added.

Homicide detectives arrived on scene. The suspect was identified as 42-year-old Craig Jones who police say has 20 prior arrests. Police believe the suspects followed Johnson's boyfriend home from a neighborhood bar and forced their way into the house looking to rob him. Johnson was injured in the melee.

"What was the main thing in your head at that point?" FOX 29's Dave Schratwieser asked. "That I had to protect my family," Quadir said.

"Very proud of him,very much so. It took guts. I mean I couldn't do it. I couldn't have done it," Johnson added

Candace injured her foot in the melee inside the house. Quadir was not injured. Police are still investigating, but no charges are expected to be filed. No word on whether those two suspects were armed. Police are still searching for a second suspect.