Approximately one month ago 12-year-old Kendra St. Clair defended herself against a home intruder while hiding in a closet in her home in Calera.
The girl was home alone on fall break when Stacy Jones broke into her home, according to police. St. Clair called her mother, who told her to get the pistol, hide and call 911.
She hid in a closet and shot the 40-claiber Glock through the closet door, striking the intruder in the shoulder.
While in the closet St. Clair was on the phone with a police dispatcher out of Durant. The dispatcher stayed on the phone with the girl through the event and let her know when it was safe to come out.
On Tuesday Kendra St. Clair met the dispatcher Julie Thompson who was on the phone with her that day as well as the officers who arrived on the scene first and the dispatcher who kept her mother informed during the ordeal.
Durant PD Communication Supervisor Mike Woodruff said he felt that this incident was so extraordinary that it deserves recognition.
“Most kids don’t have the foresight to do what she did,” said Ptl. Buddy Faulkner. Faulkner along with Lt. Brock Jones was the first on scene.
Faulkner said that the two had been on a call nearby when they were told of the home intrusion. Though the residence was out of their jurisdiction they responded to the call.
While on their way to the residence they saw the intruder running away with a gunshot wound. Thompson who was on the phone with Kendra at the time said she never even heard the gunshot.
She heard that a man was found running away with a gunshot wound and asked Kendra if she shot the gun. When Kendra said that she had, Thompson said the first thing she thought was “Wow, good aim.”
“It was an amazing feeling seeing my daughter’s lifeline,” said Kendra’s mother Debra St. Clair.
She said she wanted to thank the men for apprehending the intruder because she said they did not have to be there.
She thanked the dispatchers as well for staying on the phones with her daughter and herself.
Debra St. Clair said she had not wanted to get off the phone with her daughter that day but knew the dispatcher would do her more good.
She also wanted to thank Ken Golden for being the first face Kendra saw when she left the closet.
Kendra and her mother toured the dispatch room and received a copy of the call made the day of the intrusion.
The Durant Police and the dispatchers wanted to tell Kendra that she was their hero. They all admitted to being touched by the girl’s bravery and said they were all proud of her.
Kendra admitted to being speechless at the thought of being a hero to three police officers and two dispatchers.
Kendra had never shot a gun before the incident but has since had several offers for free lessons. Debra St. Clair said they plan on taking advantage of these opportunities.
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