"Akron Woman Scares Off Sex Offender with Gun"

Woman's warning shot scares away rapist.

Shirley Bennett, of Akron, says she never wanted a gun in her house when her children were growing up. Three years ago, however, she decided to get a concealed carry permit after someone attempted to break into her apartment.

It is a decision she believes paid off on Thursday.

While stopping at a Wilbeth Road bank in Akron to make a deposit, Bennett says she was approached in the parking lot by a man who, at first, asked for directions.

"By the time I was ready to get in my car, he was behind me and started hitting me, and pushed me into my car, and I tried to fight him off the best I could, but I knew he was overpowering me," said Bennett, whose .38 special was in the center console.

"I kind of got my right hand behind me, and inside the center console, and got my hand on my gun. I pointed it at the floor originally, he had a hold of my arm, I said, 'I have a gun. Don't make me use it,' " Bennett told Fox 8 News.

Bennett says the man continued forcing himself in the car. She told police that, during the attack, he kept making sexually suggestive comments to her.

As the struggle continued, Bennett says she was not able to straighten out her arm to point the gun at her attacker.

"He was trying to get himself in the car, and the passenger door was open, and I just reached out the passenger door and shot straight up in the air," she said.

The shot chased the man away. . . . .