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ODENTON, MD – Police say a domestic violence incident in Anne Arundel County early Monday morning ended with a man shooting his knife-armed stepson after the suspect allegedly assaulted his mother.

According to the Anne Arundel County Police Department, officers responded around 5:00 a.m. on March 3, 2026, to the 400 block of Lisa Avenue in Odenton for a report of family violence with a shot fired.

Investigators say the incident began when the adult male suspect allegedly stole a personal item from his mother and then assaulted her, leaving her injured.

After the assault, the suspect’s stepfather went outside to call police. While outside, he was confronted by the suspect, who was reportedly armed with a knife.

Police say the stepfather then obtained a handgun and fired a single shot, striking his stepson in the lower extremity.

The suspect was transported to an area trauma center for treatment.

Anne Arundel County Police said Western District detectives responded to the scene and have taken over the investigation.

Authorities obtained a warrant charging the adult male suspect with first-degree assault, second-degree assault, and theft. Police said the suspect’s name will be released once he is served with the warrant.

Incidents like this highlight a difficult reality in defensive gun use. While many self-defense cases involve strangers or criminal intruders, threats can also arise within families during violent confrontations. When someone is faced with an immediate threat of serious harm, the right to protect life does not disappear because the attacker is a relative.

For many Americans, the ability to lawfully possess a firearm provides a last line of defense when violence escalates quickly and law enforcement has not yet arrived.