Incredible moment: A 14-year-old girl protects her four-year-old sister from a stranger with a shotgun who tries to break into their house

• Leigha Kissinger jumped into action to protect her younger sister from a man with a shotgun who tried to break into her home
• The elderly man is believed to be suffering from dementia and was taken to hospital by officers

By Ishita Srivastava

Published: 8:38 p.m., October 28, 2023 | Updated: 9:12 p.m., October 28, 2023

A 14-year-old girl protected her younger sister from a man with a shotgun who tried to break into her home in a moment of pure bravery.

Leigha Kissinger was with her sister and dog at their home in Ocala, a city in central Florida, when she saw a stranger with a shotgun trying to break in through a door.

When she realized what was happening, she immediately went to her sister, picked her up from the dining room chair and brought her to safety.

Their family dog, Loki, continued to bark as both sisters locked the room where they were hiding. As soon as they were safe, Kissinger called her mother.

Leigha Kissinger was at her Ocala home with her sister and dog when she saw an unknown man with a shotgun trying to break in through a door

When she realized what was going on, she immediately went to her sister and picked her up from the dining room chair she was sitting on to go into a room

Their family dog, Loki, continued to bark as both sisters locked the room where they were hiding. As soon as they were safe, Kissinger called her mother

The footage shows the man being able to open a door and enter the house.

Shortly thereafter, two Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived on the scene and ordered the man to drop his weapon. He was then taken to a hospital.

Kissinger told ClickOrlando, “In my head I thought, ‘That’s me, my (pet) dog (and) my little sister.'” I thought, “I have to take care of my little sister first because she’s coming early than me.” If it’s just me and her, I’ll be her protector.

She later told Fox35, “I just grabbed it.” [my sister] and took her to my room just to keep us both safe and I locked my door.

“It was very scary because I don’t know what’s in that gun. “I don’t know what he’s going to do. I don’t know if he’ll come in here and talk to me or just shoot me. There’s no telling what he would have done.

‘I never thought [someone with a gun] would ever come home to me.

“I practiced it in school, but I never thought it was a big deal until it actually happened and you had to organize your thoughts and do something.”

The footage shows the man being able to open a door and enter the house

Kissinger said: “I just grabbed it [my sister] and took her to my room just to keep us both safe and I locked my door

Kissinger called Loki the real hero of the story and said that his very deep bark easily scares people away

Kissinger called Loki the real hero of the story and said that his very deep bark could easily scare people away.

The sheriff’s office said the man first entered another neighbor’s home.

Officials said the woman at that home tried to get him to leave, but he hit her and stole her shotgun.

The man, who also lives on the same street, is an elderly man who is believed to be suffering from dementia.

Kissinger said she previously only said “hi” to him and never interacted with him again.

The family is not pressing charges because they want him to “get the help he needs.”

Incredible moment a 14-year-old girl protects her four-year-old sister from a stranger armed with a shotgun who tries to break into her home