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BERLIN (AP) — German authorities have dropped an investigation of a U.S. Army employee who killed a burglar during a home break-in, saying he acted within his rights to defend his family.
Prosecutors said the 41-year-old American fought off three masked men at his Landstuhl home in February, but a fourth pushed past him, ran upstairs to where his wife and three children were and attacked his wife.
Prosecutors say the husband, a civilian employee of the U.S. Army's Regional Health Command Europe, heard her screams, grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed the burglar twice while fighting with him. The wounded intruder fled and later died.
Prosecutors said Wednesday the American's actions "were justified by self-defense."
Three suspects remain under investigation in the break-in. Authorities didn't release names of anyone involved.
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