Woman Killed By Own Son

A woman was shot and killed early Saturday by a bullet fired from her son's gun as he tried to stop an intruder in the family home, prosecutors said.

Eillen Howey, 63, of Little Egg Harbor, was struck by a round fired from a .40-caliber handgun belonging to her son, Eric, according to prosecutors.

The incident began at about 5 a.m. when Michael Cahill, 32, of Tuckerton Borough, N.J., entered the Howey's home through a side door, authorities said.

Eric Howey noticed the intrusion, went to his room, got the gun, and confronted Cahill, prosecutors said. The confrontation spilled into a hallway near the bedrooms with Cahill wrestling with and choking Howey.

The weapon discharged a number of times during the struggle and one of the rounds struck Eillen Howey, prosecutors said. She was pronounced dead at the scene by Assistant Ocean County Medical Examiner Donato Santangelo.

Cahill was struck by several bullets and was taken to Atlantic City Medical Center. His condition was not immediately available.

He was charged with three counts of aggravated assault and one count of burglary. Bail was set at $150,000.

An investigation by prosecutors and police is continuing.

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