Burglar Shot — Then Demands Millions

Police officer in uniform from behind on a city street — Photo: FeyginFoto / Shutterstock

A Portland man with a long criminal record broke into a marble shop, got shot three times by the owner, and is now demanding $10 million from him.

Quick Take

Kenneth Voyles filed a $10 million lawsuit in Multnomah County after being shot during a break-in at Touchstone Granite & Marble.
Owner James Grant testified he fired in self-defense after Voyles ignored repeated orders to get on the ground.
Grant’s attorney says Voyles threatened him with raised bolt cutters before the shooting.
The case highlights a real legal fight over how far property owners can go to defend themselves.

Lawsuit Seeks Equal Split of Compensatory and Punitive Damages

Kenneth Voyles filed his civil complaint on May 6, 2026, in Multnomah County Circuit Court. He is suing Touchstone Granite & Marble Inc. and its owner, James Grant, for battery, assault, negligence, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Voyles wants $5 million in compensatory damages and another $5 million in punitive damages, for a total of $10 million.

Court records describe a violent confrontation inside the shop. Grant reportedly threw a cup of urine at Voyles and hurled heavy tiles at him before stepping away to grab a gun from under his pillow. He then returned and shot Voyles three times in the arm and torso. Voyles claims he was trying to escape when the shots hit him.

Owner Testifies He Feared an Attack

Grant took the stand on August 12, 2026, and said he acted to protect himself, not to kill Voyles. He testified he repeatedly ordered Voyles to get on the ground, but Voyles refused and appeared ready to attack. “My adrenaline was flowing, to just protect myself,” Grant said, adding he did not want to use deadly force.

Grant’s attorney, Stephanie Schilling, argued her client had every right to defend himself against “a stranger in the dark” who threatened him with raised bolt cutters. She said Grant was working in a back room when he found Voyles trespassing inside the shop and had no way of knowing what the intruder intended. That claim has not been independently verified beyond the defense’s account.

A Repeat Offender’s Record Fuels Public Anger

Voyles has a documented history of burglary and theft, including more than a year in prison tied to a separate string of car thefts. That record has fueled online frustration, with many commenters questioning why someone with his history can sue a business owner over injuries suffered during his own break-in. The lawsuit does not require Voyles to be free of a criminal record to proceed in civil court.

Oregon Law Sets a High Bar for Deadly Force

Oregon law allows deadly force only when a person reasonably believes someone is committing a felony involving the threat of serious harm, or is about to use unlawful deadly force. Unlike home break-ins, Oregon does not have a specific “make my day” statute shielding property owners inside a business the way some states protect people inside their own homes. That distinction could shape how a jury views Grant’s actions.

🚨 PORTLAND HAS APPARENTLY REACHED THE “BURGLAR SUES THE VICTIM FOR $10 MILLION” STAGE OF CIVILIZATION

A man admits he broke into a Portland business around 5:30 in the morning.

The owner was living inside the building.

According to the owner, the intruder raised a large pair… pic.twitter.com/1uNjcl10hF

— The Undercurrent (@NotTheirScript) August 14, 2026

Nationally, self-defense shootings often lead to civil suits even when no criminal charges are filed. The National Conference of State Legislatures notes that at least 23 states block civil suits against people found to have acted in self-defense, while others still allow them. Oregon’s rules leave room for exactly this kind of legal battle, which is now headed to a Multnomah County jury.

This case taps into a frustration shared across the political spectrum: a legal system that can feel tilted against ordinary people trying to protect their property and livelihood. Whether jurors side with Grant’s self-defense account or find his response went too far, the outcome will test how much protection Oregon law actually gives business owners facing intruders.