Homeowner With Shotgun Kills Intruder

Second Intruder Shot, Wounded

PHOENIX -- A Mesa homeowner used a shotgun to defend himself during a home invasion late Wednesday night, authorities said.

According to Mesa Police Department spokesman Sgt. Ed Wessing, two men armed with guns and demanding money forced their way into the home near Stapley Road and Southern Avenue.

The intruders rounded up the four men who live there and forced them into a room, Wessing said.

"At some point during this crime, one of the residents was able to grab a shotgun," Wessing said. "(He) shot and killed one of them, and then fired at the second suspect (who) was injured but then fled the area."

Police said the second intruder ended up at a nearby hospital, where he is expected to survive.

The four men were not injured.

Neighbor Ron Hahn has surveillance cameras set up around his home for security, and he shared copies of the video with police.

The video appeared to be too dark to determine what was going on inside the home; however, Hahn said his cameras did catch someone two months ago.

A person jumped the fence into his back yard and dismantled the security light.

"He sat in the corner of my yard for about, I would say, five minutes or so, watching the house behind me (where the homicide occurred) with a two-way radio," Hahn said.

Police also have the surveillance video from the second incident; however, they said it's too early to tell if it's related to the home invasion.

 

 

Yeah, sounds fishy to me too.  Methinks Mr. Homeowner is into some shady dealin’s with pirate types.  Swim with sharks, expect to get bit.  BUT…. Supposin’ the pirate types got the address wrong and were kicking in your front door by mistake?  Do you think they’d realize it before they kill you, or would they just apologize and go tottering off to the right house?  This is why responsible people need to be armed and trained.