DeKalb County homeowner shoots, kills man who broke into his home
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. â A man is dead after police say he tried breaking into a DeKalb County home early Thursday morning.
Investigators interviewed the homeowner, who they say shot and killed the intruder.
One neighbor told Channel 2â˛s Steve Gehlbach that she heard two loud blasts and detectives said the homeowner used a shotgun. âIt was that close, it was that loud,â one neighbor told Gehlbach, asking not to be identified.
DeKalb County police said they got a call of shots fired at a home on Peachcrest Road around 5:30 a.m. Thursday.
The neighbor said she heard two shots while getting ready for work.
âitâs kind of hard to believe. Iâve been living here my whole life, never had a break-in, never had anything like that,â the neighbor said.
But Sandy Mize, who lives next door, wasnât that surprised.
âWe didnât hear the shots, but around here thereâs shootings going on all the time,â Mize said.
Dekalb police said the man who tried to break in was shot and killed inside the house by the homeowner. He has not been identified.
Investigators have not said if there was any connection with the suspect or if the intruder also had a weapon.
âWe knew he had guns though,â Mize said.
Channel 2â˛s Tyisha Fernandes was outside the home on Thursday night when a group of women from the Salvation Army came to the home to pray over it and offer assistance to the family.
Neighbor Gary Casten had no idea what brought all the police to his neighborhood and was speechless when he heard what had happened.
âWow, I didnât know,â Casten said. âYou donât have stuff like that happen around here.â
Neighbors said the homeowner lives in the home with his girlfriend but arenât sure if there was a reason they would be targeted, or if it was just a random crime.
Gehlbach said it appears the homeowner will not face any charges because he was defending himself and his property.
âI just think itâs a sad state of affairs for the country,â one neighbor said. âIn this case, somebody having a gun was a good thing.â