Homeowner shoots intruder in north St. Louis County

CASTLE POINT, Mo. – St. Louis County Police are investigating an early morning home invasion where a homeowner shot at the suspect, who was trying to break in.

The incident occurred in the 2200 block of Empress Dr. in north St. Louis County around 4:30 a.m.

Two residents were inside the home at the time. The homeowner shot the intruder once.

“I hate he got shot but he was wrong, I probably would do the same thing,” neighbor Napoleon Lattimore said. “All he was doing was trying to protect his home.”

After being injured during the shooting, the suspect ran from the scene. A police dog caught the suspect in a wooded area in the 10000 block of Viscount Drive.

An ambulance took the suspect to a nearby hospital and he is being treated for life-threatening injuries. He is described as a man in his 20s. The motive behind the home invasion is still not clear.

Residents say the neighborhood where the shooting occurred is quiet. “We’ve been here for years…but you still have people that come over here, break in people’s houses, and do stuff like that,” Lattimore said.