A suspected burglar was killed early this morning when a 79-year-old man shot him during a home invasion in eastern Jefferson County.
One of the burglars returned fire and struck the homeowner in the ankle, but he is expected to be OK. Authorities have not identified the dead man.
The ordeal began about 1:15 a.m. at a home on Ormond Drive in Center Point.
Jefferson County sheriff's Chief Deputy Randy Christian said deputies responded to a report of a burglary in progress at the home. They arrived to find the elderly homeowner sitting on the front porch of the home.
He was suffering from a gunshot wound to his leg. Inside the home deputies found the adult male suspect suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead on the scene.
The homeowner had been asleep when he was awakened by a noise from his basement, Christian said. Two suspects had forced open a basement window and entered the house.
The suspects continued upstairs and confronted the victim who was still in his bed. One of the suspects ordered him not to move. The victim then grabbed a gun that he kept by his bed and began firing at the suspects.
One suspect fell and the other fled. The victim chased the fleeing suspect out of the house. As the suspect ran across the yard he fired a shot that struck the victim in the leg. He then got into a waiting vehicle driven by a third suspect and fled the scene.
The homeowner was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Christian said the name of the dead man is being withheld pending notification of his family. The investigation is ongoing.
"It's sad any time there is a loss of life and there is a family that will be grieving. This homeowner had every right to protect himself and that's exactly what he did. These criminals are responsible for this death,'' Christian said. "They weren't invited guest. The homeowner is the victim. When we find the other suspects we will look to charge them with murder. They are responsible for what happened."
