Intruder tries to force his way into home after dark, cops say. But homeowner has a gun — and sends suspect painful message.



An intruder tried to force his way into a Phoenix home Thursday night, police said — but the homeowner shot the suspect, sending him running off.

What are the details?

Police said the information they gathered indicates that an adult male "was attempting to force entry into a home when the homeowner shot the man," KSAZ-TV reported, citing a statement from Phoenix police.

Police said the incident went down just after 8 p.m. in the area of 5th Avenue and Lynwood Street, KPNX-TV reported.

Detectives said the suspect ran from the home and later was found in the area of 7th Avenue and Lynwood Street, KSAZ said, adding that the suspect suffered a non-life-threatening gunshot wound.

The suspect has been identified as 24-year-old Isaiah Roggenbuck, KTVK-TV reported.

The suspect was taken to a hospital, KSAZ said.

Police said Roggenbuck has since been released from the hospital and booked into the Maricopa County jail on one count of criminal trespassing, KTVK said.

The homeowner wasn’t hurt, KTVK reported, adding that an investigation is underway.

Homeowner shoots suspected home intruder: Phoenix PD youtu.be

How are folks reacting?

Commenters under KTVK's Facebook post about the incident were unanimous in their appreciation for the homeowner — and had no sympathy for the suspect:

  • "He’ll be a lot easier to catch from now on," one commenter quipped.
  • "Another win for the good guys," another commenter added.
  • "Great job homeowner," another commenter declared while adding an "always carry" image.
  • A user replying to the aforementioned comment noted, "I do. 357 mag Taurus 6 1/2 inch barrel and my trusty 9mm."
  • Another commenter opined about the suspect — with just a smidgen of sarcasm sprinkled in: "I'm sure he was a good person, and it's everyone else's fault but his own for getting shot."

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Homeowner shoots and kills alleged burglar trying to break into his home, California police say



A homeowner in California was on the phone with an emergency dispatcher when he shot and killed a man he believed to be a burglar trying to break into his home, according to police.

The San Diego County Sheriff's Department said they were responding to a call of a home burglary at about 5 a.m. on Thursday when the dispatcher heard the gunshots.

When they arrived at the home in Vista, they found an injured suspect who was declared dead after being transported to a local hospital.

Police said the homeowner was the only person at the home at the time of the incident. He was uninjured.

“We’re talking to neighbors, looking for video surveillance,” said Lt. Joseph Jarjura with the homicide unit. “We’ll collect evidence, photographs, and we’ll try to determine what happened.”

The homeowner was not yet facing charges, but police said the investigation was ongoing.

Michael Schwartz, Executive Director of San Diego County Gun Owners PAC, told KFMB-TV that gun self defense is a complex legal issue in the state of California.

“Inside your home, there’s no requirement for you to have to retreat, and in California, in general, if someone has broken into your home, the law tends to be in favor of the homeowner," he explained.

However, the manner of break-in could make a difference toward possible charges.

“How did the person break in? What was the motivation for the person who broke in? Was the person fleeing?” Schwartz continued. “If someone has broken into your home, that’s definitely a big factor in proving that you reasonably believed that your life was in danger.”

Vista is a city of about 101,000 people about 42 miles north of San Diego.

Here's a local news report about the incident:

UPDATE: Burglary Suspect Shot By Homeowner In Vista

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!