A man suspected of trying to break into a home in Castaic early this morning and who was shot once in the chest by the homeowner was recovering in the hospital Monday morning.
The man, identified only as being a Hispanic man his 40’s, underwent emergency surgery at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, Sgt. Tim Vander Leek of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station.
About eight hours after being shot, the man was listed in fair condition and, according to sheriff’s deputies, in custody on suspicion of burglary.
Sheriff’s detectives were expected to spend much of today speaking to both the woman who shot the alleged intruder and the man who was shot, he said.
“This was a lone female homeowner,” Vander Leek said, describing the woman was running a dog kennel business at her residence on Ridge Route Road.
The incident happened at 2:08 a.m. at a house on the 36000 block of Ridge Route Road in Castaic.
“An individual was outside of her house banging on the doors and windows,” Vander Leek said.
The homeowner called 911 to report a residential “burglary call in progress” incident, Vander Leek said.
“During the call, the lone male outside was trying to kick in her door,” he said. “She alerted the person that she was armed.
“The individual kept trying to force his way into the home and, eventually, did force his way into the house.
“At that time, the woman shot him once in the chest,” Vander Leek said.
“It appears during the burglary, the suspect went to the rear of the location and forced entry into the residence through a rear door,” Dep. Lisa Jansen with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department wrote in a news release issued later in the day.
“When the suspect entered the residence, the victim armed herself with a handgun,” she wrote. “After a short confrontation with the suspect, the victim fired a shot, from her firearm, at the suspect hitting him in the chest.”
Deputies responding to the 911 call were just moments away and when deputies got there, they gave first aid to the man.
“He was transported to the hospital and underwent surgery and he is now in ICU,” Vander Leek said, meaning the intensive care unit at the hospital.
The gun used in the incident was a handgun.
Detectives with the detective bureau rolled out to the hospital.
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