Resident shoots, kills armed intruder

LAPORTE COUNTY, Ind. – One person is dead in what the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Department is calling a home invasion.

Deputies say Monday around 9:15 CST, the sheriff's department received a phone call from a homeowner who said his home had just been burglarized and he had shot the intruder.

Deputies arrived to the home in the 6700 block of County Road 1000 North.

Inside the home, they found the suspect dead with a single gunshot wound to the chest.

“When officers arrived, detectives and myself, we found one male victim deceased from an apparent gunshot wound,” said La Porte County Sheriff Mike Mollenhauer.

During the investigation, deputies learned the homeowner was asleep when he awoke to the sound of breaking glass.

He armed himself with a pistol and found the intruder in his home.

Deputies said the suspect was armed with a hatchet and during a confrontation with the homeowner, the suspect was shot in the chest.

The homeowner then called 911.

“We are still in the investigation to make sure that what he's telling us substantiates all the fact here at the scene,” said Mollenhauer.

The suspect entered the house after breaking a window in the rear of the house.

Deputies believe the suspect went to the home on moped.

It is believed the suspect lives in Three Oaks Township, Michigan but his identity has not been released pending notification of next of kin.

The homeowner said he did not know the suspect.

Nearby residents had mixed reactions.

“I have no sympathy for him because if he's going to take the risk of going in to someone's home, you've go to take the risk of getting shot,” said Tristan Dallog, LaPorte County resident.

“You know, sometimes people make bad decisions and we really don't know the back story why he was doing this,” said Dyllen Hoffer, La Porte County resident.

Deputies say the house may have been a target because it is so well hidden by the woods.

“It makes it very desirable for somebody that's breaking in to a home,” said Mollenhauer.