Father hiding in closet with son shoots, kills home intruder

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A DeKalb County father shot and killed an intruder who burst into his home on Friday afternoon.

The man was at home with his 4-year-old son at their home on Farrington Ridge Circle when he heard someone knock on the door, according to police. Officers say he didn’t recognize the two men at the door so he grabbed his son and went upstairs.

When he heard the intruders burst through the door, he and his son hid inside a closet.

Investigators say when the intruders opened the door to the closet, the homeowner shot and killed one of them. The other one ran.

“We just heard a loud gunshot. We hear gunshots all the time so we didn’t think anything of it until we saw all the police,” one neighbors said.

The child witnessed the shooting but seemed to be in good spirits outside the home Friday after the shooting.

Police say the homeowner was in his right to protect his property and his child.

“He wasn’t bothering anybody. He was in the back room, watching television, when the subjects came in very much unexpected. We don’t have any reason to believe that any of them knew each other,” DeKalb County police Chief Dr. Cedric Alexander said.

Neighbors say they’re tired of break-ins and are arming themselves.

“The police presence around here, they out here every day. They're cracking down on it, not taking it anymore,” the neighbor said. “People are just tired of their houses being broken into around here, and they’re not putting up with it anymore.”

A man who says he doesn't want to be identified says he lives in the same building.

He says someone kicked in his door and stole his belongings just three weeks ago.

"It might be the same guys," he said.

Police have yet to release the names and ages of the suspects.

Cox Media Group