LA homeowner opens fire on armed home invaders, killing 1 , injuring others

By the time police arrived on scene, the would-be burglars had fled, but the homeowner was handcuffed and questioned. Authorities have not revealed whether they are seeking to charge him over his use of lethal force while dealing with the invasion.

According to the Daily Mail, the incident took place just after 5 am on Saturday in the Granada Hills neighborhood. Officers with the Los Angeles Police Department's Valley Bureau responded to calls of a "hot prowl," a burglary that is taking place while the owner is at home.

"The officers' preliminary investigation determined that approximately three to four armed males in their 20s entered the home with the intent to burglarize the location," LAPD officials said.

They went on to explain that while inside, one of the suspects "pointed a weapon at the victim," at which point he "produced a firearm and a shooting occurred."

One of the suspects was confirmed dead at the scene, however there was a trail of blood in the direction the others had fled, leading investigators to believe that another was injured. None of their names have been released.

In a press conference following the incident, LAPD Valley Bureau Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton noted that while it was ultimately up to the district attorney to decide whether charges were warranted, "anyone inside their residence that is faced with a deadly threat and is perceived as a deadly threat has the right to protect themselves."

As KTLA reports, this is far from the first attempted burglary in the neighborhood over the past few weeks. One resident said he was "not surprised at all," calling it a "real problem."

"The suspects messed with the wrong homeowner," another added, saying, "it makes me feel good that people are able to protect their homes and stop these guys."