At least it wasn’t in the middle of the night, but the situation had to be frightening for both the 70-year-old father and his 50-year-old son.
Las Vegas Police Lt. Jason Johansson said it appeared the two masked men tried to gain entry into the father’s residence. They were also wearing gloves and dark clothing as they tried to break through the door.
But they didn’t get far.
The son retrieved a firearm, according to Johansson, and fired shots at them before they could gain entry. “This shooting appears to be done in self-defense. Two people are in their home,” he recounted, “two people wearing masks and dark clothing attempt to break into their house through a rear door.
The father and son told arriving officers that one of the suspects appeared to be dead in the backyard of the residence but the other had jumped over a wall. The one who ran reportedly drove away though the neighborhood in a gray sedan.
Police found the body of the other man and he was declared dead at the scene by medical examiners. He was described as in his 20s.
Shortly afterward, police were notified of a similar car as the one the second suspect drove away driving erratically and in a reckless manner. Johansson told reporters, “Shortly after that call came in, the same vehicle, which was a gray sedan, was involved in an accident where two other vehicles were struck.”
The driver, who was described as having a gunshot wound to his lower leg, was treated at an area hospital and then arrested.
Police described the father and son as “extremely cooperative,” and no charges are expected to be filed. Both are fortunate that a firearm was readily available and the son had the courage to stop the alleged intruders before they broke into the home.
