GRANADA HILLS, CA – A Granada Hills homeowner turned the tables on a suspected home invader by shooting and killing him early Saturday morning, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Authorities believe another suspect who managed to escape the scene may have also been wounded in the incident.
Officers responded to a distress call from the 11400 block of Swinton Avenue, near Rinaldi, a little after 5 a.m. Upon arrival, they found the homeowner had successfully defended his residence, with the intruding suspect dead on the scene. LAPD Valley Bureau Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton disclosed during a news briefing that the intruder was armed and confronted the homeowner, leading to a defensive exchange of gunfire.
It appears that the homeowner wasn’t the only one taking aim. Hamilton reported a trail of blood sustained by a potential accomplice in the home invasion, indicating there were possibly one or two additional suspects involved. No arrests have been made, and it is currently unclear where the suspects who fled the scene have gone.
Following the deadly incident, the family members who were in the house during the invasion, including the homeowner’s grandmother and a preschool-aged child, were taken to the Devonshire Station. The homeowner, who gunned down the burglar, was subjected to questioning by the authorities.
Residents in the Granada Hills neighborhood have expressed their concerns over increasingly prevalent burglary activities, with the frequency leading neighbor Pat Walsh to dub them “dinner-time burglaries.” Deputy Chief Hamilton acknowledged this issue, noting that there’s been a spike of such incidents in the area, especially around Rinaldi. The rise in home invasions has left the LAPD puzzled as they try to understand why this particular area is a popular target.
As the investigations continue, the legal consequences for the homeowner who shot the burglary suspect remain uncertain. With the case report submission and the crime scene investigation concluded, it will be up to the District Attorney’s Office to decide if the homeowner will face any charges.