A gun toting suspect who broke into a New Mexico home early Wednesday proved no match for the homeowner, a pacifist armed only with a cane who police say disarmed the suspect and shot him dead.
The unidentified, 59-year-old homeowner in the Albuquerque suburb of Placitas was awakened around 6:30 a.m. when the suspect entered his home, said Lt. Keith Elder, of the Sandoval County Sheriff’s Office. Elder told the Albuquerque Journal the two men struggled over the suspect's handgun, and the homeowner ended up shooting the intruder. Elder said investigators believe that the gun belonged to the suspect.
The suspect died at the scene. The homeowner was not charged, but the incident is under investigation, said Elder.
The man's attorney told KOAT-TV his client was injured in the incident and left shaken up.
"My client is completely traumatized," Cravens said. "He's a pacifist and was forced to deal with an extremely violent situation."
The homeowner was transported to the University of New Mexico Sandoval Regional Medical Center for treatment of a broken arm and cuts on his face. After that, he went to stay with a friend, Cravens said.
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