Posted on 02/04/2012 10:22:03 AM PST by marktwain
EUGENE, Ore. -- Investigators say the south Eugene man who shot at two burglars -- killing one -- might have known the intruders.
"There's reason to believe this is a target incident," said Eugene Police Detective Matt Herbert.
Police say the two men who burglarized 3307 Stoney Ridge Road might have known the 27-year-old man and sole occupant inside and that drugs could have been a motive.
"It's possible that drugs were involved," Herbert said.
Officers say the resident called 9-1-1 Thursday afternoon and reported that two men were forcing their way into his home. The caller was able to obtain a handgun and shoot one of the intruders, killing him.
The other intruder ran from the scene and was caught a half hour later with the help of a Springfield K-9.
"They had apprehended him in our neighbor's back yard and took him down to 30th Street," said neighbor Adam Mitchell.
But reminders of the course he took through the neighborhood still look fresh, like some footprints left behind.
"There was evidence of the person who had fled the scene, having ran across the corner of our yard," said neighbor Joyce Eltz.
That's not all. One bullet hit a garage across the street.
Eugene police spent Friday looking for more clues about the shooting that left the usually quiet neighborhood scarred.
"They did find a wallet, and so they felt that they had found one of the things they were looking for, but they had not found everything," Eltz said.
As for the shooter, whose mother told KEZI Thursday night, was just trying to protect himself. Investigators are still trying to figure out if this really was a case of self-defense.
"The DA office is going to look at all that stuff, I mean this just happened yesterday, we're going to get all that information to them and they'll make the ultimate decision," Herbert said.
The suspect in custody does have a prior criminal background. He was arrested Thursday afternoon on burglary and robbery charges.
In Eugene they will give the homeowner the death penalty, a scholarship to the surviving perp and a $10MM award to the dead burglar’s family. Oregon has fallen in a ditch.
Mug shot of perp in custody looks like he got in the K-9’s face, with predictable results.
Must be a Democratic Voter!!!
Yeah, this story smells bad. 27 year old man living at home with mom and dad- and not at work during the daytime.
27 year old man living at home with mom and dad- and not at work during the daytime.
Well, it is Eugene, so this is typical really.
LOL! I lived just outside of Eugene for awhile and bought a t-shirt from a vendor down town that was printed with... "Eugene - We're all here because we're not all there."
Eugene is a very violent city.
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