A 79-year-old Studio City man, identified as an armed military veteran, confronted and shot a naked intruder during an attempted burglary early Friday morning, resulting in the trespasser's death and serious injuries to the elderly man. The incident happened in a residential area near the intersection of Tujunga Avenue and Sarah Street, as reported by NBC4. The veteran reportedly acted after hearing screams coming from a neighbor's house around 7 a.m.
According to the same NBC4 report, the intruder had allegedly attacked the veteran, "body-slamming" him to the concrete driveway, resulting in broken legs for the elderly man. The veteran responded by opening fire, hitting the intruder in the chest and then in the head. The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that the intruder was pronounced dead at the scene. KTLA added that the initial call to police was for a possible trespassing at the apartment complex.
The identity of the intruder has not been released, and details surrounding the circumstances that led to the shooting remain unclear. The 79-year-old was taken to a local hospital in serious condition, as stated by the Los Angeles Fire Department in KTLA. Aerial images from the scene showed the area cordoned off by police tape.
The shooting is under ongoing investigation by the LAPD, and the area around the home, notably the Tujunga Ave. on and off-ramps, was temporarily closed during the early stages. As of now, the names of both the victim and the suspect have been kept under wraps. This story was developed with information sourced from the LAPD and provided by FOX LA.
