An early-morning break-in at a Gilbert apartment turned violent Sunday when a resident shot an alleged intruder, leaving the man hospitalized in critical condition, according to police.
Gilbert officers were called to an apartment near S. SanTan Village Parkway and the Loop 202 after a 911 report of a break-in. When officers arrived, they found a man wounded inside the unit. The caller told dispatchers the intruder had physically assaulted one of the residents before a shot was fired, police said. No other injuries were reported, and the injured man was taken to a nearby hospital.
Police say the incident remains under investigation.
According to FOX 10 Phoenix, officers responded shortly before 4:30 a.m. after neighbors reported a break-in. The station reports that the suspect's identity and possible motive have not been released, and that the Gilbert Police Department is leading the probe. FOX 10 cites the department as its source.
Police Response and Ongoing Investigation
The shooting is being treated as an active investigation, and the Gilbert Police Department has not released the names of anyone involved, according to the Gilbert Police Department. Detectives are following up on witness statements and other evidence, and investigators will decide whether any criminal charges are appropriate once they have a fuller picture of what happened.
Officials are asking anyone who saw or heard anything connected to the incident to contact the department as they work to piece together the timeline and circumstances around the shooting.
What Arizona Law Says About Self-Defense
Arizona law allows a person to use physical or deadly force in self-defense when a reasonable person would believe it is immediately necessary. The statutes generally remove a duty to retreat when someone is lawfully present at a location. The rules are outlined in ARS 13-404 and ARS 13-405.
As the investigation moves forward, prosecutors and investigators are expected to weigh the evidence against those self-defense statutes.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the Gilbert Police nonemergency line at (480) 503-6500 or submit tips through the Gilbert Police Department. Officials say they plan to release additional details if charges are filed or if significant new information emerges.
