A man armed with a knife was shot by a resident after forcing his way into an apartment in unincorporated DeKalb County late Wednesday night. Police say the man had been trying to break into multiple residential units before he got into one, where the occupant opened fire. He was taken to a hospital and is expected to survive, and investigators had not identified either the wounded man or the resident as of publication.
Officers Responded to Reports of Gunfire
According to Fox 5 Atlanta, officers responded to a reported shooting around 11:19 p.m. Wednesday in the 1300 block of Friendly Heights Boulevard. A separate report from Atlanta News First put the call slightly later, around 11:20 p.m., describing the location as unincorporated Decatur. Either way, officers arriving at the scene found the man suffering from a gunshot wound.
Police said the man was armed with a knife and had been attempting to force his way into residential apartments in the complex, per Fox 5 Atlanta's reporting. He ultimately succeeded in breaking into one unit, where an occupant shot him, the station reports. Police believe the man had forced his way into the apartment when he was shot, according to the same account from Atlanta News First.
Man Expected to Survive, No Charges Announced
Emergency responders transported the man to a local hospital, where Fox 5 Atlanta reports he was being treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Atlanta News First reports he is expected to survive. Police have not released the identity of the man who was shot or the identity of the apartment resident, and no charges have been announced in the case.
The investigation into the incident remains active and ongoing, per the same account. Police have not detailed what led the man to target the apartment complex or how the confrontation inside the unit unfolded.
Part of a Pattern of Self-Defense Shootings
The DeKalb County case follows a string of similar incidents reported across Georgia and beyond in recent months. In February, a resident shot a man accused of impersonating police and trying to break in, with that suspect also expected to survive, according to Atlanta News First. A separate case reported by WSPA described a Georgia property owner shooting a man after finding him inside a residence, while the Concealed Nation covered a Sept. 21 shooting in Bowman involving an intruder inside a vacant home. Further afield, WSVN 7News reported a Fort Lauderdale Airbnb guest shooting a suspected intruder during an armed home invasion, with the injured intruder and one accomplice taken into custody.
