A South Glens Falls homeowner opened fire on someone who broke into their occupied home before dawn Tuesday, wounding the intruder and sending them to the hospital, according to police. No one else inside the home was hurt, and investigators say the public is not at risk.
New York State Police and the South Glens Falls Police Department responded to a home on Main Street at around 4:39 a.m., according to WNYT. The station reported that the address was 46 Main St., and that a person unknown to the homeowner entered the occupied residence before the homeowner opened fire. A separate account from News10 says troopers were dispatched alongside South Glens Falls police for the reported home invasion at around 4:40 a.m., a timing difference of about a minute from the WNYT account.
The Times Union reports that troopers responded to the Main Street home after the reported break-in and that the homeowner shot the person who had entered the house. Per that report, state police said other people inside the home were not injured in the incident.
Wounded Intruder Taken to Albany Medical Center
The person who was shot was taken to Albany Medical Center for treatment, and troopers believe the gunshot wound is not life-threatening, the station's report notes. State Police said the investigation into the reported home invasion and shooting remains ongoing.
Officials also said there is no threat to the public, per the same account from CBS6 Albany. Even so, a heavy police presence was expected to remain in the area, with police described as remaining in large numbers around the Main Street home.
What New York Law Says About Deadly Force
Any use of deadly force by a homeowner in a case like this is governed by New York's justification statute. Under Section 35.15 of the New York Penal Law, a person may not use deadly physical force if they know that the necessity for it can be avoided with complete personal safety to themselves and others. The dossier of public reporting does not indicate whether investigators have made any determination about the legality of the shooting, nor whether the homeowner could face charges.
Much about the incident remains unknown. Authorities have not released the identities, ages or genders of the homeowner or the person who was shot, and it is not yet clear how the intruder entered the home, whether a weapon was involved, or the exact sequence of events that led to the shooting. The investigation was continuing as of Tuesday morning, and no further update on the injured person's condition or any potential charges has been reported.
