DECATUR, Ala. (AP) - Police killed a home invasion suspect Saturday after he shot the homeowner and fired shots at officers during a subsequent chase in Alabama.
The incident began about 4:30 a.m. when Decatur police responded to a report of a home invasion robbery. When they arrived at the home, they found the homeowner with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to the leg, police spokeswoman Irene Cardenas-Martinez said in a statement. He was transported to an area hospital for treatment.
Investigators found that someone had broken into the home's garage and then tried to force entry into the residence. The homeowner verbally confronted the suspect who then fired through the door, striking the homeowner in the leg.
The suspect then entered the house and stole some items, including the keys to the homeowner's vehicle - a white Jeep.
Around 11 a.m., police responded to a disturbance at the Morgan Center where a man was verbally harassing people, Cardenas-Martinez said.
Officers saw the stolen Jeep and attempted to stop it as the driver fled, she said. A pursuit led to Old Highway 24 where officers disabled the Jeep near West Morgan Elementary School, she said. The suspect began to fire a handgun at the officers and several officers returned fire, striking the suspect several times, she said.
The suspect, whose name was not released, was taken to Parkway Medical Center where he later was pronounced dead.
No officers were injured during the incident.
The Alabama State Bureau of Investigation was asked to investigate the shooting. Body cam and in-car videos will be turned over to the SBI as part of their investigation, Cardenas-Martinez said.