Grand Prairie police say a late-night burglary ended in a fatal shooting early Sunday morning after an intruder broke into a home on Santa Margarita Street near Corn Valley Road and Highway 303.
Around 1:50 a.m., officers responded to a suspicious person call in the 400 block of Santa Margarita Street. The homeowner, an elderly man, told 911 dispatchers that someone had forced their way through the back door of his house.
According to investigators, the resident armed himself with a hunting rifle and found the intruder rummaging through his belongings inside the home. Believing he was in danger, the homeowner fired once, hitting the suspect.
Medics with the Grand Prairie Fire Department pronounced the suspect dead at the scene.
Detectives are treating the incident as a case of self-defense, and police say the homeowner is not expected to face charges. The Dallas County Medical Examiner’s Office will release the suspect’s identity after notifying next of kin.
