A 70-year-old business owner in Rancho Cordova, California, shot and killed a burglar who broke into his store in the early morning hours of November 24. The business owner, who wishes to remain anonymous, said he shot the burglar in an effort to protect his two grandsons, ages 4 and 14, who were sleeping in the back room at the time.
According to the business owner, the burglar broke into the store through the front window and made his way to the back room, where the owner and his grandsons were sleeping. The owner’s 14-year-old grandson woke him up, and he grabbed his gun, which had been given to him by his father in 1958.
The burglar allegedly wielded a butane torch and held it towards the owner when he entered the back room. The owner initially thought the torch was a gun and fired at the suspect. The burglar sustained a gunshot wound and walked out of the store, where he collapsed in a nearby parking lot.
The Sacramento Sheriff’s Office confirmed the shooting and said that detectives and crime scene investigators responded to the scene, interviewed witnesses, and began gathering evidence. The investigation is ongoing, pending the autopsy, forensics, and other items.
The business owner, who has been robbed at gunpoint three times before, said he has been unable to sleep and is fearful of retribution, but he is just thankful that his grandchildren are still alive.