Chicago homeowner, 80, shoots intruder in chest during home invasion leaving him in 'critical condition'
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: An 80-year-old Chicago homeowner, who was hospitalized after a traumatic home invasion, reportedly shot one of the two intruders in the chest during the struggle, authorities said. The incident took place at around 10.30 am on Monday, January 20 when the elderly man, whose identity is not revealed by the authorities, responded to a door-knock at his house on the 8500 Block of West Catherine avenue in Chicago's O'Hare neighborhood, the Chicago Police Department reported.
As the man opened his door, two intruders - a man and a woman – forced their entry into his house. The man began fighting with the male suspect. At one point during the struggle, the elderly man, who holds an Illinois Firearms Owner's Identification (FOID) card, fired a gunshot, striking the male suspect in the chest. "The victim was battered and sustained several injuries throughout the body and was transported to Resurrection Hospital in critical condition," the department said.
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The two intruders managed to flee the scene and went to Resurrection Hospital for medical treatment, where they were taken into custody by the Chicago police department. The man was listed in critical condition while the woman was treated with minor injuries, NBC Chicago reported. Authorities said the two suspects will be charged soon.
Neighbors of the elderly man say the incident has terrified the community
Boris Stojakovic, who manages a building across the street with his family, told ABC7 that incidents like this happens rarely around the neighborhood. "This doesn't happen here. This is a pretty rare event," Stojakovic said. He added, "We're actively checking that all our doors stay closed, and notifying our residents to make sure not to let anyone in the building they're not expecting," Another neighbor of the elderly man, who doesn’t want to reveal her identity said she is heartbroken for her neighbor. "I was in shock when I heard it, because it's like in the middle of the day, in the morning, and something like that happens so close to your home, it's really scary to hear," she told the outlet.
Rise in home invasion incidents in the United States
This shocking incident came amid a sudden rise in home invasion incidents in the United States. According to The Zebra, there are 2.5 million burglaries reported annually in the country, according to the United States Department of Justice yearly data, with over half of these being home invasions. The data stated that in 2017, the FBI reported 1,401,840 burglaries with 57.5% of all burglaries involving forcible entry.
In a similar incident, a 46-year-old licensed gun owner shot a suspected intruder, who allegedly broke into his home in Albany Park on the Northwest Side. The incident was reported in October 2020, when the homeowner shot a 58-year-old man during a scuffle. The homeowner also had a valid FOID card and concealed-carry license. The 58-year-old ran away but was later taken into custody.