Woman fatally shoots drunk intruder in self-defence after he forcibly tries to enter her home
PATTERSON, CALIFORNIA: After a drunk man tried to intrude into her home, a woman from Patterson fatally shot the man in self defence. The incident occurred at 10.20 pm on Saturday, September 24, after Yuhui Zheng, 50, saw her husband, Yang Luan, 45, struggling to keep the man out of the house.
Patterson Police Services reported that detectives with the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office were currently investigating the shooting. According to them, patrol deputies were dispatched to the house on the 500 block of Ashwood Lane upon receiving reports of shots being fired. The caller conveyed that their female, Mandarin-speaking neighbor had rung them up to say she had "shot and killed an intruder."
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When cops arrived at the spot, they discovered an unresponsive man, of Hispanic origin, lying at the entrance to the house. Police have identified him as 22-year-old Angelo Santana, also a resident of Patterson. Initial interviews from witnesses and review of external and internal video surveillance footage confirmed the fact that Santana was in an inebriated state when he tried to force his way into the house.
Luan tried to fight off Santana at the threshold of his home, after which Zheng went to fetch a gun she had obtained only a day prior to the incident. Subsequently, "in self-defense of her husband" she unloaded all the rounds in Santana, who was unarmed, according to the news release. Luan had some minor. So far, no arrest has been made as the preliminary findings by the investigators point towards self-defence.
"Other interviews with those familiar with Santana indicate he had a history of alcohol substance abuse, wherein he would regularly show-up unannounced trying to find friends and acquaintances of his in the same neighborhood. The homeowners are fully cooperating with our detectives," read the news release. Furthermore, there were no children present and no records that the couple had any prior interaction with Santana, reports The Modesto Bee, adding that a text message from Sheriff’s Office Sgt Luke Schwartz read, "The fight with the homeowner was a pretty violent one. Can only imagine how terrifying it must’ve been for these folks."
The release confirms that the investigation remains active and ongoing, with all findings to be submitted to the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office for review of the legality of the homicide. Furthermore, anyone with relevant information are encouraged to contact Detective Rodriguez at 209-652-0518.