A Los Angeles landlord allegedly shot and killed a naked burglar in an apartment complex after the invader shattered both of his legs.
According to ABC 7, NBC 4, and Cleveland 19, the event took place at 7 a.m. local time on Friday, November 7.
According to Capt. Warner Castillo of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), the intruder entered an apartment complex in the 4500 block of Tujunga Avenue. Two women in the complex started screaming, and their 79-year-old landlord, a military veteran, noticed the commotion and came to help.
Castillo claimed the burglar “body-slammed” the landlord and broke his legs.
“The witnesses said the suspect basically lifted up the 79-year-old and body-slammed him to the ground on the driveway, which is concrete,” the officer said.
The landlord then allegedly opened fire on the invader, injuring him in the head and chest, Castillo claimed. The invader died at the spot.
According to Castillo, the landlord was hospitalized and is in bad condition, and there appears to be no prior link between the burglar and the building occupants.
PEOPLE contacted the LAPD for comment on Sunday, Nov. 9, but did not receive an instant response.
According to NBC 4, security camera footage from a nearby apartment building saw the nude man going across the street prior to the event, appearing to be muttering to himself and snatching a sign.
“The intruder was just walking up and down the walkway. Then he noticed the gate was open and dashed over to their gate,” a witness told Cleveland 19.
When speaking with the source, a neighbor described the injured landlord as a “really kind man,” adding, “He is very sweet, very kind, and gentle. It sounds like he shot someone in self-defense.”
Robert Mendoza, a complex resident, told Cleveland 19 that the neighborhood has had significant safety issues in the past, frequently involving unhoused people.
