JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A man was shot several times by a homeowner after he tried to break into a Brentwood home early Friday morning, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.
Around 1:45 a.m. officers were dispatched to 545 West 23rd St., off Boulevard Street, after receiving several calls about gunshots heard in the area.
"When we arrived, we met with the homeowner. He stated that several individuals tried to break into his house and he shot at them," said Sgt. Craig Waldrup.
A short time later, a car arrived at UF Health Jacksonville with one person injured from gunshot wounds and suffering life-threatening injuries, Waldrup said.
"It appears there was some type of break-in attempt at the West 23rd address and then they transported themselves to UF Health. All suspects are in custody at this time," Waldrup said.
JSO said a total of four people were in the car and suspected of being involved in the attempted robbery. Only one of the suspects was shot.
Police said the homeowner shot at the suspects with a rifle, hitting one of the suspects several times.
"No charges have been filed yet. We're interviewing everyone, but no injuries to the homeowner," Waldrup said.
It's unclear if anyone else was in the home at the time of the attempted robbery.
"I heard pow, pow, pow, pow, pow. It was five shots," said one woman who didn't want to be identified. "I said, 'Oh my god, what happened?' I couldn't move."
Police closed a block of West 23rd Street at Boulevard Street while they investigated.
The woman said she wasn't going to open her door for trick-or-treaters Friday night.
"Oh no I wouldn't, because it's Halloween and you don't know who may have on a mask and whose looking for someone," she said.
This was the third time this year police said someone was shot while breaking into a home.
"You have a right to defend your own home your property and your family," said News4Jax crime and safety analyst Gil Smith. "Now the best thing to do is if you have a weapon, make sure it is registered to you."
Smith said before a homeowner starts shooting, he or she should "make sure their life was in danger, that the person was a serious threat."
Smith said people should make sure they have a security system and security lights.