Suburbanite shoots 2 home invasion suspects

December 27, 2009 3:45 PM

UPDATED STORY

Chicago Tribune

A homeowner shot two masked men who pushed their way into a far north suburban Wauconda house early Saturday night, sending both suspects to the hospital, police said.

A trail of what appeared to be frozen blood ran from the front door of a home in the 300 block of Indian Ridge Trail in Wauconda on today, but the people in that home refused to comment to the media. On the door of that house, a piece of metal appeared to have been broken off.

Wauconda Police Department Sgt. Tim Burke said the names of the alleged victims and suspects would not be released until or unless charges are filed.

"The investigation is still ongoing," Burke said, adding that they have not turned over the results of their investigation to the Lake County State's Attorney's Office.

The two men who were shot were taken via ambulance to Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington, police said. No more information about their condition was immediately available, but Burke said they remained hospitalized as of early Sunday. A Fire Department official said Saturday evening that their injuries did not appear life-threatening.

The two homeowners present at the time of the apparent home invasion were treated at the same hospital and released Saturday night, according to Burke.

A press release from police said the shooting happened at about 5:47 p.m. Saturday, with the masked men forcing their way into a house in the Country Ridge subdivision, then engaging in "repeated demands and physical altercations." The pair refused to leave, according to police and one of the homeowners shot them.

One of the homeowners shot both suspects, who were found wounded in front of the home when police arrived on the scene, police said.

Burke said investigators do not believe the home was intentionally targeted but said police will not confirm the address to which they were called. The homeowners, he said, are worried about media attention.

"They're shaken up," Burke said.

David Bowen, who lives in the subdivision, said he saw police sirens and heard screaming at the time of the incident. Late in the night, he said, police towed away a pickup truck parked on his street. The alleged home invasion, he said, is unexpected in a neighborhood where everyone knows each other.

"It makes absolutely no sense," Bowen said. "I've been here over 20-some years. I never heard of anything like this happening."

LINK TO PHOTO

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/12/suburban-homeowner-shoots-2-home-invasion-suspects.html