Suspected Robber Dies in Gun Battle with Homeowner

A DeKalb County resident who arrived home Wednesday night to find his house being robbed was involved in a fatal gun battle with the suspect, authorities say.

Police were called to a home in the 4800 block of Hairston Crossing Place in Stone Mountain just before 11 p.m. Wednesday. Officers found two men at the scene with gunshot wounds; both were taken to Grady Hospital, where one was pronounced dead.

Investigators told WGCL TV that the homeowner arrived at his house and realized a robbery was under way. The homeowner and the suspected thief began shooting at each other in the front yard.

The dead man is the suspected robber, reports FOX Atlanta. The homeowner was treated for minor injuries.

If the shooting stems from a robbery, the homeowner will not face charges, the FOX station reports.

“Right now, it’s just too early to speculate exactly what happened,” Lt. Antonio Catlin of the DeKalb County Police Department told WGCL. “However, we do believe it’s going to be robbery related. We will be confirming it once we finish interviewing the victim and making that determination.”

The identities of the men involved in the shooting have not been released.