Shoreline homeowner shoots man who deputies say tried to break into his home while family slept



SHORELINE, Wash. -- Deputies say a homeowner shot a man who was trying to break into his family's home early Thursday morning in Shoreline.

Authorities were called around 3 a.m. to the 100 block of NE 174th St.

According to the King County Sheriff's Office, the suspect tried to kick in the back door, then tried to kick in the front door unsuccessfully before finally throwing lawn furniture through the window. He never made it inside because the homeowner came out of the house and fire two gunshots, hitting him once in the thigh.

"Our deputies were staged just down the street and were approaching on foot when they heard two shots," said Sgt. Jason Houck. "They rushed up into the yard and found a male suspect laying in the front yard."

The suspect, a 41-year-old man, was taken with life-threatening injuries to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

The homeowner's wife and two daughters were in the house at the time of the shooting. One of the teenage girls called 9-1-1 while her father grabbed his gun.

Detectives say the suspect lives in the area. He has not been identified.