BONNEY LAKE, WASHINGTON – A man who forced his way into a home was fatally shot by the homeowner’s son Tuesday morning. Pierce County 911 received a call around 11:10 a.m. from a person who reported hearing gunshots coming from their neighbor’s home in the 3200 block of 214th Avenue East. Minutes later, they received a call from a man who reported shooting an intruder inside his home.
When deputies arrived, they found a male inside the house suffering from a gunshot wound. He was rushed to a local hospital with life threatening injuries, which he later succumbed to.
According to PCSD Detective Alex Richards, the homeowner was not at home when the 46-year-old man entered the house, but he was confronted by the homeowner’s 31-year-old son. During the altercation, the son shot the alleged intruder.
The son was interviewed by investigators but was not arrested, as it has been determined that the shooting was likely a case of self-defense. Authorities do not know why the man entered the home, and the investigation is continuing.
The State of Washington does not have a “castle doctrine” per se, but they also do not have a duty to retreat, which means that citizens have a right to use lethal force to defend themselves if they are in a place that they are legally allowed to be and are not involved in any criminal activity themselves.
