Update: Alleged intruder exchanged gunfire with homeowner before fatal shooting
A man was fatally shot Friday after he allegedly broke into a home west of Modesto, the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department said.
Deputies responded around 12:40 p.m. to the 4200 block of West Service Road, near the intersection of Jennings Road, Sgt. Erich Layton said.
An initial investigation showed that the homeowner returned to the property after being alerted of a possible break-in and found an armed intruder inside the home, Layton said. The men exchanged gunfire, and the homeowner fatally shot the alleged intruder, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
Steven Meirinho, nearby farmer and friend who came to check on the situation, said the homeowner where the shooting took place has had break-ins on his property. There also have been other break-ins in the area, Meirinho said.
The incidents seem to come and go in waves, he said, with occasions where neighbors are on high alert for robberies or burglaries.
Of the shooting, Meirinho said, “It’s kind of scary, but you gotta defend what’s yours.”
This is the second fatal shooting related to an apparent illegal home entry this week. A woman was killed Tuesday night while trying to break into a home in unincorporated Modesto.
This story was originally published July 2, 2021 at 1:58 PM.
