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1 dead, another sought after resident shoots home invader

A resident shot and killed a man who had kicked in his front door during a west valley home invasion late Wednesday night, according to Las Vegas police.

Two people broke into a two-story home in the 8100 block of Cactus Flower Court, near Cimarron Road and Alta Drive, about 11:27 p.m. while the resident was home, police said.

The resident, who has not been identified, ran upstairs to a bedroom and got a gun. One of the intruders — a man, who was also armed — followed close behind.

The two exchanged gunfire, police said, and the intruder was shot several times. The man ran out of the house.

The resident was not hurt, police said.

When police arrived, they found the bleeding man lying in the street. He was taken to University Medical Center where he died about three hours later, according to Metro.

The second intruder fled the home. Police are still on the lookout for that person and have not released a description.

Late Thursday morning, nobody came to the door where the shooting took place. The outdoor lights were on.

Demetri Griffin, 19, is a life-long resident of the 8100 block of Cactus Flower Court, a cul-de-sac. He lives with his parents and sister across the street from where the shooting happened.

Thursday morning, a trail of dried blood started at an arch entrance from that home’s front door and ended at the driveway.

That was in stark contrast to Griffin’s view of what he said has been a quiet neighborhood. Before then, he said, he didn’t remember seeing a police officer on the block.

“I’m shocked,” Griffin said.

So was his sister, he said, who woke him up in a panic after the commotion from the home invasion.

“So I got up, got dressed and ran out,” Griffin said.

Outside he could see a man on the phone across the street. He sounded like he was telling police what happened, Griffin said.

Another man wearing dark clothes lay in the driveway, Griffin said.

“He was collapsed on the ground, trying to move, trying to get up,” Griffin said. Later the man “slowly stopped moving.”

People who shoot someone suspected of invading their home typically are not prosecuted.

In 2013, three Las Vegas residents shot people whom police said were breaking into or had broken into their homes. In one of those cases, the intruder was killed. A homeowner fatally a shot someone who broke in Feb. 4 in the 2300 block of Westwind Road, near the intersection of Lindell Road and Sahara Avenue.

Charges were not pursued in any of those cases.

Anyone with any information about this incident is urged to contact the LVMPD Homicide Section by phone at 702-828-3521, or by email at homicide@lvmpd.com. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers by phone at 702-385-5555, or on the internet at www.crimestoppersofnv.com. Tips leading directly to an arrest or indictment processed through Crime Stoppers may be eligible for a cash reward.

Contact reporter Colton Lochhead at clochhead@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638. Find him on Twitter: @ColtonLochhead. Contact Ricardo Torres at rtorres@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Find him on Twitter: @rickytwrites.

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