Home invasion ends in slaying

The slaying of a man in a home invasion robbery early Wednesday has neighbors worried.

"I feel helpless," said Glennis Posner, who lives near the southwest valley home where the crime took place.

"I think it's just going to get worse as the town gets bigger," she said about the normally quiet neighborhood.

According to the Metropolitan Police Department, two men forced a woman at gunpoint into her home in the 9400 block of Forbes Field Court, near Fort Apache and Russell roads, as she arrived around midnight.

A 27-year-old man described by neighbors as friendly arrived a short time later with another woman, police said. After confronting the two suspects, he was shot in the head and killed. The suspects then fled on foot.

Police said robbery was the motive, and they didn't see the crime as being part of "a series."

Police did not identify any of the victims. They didn't say what items were taken from the home, nor did they say whether the two women involved were injured.

Posner said she has lived in her home with her husband and four children for three years. Six months ago, she called the police to report a suspicious person on her property. About a month ago, her neighbor's home was burglarized. She doesn't anticipate things getting any better.

"I'm worried about what a mess it's going to be in 10 years," she said. "My husband and I talked about moving, but it's everywhere. There's nowhere to go."

Police offered steps that residents can take to help prevent burglaries and home invasions.

"I would advise people to go to any substation and start a Neighborhood Watch program," police spokesman Jay Rivera said, adding that all police substations have representatives available to help start such programs.

If there is suspicious activity, it should always be reported, he said.

"Anytime people see something that doesn't look right or out of the ordinary, definitely call us. We'll check it out," Rivera said.

When reporting a suspicious person, it is helpful to get a good description of the person -- including race, height, weight and clothing -- as well as the make, model and license plate number of any vehicles the person is using, he said.

It is also important to be familiar with one's neighbors and know who they are and what they drive, he said.

"The way society is today, it's unfortunate, but people don't know their neighbors," Rivera said. "So if you pay attention to your neighborhood, you'll know what the norm is. So if something is different, you'll recognize it a lot quicker."

Police said the two suspects were last seen running east on Forbes Field Court. They described the suspects as black, in their 20s and wearing dark clothing.

Contact reporter Scott Spjut at sspjut@reviewjournal.com or (702) 383-0279.