Colorado police kill homeowner who shot intruder in his home

AURORA, Colo. — A man who fatally shot an intruder in his suburban Denver home early Monday was killed by responding officers who saw him holding a weapon, investigators said.

Police received multiple calls about a break-in at the home at about 1:30 a.m., and when officers arrived, they heard gunshots inside, The Aurora Sentinel reported.

Aurora police, who described the scene in a statement as “very chaotic and violent,” said they encountered an armed man and fatally shot him. That man turned out to be the person who lived in the home. A second man, the suspected intruder, was found dead during a search.

A child also suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries at the hands of the intruder, but police did not release additional details, citing an ongoing investigation.

“This is a very heartbreaking and tragic situation for everyone involved,” Police Chief Nick Metz said. “We are providing assistance through our victim advocates to help the family of the deceased resident through this very difficult time.”

Investigators have not released the names of the resident or the suspected intruder, and the officer was placed on administrative leave. A voicemail message left on a phone number associated with the address was not returned Monday evening.

The shooting marked the second deadly encounter involving Aurora police in three days.

On Saturday night, officers shot and killed a man who drove toward them, hitting several of their vehicles.