EUSTIS, Fla. — A homeowner shot and killed a man trying to break into a storage shed on his property Tuesday morning, Lake County Sheriff's deputies said.
- Investigators: Homeowner shoots, kills burglary suspect
- Deputies: People had repeatedly tried to break in day before
- Neighbors said crime is increasing in the area
Deputies identified the man shot and killed as Brandon Allen Woods, 27.
Investigators say that a day earlier, Woods had repeatedly tried to break into a building on the property of the Pine Lakes home.
Then, just before 5 a.m., deputies responded to a "burglary in progress" at a residence on Dee Street in Eustis.
The homeowner told deputies he shot Woods after confronting him at the residence.
The homeowner was taken to a hospital for injuries he sustained while fighting with Woods, deputies say.
"The homeowner at that point was very mindful of how busy they had been targeting his property, so he was up sometime between 4:30 and 5 this morning and heard voices again," Sheriff's Lt. John Herrell said. "He went outside to investigate again, and that’s when he confronted the suspect on his property."
According to deputies, three separate burglaries had been reported at the residence prior to the shooting.
Neighbors said they've had storage buildings on their property broken into and think crime in the area is increasing.
"It was nice and quiet, nobody bothering you," Nick French said. "Now, it just keeps coming up all the time. If I’d have known that, I would have never bought the place."
Said Diana French: “I’m not going to deal with it. They come into my yard, and they're done, point-blank. I’m not playing."
Lake County deputies said they're looking for other suspects they think were involved in the break-ins. They're asking anyone who might have any information that can help them in this case to call Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS, where tips can be reported anonymously.
Reporter Jeff Allen contributed to this story.