Man Fatally Shoots Intruder Inside His Ontario Apartment
ONTARIO (CBSLA.com) — An intruder was fatally shot early Monday morning after breaking into an Inland Empire apartment, police said.
The shooting occurred around 3 a.m. at an apartment shared by a father and son in the 2500 block of East Riverside Drive in Ontario, police said.
Thomas Gilbert Manzano, along with another male, had just returned to the complex after a night of drinking, and got confused as to the location of an apartment he had been squatting in.
"Believing they had returned to the vacant apartment, the suspect, after trying unsuccessfully to enter, banged on the front door and woke up a father who told the suspect to go away," Sgt. David McBride said. "The suspect verbally threatened the father and then went to his (Father's) adult son's bedroom window and forced his way into the son's room."
Once inside, Manzano, 24, confronted the son and a physical fight ensued.
"The father who was in another bedroom heard the commotion and armed himself before coming to the aide of his son. The father entered the son's bedroom and shot the suspect who was attacking his son," McBride said.
The Barstow resident suffered life-threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital where he died.
Both the father and son have been cooperative with police, but it is unclear if they will face charges.
The second man, the squatter who accompanied Manzano drinking, was located, questioned and later released, police said.
