Robbery Suspect Shot By Police In Costa Mesa

COSTA MESA (CBSLA) — A terrifying morning for people in one Costa Mesa neighborhood.

As CBSLA's Stacey Butler reports, police shot a 49-year-old man they say tried to break into cars and homes around 5 o'clock Tuesday morning.

Police say he jumped a back patio fence. The resident who lives there said he heard the suspect just outside his sliding glass door. He thought the guy was going to break in when a neighbor called 911.

Joe Killian came running Tuesday morning when he heard a gunshot. He says he went to high school with the suspect who became homeless. Killian says he struggled with drug and alcohol addiction and was in and out of jail.

"I've tried to help him personally," said Killian. "Not once, not twice but numerous times and all my friends too. The resources are out there but like they say you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink."

Alex Bartram says she has watched the number of homeless in her neighborhood skyrocket and crime is so bad she's moving at the end of the month.

"We have two small children and it's just not the place where we want our kids to be and see the people in the neighborhood that are walking up and down the street," said Bartram.

"They'll come off the street because there's an alcoholic detox right there," said Killian. "With the detox there's always that activity. We've been fighting it a long time, but the police are really good."

Police say the man who was shot was in a local hospital Tuesday night recovering from one gunshot wound. They say that his injuries are not life-threatening.