RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif. (KCRA) – A California grandfather says he was defending his two grandsons when he fatally shot a burglar who broke into his store.
Investigators with the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office say the suspect was shot and killed at a Rancho Cordova store just after 1 a.m. Sunday. Robert, who manages and stays in the building, says he was forced to defend his life and the lives of his grandsons, ages 4 and 14. He did not want to give his last name.
“All of a sudden, the guy kicked the door. Boom, it was that quick,” the 70-year-old grandfather said. “We’d be dead. Because if he would have got my gun when I pulled it out. Because he continued to go towards me. He wasn’t afraid of me.”
Robert says he was asleep in the back room with his grandsons when the older one woke him up.
“Shook me. ‘Papa, wake up. There’s somebody breaking in.’ And I didn’t hear the glass break,” he said.
The suspect, who has not been identified, collapsed and died in the parking lot after he was shot. Deputies say he was a man in his 30s and did not have a gun on him.
Robert says the suspect flashed a light in his face, and he thought he saw something with a trigger. He and his grandchildren were not hurt in the incident.
A man named Sunny who was passing by the crime scene Sunday morning recorded video when police closed off the parking lots. He says he understands why Robert pulled the trigger.
“You have to protect yourself. You have to do it,” Sunny said. “I have kids and stuff like that. I have to protect them. I will definitely do that. It’s your life. That’s your blood, and you definitely have to do stuff like that.”
Deputies are investigating the shooting as a homicide but say it should send a strong message to criminals.
“Business owners don’t want to be victims anymore, and they’re taking their matters into their own hands. This isn’t something that we’re encouraging – vigilantism, by any stretch. But at the same time, you have to applaud him. He demonstrated restraint. He did what he had to do to protect the people inside, including himself,” said Sgt. Amar Gandhi with the sheriff’s office.
Robert says if faced with the same decision, he would put his life on the line for his family again.
“Am I upset about him? Yes. I didn’t want him to break in, but I’m very happy that my babies are alive,” he said.
Investigators say Robert has been cooperative, and they don’t believe he will be arrested or face charges.
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