PUEBLO, CO — A Pueblo homeowner shot a man in the leg on December 8, 2025, after discovering him inside his residence during what authorities say was a burglary in progress.

At approximately 2:26 p.m., Pueblo Police Dispatch received a call from a woman reporting that her brother had shot someone. Responding officers arrived at the home and located the suspect, identified as 30-year-old Ricardo Alonzo Diaz, with a gunshot wound to his right thigh. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment.

According to police, the homeowner had returned to find his front door ajar and an unknown man inside. He retrieved a .22 caliber revolver from his bedroom and texted his sister, who also resides at the home and confirmed she did not know the man. Armed, the homeowner confronted Diaz, who was holding a knife. The homeowner then fired a single shot, striking Diaz in the leg, and instructed his sister to call 911.

In a subsequent interview, Diaz admitted to being homeless and said he had been checking doors. He told detectives that upon finding the door to the residence unlocked, he entered while no one was home, consumed some food, and left. He later returned, which is when the homeowner arrived and the confrontation occurred.

Diaz was released from the hospital and booked into the Pueblo County Jail on charges of second-degree burglary.

This incident underscores the importance of securing entry points to your home and being prepared to defend oneself when confronted with a potentially dangerous intruder. The homeowner’s ability to access his firearm and respond to the armed intruder helped stop the threat before it escalated further.