PHELAN, CA — In the early hours of Wednesday morning, deputies from the Victor Valley Sheriff’s Station responded to a report of a home invasion in the 9000 block of Alta Mesa Avenue.

Investigators said the resident was awakened around 2:10 a.m. after hearing noises inside his home. When he went to investigate, he discovered two intruders and heard additional noise coming from another bedroom. Fearing for his safety, the resident armed himself with a handgun and pursued the suspects through the house.

The homeowner fired multiple shots as the suspects fled from the residence. It is unknown at this time whether either suspect was struck by the gunfire. Deputies searched the area but were unable to locate the intruders, who remain unidentified.

This case is a reminder of how unpredictable and dangerous home invasions can be. The homeowner did what he thought he had to do in that moment, and fortunately it worked out. But clearing a house on your own can be extremely risky because you don’t know how many intruders there are, whether they are armed, or what their intentions might be.

A safer approach is often to arm yourself, gather your loved ones into a designated safe room, and call the police. If anyone breaches that safe space, then you do what you must to defend yourself. Incidents like this are valuable to study because they give us a chance to think through scenarios ahead of time, so that if we ever face them ourselves, we can make informed decisions under pressure.