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LOS ANGELES, CA — A late-night attempt to steal tires from a vehicle ended in gunfire when a homeowner confronted the suspects outside his residence in the North Hills area of Los Angeles.
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, the incident occurred around 12:30 a.m. on March 24 in the 16000 block of Gledhill Street. A man in his 40s told police he heard noises and went outside to investigate, where he discovered a group of individuals attempting to remove the tire and rim from his wife’s vehicle parked in the driveway.
When he confronted the suspects, one of them reportedly opened fire, prompting the homeowner to return fire. A male suspect, believed to be in his late teens or early 20s, was struck by gunfire and later transported to a nearby hospital in stable condition. No one else was injured in the incident, including the homeowner and his wife.
The LAPD is continuing its investigation and has not yet released information on potential charges or whether the other individuals involved were taken into custody.
While California does have a Castle Doctrine and is a stand-your-ground state, deadly force is only legally justified when the defender has a reasonable belief of imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury. Defending property alone is not a legal basis for the use of lethal force.
In this case, the shooting appears to have been a response to a deadly threat initiated by the suspect, rather than an attempt to simply stop a theft.
This incident highlights the risks of confronting suspects during a property crime. While it’s understandable to want to intervene, doing so can escalate the situation quickly and unpredictably. The homeowner was fortunate to escape injury, but the outcome could have been much worse. When possible, it’s safer to call 911, observe from a safe location, and avoid direct engagement unless there is an immediate threat to life or safety.
