Deadly confrontation: Alberta man explains what happened when he shot an intruder to death
An Alberta man says he was beaten with a baseball bat before he fatally shot an intruder who had broken into his home in Red Deer County over the August long weekend.
“It’s pretty tough…I don't wish this on anybody. If I would have know that he was in the house I would never have gone in the house in a million years. I would have just waited out front and called police again,” said the Penhold resident.
CTV has agreed to not identify the man.
He said the victim is not known to the family but was told he previously lived at the property or worked for the previous owner.
The man said the intruder repeatedly tried to break in over the long weekend while he was on vacation with his wife, but his children ages 13 and 17 were home during two of the break-in attempts.
He said police were called and told the man to stay away.
He added that the whole family was away but then returned Monday afternoon to find the gate open. Screens were pulled off the house and the family's quad was moved.
The windows were still locked but he grabbed his shotgun and went into the house to investigate and told his family to wait in their motorhome.
His 13-year-old daughter captured the chaos of the final moments of the encounter on her cell phone.
“I walked down to the end of the hall and I got there, there’s someone laying in our bed and I immediately started shouting at him to get down on the floor, get down on the floor and then he kind of went down and then he came at me and tussled a bit and I pushed back.”
The man said he tried to get out of the house but the intruder hit him multiple times with a baseball bat before he shot him.
“He was like two and a half feet from me when I fired and then it was over.”
RCMP say charges are not being laid at this time.
“However the investigation is not concluded yet,” said Cpl. Susan Richter, Alberta RCMP.
The man said the hardest part is knowing the victim also had a 13-year-old daughter who is now without her father.
“It could have been my 13-year-old daughter that lost her dad so I’m really having a rough time with that.”
The distraught man said he wishes things would have turned out a lot differently.
“I am going to be purchasing pepper spray because if I had gone in with a big can of pepper spray, he would be alive, I wouldn’t be hurt….the situation wouldn’t have gone to where it did.”
He said his knuckle was crushed and he has to undergo surgery. He also can’t hear out of one ear, has stitches and bruises to his head and bruises on his back.
He praised the RCMP's handling of the case for their professionalism in the way they handled the incident.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Iran fires air defence batteries in provinces as explosions heard near Isfahan
Iran fired air defence batteries early Friday morning after reports of explosions near a major airbase at the city of Isfahan, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' murder case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.