‘He’s back there screaming:’ Leesburg homeowner calls 911 after shooting burglar, police say

Suspected burglar transported to the hospital; homeowner uninjured

A homeowner shoots a burglar in Leesburg, officials say. (Copyright 2022 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved.)

LEESBURG, Fla. – The 911 call made by a Leesburg man who shot one of two burglars who broke into his home was released Wednesday.

Police said they responded to the home on Flora View Lane around 7:30 a.m. Monday after the homeowner called saying two men entered his residence and he shot one of them.

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“I need an ambulance here, and I need a police officer immediately. Somebody just broke into my house. He got shot. Please hurry,” the homeowner told the 911 operator.

[LISTEN TO THE FULL 911 CALL BELOW]

The man then went on to say there were two people “inside of the house” and he shot one with his pistol.

“They fell out the back of the house through the sliding glass door. He’s on my back porch,” the homeowner said in the 911 call. “There’s somebody else here, too, ma’am. I don’t know which way he went.”

The homeowner then told the operator he walked outside to the front of the house “with the pistol in (his) hand” with his dog.

“I’m gonna set (the pistol) out on the ground, is that OK?” the 911 caller asked the operator. “It’s still gonna be loaded, but it’s on the ground.”

The homeowner can be heard telling the operator to “please hurry” again.

“I’m not sure if the man’s dead or not ... he’s back there screaming, rolling,” he said over the 911 call.

The man was flown to the hospital where he underwent surgery. The homeowner was uninjured, police said.

According to the man, his house was broken into the day prior to him catching and shooting a burglar Monday and he filed an incident report.

The Leesburg Police Department said the men likely believed the home was abandoned after a tree fell on it a few days ago.

Police said officers are searching for the second suspected burglar who is described as having a slim build. He is about 5 feet, 8-9 inches tall and was last seen wearing a black hoodie and tan shorts.

Anyone with surveillance video or information is asked to call the Criminal Investigations Division at 352-728-9862.


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