Man shot by burglars breaking into his car in Morton Grove, Illinois

A man was shot early Sunday when he confronted two people trying to break into a car in the north suburban Morton Grove.

Morton Grove police said at 2:44 a.m., they were called to the 7300 block of Palma Lane for shots fired related to a car break-in. Morton Grove and Niles police responded.

Police learned two people were trying to break into a car on the block, and the owner of the car tried to confront them. The burglars beat the victim and shot him in the leg, police said.

The burglars then left in what witnesses said was a dark-colored sedan.

The suspect and vehicle information were shared with law enforcement, and Morton Grove police were still looking for the burglars as of midday Sunday.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Morton Grove police at 847-470-5200.

Meanwhile, Morton Grove police Chief Michael Weitzel said there have been questions as to whether the incident early Sunday was related to another one that happened early on Wednesday, Jan. 7, on Reba Street.

At 6:02 a.m. that morning, two people were trying to break into a car in the 5700 block of Reba Street, and the owner of the car confronted them. The burglars waved guns and fired four rounds at the owner of the car before fleeing in a gray Genesis sedan with a stolen Illinois license plate, police said.

No one was injured in the earlier incident.

Weitzel wrote that police cannot now comment on whether the two incidents are connected. Both incidents remain under investigation, and police are pursuing multiple leads, Weitzel wrote.

Weitzel also emphasized that Illinois residents have a statutory right to use proportional force to defend their property, incidents such as these "highlight the very real danger of confronting individuals who are engaged in criminal activity.

"Those committing acts of this nature are often willing to escalate situations to deadly force without hesitation, as we saw in this case," Weitzel wrote.