San Jacinto homeowner fatally shoots armed intruder, Riverside County deputies say
A homeowner shot and killed an armed intruder who had broken into their San Jacinto home on Friday night, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies were called to the 1300 block of Heron Way at around 10:30 p.m. upon learning of an assault with a deadly weapon and arrived to find one person suffering from a gunshot wound, according to a news release from RSO.
"During the investigation, deputies learned the homeowner was visiting a neighboring residence when he heard screaming and the sound of gunfire from his residence," the release said. "The homeowner ran to his residence and saw an unknown male intruder inside his home, armed with a shotgun."
Neighbor Frankie Aguilar said that the couple were at their house playing games when the ordeal took place.
"His wife was like, 'I'm gonna go charge my phone inside,'" Aguilar recalled.
Two minutes later, he said they heard her screaming that there was an intruder inside of their home.
"When she was screaming, he was shooting at her with a shotgun," Aguilar said.
Deputies said that the woman's husband, who hasn't been publicly identified, ran back to the home and armed himself with a gun that was in their garage.
"During the confrontation, the suspect fired multiple rounds at the homeowner. The homeowner returned fire, striking the suspect," the release said.
The suspect, identified by RSO as 45-year-old Ismael Martinez, was pronounced dead at the scene.
"During the investigation, homicide investigators learned that before this incident, Martinez had assaulted his 52-year-old girlfriend with a knife," an updated RSO release said. "The female victim was found in a vehicle near the scene of the shooting in the 1300 block of South Kirby Street in San Jacinto."
The woman is said to be in stable condition after being taken to a nearby hospital on Saturday. Deputies said that there is no indication that either the suspect or stabbing victim had any relation to Heron Way.
The homeowner was taken to the San Jacinto Sheriff's Station for further investigation, but no arrests have been made in the incident, according to Riverside County officials. The Central Homicide Unit was contacted to assume the probe.
Aguilar said that both the man's wife and teenage daughter were inside the home when the shooting happened.
They said that the case would be submitted to the Riverside County District Attorney's Office for review.
Anyone with more information was asked to contact RSO Central Homicide Unit Investigator Cook at 951-955-2777.
