Sheriff's office: Collinsville homeowner shoots man trying to break into house
COLLINSVILLE, Okla. (KTUL) — The Tulsa County Sheriff's Office is investigating after they say a homeowner shot someone trying to break into his Collinsville home.
Deputies say the suspect, now identified as 33-year-old Kou Yang, was taken to the hospital in potentially serious condition.
The sheriff's office says the owner of a home near East 131st Street North and North Memorial Drive called 911 around 4 a.m. to report a burglary in progress.
"I am really surprised that that happened around here," neighbor Jim Schraad.
Schraad has lived in the neighborhood for about 30 years.
"The last time we had a break in was in like '07, '08," Schraad said.
The sheriff's office says the homeowner woke up to his dogs barking and that back door open.
The homeowner reportedly armed himself and approached the back door. He then saw that Yang was armed with a firearm so the homeowner fired his gun and hit the suspect twice, according to the sheriff's office.
"I am sure that is not something he wanted to do," Schraad said. "I can't speak for him but I think he did the right thing by protecting his family."
The homeowner's wife and his two children were both home during the altercation, something Schraad calls a nightmare.
"I hope I am never put in the position where I have to shoot somebody but if I have to protect my family and they are armed, yes I will do what I have to do to protect my family," Schraad said.
The Stand Your Ground law supports it, too.
"You have a right to protect your home if someone is armed and in your house and poses a risk to your safety or the safety of your family," said Casey Roebuck, spokeswoman for Tulsa County Sheriff's Office.
Yang dropped his weapon and dropped to the ground but got up and ran away from the home, the sheriff's office says. Yang reportedly went to other houses looking for help, and Collinsville police later found him lying in the street not far from the home he tried to break into.
Investigators found multiple firearms, according to the sheriff's office.
The sheriff's office is looking into whether there was a second suspect who could've ran off when Yang was shot, dropping a handgun. Deputies haven't been able to interview Yang yet to confirm their theory.
Yang is expected to recover, according to the sheriff's office. He was shot in both hips and his hand.
When Yang is release from the hospital, he faces charges for trespassing, assault with a deadly weapon, first-degree burglary and possession of a firearm in commission of a felony.
