A California homeowner fatally shot a man who attempted to carry out a burglary at his property, according to police.
Fontana Police Department (FPD) officers were alerted to reports of a burglary at a house on the corner of Cypress Avenue and Baseline at about 10:47 p.m. on Saturday, according to NBC Los Angeles.
The homeowner, who has not been named, told officers that several people had attempted to break into his home and that he believed at least one person was inside and armed.
According to NBC Los Angeles, the homeowner armed himself with a handgun before his call to the police disconnected.
After officers arrived at the home, the man came outside and surrendered to them and told them he had shot someone inside the house.
When police entered the home they found a man dead inside the hallway. He was found to be wearing gloves, a COVID-19 face mask and appeared to be between 20- and 30- years-old police told the network.
Officers found a semi-automatic handgun close to his body and police said there were brass casings from two different firearms inside the home.
The other people who the man said also tried to break into the home had run away, according to NBC Los Angeles.
Officers have since launched an investigation into the shooting and are searching for the other individuals.
Police told the network they believe the dead man inside the home had attempted to carry out a burglary and that the homeowner defended himself.
Newsweek has contacted the FPD for comment.
California's self-defense laws allow homeowners to defend themselves and others "without retreating," according to the Shouse California Law Group.
It added that lawful self-defense is determined if the person believes they or another person is in imminent danger, reasonably believes that immediate force is needed to defend against the danger and that they used no more force than is reasonably necessary.
According to the Gun Violence Archive, a database that collects information about shootings from across the U.S., this was the first fatal shooting in Fontana this year.
There have been numerous occasions where home invaders have been killed after forcing their way into a property.
Last year an elderly couple from South Carolina killed a home invader who was armed with a knife.
Herbert Parrish, 82, and his wife Lois, 79, were at their home when they heard a knock on the door before they became engaged in a struggle with Harold Runnels Jr., 61.
Vietnam War veteran Herbert managed to fight off Runnels Jr. who later died of his injuries. He told Fox 57: "I opened the door and he said he was looking for his little white chihuahua and wanted to know if I saw it. I told him no, I hadn't."
During a subsequent struggle, Herbert took a shotgun and hit Runnels Jr. with the barrel of the weapon until he became unconscious.
Herbert confirmed he hit Runnels Jr. at least ten times in the face, "just as hard as I could hit him."
