'You don't expect this': Florida homeowner shoots, kills intruder leaving neighbors in disbelief
PORT ORANGE, Fla. - A man is dead after trying to break into a home in Port Orange, according to police.
Investigators said the homeowner shot and killed the person as they were trying to force their way inside. When FOX 35 News went to the home, a man there told us they didn’t have any comment.
Neighbors said that even though the intruder was killed, they’re still on edge.
"I was shocked," said Rachel Kaiser who lives right next door. "It was just disbelief."
She said she was awake when the police said her neighbor pulled the trigger, but she didn’t hear a thing.
"I woke up to the text from my mom going, ‘Can you call me when you wake up?’ And that's how I found out that it even happened. I had no idea," said Kaiser. "
Kaiser says the worst thing that happened in the neighborhood before this was some Amazon packages getting stolen.
"It's just bizarre. It never happens that close to home. I can't imagine how they feel at all."
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Others said it isn’t just the neighborhood that’s normally quiet – it’s the entire city. Alex Lavasseur says this is the first time something like this has happened in that area, and he hopes it’s the last.
"This is Port Orange. You don't expect this," said Lavasseur.
Port Orange Police say they’re still investigating.
They haven’t said who the intruder was, or whether he has any connection to the neighborhood.
"Does that indicate that that is even that same potential suspicious person or not?" wondered Kaiser. "It's all unsettling regardless," she added.
Kaiser and Lavasseur agree that moving forward, they plan to be more vigilant, joining community forums and communicating more with neighbors about suspicious activity.
"We can't predict the future, but we can take steps to prevent this from happening again," said Lavasseur.
Port Orange Police are asking people from the public to come forward if they have any information that could help with that investigation.