Burglar who tunneled into office shot by startled business owner, California cops say
.jpg "A property management office owner shot a 37-year-old man accused of tunneling through a wall into the business in Redlands, California, police say.")
Police responding to a burglar alarm early Monday at a Redlands, California, property management office couldn’t find signs of a break-in, officers say.
But when the owner arrived at 5 a.m. to check things out, he found someone inside, Redlands police reported on Facebook.
Police said the intruder, who had tunneled through a wall from an adjacent office, rushed the man as he opened the door. The owner opened fire with a handgun, wounding the man.
Clemente Wilson Valenzuela, 37, who police described as homeless, suffered a gunshot wound to the chest, KTLA reported.
Police and fire personnel treated him at the scene and took him to a hospital, where he was reported in critical condition, officials said.
Police said they had been investigating a series of recent burglaries in the area. No charges have been filed against the business owner.
This story was originally published December 1, 2020 at 7:41 AM with the headline "Burglar who tunneled into office shot by startled business owner, California cops say."