In mid-March, two armed home invasion suspects surprised a man and woman in Las Vegas by breaking into their home and tying them up with duct tape to remove any chance that they could fight back. However, the man somehow managed to get free and retrieve a gun with which he shot and killed one of the intruders.
He shot the second intruder as well, but the wounds were not life-threatening.
Police reported that they drove to the address after neighbors reported the sounds of screams and of gunshots.
Matt Ciaglia, one of the couples’ neighbors, said he heard the man screaming and called 911. It was not long until he saw a police car pulling up and a police helicopter overhead.
KVVU-TV quoted another neighbor — Angela — who heard the woman screaming rather than the man. She said, “I wasn’t sure what the loud noise was. They were shots. Maybe we thought they were firecrackers because I don’t know what a gunshot is supposed to sound like, but it didn’t immediately seem like that. The girl was screaming loudly, and that was what was so scary — like a horror movie kind of screaming.”
Police said the two intruders entered the home and taped up the man and woman, but they did not report how the suspects made entry. They did say the man and woman both still had pieces of tape on them when the first officers arrived.
Once the man got free, he retrieved a gun and shot 20-year-old Isaack Lorenzo Alamos, killing him. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Lt. Dan McGrath said, “I’m not sure how [the man] was able to break free, but he was able to retrieve a firearm and shoot the suspect multiple times.”
The second suspect — 21-year-old Arnold Morales — tried to flee after Alamos was shot, but the man shot him as well. Some reports indicate that Morales was shot in the buttocks while others indicate he was shot in the lower back. Morales was treated at a hospital and then released into police custody. The charges brought against him included burglary while possessing a gun, attempted murder with a deadly weapon and robbery with a deadly weapon.
The first officers arriving on scene discovered the woman hiding in a closet with a gunshot wound to the arm. They did not report on whether she was purposely shot by the suspects or whether she was caught in crossfire and wounded accidentally.
Both suspects were from the San Bernardino area.
This type of invasion, though frightening, is not uncommon. When it happens, the only defense is to have a firearm and be confident in using it. We saw this in Moncks Corner, South Carolina, in mid-March, as well.
A wife opened the door for a woman dressed like an HOA representative, only to have the woman signal a male suspect who approached the house wearing gloves and mask and carrying a gun. The wife screamed and slammed the door, only to have the male suspect kick it in. Once the suspect forced the door open, the husband opened fire, hitting the suspect multiple times.
The suspect fled the home, then collapsed and died in a nearby yard.
Moncks Corner Police Chief Rick Ollic explained that the deceased suspect was carrying rope in addition to a gun. Ollic said police believe the suspect planned to tie up the family. The evil that could have followed was prevented because the husband had a gun.
Featured image credit: iStock
