Police: Home invasion led to shooting, first-alarm fire in Peoria

PEORIA, Ariz. (KSAZ) - A masked suspect was taken into custody following a home invasion that resulted in a shooting and a first-alarm house fire in Peoria early Thursday morning.

"She said I heard 5 gunshots, she said they weren't all in a row, they went pow pow pow pow pow and that was it, then we started hearing sirens," said John Barber.

Peoria police say the incident happened at a home near 75th Avenue and Acoma.

Seven people were injured during this incident, including four Maricopa County Sheriff's deputies, one Peoria police officer, and a firefighter, who suffered burns during the first-alarm fire.

Authorities say the masked suspect was shot by the homeowner after breaking into the home and trying to light it on fire with a blow torch.

The suspect then left the scene, but was taken into custody by sheriff's deputies after he was found hiding in a nearby bush.

The resident and the suspect was transported to a hospital in critical condition but the homeowner died at the hospital Thursday evening. Three MCSO deputies and a Peoria police officer were treated for smoke inhalation and a firefighter was treated for burns.

Now detectives are working to find out what sparked the bizarre series of events. They have obtained a search warrant to enter what is left of the home, the investigation could go into the night.