Suspect shot after trespassing into Buckeye homeowner’s backyard, police say

BUCKEYE, Ariz. - A suspect trespassing in a Buckeye homeowner's backyard was shot early Sunday morning, the police department said.

At around 2:30 a.m. near 237th Avenue and Mohave Street, officers responded to reports of a shooting. When they got there, a man was walking out of the home with his hands up.

He was detained as officers searched the home.

During the search, they found a man in the backyard who was shot in the chest and was bleeding. He was taken to the hospital and is in critical condition.

Investigators say the homeowner and his family were asleep when they heard someone ring the doorbell. The homeowner grabbed a handgun and looked out the front window but didn't see anyone.

The homeowner then searched the back of the house after hearing a noise.

"He went to the back door, opened it and confronted an unknown man. The homeowner says the man ignored commands to leave and walked towards the homeowner. The homeowner fired a single shot, hitting the man in the chest," police said.

The suspect who was shot wasn't identified but is described as a man in his early 20s.

No more information was given by police.