Rittman homeowner shoots an intruder who turns out to be stepson

RITTMAN —Police are investigating a shooting at a Hilty Avenue home where a homeowner said he shot a suspected intruder who turned out to be the man's stepson. According to a news release, at approximately 8:42 a.m. Wednesday, Rittman police received a 911 call from a 68-year-old man who said he shot an intruder at his house in the 300 block of Hilty Avenue. The 911 call came from a calm man who said, "I just shot an intruder in my house," before asking for a squad. The resident identified the suspect as his 28-year-old estranged stepson. "He went out the garage," the homeowner said during the call. The 68-year-old said he thought he might have hit the man when he fired his .38-caliber revolver, but didn't know where. "He took off. I don't know where he is now. He went out the back," the man said in the call. When officers arrived they were unable to find the suspect who ran from the home. Investigators recovered a bullet on the floor in the attached garage and a revolver from inside the house. Rittman school officials were notified of the shooting as the home is roughly a half mile from the district campus. The schools were not placed on lockdown. The homeowner told police he was asleep just prior to the shooting and that his stepson is currently homeless. He also told police his stepson has broken into his house in the past. Special agents from the state Attorney General's Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) responded to handle the crime scene and will conduct the subsequent follow-up investigation with assistance from Rittman police. The case will possibly be presented to a Wayne County grand jury at a later date to be determined. Listen to the 911 call released by Rittman police related to the Wednesday shooting at a Hilty Avenue home. https://media.myteamscoop.com/audio/9/96/911 Call Hilty Drive_edit.mp3