A male burglary suspect was shot and critically wounded by a Woodinville homeowner earlier this afternoon, according to the King County Sheriff's Office.
Sheriff Steven Strachan said the incident began at around 12:30 p.m. Monday when a resident returned to his home in the 14200 block of 168th Ave. NE and saw another car sitting in the driveway with its engine running.
After entering the home and finding a man and woman rummaging through his bedroom closet, the homeowner pulled out a "small-caliber handgun" and instructed the two suspects to remain in place while he called 911.
At some point during the 911 call, the male suspect began to step toward the homeowner, who proceeded to shoot him in the chest and groin.
“He felt fearful, and he fired twice,” Strachan said of the homeowner.
The 29-year-old suspect managed to get to his car and drive approximately two miles north before calling 9-1-1 for medical assistance, police said. He was assisted on the side of the road by passersby before being transported by ambulance to Harborview Medical Center, where Strachan said he is in critical condition.
Meanwhile, the woman fled the scene on foot. Police are currently using K9 units to search for the woman, described as a white female in her 20s who had dark hair in a ponytail and was wearing a black T-shirt.
Sgt. Cindi West, a spokeswoman for the King County Sheriff's Office, said neither suspect is believed to have had a weapon.
Strachan said the homeowner was "very shaken up" but was otherwise unharmed. Police believe he acted within the bounds of the law, pending the results of a full investigation, Strachan said.
“A person is legally authorized to use force in their own home as long as it’s not unreasonable,” Strachan said. “Based on the preliminary information we have now, the homeowner acted legally and appropriately."
