Sleeping homeowner awakes to man in his house, then fires fatal shot, Indiana cops say

A homeowner said he was asleep in his house when he awoke to the sounds of a man in his living room, authorities in Indiana said.

He tried to get the man, whom he didn’t know, to leave, but the intruder attacked him, according to a news release from the Kokomo Police Department.

The homeowner told authorities he then shot the man to stop the assault, police said. He called police to his home at about 8:45 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 15.

Responding officers found Scott Elliot Jones, 51, “in the front door area of the home with a gunshot wound,” authorities said. They provided the Kokomo man with medical treatment until emergency medical personnel arrived, but Jones died of his injuries, police said.

The homeowner, who was not identified by police, received treatment for bruising and minor abrasions, according to the release.

An investigation is ongoing, police said, and an autopsy is scheduled.

Following the investigation, the case will be sent to the Howard County Prosecutor’s Office for review.

Kokomo is about 60 miles north of Indianapolis.

This story was originally published October 17, 2023 at 4:39 PM with the headline "Sleeping homeowner awakes to man in his house, then fires fatal shot, Indiana cops say."