A Washington state homeowner is facing a second-degree murder charge after he fatally shot an intruder he found showering in his home, authorities said.
The Belfair homeowner’s arrest, which came as a surprise to many on social media, followed the property owner allegedly confronting the intruder, exchanging words with him around 8 a.m. Saturday, and then leaving the property to get a gun, the Mason County Sheriff’s office said.
When he returned, deputies said he shot the man in the shower without warning, multiple times, before calling 911 to report what he had done.
Lt. Travis Adams described the man’s use of deadly force as unwarranted.
“Certainly he had an opportunity to call law enforcement at that time,” he told local KOMO News, commenting on the moments before the shooter retrieved his gun. “And we’ve contacted our local prosecutor, explained the circumstances to him, and he agrees that second-degree murder was an appropriate charge in this case.”
Authorities said that the homeowner also owned the second property directly next door, where he retrieved the gun.
Lt. Adams told iFiber One News Radio that the shooter’s name will be released once he is formally charged on Monday. And the sheriff’s office reported on Twitter that he was cooperating with authorities at the scene.
The Mason County coroner identified the deceased 31-year-old victim as Nathaniel Joseph Rosa who had been visiting his mother who lives in northern Mason County, the Kitsap Sun reported.
CORRECTION: In an earlier version, the Kitsap Sun was misspelled.
