Police in Aurora, Colorado made a tragic mistake early Monday morning. They were called to a home following a reported break-in, and when they arrived on scene they heard gunshots coming from inside the house. When officers went inside they discovered "a very chaotic and violent scene," according to the police report.
As they entered the home, the responding officers encountered an armed man and opened fire. Unfortunately, the man they shot and killed was not the intruder. He was 73-year-old Richard Black, who lived in the home and had called the police to report the home invasion. Police searched his house and found the body of the intruder on the bathroom floor, who Black had shot.
A child, who was injured by the intruder, was taken to the hospital for treatment for serious, but not life-threatening injuries.
"This is a very heartbreaking and tragic situation for everyone involved," Aurora police Chief Nick Metz told KDVR. "We are providing assistance through our victim advocates to help the family of the deceased resident through this very difficult time."