An Albuquerque store owner claims self-defense after shooting and killing a thief who allegedly dug a tunnel into the wall of his store over the weekend.
The owner has not been identified, but told KOB 4 news He slept in a smoke shop in the International District on Saturday and was awakened around 3 a.m. by a scratching noise.
An hour later, a man with a large hammer and what looked like an ax crashed through the wall.
The shopkeeper claimed he picked up a gun and told the man to get out, but an intruder approached him.
The intruder was dead by the time first responders arrived, officials said. Police are currently investigating the case as a justifiable homicide.
The store owner said he went to sleep in the store after two break-in attempts before the store opened for business. He was also concerned about a hole in the wall just big enough for a person to pass through.
Images in the store show a gaping hole with the insulation and drywall pulled apart.
After this weekend’s incident, he told KOB 4 that he plans to patch the hole and install the camera.
