STUDIO CITY, CA — A 79-year-old Vietnam veteran is recovering from serious injuries after intervening in a bizarre and violent home invasion involving a naked man early one morning on Tujunga Avenue.
According to LAPD officials and eyewitness accounts, the suspect—reportedly unclothed and behaving erratically—was seen screaming and picking up signs along a residential street. Concerned neighbors began calling 911 as the individual approached a home where a woman was alone inside.
After the suspect forced his way through an open gate and into the home, the woman fled outside, screaming. Her next-door neighbor, a 79-year-old man and military veteran, came to her aid armed with a firearm. The veteran confronted the intruder and warned him to leave, but police say the suspect physically attacked the man, lifting him and throwing him to the ground.
Despite suffering two broken legs during the assault, the homeowner remained conscious and armed. As the suspect approached him again, the man fired three times, fatally striking the intruder. The suspect collapsed onto the elderly man, pinning him down until help arrived. The veteran was later transported to the hospital with multiple injuries.
LAPD detectives and use-of-force investigators are continuing to review the case. No charges have been filed at this time, and the case will be presented to the district attorney for review. Neighbors have praised the homeowner’s actions as heroic, noting that his intervention likely prevented further harm.
This incident is especially alarming in a community not known for violent crime. Police are still investigating the suspect’s motives and actions leading up to the break-in.
Even at 79 years old, this veteran stepped in to protect his neighbor during a terrifying and unpredictable situation. Despite being severely injured in the attack, he was able to stop the threat, likely preventing further harm. Thankfully, he had the means to defend himself and others when it mattered most. We wish him a full and speedy recovery.