93-year-old homeowner not jailed after shooting intruder, authorities say

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif. (Gray News) - Authorities in Southern California are investigating a home invasion where a homeowner shot one of the intruders.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department reports deputies were called to a residence regarding a burglary in progress.

Authorities said homeowner Joe Teague, 93, told dispatch he had several people at gunpoint in his home. Arriving deputies found one of the intruders, 33-year-old Joseph Ortega, suffering from a gunshot wound.

Ortega was taken to a hospital in critical condition.

The sheriff’s office said witnesses told deputies that several people ran away from the man’s home just before authorities arrived.

Investigators reported that several people, including Ortega, were inside Teague’s home when the shooting occurred, and the homeowner was unharmed in the incident.

He was questioned at the Moreno Valley Station and returned home. Their investigation remains ongoing.

Anyone with further information on the incident was urged to contact the Moreno Valley Sheriff’s Station at 951-955-2777.