Homeowner shoots burglar on Christmas morning in Anaheim Hills

A man who was caught burglarizing an Anaheim Hills home early Christmas morning was struck in the back by a shotgun blast fired by the homeowner as he was fleeing, police said.

The suspect, Jeremy William Bell, 29, of Fullerton was later apprehended and was being treated at a hospital for a non-life-threatening injury, Anaheim police Lt. Bob Dunn said. Bell was later released from the hospital and is being held at Orange County Jail on $500,000 bail. He was arrested on suspicion of robbery.

The homeowner said he confronted Bell, who was wearing a ski mask, in his home in the 900 block of South Country Glen Way about 3:30 a.m., police said. After the suspect struck the homeowner with a wrench, the homeowner retrieved a shotgun, police said.

The homeowner fired one shot at Bell as he was fleeing, police said. Bell kept running and was later found by police hiding in the garage of another home, police said.

Police said they think Bell burglarized another home hours before the shooting.

The owner of that home told police he also saw a man in a ski mask attempting to break into his home through a downstairs window. The suspect fled but could not be found by police searching the area.

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