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El Cajon

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An off-duty U.S. Customs inspector shot a burglary suspect Tuesday when the man walked out of a neighbor’s house and pointed a handgun at the inspector, El Cajon police said. Police refused to identify the inspector and identified the suspect only as John Doe.

According to police, the inspector and his wife heard a neighbor’s burglar alarm go off about 4 p.m. The inspector grabbed his .357-caliber service revolver and walked to the neighbor’s house, while his wife dialed 911 for help.

An El Cajon police spokesman said the inspector confronted the unidentified suspect as he was leaving the front door of the residence, in the 1200 block of Random Court. The inspector ordered the intruder to stop, but the man pointed a pistol at the inspector, police aid.

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The inspector fired one shot, striking the man once in the heart. He was taken to Sharp Memorial Hospital, where a nurse said he was in critical condition Tuesday night in the intensive care unit after surgery.

The suspect did not fire the handgun that he pointed at the inspector, police said.

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