Newport Beach home invasion incident remains under investigation

Newport Beach Police Department officials are so far keeping under wraps their investigation of the Newport Coast home invasion incident early Tuesday that left one man shot by a resident and another man dead nearby.

Police, in a news release issued midmorning Tuesday, said they received reports at around 4:45 a.m. of a possible home invasion near Newport Coast Drive and Pelican Hill Road North. The caller reported that one of the residents of the property shot a suspect while they were inside of the home. That suspect then fled with another suspect.

Upon their arrival at the house in the 100 block of Vista Luci, officers found a male with a handgun lying in the street with apparent gunshot wounds and transported him to a hospital for his injuries, police said.

The other suspect was found dead in the bushes near the property with what police say appears to have been a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

All four residents — a man, two women and a child — were evacuated safely.

“We know that there is a relationship between the two suspects and the victims, the residents,’’ Newport Beach police spokesman Sgt. Steve Oberon told reporters at the scene. “It was a home invasion. Whether it was a robbery or what their other intentions are, I don’t know at this time.”

In a statement made late Tuesday, Oberon said authorities are aware of the community’s concerns, adding the department is “committed to thoroughly investigating this serious matter and providing accurate and timely information and updates.

“Releasing information prematurely could compromise our efforts to resolve the situation and ensure justice,” said Oberon in the statement. “We ask for your understanding and patience as our officers and detectives work diligently on this case. We are committed to maintaining the safety and security of all Newport Beach residents and community members, and will provide press release updates as appropriate when they do not jeopardize the ongoing investigation.”

In a comment to City News Service on Tuesday, Newport Beach Mayor Will O’Neill said, “I can tell you right now, if you come into Newport Beach to commit a crime, we will defend ourselves, and today is an example of that.”