Intruder shot dead at Oakland grow house OAKLAND

An armed intruder was shot and killed early Monday morning after reportedly breaking into a downtown Oakland home where marijuana was being grown, police said.

Officers who responded at 4:40 a.m. said they found the mortally wounded intruder as well as an unspecified number of marijuana plants growing in the house.

The house is located on the 300 block of Seventh Street near Webster Street, just two blocks from Oakland police headquarters, said Officer Johnna Watson, a police spokeswoman.

Police said the shooting was called in by a 57-year-old resident who told officers the gunfire erupted after he found an armed intruder breaking into his home near the city's Chinatown area. Two other assailants escaped, police said.

During the break-in, the intruders shot and killed the resident's dog, police said.

The resident, whose name was not released, provided paperwork showing that the pot-growing operation was legal, police said, but investigators had not verified that.

"We still want to confirm" that, said police Lt. Kevin Wiley. "Just because you have a piece of paper doesn't necessarily mean it's legitimate. So there's a lot more work for the investigators to follow up on."

The dead man's name was withheld, pending notification of relatives.

Officers, who recovered the gun used by the intruder and another weapon used by the resident, said they were looking into what led up to the shooting.

The Alameda County district attorney's office is expected to review the case to determine whether charges will be filed against the resident.

Oakland is a political center for advocates of the medical marijuana industry. The city allows legal marijuana grow houses to have up to 72 indoor plants, 20 outdoor plants and three pounds of dried marijuana.

But marijuana is still illegal under federal law, and federal authorities have targeted two Oakland dispensaries this year, riling medical marijuana advocates who organized a protest demonstration during President Obama's stop there last month.