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A man in a home outside Molalla was awakened about 2 a.m. Saturday to an intruder trying to enter through the front door. The man fired a single shotgun blast at the suspect, striking him in the head and neck, according to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office.

(The Oregonian)

A man staying in the home of his deceased relative, which had been targeted by burglars in recent weeks, awoke early Saturday to the sound of someone forcing his way in through the front door.

The man fired a single shotgun shot at the burglary suspect, striking him in the head and neck, according to Clackamas County Sheriff's Sgt. Dan Kraus.

The suspect, Konstantin Kutsov, 23, of Beavercreek, was taken by ambulance to OHSU Hospital to be treated for the wound and is expected to survive, according to the sheriff's office.

Rebecca Picken, 20, alleged burglary accomplice

Sheriff's deputies arrested an alleged accomplice of Kutsov. Rebecca Picken, 20, of Molalla, was taken into custody, accused of possession and distribution of methamphetamine.

The burglary attempt occurred about 2 a.m. in the 30800 block of Short Fellows Road, just outside Molalla.

The residence had sat unoccupied for more than a year since the death of the homeowner, authorities said. The home had been burglarized several times in recent weeks.

Relatives decided to take turns staying at the property overnight to try to deter the burglaries and thefts, according to the sheriff's office.

On Saturday morning, it was the son of the deceased homeowner who was sleeping in the house and confronted the alleged burglary suspect.

Kraus declined to identify the son who fired the shotgun blast but described him as the victim in the case and in his late 60s. The home belonged to Myrtle Carroll Bruce until she died in March 2007 at age 85.

Lori Harper, who lives across the street, said she wasn't aware of the shooting or that the home had been burglarized in recent weeks.

"Oh, my goodness. I can't believe that happened across the road in the middle of the night,'' Harper said Saturday morning. Harper said she didn't hear the shotgun blast.

Detectives are continuing to examine the circumstances of the shooting and whether the man who fired the shotgun was justified, Kraus said.

Kraus said he did not know whether the burglary suspect was inside the house or on the front stoop when he was shot or whether he was armed.

Detectives from the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office Violent Crimes and Homicide Unit responded to investigate. The investigation is continuing and additional charges may be filed, Kraus said.

Under Oregon law, a person is justified in using deadly physical force against another if the person reasonably believes that the other person is either committing or attempting to commit a felony involving the use or threatened imminent use of physical force, committing or attempting to commit a burglary in a dwelling or using or about to use unlawful deadly physical force.

-- Maxine Bernstein