ADA, Okla. – An Oklahoma man who was trying to drown his twin 3-month-old children was shot and killed by a neighbor Friday, police said.

Lisa Bratcher, a spokeswoman for the City of Ada, told reporters that Leland Foster, 27, (pictured) died from gunshot wounds after a 12-year-old girl ran from the home and alerted a neighbor for help.

Cash Freeman was identified as the neighbor, according to Bratcher. The relationship of the heroic 12-year-old girl was undisclosed.

Freeman reportedly told police he went to the home armed with a handgun and shot Foster twice after seeing him holding the infants under water in a bathtub while threatening the children’s mother with a knife.

According to KFOR-TV, Freeman shot Foster twice in the back as he tried to drown the infants.

“It’s awful because I’ve held the babies and, like, I’ve played with them and I just gave them clothes yesterday,” said neighbor Summer Pierce.

The 3-month-old twins were flown to Oklahoma City Hospital, but have since been released. During the subsequent investigation, Freeman was questioned and ultimately released by police.

Freeman told KFOR-TV he felt he did the right thing, but was worried he may be in trouble. Pierce doesn’t believe he should be.

“I think he did the right thing because who knows what would happen, . . . to the babies if he hadn’t intervened. They might not have made it.”

The district attorney’s office will decide whether the act was justified homicide or not.

Foster had been charged in 2011 with domestic abuse by strangulation and arson, KFOR-TV reported.

(Photo: Police Handout)