Terrell Ruben, 42, became the third person shot and killed in an attempted burglary in Richmond this year. A Richmond homeowner shot Ruben in the chest after he discovered Ruben and another man attempting to steal property from his backyard last Saturday.

Homeowners killing intruders or burglars tend to be very rare, according to police.

“We go years and years without them happening,” said Capt. Mark Gagan at the Richmond Police Department. Out of the 13 homicides this year, three were killed by homeowners.

The man who shot Ruben had experienced a residential burglary late last year, according to police. The second suspect fled immediately. Ruben at first submitted but then resisted the homeowner. Detectives have identified the second man and are actively looking for him, according to Gagan.

Ruben, who was struck in the chest, had CPR performed on him at the scene, according to witnesses. Ruben was transported to John Muir Hospital that night. He died on Sunday.

At the scene a police officer yelled “Don’t move! Put your hands up!” several times to Ruben, according to a woman who lives up the block from the crime scene on 43rd St. and Roosevelt Ave. The woman declined to give her name.

None of the homeowners involved in the killing of burglars this year have been charged. The California Penal Code justifies homicides in various instances. Section 198.5 and 199 states that a homicide is justifiable when a person is “using force intended or likely to cause death or great bodily injury” in their residence, if acting due to fear for their life or safety, or that of their family.

Despite the unusually high number people shot in burglary attempts, residential burglaries have gone down 28 percent compared to last year in the period between Jan. 1 and Nov. 30.

You should always call the police in the event of a burglary. Not every burglary happens the same way, but giving the intruder incentive to flee may work, according to police.

“Yelling to the burglar that you have called the police and that they’re en route can scare them away,” Gagan said.

Other ways to secure your home include installing a motion-detector alarm and motion-triggered outdoor lights. Getting to know your neighbors is also important, according to police. Trustworthy neighbors can look after your property and call the police in your absence if something happens.

If you have information regarding this burglary, you can contact Sgt. Eric Smith at the Richmond PD by calling (510) 620-6647