The incident was as random as it was violent.

Erie police said they believe chance played a big part in the case of a kidnapping suspect from the Cleveland area who was shot Tuesday morning in a quiet neighborhood west of Frontier Park.

A male neighbor fired after the suspect broke into the house next door, police said. Police will not file charges against the neighbor, Erie police Lt. Stan Green said.

The suspect, 25-year-old Kyle Johnson, is believed to have selected the house at 311 Crescent Drive at random as he was on the lam from the FBI and police in Oakwood Village, Ohio, southeast of Cleveland, Erie Deputy Police Chief Donald Dacus said.

"It is a once-in-a-career type of incident that we don't see," Dacus said.

Officials with the FBI in Cleveland believe Johnson had no ties or connections with anyone in Erie, but he formerly worked for an Ohio trucking company and was familiar with the Erie area, Dacus said.

Johnson was suspected in the kidnapping of his former girlfriend, 23-year-old Brandi Shakir, authorities said. When Johnson arrived at the Crescent Drive home, Shakir was being held in the trunk of his car, Green said.

The owners of the Crescent Drive house do not know Johnson, who beat up the married couple before he was shot at about 10:45 a.m., Dacus said.

The female homeowner was in critical condition when she was taken to UPMC Hamot, where she underwent surgery on Tuesday afternoon.

She suffered blunt-force trauma injuries to her head and body, Green said.

She was unconscious when she was found in the attic by her husband, police said. Her condition remained critical Tuesday evening, Dacus said.

The male homeowner, who suffered head injuries, was treated and released from UPMC Hamot, Green said.

Erie police did not identify the couple who own the house. Erie County records list the homeowners as Gary M. Miller, and Kum C. Miller.

Police also did not identify the neighbor who shot Johnson. No one answered the door at that home Tuesday evening.

Police said Johnson, while at the house, also held captive Shakir, whom Johnson is accused of beating in the face in a previous assault.

Shakir was treated at UPMC Hamot, where she was in stable condition Tuesday evening, Dacus said.

Johnson was shot in the back and left leg. He was treated at UPMC Hamot and then released before being detained on existing warrants from Ohio, Dacus said. In the Erie case, Johnson was arraigned Tuesday night on charges of criminal attempt at homicide, aggravated assault and recklessly endangering another person. He was placed in the Erie County Prison on $500,000 bond.

Before Shakir was abducted Monday at about 11 a.m. in Ohio, a fire broke out in the home where her mother was staying in Oakwood Village, WKYC-TV of Cleveland reported. Johnson was last seen leaving the house in a 1999 black Acura. Johnson drove to Erie, Dacus said.

According to police:

- At about midnight Monday, police in Erie received an alert from Ohio authorities that Johnson might be in the Erie area. Dacus said Erie police were aware of that information when they responded Tuesday.

- Sometime before the shooting, Johnson stopped at the house at 311 Crescent Drive while holding Shakir against her will.

- Johnson pried open the back door and confronted the female homeowner, who was there by herself. Johnson severely beat the woman and took her to the attic.

- Johnson then returned to his car, took Shakir from the trunk to the home's basement and assaulted her.

- A short time later, the male homeowner arrived at the residence and was met just inside the back door by Johnson, who assaulted the male homeowner with a tool or weapon.

"When (the male homeowner) goes inside, he sees a lot of blood and sees signs of a struggle, and this guy is standing there in his house, and his wife won't answer apparently when he goes in the door, so he assumes the worst,'' Green said. "It sounds like he felt that his wife had been killed by this guy.''

- The fight between Johnson and the male homeowner continued outside by the back door.

"When the homeowner drove up here, he noticed neighbors in the yard,'' Green said. "When the fight happens, moments later, he knows somebody was just outside, so he immediately began to scream for help. The neighbor hears him say something along the lines of screaming for help and 'He's killed my wife.'''

- Hearing screams, the neighbor, whom police said knew the male homeowner, got a gun and ran to the home at 311 Crescent Drive, where the neighbor saw Johnson and the male homeowner fighting on the ground.

Another male neighbor also ran to the scene and helped in trying to subdue Johnson.

- While waiting for police to arrive, the neighbor with the gun shot Johnson as Johnson was running away.

"Our officers were arriving as that whole shooting thing was taking place,'' Green said. "The patrolmen who were arriving pretty much saw that whole thing.''

Johnson was caught near the Erie Yacht Club, north of Crescent Drive and accessible by nearby Ravine Drive.

The shooting sent police cars and ambulances into the neighborhood. Police on the scene drew their guns as they searched yards, but Dacus soon announced that the situation was under control.

"We're not looking for anyone else," he said at the scene.

One of the residents on the scene was Sally Kohler, who heads the Greater Kahwka Neighborhood Watch, which includes Crescent Drive. She said Crescent Drive is part of a quiet neighborhood whose residents include three Erie County judges.

Kohler said she's never seen so many police cars and people gathered in the neighborhood.

"It's a very quiet neighborhood, so it's very unusual," she said.

The shooting led several schools to lock down to keep students inside.

The incident was as noteworthy in the Cleveland area as it was in Erie.

About 90 minutes after the shooting, the police chief in Oakwood Village, Mark Garratt, announced Johnson's capture.

Garratt commented on why Johnson picked the Crescent Drive house. Police "believe it was random," he said.

Staff writer Ed Palattella contributed to this report.

TIM HAHN can be reached at 870-1731 or by e-mail. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ETNhahn.

RON LEONARDI can be reached at 870-1680 or by e-mail. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ETNleonardi.