Update: Man transferred to prison

BUENA VISTA TOWNSHIP, MI — A caregiver shot a intruder who forced entry into his grandmother's Buena Vista Township house on Mother's Day, police said.

A 48-year-old Saginaw man is being treated for bird-shot wounds he suffered during the early-morning confrontation with the relative of the woman whose house was being broken into for the second time within a few hours, police said.

Officers were dispatched to the 2600 block of North Outer at 4:17 a.m. for a report of a burglary attempt in progress, Sgt. Greg Klecker said.

The caller, the 49-year-old grandson and caregiver of a 98-year-old resident at that address, reported he had an armed confrontation with the man who he believed had returned for a second time after burglarizing the residence a few hours before.

Buena Vista police took a burglary complaint that between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m., when the woman was home alone, thieves forced the back door of the home, stealing a laptop computer and an ATV from the garage.

The computer was equipped with an active real-time software application that was used by the caregiver to monitor the woman’s well-being, police said.

After seeing online that the monitor was disconnected, the caregiver went to check on his grandmother and discovered the burglary. The woman, who cannot hear or see very well, most likely was unaware of the break-in, police said.

The woman's grandson chose to stay with her that night and told police he retrieved a rifle for security. At 4 a.m., he heard a loud knock at the back door and a brief pause, followed by the sounds of forced entry through a side door, police said.

The man told police he shot at the intruder and missed.

The man said he then looked out and saw a car in the driveway occupied by a woman in the passenger seat. He said he went outside to attempt to record the license plate number, and the attempted intruder, now behind the wheel of the car, tried to hit him with the car. The grandson said he fired shots.

The driver was struck and drove himself to a Saginaw hospital, police said.

Investigators have learned that the suspect is a fugitive parole absconder. Investigators will have the incident reviewed by the Saginaw County prosecutor. Klecker said a state parole absconders team is watching the man at the hospital.

The man was in fair condition as of Monday, May 13, police said, after he suffered wounds from bird shot, police said.

Klecker said he expects the man to face charges of first-degree home invasion and said the prosecutor's office will have to "review the timeline of events" to determine if charges will be filed against the caregiver.

"We questioned him Sunday," Klecker said, adding the shooter is not being detained. "He is being fully cooperative."

Klecker said police investigated the incident and determined there were two females in the car. When interviewed separately, the women said they were at the house "for other reasons."

"We have no indication they were accomplices," Klecker said.

The suspect will remain in the hospital until he is released and likely transferred to the Saginaw County Jail, police said.

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