Investigators say the intruder went into the man's house, fired the gun next to his head, and began to pistol whip him.

BRADENTON, Fla. — A sleeping man woke up to find a stranger pointing a pistol at his head, deputies say.

It happened just after 11 a.m. Friday on 27th Street West in Bradenton.

Investigators say the intruder went into the man's house, fired the gun next to his head, and began to pistol whip him.

The man fought back.

During a scuffle, deputies say the intruder dropped the pistol -- allowing the homeowner to grab it and shoot him.

The homeowner then ran next door for help.

When authorities showed up, they found a pistol and the back door open. But, they say they couldn't find the intruder who was shot.

With the help of a drone and K-9 unit, they spotted a man, believed to be the intruder, on the ground outside a nearby condo building. He was unresponsive.

They say it looks like he died from a gunshot wound. Now, detectives are trying to piece together exactly what happened and why.