Things went less than well for an alleged home invader in Florida when the homeowner opened fire and critically wounded him during the incident. The suspected home invader is just 16 years old and police suspect he might have broken into at least two homes during the home invasion spree the homeowner ended.

The incident occurred on Thursday, December 28, at about 6:00 in the morning. Then, Mascotte, Florida, police officers responded to an in-progress home invasion call in the town’s Pine Needle Drive area. Once they arrived at the residence, they found the teenage male suspect suffering from a gunshot wound delivered by the homeowner.

The young suspect was treated at the residence by Lake County EMS paramedics, who then transported him to the Orlando Regional Medical Center, where he is in critical condition from the gunshot wound, but still alive.

According to the police and local reports, the suspect is the only one who was injured in the incident, with the homeowner and homeowner’s family coming through unscathed. Further, the police said that the homeowner is cooperating with investigators and will not be facing any charges over the use of deadly force during the incident.

Further, the Mascotte Police Department said that the teen may be connected with another call they received on Thursday, with another local reporting a break-in of a residence shortly before this incident put the teen in critical condition.

Florida’s self-defense law is generally permissive of the use of force. 776.012(1) provides, “A person is justified in using or threatening to use force, except deadly force, against another when and to the extent that the person reasonably believes that such conduct is necessary to defend himself or herself or another against the other’s imminent use of unlawful force. A person who uses or threatens to use force in accordance with this subsection does not have a duty to retreat before using or threatening to use such force.”

Similarly, 776.012(2) provides, “A person is justified in using or threatening to use deadly force if he or she reasonably believes that using or threatening to use such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony. A person who uses or threatens to use deadly force in accordance with this subsection does not have a duty to retreat and has the right to stand his or her ground if the person using or threatening to use the deadly force is not engaged in a criminal activity and is in a place where he or she has a right to be.”

Further, in the spring of 2023, Gov. DeSantis signed legislation that made Florida one of a growing list of “constitutional carry” states. Under the new law, a permit is not required for a person who is not otherwise forbidden from carrying a firearm, such as because of youth or commission of a felony, to carry a concealed firearm in public.