Armed intruder breaks into house, so homeowner grabs his own gun. After a shootout, homeowner is unharmed — and intruder is found dead.

A homeowner in Fontana, California, called police at 10:47 p.m. Saturday and said multiple people were trying to break into his house at the corner of Cypress Avenue and Baseline, KNBC-TV reported.

He added to police that he believed they were armed and at least one of them was inside, the station said.

The homeowner then armed himself with a handgun — and then the call with police disconnected, KNBC said.

What happened next?

When police arrived at the scene, the homeowner exited his residence and surrendered himself, saying he had shot someone inside the home, the station said.

When police went inside, they found a man dead in the hallway, KNBC reported, adding that the dead man was wearing gloves and a COVID-19 mask and appeared between 20 and 30 years old.

Police told the station they found a semiautomatic handgun next to the dead man's hand, as well as brass casings from two different weapons and other signs of a shootout in the home.

Image source: KNBC-TV video screenshot

The homeowner said the other individuals who tried to break in ran away, KNBC reported, adding that police are searching for those individuals.

The homeowner was not injured in the incident, the station said.

Police are conducting an investigation but believe the dead man was attempting to burglarize the home and that the homeowner defended himself against an armed individual, KNBC reported. If the investigation determines that's the case, the homeowner won't face charges, the station said.

Second incident over last weekend

Authorities said this was the second case of a homeowner using a gun for self-defense last weekend, KNBC said.

The other incident took place in El Monte early Saturday morning when a homeowner fired shots at an intruder and kept the individual at gunpoint until police arrived, the station said, adding that deputies took that suspect into custody.

Image source: KNBC-TV video screenshot

Anything else?

Police told KNBC that if others find themselves in similar situations, they should call 911 and try to escape.

"The last resort is to try to defend yourself as best you can," Daniel Romero of the Fontana police told the station. "It’s not something we recommend, but when it’s your life you have to protect, or your family’s life, sometimes you have to do what you have to do.”