Thug forces his way into apartment, attacks elderly resident. But armed neighbor rushes over and permanently ends threat.

Police in Medford, Oregon, said officers responded to a report of a shooting at 18 Hawthorne Street just after 3:30 a.m. Sunday.

The investigation revealed that a neighbor heard and observed a loud commotion outside his apartment, police said.

'Good job neighbor. That's what it's about!!'

Through his window, he saw an unknown male attempting to force entry into the front door of a nearby apartment, which he knew was occupied by an elderly resident, police said.

The neighbor grabbed his handgun and rushed over to assist, police said, adding that once he was in the unit, the neighbor saw the suspect assaulting the elderly resident.

During the confrontation, the neighbor shot the suspect, and the suspect was pronounced dead at the scene, police said, adding that multiple rounds were fired.

The deceased individual has been identified as 32-year-old Martin Uriel Jimenez of Medford, police said.

The neighbor who fired the shots was detained and is cooperating with investigators, police said.

While no arrests have been made, police noted that detectives are continuing to investigate.

Police added that "as is standard protocol in all investigations where deadly force was used and resulted in death, the case will be presented to the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office for review."

RELATED: Man opens fire on armed suspected intruder — outside neighbor's home: 'We've always told people not to mess around down here'

Image source: Medford (Ore.) Police

It appears that many commenters under the police department's Facebook post about the shooting are squarely behind the neighbor who rushed over to help. The following are but a few of them:

• "I own the property where this occurred," one commenter stated. "I know all the tenants well. They are all clean, gainfully employed, good citizens. The intruder was unknown to any of them. The intruder was violent, deranged, no pants on, kicked in an apartment door at 3:30am and attacked the tenant inside as he was calling 911. The younger man in the neighboring apartment heard the commotion and came to the aid of his neighbor resident to find the intruder beating the older gentleman/tenant and causing injuries. When the younger neighbor intervened, the random, pants-less, 6’2”, 280# intruder charged at him and was shot by the neighbor in an act of self defense. 100% justified."
• "That hero better not get charged!" another user declared. "I hope my neighbor would do the same."
• "The intruder received justice," another commenter wrote. "I hope the neighbor is cleared as it should be."
• "Sounds like the neighbor saved the resident, don't charge that man for anything," another user said.
• "Good guy with a gun for the win!" another commenter exclaimed.
• "Good job neighbor," another user said. "That's what it's about!!"

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