Statesville police say a suspected home intruder was shot in the torso Tuesday afternoon.

The Statesville Police Department reported on Wednesday that officers were called to a home on West Bell Street and found a man suffering from a gunshot wound.

According to SPD, investigators learned that the intruder “unlawfully entered the residence of the victim, who was present with his 7-year-old son at the time.”

Police said the person inside the home repeatedly told the man to leave, but they “persisted and physically assaulted the victim.” That’s when the person shot the intruder.

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The owner of the home told Channel 9′s Dave Faherty that he left like he didn’t have any other choice.

While they did not want to reveal their identity, the homeowner said he and his son were preparing dinner.

They said they had left their front door unlocked, and the intruder walked into the home, claiming he was owed money.

The homeowner explained that they had no idea what the intruder was talking about and told him dozens of times to leave before ultimately firing his gun.

They told Channel 9 that they hope the intruder gets the help that he needs.

“I hate that it came to this. He seemed to have every option to leave my house, but then he attacked me. With just me and my son in the house, we had to survive that situation,” the homeowner said.

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According to police, Connor is “presently on probation for prior drug-related offenses.” and had a documented history of mental illness.

The police department says the shooting is still under investigation, but the district attorney’s office will review the information.

SPD says Connor was taken to a hospital for treatment. His current condition wasn’t made available.

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