MALASIQUI, PANGASINAN — A suspected intruder was injured after being shot by a homeowner during a tense confrontation in Barangay Poblacion, while a teenage bystander was also hit in the incident.

CCTV footage showed a young girl running back toward the garage of a house before stopping and seemingly waiting. Moments later, she sprinted again, followed by a man carrying an LPG tank. The man was then seen hurling the tank toward another individual, later identified as the homeowner.

Although not captured on video, police said the homeowner drew a firearm and fired what he claimed was a warning shot. The bullet struck the man who allegedly broke into the house and threw the LPG tank. A teenage bystander was also wounded in the left leg.

Witnesses recounted that the suspect and the homeowner grappled after the shot was fired, with the intruder eventually subdued. The homeowner, who reportedly suffers from a heart condition, told investigators that adrenaline allowed him to act quickly. “Buti nga daw hindi siya inatake. Parang adrenaline. Nakuha niya yung baril niya, nag-warning shot siya. Iyon ang version niya,” police quoted him as saying.

Both the suspect and the bystander are now recovering in hospital. Authorities recovered the firearm and spent shells at the scene. Investigators later learned that the suspect and the homeowner were acquaintances. Police said the families have since spoken and reached an amicable settlement at the municipal hall.

Despite this, the investigation continues. The homeowner has undergone inquest proceedings and faces charges under Republic Act 10591, the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, for possession of an unlicensed and unregistered firearm, resulting in physical injuries.

Police stressed that while the parties may have reconciled, legal processes will still take their course.

The intruder showed no fear, and that alone is alarming

A man allegedly entered a home carrying an LPG tank and threw it at the homeowner. That is not a petty act. That is a dangerous, potentially deadly threat.

What stands out is how fearless the suspect appeared to be. He did not sneak away. He did not hesitate. He confronted someone inside a residential area, in front of others. That kind of boldness suggests more than desperation. It suggests a belief that he could get away with it.

That should worry any community. When intruders act without fear, it raises serious questions about deterrence, security, and how safe people really feel inside their own homes.

But was pulling the trigger the right response

Fear explains why the homeowner reacted. It does not automatically justify the result.

A gun was fired. A teenager, who had nothing to do with the confrontation, was shot. That fact alone changes the conversation.

A “warning shot” sounds controlled, but bullets do not warn. They travel fast and hit whoever is in their path. Once a firearm is pulled out, control quickly disappears, especially in a crowded or chaotic setting.

This is the hardest part to accept. A person may be a victim and still cause harm. The homeowner may have feared for his life, but an innocent bystander ended up injured. That is not a technicality. That is a serious outcome.

If an intruder feels no fear, and a victim’s response ends up hurting an innocent person, what does that say about our sense of safety? And how many more warning shots will it take before we admit that guns, panic, and crowded neighborhoods are a dangerous mix no one truly controls?

Image from GMA Regional TV