Bike Shop Owner Shoots Burglary Suspect

An alarm call brought the owner to the store where he came face-to-face with a burglar

The owner of a motorcycle shop interrupted a would-be burglar and opened fire, injuring the suspect. 

"It's a little surreal," Isaac Heinrich told NBCSanDiego. "It's pretty intense."

Heinrich owns Trophy Motorcycles on El Cajon Boulevard on Talmadge and was responding to a call from his alarm company at 3:11 a.m. Thursday.

He found a man, armed with a shotgun, exiting his store San Diego police said.

The suspect grabbed the loaded Mosberg 500 pump shotgun from the cashier area inside the store officers said.

Heinrich said he's had several false alarms at the store before and was kind of nonchalant about the alarm call. So much so, he parked right in front of the shop door and shined his flashlight everywhere as he walked around the outside of the shop.

It was when he turned the street corner that Heinrich said he was surprised to discover a human inside the shop. The suspect was carrying several items from the shop along with the shotgun including a laptop, Heinrich said.

"You just kind of take it in to your nature to do what comes normally," he said adding that he has had some training with firearms.

He took cover behind a nearby parked car and hollered at the suspect to stop.

"As he came rushing in on me unfortunately I had no choice but to pull the weapon I'm allowed to carry legally," Heinrich said.

The owner told police he fired several rounds at the suspect hitting him several times in the lower body.

β€œI feel violated but I feel sorry for the guy but unfortunately I think it’s better him than me,” he said.

Heinrich said the shop was targeted three months ago by someone who broke a door window but didn't take anything from the store. He said several weeks ago a nearby business was targeted by vandals.

San Diego police are still investigating the shooting to determine if Heinrich will face charges.

The suspect was transported to Mercy hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

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