Neighbor Shoots Burglary Suspect Fleeing Merry Hills Home

A Merry Hills man stopped a burglary last week after he confronted two men fleeing his neighbor's home and shot one of them in the leg, DeKalb County police said.

The man told police he confronted the men after they broke into a home in the 1300 block of Carolyn Drive at about 11:40 a.m. Wednesday, according to the police report.

He said he first fired a warning shot into the air because one of the suspects would not get on the ground and "acted like he was going to leave the scene," the report said. When the suspect approached him, the man said he fired what he thought was another warning shot only to realize he'd hit the man in the leg.

A responding officer discovered the wounded suspect on the ground when he arrived.

"The white [man] shot me!" the suspect yelled repeatedly.

The two men arrested and charged with burglary are Nicholas Lewis, 21, and Nicholas Gallaspy, 19, both of North Druid Hills, according to the police report. Gallaspy, who was shot, was taken to Atlanta Medical Center for treatment.

A laptop computer and an iPad taken from the home were returned to the burglary victim.