By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-06-09 21:43:19 | Updated at 2026-06-10 18:01:38
20 hours ago
A heroic father saved his daughter's life after fatally shooting an armed stranger who broke into their California home.
The father, who said he and his family are not ready to be identified, immediately ran to save her life on Friday night after he heard gunshots ring out inside their San Jacinto home, neighbors told KTLA 5.
At the time, the brave father was outside with his neighbors when his wife went inside their house to charge her phone.
But when she entered, she was confronted by a man who armed himself with guns he found inside the home, the outlet reported.
After hearing the commotion, the father ran inside and grabbed his daughter, but when he saw the intruder load up a gun, the homeowner shot the suspect, Ismael Martinez, 45.
When deputies with the San Jacinto Station of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department arrived at the scene moments later, they found Martinez dead, police said.
According to investigators, before Martinez entered the family's home, he and his girlfriend got into an argument less than a mile down the road, the report said.
During the feud, the suspect assaulted his partner with a knife. She is recovering in the hospital.
A father saved his daughter's life on Friday night after an armed intruder broke into their home in San Jacinto, California
After hearing the commotion, the father ran inside and grabbed his daughter, but when he saw the intruder load up a gun, the homeowner shot the suspect, Ismael Martinez, 45. Bullet holes covered a car outside the home afterward
It remains unclear why Martinez entered the family's home, as police said there is no connection between the two parties, and that it was a random attack.
'His goal was to get his daughter out safely, regardless of what happened to him,' neighbor Robert Dormane told KTLA 5.
He added: 'I’m shattered for them because they’re good people.'
Dormane recalled what happened in the moment, stating: 'From what I understand, the guy tried shooting at her as she started running.
'Then when she goes into the garage, she yelled out, "There’s a stranger in the house with a gun".
Another neighbor, Francisco Aguilar, was heard in surveillance footage yelling 'run' as shots rang out.
'Bah, bah, bah. And then oh man, they’re not fireworks, they’re shots,' Aguilar told the outlet.
The community has been left shaken by the terrifying incident, which they said could have been far worse if the father hadn't stepped in.
Neighbor Robert Dormane (pictured) commended the father for his bravery, stating that it could have gone a lot worse if he hadn't stepped in
'He did more than just save his own family. Because if he didn’t take that guy down and that guy took him down, his next step was probably to come to one of our houses and unload because, at that point, he had a death wish. He didn’t care,' Dormane said.
Charges have not been brought against the homeowner, but the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office told the local outlet they are reviewing the case.
Meanwhile, locals said the father acted in self-defense when shooting the suspect.
A GoFundMe page has been started to help the family following the scare.
It read: 'After officers cleared the crime scene, they were greeted with the intruder’s blood still in the home and gunshots in the doors.
'But mentally they were devastated, a place known as their home became a place of tragedy.'
As of Tuesday afternoon, more than $1,000 had been raised to help them out.
