Gwinnett County

Neighbor exchanges gunfire with alleged home invaders

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Gwinnett County police captured three men accused of a violent home invasion and their female getaway driver.

Police say the suspects robbed a man of everything in his pockets and stole his cellphone at 2:45 p.m. on Monday.

Police say Taneah Hazel waited behind the wheel of a car as Jameel Hazel and Ronnie Amos barged into the home of a 39-year-old Lawrenceville woman.

Police say Hazel and Amos forced the 15-year-old daughter through the house to search for cash, while making sexual remarks at her.

One of the men allegedly shot at the teen nearly hitting her in the head, police say.

A neighbor who heard the gunshot came the to victim's aid armed with his own gun.

The neighbor, who wanted to remain anonymous, says he works armed security. He tells me he barricaded the back door and knocked on the front.

When a suspect came out, he pushed him back into the house where he was shot at seven to eight times and hit.

"Pretty much a flesh wound. Came close to hitting my spleen, but through the glory of God I'm safe. I'm healing," the neighbor said.

He shot the fourth suspect Israel Bland, at least twice.

"As I was trained to do, so yes I think a lot more would have happened had I not intervened," the neighbor said.

The suspects escaped the shootout, then dumped Bland at the hospital.

Police arrested Hazel, Hazel and Amos the following day.

"As far as the individual that was shot. I'm praying for him. I'm not in a line of work to take lives. I'm in a line of work to help and save lives," the neighbor said.