A 72-year-old man is recovering after being shot while fending off burglars at his McDonough home.
Henry County police say that two intruders broke into Sidney Haskins' home on Avalon Drive early Wednesday.
Sgt. Joey Smith of the Henry County Police Department said that Haskins fired a warning shot from his garage. One of the intruders returned fire, hitting Haskins in the abdomen.
Haskins' son, Stewart, said that his father, a widower who lives alone, was able to crawl to the kitchen and dial 911.
"He knew that if he didn't climb up on that counter and get that phone that he was going to die," said Stewart Haskins.
Henry County Police say the same night Haskins was shot, there were a series of auto break-ins in the neighborhood where some credit cards were stolen.
"They were possibly used in the metro Atlanta area and what we're trying to do is locate those places to see if they have any kind of video surveillance or anything like that," said Smith.
Residents on Avalon Drive told police the two assailants fled in a silver truck. A mysterious white box truck was also seen.
Haskins is in intensive care at Grady Memorial Hospital.
Stewart Haskins says his father was a long time pharmacists with a big heart.
"Frankly, I think one of our friends said it best when they were told he'd been shot, they said, ‘Why would anybody want to shoot him,'" said Stewart.
Police said the intruders stole a weed-eater from Haskins' home.
Anyone with information on the case is urged to contact the Henry County Police Department at 770-288-8304.
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Sidney Haskins (left), pictured with his son Stewart, was shot fending off burglars at his home.
