Don’t you just love a story with a happy ending?

Spokane police said a man found the suspected prowler inside his neighbor’s car at about 5:15 a.m. near the intersection of East 43rd Avenue and Arthur Street – three blocks east of the popular Rocket Market. He confronted the suspect and tried to detain him.

In response, the suspect warned that he would shoot and fired as he pulled the gun out of his pants, the man said in an interview with KXLY.

Police believe the gun, which has been recovered, belonged to the vehicle’s owner.

The man who confronted the prowler was not hurt and told KXLY that he heard the prowler tell a woman he was with that he had accidentally shot himself.

Police are searching for the prowling suspect, who they describe as a white man in his mid-20s, perhaps 5 feet, 6 inches tall with a thin build and beard. He was wearing a hoodie.

The man who confronted the robber, known only as “Ron,” was walking his dog when he noticed the man and woman breaking into his neighbor’s car. Ron told the criminals that, “you’re coming with me,” and that he was going to call the police.

The male suspect then told Ron three times that he was going to shoot him, and attempted to pull the gun he had just stolen from the car out of his pocket. when he did so,  he discharged the weapon.

Ron said that the man screamed after the shot, and told the female suspect that he’d shot himself before they ran off. The injured thief dropped the gun, which was recovered by police.

I think the situation also illustrates another point.

Violent crime can happen anywhere and at any time, including in neighborhoods (like this one) which have low criminal activity.

If you have a concealed carry permit and the training, it’s a good idea to carry your firearm whenever you leave you home.

Ron was lucky that the criminal he confronted only shot himself.