It’s going to be interesting to determine whether local authorities rule this is a justifiable homicide or instead feel this is a case of “vigilante justice” and charge the property manager with some form of homicide.

A man who was shot during a burglary attempt on East Viking Road near Mountain Vista Street died Thursday afternoon, Las Vegas police said.

The man died at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center after being shot just before 3 p.m. Police said the preliminary investigation showed the man was a suspected burglar, and was shot by a property manager after being discovered inside a home.

Ultimately, it is likely to hinge upon what the property manager says to law enforcement.

If the property manager was simply checking out the home and stumbled across the burglar and the burglar was a threat, then it is likely that that this will be deemed a justifiable homicide.

If on the other hand the property manager knew someone was in the process of burgling a vacant property and then went inside to confront them, or the burglar was not a credible threat, then the death could result in criminal charges for the property manager.

As a general rule of thumb in most of the nation you cannot use deadly force to stop a property crime, and might be accused of creating a dangerous situation by going into a home where it appears an intruder has broken in. If you suspect that a burglar is active inside a building, your best option is to call law enforcement and let them handle clearing the property.

Be smart out there.