Kalamazoo Car Burglar Shot; Shooters Dies of Heart Attack

Kalamazoo, Michigan

From September 8, 2008 WOOD channel 8:

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) -- A Kalamazoo man died from a heart attack following a struggle with a thief at his residence.

It was around 4 a.m. Sunday when the incident occurred in the 1300 block of Homecrest Avenue.

Joe Rizzutto, 64, confronted the suspect who was trying to break into the Rizzutto's vehicle. The two men got into a scuffle in the driveway and Rizzutto shot the suspect in a leg.

Rizzutto then suffered a massive heart attack. Officers arrived and began CPR on Rizzutto who was taken to a hospital where he later died.

The suspect, a 38-year-old Kalamazoo resident, was taken to a hospital where he is in serious condition.

Friends believe the attempted break-in was random and that Rizzutto was protecting his family and property.