MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. -- A suspected home intruder is dead after he broke into a home in Bradenton Friday morning, according to deputies.
The Manatee County Sheriff's Office responded to a call of an armed home invasion robbery in the 4500th block of 27th Street West in Bradenton a little after 11 a.m.
A man told deputies an unknown black man entered his house while he was sleeping and placed a gun to his head. The robbery suspect, later identified as 26-year-old Demetrius Downer, fired a shot next to the man's head and then pistol whipped him.
The man said he fought back, forcing Downer to drop his gun. The man then grabbed the gun and then shot Downer, who then fell to the ground.
The man then ran next door to tell a neighbor what had happened, deputies say. When deputies arrived at the scene, they found the pistol and a back door was open, but Downer was not at the house.
Downer was found not too far from the scene and was later pronounced dead. Deputies believe he died from the gunshot wound.
The apparent armed home invasion remains under investigation.
