The teenage boy who was shot to death last week while trying to break into a northwest Atlanta home has been identified as Merterries Burton, authorities said.

Merterries, 15, was a student at Forrest Hills Academy, an alternative school for middle and high school students with discipline problems, according to an Atlanta police report.

Friday afternoon, Merterries and two other boys were trying to kick in the back door of a home on Hawkins Street when the resident, 26-year-old Jeff Fraser, grabbed a gun and fired at least eight shots at the intruders, police said.

The others fled when Merterries was shot and remained at large Wednesday.

Homicide investigator J. Thorpe Jr. said Wednesday the shooting appeared to be in self-defense, but he is still investigating.

Fraser's home had been burglarized twice earlier this month, on May 2 and May 4, Thorpe said.

In April, Atlanta police arrested Merterries in another burglary case in the same area, Thorpe said. Thorpe said he didn't know why burglars were targeting Fraser's house, but said it is one of the nicer homes in the neighborhood.

In the shooting, Merterries suffered gunshot wounds to his face and neck and died at the scene, authorities said. According to the police report, he lived in an apartment on Chappell Road, less than a half-mile from the Hawkins Street home.

Thorpe said he has good leads on the identities of the two other boys who were with Merterries.

Fraser declined to comment when reached by phone Wednesday.