A man shot and killed an intruder at his home early Saturday before learning that the victim, a 17-year-old, was let into the home by his 14-year-old daughter, according to multiple reports.
The slain teenager, identified in a news release obtained by the Augusta Chronicle as Jordan Middleton, was let into the family's home in Grovetown to visit with the 14-year-old girl, according to authorities.
Deputies with the Columbia County Sheriff's Office found Middleton dead around 2:50 a.m. after they were called to investigate reports of a burglary in progress. He was found in the home's foyer with a gunshot wound to the chest, deputies said.
The homeowner told deputies that he heard noises coming from downstairs early Saturday and armed himself to investigate the sounds. He found the family dog barking at the guest bedroom, deputies said.
He said that he was armed and demanded the intruder identify himself. When a second warning was met with silence, the man went into the room, deputies said.
He spotted Middleton running out of the room's closet, and shot him in the upper chest, according to authorities.
"He was just a great kid," Evans High School basketball coach Kevin Kenny told WJBF. "(He was) very likable, always had a smile on his face."
Kenny coached Middleton for two years before the teenager transferred to Grovetown High School, according to WJBF.
"You know, anytime you lose a young life like that and have that situation, it's shocking, it really is," Kenny said. "It's a terrible tragedy for both families. My heart goes out to both of them."
No charges have been filed in the case. Authorities continue to investigate.
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