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Greenacres man shot after finding 2 masked intruders robbing his home ID'd

Posted at 10:52 AM, Apr 01, 2018
and last updated 2018-04-02 18:22:34-04

UPDATE: Authorities have identified the shooting victim as 30-year-old Jose Hartsell. He was treated and released from a local hospital. 

EARLIER STORY:

A Greenacres man is recovering after being shot when he encountered two masked men ransacking his home.

The victim, a 30-year-old man, had just returned home at 4:50 a.m. Sunday from a night out when he encountered two armed, masked men inside his home.

It happened on Heather Drive West and Mark Brodel told WPTV it was a scene he won't forget.

"He said I've been shot, I've been shot," Brodel recalled. 

Early Sunday morning he says he heard gunshots. At first he couldn't believe his ears.

"I heard the three loud shots and it was muffled so I kind of knew it was inside, but I thought someone was joking around at first," he said. 

Brodel quickly learned this wasn't an April Fool's prank he saw his neighbor run outside for help and he says he immediately called 911.

"You come home from your job and you go into your home and you get hit in the head and then you get shot three times in your own home," he said. 

Brodel told WPTV this isn't the first time the neighborhood has dealt with burglaries and he says the crimes are escalating.

"This whole entire street has had all the cars broken into on this street and on the other side of that fence around the neighborhood," he said. 

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said burglary was the motive of this incident. There is no suspect information available at this time. Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-458-TIPS (8477).