Suspected burglar fatally shot by homeowner ID’d as Vancouver man, 19

The Clark County medical examiner has identified the person who reportedly broke into a house and was fatally shot by the homeowner Thursday night as a 19-year-old Vancouver man.

Franson J. Take was killed by a gunshot wound to the torso, according to the medical examiner’s office, which listed the manner of death as homicide, meaning it resulted from another person’s deliberate action. The ruling does not make any judgments about criminal culpability.

An initial police bulletin said the homeowner told responding officers that an unknown person had broken into his home. He had confronted the intruder with a firearm and shot him.

“The Vancouver Police Major Crimes Unit are continuing the investigation, which indicates the male suspect forced open a rear door of the residence by kicking it and was inside the home when the homeowner confronted him,” according to an updated police news release.

The homeowner told police that Take had charged at him. The homeowner said he fired his weapon, and Take fled out the door and collapsed behind the residence, the news release states. Take was pronounced dead at the scene.

Further information about the incident has not been released, including whether Take was armed. The homeowner and his family were uninjured, police said.

Vancouver Police Department spokeswoman Kim Kapp said in an email Wednesday that police are not planning to release anything further about the shooting, including the homeowner’s
identity.

“Based on some safety concerns for the homeowners and the unknown factors why their home was broken into with such force, we are not releasing their information,” Kapp wrote.

Kapp said all investigative reports will be forwarded to the Clark County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for review.