Burglar shot by homeowner

COLUMBIA — A woman whose house was being burglarized is believed to have shot one of the three men caught in her home early Thursday.

The woman arrived at her home in northeast Columbia and found that her back door had been kicked open, according to a release from the Columbia Police Department. Inside, she found three men robbing her house.

She left the house, and the men followed her. She told police that one of the men had a handgun and pointed it at her. She fired one round at the men, the release stated.

Investigators collected evidence that led them to believe that one suspect was shot. Though local hospitals were notified, there were no suspects at the time of the news release.

The woman was not able to provide a detailed description of the suspects but noted a suspicious-looking silver hatchback car near her house with a woman inside. The car was seen leaving the area immediately following the incident.

Columbia Police Department's Major Crimes Unit is investigating the incident. Anonymous tips can be submitted on the CrimeStoppers Web site for a possible reward of up to $1,500, if the information leads to an arrest.