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Man killed breaking into home in neighborhood where 'They're all armed'

Investigators have identified the suspect who died in an early Monday morning home invasion as 20-year-old Jerrod Powell.
Multiple mugshots of Jerrod Powell from prior arrests between Dec. 2014 and August 2017.

We're learning more about a home invasion and shooting where police said three men broke into a Gwinnett County home, but only two got out alive -- that's because the homeowner shot and killed one of the suspects.

Gwinnett Police have identified the deceased suspect as 20-year-old Jerrod Terrell Powell.

Powell had been in trouble with the law several times previously. According to the Gwinnett county Sheriff's Office, between Dec. 2014 and Aug. 2017, Powell had been jailed for Affray (disorderly behaving), loitering or prowling, giving a false name or information, criminal attempt to commit a crime, loitering or prowling/obstruction of law enforcement and possession of an ounce or less of marijuana.

Neighbors say the suspect that was got shot was only able to run one house away from the home that was broken into before he collapsed. It happened early Monday morning.

One of the neighbors, a retired DeKalb County police officer, said the 3 a.m. gunfire woke up him and his wife.

RELATED | Home invasion suspect shot and killed; 2 suspects still at large

"Five or six shots, then a pause, then five or six more," he said.

Investigators said the homeowner, Antonio Rosales, was sleeping when he was awakened by the sound of the back door crashing in. When he went to investigate, he found three men inside his home. Police say that's when the shooting started.

"They were in a gun battle. (His wife) said there was lots of shots," the retired officer neighbor said.

Rosales fired the fatal shot at Powell, but not before catching two bullets in his own leg. While all of this was going on, some neighbors kept on sleeping -- because they say between the nearby duck hunting and recreational hunting, they hear gunshots all the time.

"He gets out here and shoots off of that deck all the time, so she just figured he was out here shooting, so she went back to sleep," he said.

Neighbors say people use their neighborhood as a cut-through to get to the shops next door, but they say trying to break in here, was a bold move.

PHOTOS | Mugshots of Jerrod Powell

"The people in this neighborhood -- they're all armed," the retired officer said. "If they break into somebody's house here, they're going to probably get shot.

Police are still looking for any information about the two suspects that got away. Anyone who has information on them is asked to contact Gwinnett Police.

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