Sheriff Raymond Cobos confirmed that 32-year-old Justin Hull was shot in the stomach and right leg with a 45-caliber gun after breaking into an unoccupied home off Amapola Road Southeast.
Cobos said Hull called 9-1-1 at about 10:40 Thursday night and told the dispatcher that he needed an ambulance because he had been shot breaking into a home.
The homeowner reported to Luna County Sheriff's officials in December that his home had been broken into. The home is presently unoccupied and without power or telephone service.
Reportedly... the 62-year-old property owner was checking on the home Thursday when he discovered that the home had been broken into again, and property had been piled in rooms ready to be loaded.
The owner decided to stay in the home that evening, and was sitting in a chair with a blanket and his gun facing a door when he was surprised by Hull who entered the home through a different door and came up behind the owner.
The owner told officials he got out of his chair, turned and fired on the burglar.
Hull, who has not yet been charged with the break-in, was flown to an El Paso hospital for treatment of his gunshot wounds.
Cobos said his officers were still investigating the incident and will turn over the results of the investigation to the District Attorney.