Man ranted about zombies before being shot to death, deputies say
A man who was fatally shot after allegedly breaking into a Yorba Linda home was hours earlier hallucinating and ranting about zombies, authorities are reporting.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department identified the man as Paul Michael Bracamontes, 22, of Fullerton.
The incident began around 3:15 a.m. Sunday when a Yorba Linda couple woke to the sound of a man screaming in the backyard of their Wendover Road home, authorities said.
The husband reportedly yelled at the man, while his wife called 911.
Bracamontes, authorities said, threatened the homeowners and then broke into their home by shattering a glass door.
The husband shot the intruder, sheriff’s Lt. Jeff Hallock said. The couple had their baby at home at the time of the incident, he said.
Hallock did not say how many shots were fired. The gun was registered to the homeowner, authorities said.
Relatives of Bracamontes told detectives he had been hallucinating at a party Saturday night and had made several “inappropriate” comments about zombies, authorities said.
He also said he wanted a gun before leaving the party, they added.
The homeowners told deputies they did not know Bracamontes.
Orange County Superior Court records show that Bracamontes was charged with public intoxication in January 2013, but the case was dismissed in April.
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Twitter: @AdolfoFlores3
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