A 29-year-old man allegedly attempting to steal marijuana plants from the backyard of a North Sacramento home was shot and killed early Thursday, and police are investigating the case as a possible homicide.
Sacramento police said Vue Cheng was killed after two residents saw him attempting to steal plants from a home in the 600 block of Morey Avenue.
When officers responded to the 3 a.m. incident, Cheng was found dead of a gunshot wound. He also had blunt trauma injuries to his upper body, said Officer Laura Peck, Sacramento police spokeswoman.
She said two residents of the home, who were not identified, were awakened by a noise in the backyard. Peck said the residents saw Cheng trying to steal marijuana plants and confronted him.
Detectives discovered that the residents legally possessed marijuana for medical use and no one was arrested.
Peck, who said Cheng was unarmed, said the case is being investigated by the homicide unit and crime scene investigators were at the scene Thursday. "We haven't completed the investigation yet. It is still being investigated as a homicide," Peck said.
She said a key determination for authorities will be whether the marijuana-growing residents acted in self-defense or fear for their safety.
"Legally, you have the right to protect yourself or others," Peck said. "Circumstances surrounding your property may be very, very different. Every situation has circumstances that are unique, and those will help us determine whether or not this is criminal in nature."
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