A 60-year-old man fatally shot one of two alleged intruders in his Fair Oaks home early Wednesday, according to authorities.
The second apparent burglar also was shot but is expected to survive.
Sacramento County sheriff's detectives found no immediate evidence to contradict Jerry Rasmussen's story that he shot the intruders in an act of self-defense, said Sgt. Jason Ramos. And they did find evidence of forced entry into the Laurel Oak Way home, he said.
Still, Rasmussen found himself in handcuffs after detectives found that he is a felon barred from possessing firearms, according to authorities.
Deputies booked Rasmussen into the Sacramento County Main Jail on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a gun and possessing prohibited ammunition, both felonies. He is being held in lieu of $25,000.
Asked if he wanted to speak with The Bee, Rasmussen told a deputy at the jail that he wanted to consult with a lawyer first.
The shooting was reported to the Sheriff's Department about 2:30 a.m. Ramos said Rasmussen was sleeping in his home when he awoke to find a stranger in his home. He fired at the stranger, who ran from the house, Ramos said.
Rasmussen then allegedly saw a second intruder in a doorway, and fired again, Ramos said. He then ran to get help.
Inside the home, deputies found a 27-year-old man who had been shot. He was pronounced dead at the scene. As of Wednesday night, his name had not been released by the Sacramento County Coroner's Office.
The second alleged intruder, a 38-year-old man, was identified after he showed up at an area hospital with a gunshot wound, Ramos said. That suspect also had not been named by authorities by Wednesday night.
After the shooting, Rasmussen waited for deputies and was cooperative with detectives, Ramos said. He was arrested after they learned his history.
Detectives will forward the results of their investigation to the District Attorney's Office, where prosecutors will decide whether he faces any additional charges in connection with the shootings.
According to Sacramento Superior Court records available online, Rasmussen has a criminal history dating back to 1993 that includes weapons-related offenses.
In 1993, a jury found Rasmussen guilty of three misdemeanor gun charges and a fourth misdemeanor count of possessing a switchblade knife.
In 1996, he was convicted of brandishing a firearm, also a misdemeanor.
Then, in 2000, he was sentenced to seven years in prison after a jury found him guilty of making threats to inflict death or great bodily injury, a felony.
Rasmussen is scheduled to be arraigned on the latest charges Friday, according to jail booking records.
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