An armed intruder broke into a home in the middle of the night, hoping to catch everyone off-guard. To his horror, he immediately came face-to-face with the homeowner and his 10-year-old son, who were armed and ready for such an event.

Police have given little detail as to what occurred when a masked intruder forced his way into a residence in eastern Iowa in the early morning hours while the owners slept. The incident took place around 2 a.m. in Monticello after the thief broke out a window and entered the basement of the house before making his way upstairs.

Police say 30-year-old Patrick O’Brine broke into a home on the 300 block of South Sycamore Street while wearing a mask and carrying a firearm, KCRG reports. Unfortunately for him, he never expected that the household was just as well-armed as he was.

As O’Brine made his way through the house, he was confronted by the family who lived there — a protective father and his 10-year-old son. Despite the intruder’s efforts, the dad knew his way around his trusty firearm just as well as his home. Police confirmed that the father opened fire on O’Brine, firing three shots and striking the suspect twice, killing him.

Both the resident and his child were unharmed. Deputies discovered O’Brine dead upon arrival at the scene. Jones County Attorney Kristofer Lyons explained that the investigation was still underway but added that the evidence pointed to the homeowner being justified in using deadly force.

Court documents show that Patrick O’Brine had a bizarre connection to the home. In a court filing from just a few months prior, O’Brine was reported as living at the address where his fatal shooting occurred. He claimed that he had a relationship with a woman who lived at the home prior to the father and son obtaining the property.

The woman in question was listed as the mother of O’Brine’s two children and filed for a protective order against him, citing domestic abuse allegations. A judge has since sealed the accusations. The same records show that the woman moved to a new address, even though the property records still listed her as the deed holder.

The court records reveal that O’Brine was fighting for joint custody of the children he shared with the woman. Investigators have not confirmed if this was the motivation for O’Brine being at the property during the time of the shooting.

Police have not identified the name of the woman since she is possibly the victim of domestic violence. The man who shot O’Brine has also remained unnamed since he is not facing any criminal charges at this time. No further information concerning the man’s place of employment has been released.

Thankfully, this father was wholly prepared to protect his little boy from harm. There’s no telling what may have happened to the residents, especially if Patrick O’Brine believed that his children and former partner still lived at the property.

Home invasions can occur at any residence at any time. The best way to ensure our protection is to properly arm ourselves. In the event that we are faced with imminent danger, we will have the best chance at defending our household and property from every threat.