CBS 5 - KPHO Clothes iron used as weapon against burglar

Clothes iron used as weapon against burglar

A man has died after he was struck in the head with a clothes iron during an alleged break-in.

Police said a resident near the 2500 block of W. Ocotillo woke up Friday morning to the sound of someone trying to come through the window of his bedroom.

He yelled to the man, woman and child living in the other bedroom of the apartment that an intruder was in the home and for them to get out. The three crawled out through their own bedroom window.

The victim began to fight off the pantless suspect, identified by police as Moses Taylor. The victim grabbed the iron and hit Taylor in the head and then got out of the apartment.  When police arrived they found Taylor on the ground but still breathing. He was transported to the hospital where he died.

"Because of the nature of this, because there was a death involved, we're investigating it as a homicide. But it appears from the early indications that this man was acting in self defense," said Phoenix police Sgt. Tommy Thompson.

A witness told detectives Taylor had been using drugs and alcohol and was last seen heading towards the apartment. His pants were found outside the apartment window.

No charges have been filed at this time.

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