DAYTON, Ohio -- A Dayton homeowner defended his home and fired a warning shot when someone tried to break in, according to police. Now, officers said the shot struck the would-be burglar, who is telling them an unusual story about why he was trying to get into the home.

The crime happened at a home on Tampa Avenue near Paul Lawrence Dunbar Street.

Authorities said the homeowner fired a warning shot and struck the man after he refused to stop trying to get into the house. Officers said the first warning calls they got described an apparent burglary in progress.

When officers arrived at the scene, they found a man shot in the lower leg. Officers talked with the homeowner, who said he woke up to hear a man trying to kick in the front door of the home.

Police said when the suspected burglar refused to stop trying to enter the home, the homeowner fired a shot through the lower portion of the door, trying to get the man to go away.

Investigators said the suspected burglar told them a strange story as to why he was desperately trying to break into the house. The man told officer that he just got released from prison for a sexual assault on a girl.

Sgt. Whitney Butler said, “He claims the girl’s family got together some males to chase him through the neighborhood as an act of retribution for his sexual assault.”

At this time, police said they do not have any way to verify the man’s story. The homeowner told police he did think he may have heard other people outside, but he did not know what the whole thing was about.

Officers do not plan to charge the homeowner, saying he was defending himself and his wife. Authorities said the man who got shot was arrested after being treated at a local hospital.

Investigators said the man was booked into the Montgomery County Jail for attempted aggravated burglary.