Austin man facing felony buglary and assault charges after allegedly breaking into a northeast Austin residence early Sunday morning

An Austin man is in the Mower County jail after allegedly breaking into a northeast Austin residence early Sunday morning and injuring the occupant with a firearm. 

Gilo

Chief of Police Dave McKichan reported that officers were called at approximately 12:15 a.m. Sunday morning concerning a shooting with a victim at a residence in the 100 block of 13th Street Northeast in Austin. Officers made contact with a 35-year-old male who stated that he had sustained a gunshot wound to his head. He went on to state that he had opened the door of the residence and saw a masked man who forced his way into the residence. He told authorities that the man struck him in the head with the firearm and that he had heard a gunshot.

Chief McKichan went on to report that a 29-year-old female roommate confirmed the victim’s story.  Police located a spent shell casing and a bullet in a wall of the residence, plus they also observed blood on the victim’s head where he believed he had been shot. He was transported to Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin, where it was determined that he had not been shot and that his wound was the result of him being struck in the head with the firearm.

While at the hospital, the victim gave a detailed description of the mask worn by the assailant.  Police canvassed the area and made contact with a neighbor who had a doorbell-type surveillance camera. Surveillance footage showed what police believed to be the suspect leaving a white vehicle, then returning to the vehicle and leaving the area.  McKichan stated that the footage was then sent out to surrounding law enforcement agencies for assistance and the Albert Lea Police Department confirmed one of its officers had a prior interaction with individuals from Austin driving a similar vehicle. The Albert Lea Police Department gave the vehicle’s information to the Austin Police Department, who then located the vehicle in Austin. A mask fitting the victim’s description was seen in plain sight inside the vehicle.

Authorities obtained a search warrant and arrested 27-year-old Cham Nygare Gilo of Austin as the suspected assailant. Police also arrested a 20-year-old female, who was later interviewed and released from the Mower County jail and a 17-year-old male, both from Austin.

Gilo is currently being held in the Mower County jail, where he is facing possible felony charges of first-degree burglary and assault.