One intruder died and two others are being hunted after they broke into a Harris County, Texas, home early Friday and threatened to hurt an elderly woman and her three young granddaughters.

An adult son who was awakened by commotion in the kitchen was able to get hold of a firearm he kept near his bed and confronted the three strangers before they could hurt anyone.

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TV station KHOU in Harris County said the incident happened in the 23000 block on Botkins Road in the Hockley area, at around 4:30 a.m.

Family members interviewed by police said their mother was in the kitchen preparing breakfast with the three young girls when the armed intruders broke in.

The woman's son was awakened by the noise in the kitchen and grabbed his gun. When the son heard his mother saying, "Please don't hurt the girls," he took action and went into the kitchen, shooting and killing one of the suspects.

Sgt. Felipe Rivera of the Harris County Sheriff's office said one of the suspects did fire inside the residence.

"They were basically at a standoff, and he (the son) fired first," Rivera said.

The other two suspects ran out of the house and boarded a vehicle and sped away. They have not been identified as of the moment. Police also did not provide details about the identity of the dead intruder.

The man's action ensured the safety of eight people who were in the house at the time. There were seven members of the family and an employee of the family's Harris County construction business in the house when the intrusion happened. All eight are shaken but otherwise unharmed.

Deputies said the suspects were speaking Spanish when they entered the home. There was no detailed description of the suspects, nor any clear motive why the family was targetted. 

TagsHarris County Texas