A terrifying home invasion in Bel Air, Harford County, was narrowly averted thanks to the courageous actions of a resident. A woman is recovering from a gunshot wound sustained during the pre-dawn attack on Wednesday, but her life was spared by the bravery of her partner, Mike Clark.

Clark recounted the harrowing ordeal, stating that he reacted instinctively upon witnessing the armed intruder holding a gun to his partner’s head. “I came running through the door, and she was standing there with her hands up. All I could see was a pistol to the back of her head. While he had the gun to her head, the only thing he said to her was, ‘If you scream, I will kill you,’” Clark recalled.

Despite the masked intruder’s menacing appearance and threat, Clark didn’t hesitate. “By the time I realized there was a gun to her head and what was going on, I just busted through the door and attacked. I wasn’t thinking, I was reacting. I don’t even know what came over me,” he explained.

In the ensuing struggle, the intruder fled, and gunshots rang out. “He was standing here, and I attacked him, and he went out the door. When he went out the door, all I could see was those flames coming out of his gun, and I don’t know how I’m still here,” Clark said, expressing disbelief at his narrow escape.

Fortunately, Clark’s partner sustained only a graze wound about 5 inches long, and he promptly sought help. Within minutes, the sheriff’s office arrived, and deputies swiftly deployed a drone with night-vision capabilities, leading to the suspect’s capture.

The suspect, identified as 31-year-old Joshua Brewster of North East, was apprehended hiding behind a convenience store. Authorities revealed that Brewster has a lengthy criminal history and is believed to have committed another burglary in the same neighborhood just hours earlier.

Clark, still reeling from the traumatic experience, expressed relief that his partner will recover. “My family is traumatized,” he said. “I broke down afterwards. (I) can’t believe what happened. Seeing a gun held to her head was just traumatizing.”

Brewster remains in jail without bond after waiving his right to a bail review.