Shots fired during robbery has Upper Dublin neighborhood on edge

UPPER DUBLIN TOWNSHIP, Pa. (WTXF) - The search is on for a man who fired a shot at a woman after he broke into her home. The family is relieved that no one was hurt.

Normally, they would have been asleep upstairs. But, her young daughters were up early on Sunday morning, March 11, and they were alone downstairs.

The family happened to be dog sitting. Mom Melissa was awake and getting ready to walk the dog. A stroke of luck that she was the one who suddenly confronted the man in the doorway instead of her girls.

"When I opened the door and saw somebody I was terrified and horrified and I screamed and yelled and when he ran, I ran after him," said Melissa.

Without thinking, Melissa Malloy went into attack mode against the stranger standing at the threshold to her Upper Dublin home. It was just before 7:30 in the morning, March 11.

The man had taken the family's remote control from inside their unlocked car and used it to open their garage door.

Melissa heard it sliding up.

She did not know the man was armed with a loaded gun.

"I thought this is a terrible idea. You don't chase the bad guy. So I turned to run back into my house and that's when I heard the shot," Malloy said.

Husband Chris was just waking up.

"I remember hearing the shot and thinking that sounded exactly like a gunshot," said Chris.

The bullet missed Melissa. Police later found a shell casing in the street. The suspect drove off in a Ford Expedition. Police are investigating whether or not he intentionally fired his weapon at the young mom.

Cops say the man hit at least half a dozen unlocked cars on Washington Avenue and Haddon Place, rifling through for valuables and money. The Malloy home was the only one he tried to enter. Melissa is grateful she was able to stop the suspect in his tracks, but it's hard not to think about her young daughters already awake and walking around downstairs.

"What if he would have come in and I wasn't up and she was there. There's so many scary things going on," said Melissa.

The Malloy's are doing well. They are grateful no one was hurt. For now, the neighborhood is on high alert.

Upper Dublin Police say the suspect is 5'8 to 5'10 and heavy set. He remains on the loose. If anyone recognizes him, they should call police.