FITCHBURG, Wis. -- Police said a man shot and killed an intruder who entered his parents' home in Fitchburg Wednesday.

The shooting happened shortly before 2 p.m. Wednesday at a home in the 2900 block of Osmundsen Road, which is in the affluent and quiet Seminole Hills subdivision near County Highway PD.

Fitchburg police said they were alerted to a 911 phone call about a homeowner shooting an intruder.

Deputy Chief Donald Bates, of the Fitchburg Police Department, said Peter Chen and his wife were not at home when the incident happened, but he said their adult son was.

Police said the son shot the intruder, who was pronounced dead at the scene by the Dane County coroner's office.

Police said no one else was home at the time of the incident.

Bates wouldn't give the name of Peter Chen's son or the son's age.

"He lives at home with mom and dad," Bates said.

Police said the intruder was a Madison resident in his 40s, and investigators do not believe the shooter and the intruder knew each other.

Bates said the son is cooperating with the investigation and that the shooting appears to be an act of self-defense.

Police said the son is not under arrest and is answering questions from investigators.

"As you can imagine, he's shook up, and (he) went through a very stressful and traumatic situation. But considering the circumstances, he's doing the best as we can hope for," said Lt. Chad Brecklin, of the Fitchburg Police Department.

Police said that residents are not in danger because the shooter has been identified.

As neighbors returned home from work, many were shocked to see a half dozen or more law enforcement vehicles cordoning off the quiet neighborhood.

"It's scary. It's scary when I got the call from the school that they changed the bus route, but I didn't know what was going on," said neighbor Angel Meyers.

"I looked out the window and saw an officer go into the trees -- gun was drawn. They pulled the branches out of the way and were pointing a pistol," said neighbor Rick Mabry.

Neighbors said they are shaken up by what happened and are looking for answers.

"I think the neighborhood is very safe -- we walk, many times a week; I always feel safe, even at night," said neighbor Bonnie Musial.

"It's a great neighborhood. It's shocking when something like this happens. I mean, an intruder just walks into a home and it's scary," Meyers said.

Residents and police both say the neighborhood is considered safe.

Police said they did a crime analysis of the area and found that the number of burglaries remained flat with three this year and three last year.

The neighborhood association president said there have been talks of forming a neighborhood watch program in the last few years. He said this might be the incident that actually gets the program going.

Stay tuned to WISC-TV and Channel 3000 for continuing coverage.