17-year old Virginia boy shot and killed when entering wrong home

A 17-year old boy had been out drinking with friends, in Loundoun County, Virginia, when his friends dropped him off in his neighborhood, where he had lived for only a year or less.

But instead of going to his home, he instead entered the home of a neighbor, and apparently tried to go upstairs.

The homeowner heard him, got his gun, and shot the boy to death.  The boy was unarmed, and apparently gave no struggle beforehand.  

From an article:

The teenager had been drinking, and his friends drove him to his home in Sterling at about 2:30 a.m. Sunday, law enforcement officials said. But instead of walking into his house on the quiet cul-de-sac, they said, the teen entered a similar-looking red brick home in the same block. 

Inside, the startled homeowner confronted the teen, authorities said, before shooting and killing him. The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office described the shooting as a homeowner killing an unknown intruder, although officials released few details about the shooting. 

Sheriff’s officials declined to release the name of the teen or the homeowner. No criminal charges have been filed. 

It is unclear why the teen went into the wrong home, how he got inside or what kind of exchange he had with the homeowner. Law enforcement officials said that they believe the teenager did not have a gun and that it is possible he entered the home through a rear window, although they were still investigating. It was unclear whether the homeowner and the intruder knew each other; neighbors said the teen was relatively new to the neighborhood.

The article doesn't mention how the boy got into the home or whether the homeowner gave any warning.