A Fairway Drive homeowner survived being shot at several times by a burglar he surprised early Sunday morning.

The homeowner said he and his wife were awakened by a noise coming from the back door of their house that sounded like a loud "pop." He told his wife to call 911 while he went to check out the noise. When he entered the kitchen, he saw the suspect standing outside in a carport.

When the burglar saw the homeowner through a glass door, he pointed a gun and fired several shots that passed through the door and just barely missed him, according to a police report and the account the resident gave to the Fort Mill Times. One bullet hit the kitchen counter. The suspect then fled on foot.

It is the policy of the Fort Mill Times to not name crime victims without their consent.

"This is an unusual situation that happened to us," the homeowner said. "If I had put my alarm on, or if I had a keypad in my bedroom, I could have set off the siren."

Prior to the resident's encounter with the burglar, someone knocked on doors at three other homes on the block, but no one answered, according to the report.

"I wish someone from those homes called 911 because this could have prevented him (the suspect) from shooting my house up," the homeowner said.

The Fort Mill Police Department,York County K-9 Unit and York County Forensic Services Unit searched for the suspect but were unable to track him. One of the officers noticed that the back kitchen door had bullet holes in the glass and he found three spent casings on the property.

The resident, who has lived in the Fairway Drive home with his wife and two children for about five years, plans on upgrading his security system and using it more.

Because of the incident, Lt. Ray Dixon of the FMPD is organizing a "town hall" meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Fort Mill Middle School gym to discuss the burglary attempt and shooting with residents of Fairway Drive and other nearby communities.

Dixon encourages residents of Fairway Drive and the WhiteGrove, Spring Branch Glen, McKendry, Audrey Acres, Dominion Bridge, Nauvasse Trail and Sterling subdivisions to attend.

"The main focus is for people to know that we [FMPD] are here for them," Dixon said. "I don't want anyone to think that they can't call us."

Dixon, who is the department's crime prevention officers, said he plans on telling residents about Sunday's break-in and shooting and explain how they can take precautions.

There were two similar incidents in the last two years - one in McKendry and another in WhiteGrove.

"I don't want a [fourth]," Dixon said. "We need to come together as a community because this area may be a targeted area."