A 20-year-old man is dead and a second man was taken into custody after a home invasion turned into a tragedy in Lakeside, Nova Scotia Sunday night.

Police say they responded to a break-and-enter at 1398 St. Margaret's Bay Road around 10:30 p.m. Sunday.

They discovered that two masked men had broken into the home and that one of the residents had been shot. Jason Dockrill was found dead when they arrived.

Police say they believe Dockrill struggled with one of the suspects, and at one point, shots were fired by a second person living in the home. Dockrill was struck and killed and police believe the intruders then fled the scene, empty-handed.

"I woke up around 1 o'clock and the cops were everywhere," neighbour Wayne Clements told CTV Atlantic. "I went down but they told me to back off."

Some neighbours told CTV that the shooter is Dockrill's father, who was trying to defend his son against the masked men.

Jesse Thomson knew Dockrill through some mutual friends and he says the shooting comes as a shock.

"I thought that he (Dockrill's father) tried to protect Jason and that's what happened," Thomson said Monday. "It's just mind-blowing, really. The whole city is crazy right now."

Police have not confirmed the relationship between the shooter and the victim but they have confirmed they are known to one another and believe they lived together in the home.

The victim's body lay covered on the front lawn Monday morning and police uncovered a weapon at the scene.

Yellow police tape cordoned off the scene Monday morning and a forensics team scoured the property. The medical examiner's officer was also involved in the investigation.

A 52-year-old man was taken into custody and later released. Police say charges are pending upon completion of their investigation and consultation with Crown lawyers.

"Upon completion of the investigation and in consulation with the Crown, police will be looking to see if charges will or will not be laid," Cpl. Scott MacRae said Monday.

Court records indicate Dockrill's father was previously charged with assault, uttering threats and mischief, but he was never convicted.

Police say they seized a rifle, a significant amount of cash and marijuana inside the grey bungalow during the investigation.

Police are searching for the suspects involved in the break-and-enter and are asking anyone with information to come forward. One neighbour told CTV she heard one shot, then saw someone running away, but police have no description of the suspects.

"We are quite interested in why the house was targeted for a break and enter," said MacRae.

"Obviously these two suspects must have had a reasoning to be at this residence."

With files from CTV Atlantic's Jacqueline Foster and The Canadian Press