KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A neighbor is credited with saving a mother, her sister and two children from a frightening ordeal.

On Monday night, a knock on the door shattered the calm near 26th and Campbell streets.

"She tried to see if she recognized them and when she saw them and when she saw them she did not want to let them in," said Molly Crane. "But they showed her a gun and said, 'We'll shoot.' My 2 1/2-year-old son was with her and she was concerned about them opening fire."

Crane's sister had no choice but to let the armed strangers into their home. Police said three males barged in demanding cash and computers.

Crane was upstairs with her baby when she heard the commotion.

"I was putting my 5-month-old to bed rocking her in the crib," she said.

The entire family was forced to gather in the living room. While they waited in fear, the men went to the back of the house and that's when Crane hurried her family out the front door. They ran to one of the neighbors for help.

What happened next landed the neighbor in the hospital where he remains in intensive care.

"We're mostly concerned about our neighbor," Crane said. "He's a real hero. He came over and opened fire to scare them off and he shot one of them."

Crane's neighbor was struck by a bullet in his back near his spine. His roommate told KCTV5 that he will be having surgery soon and is in good spirits.

Crane said she'll never be able to repay him for his bravery.

"He's definitely a hero," she said. "We'll pray for him and we are blessed no one else was hurt. Having our family alive is all the valuables we'll ever need."

One person is in police custody in the case.