BERLIN (AP) — German authorities have charged three men with an attempted home invasion of a U.S. Army employee's residence that was foiled by the American.

Zweibruecken prosecutors said Thursday that the three men, whose names weren't released, were part of a group of four who attempted to force their way into the Landstuhl home in February.

They say the 41-year-old American fought off three robbers and forced them back outside, but a fourth pushed past him, ran upstairs to where his wife and three children were and attacked his wife.

Prosecutors say the man, a civilian employee of the U.S. Army's Regional Health Command Europe, heard her screams, grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed the burglar twice in self-defense while fighting with him. The wounded intruder fled and later died.