11/4/09
Leon County, Texas
From October 26, 2009 Austin channel 8:
Law enforcement officials suspect a home invasion in Leon County is connected to a serial rapist who has been terrorizing elderly women in rural areas of Texas for months.
On Saturday, police say a man broke into the home of an 81-year-old woman.
The woman had a handgun and managed to fire several shots, scaring the man away.
The burglar got away with some cash and other items, but the woman was not hurt.
Investigators believe this incident may be connected to a series of sexual assaults on elderly women across four Central Texas counties, including Bell County.
At least seven women have been attacked since January.
All are over 60, widows and live alone in rural areas.
10/28/09
San Marcos, Texas
From the Statesman of October 22, 2009
Intruder shot in San Marcos
A man San Marcos police said was shot after breaking into a home on Oscar Smith Drive armed with a BB gun, is in stable condition today at University Medical Center Brackenridge, police Commander Penny Dunn said.
Police released no names involved in the shooting as they continued their investigation, Dunn said. No charges have been filed in the case, she said.
Officers were first called at 9:50 p.m. Wednesday from someone reporting a break-in in progress at the back door of a home in the 700 block of Oscar Smith Drive, Dunn said.
One of three people in the home at the time fired several shots at a man Dunn said was armed with a BB handgun. The intruder then fled on foot wounded, she said.
Dunn said police were alerted that a man with several gunshot wounds came to Central Texas Medical Center in San Marcos after 10 p.m. Doctors there gave him primary treatment and the suspect was transferred to Brackenridge, she said.
Labels: home invasion, TX
10/21/09
Hawkins, Texas
From KLTV of October 19, 2009
Homeowner's one shot lands would-be burglar in ER
It took one shot for an East Texas senior to put an end to a would-be robber's crime spree. The story began around 2am Monday morning at Southside Bank in Hawkins. The branch is located inside Brookshire's, right off Highway 14. That is where police say 19-year-old David McWhorter was spotted, first. We spoke to the homeowner whose one shot landed the alleged burglar in the ER.
"Just...put the gun up to the window, and he was standing there and I pulled the trigger," said the 78-year-old homeowner.
One shot through the window was all it took. Our homeowner didn't mind an on camera interview, but asked his name not be released. He suffers from a hip injury and was sitting in his chair when the suspect broke into his screened porch. He says it is not the first time he has been broken into. Every window is now nailed shut and a baggie full of ammo for his 4-10 single-shot shotgun is always nearby.
"Everything I worked hard for all my life...no one's just going to come in here and take it if I can help it," said the homeowner.
"If you can't retreat, you have every right in the world to protect yourself," said Hawkins Police Lieutenant A.J. Randell.
Randell says while police worked the call at Brookshire's, another call came in about the break-in about a block away. Police say the suspect was found across the street, inside his brother's car with a gun shot wound to the left shoulder.
"He came in, woke him up and said, 'I'd been shot! Take me to the hospital,'" said Randell.
"I'm sorry that it happened, but he shouldn't be trying to break in and trying to steal other people's property," said the 78-year-old. "Protect what's mine, you know?"
And, after 23 years of retired life, our homeowner doesn't plan on moving anytime soon.
Labels: senior, trespassing, TX
10/16/09
Houston, Texas
From ABC13 of October 16, 2009
Homeowner shoots would-be burglar
A homeowner went for his gun when he heard noises in his backyard in the very early morning hours. In the end, a suspected thief was wounded and running for his life.
It happened on James and Cochran around 2:15am. The homeowner says he fired on the suspect to protect his property.
"We get robbed here all the time, we're used to it living in this neighborhood," said a frustrated homeowner who didn't want to be identified.
Frustrated that he and his neighbors were being repeatedly burglarized, one homeowner made a last minute decision to install a video camera late last night.
"Just wrap it up and so we can catch the guy," said the homeowner.
"You didn't have time to bolt it down, we asked.
"No chance to screw it on or nothing," he said.
Less than three hours later, the camera captured images of a man, allegedly trying to steal something from the front yard. From a neighboring surveillance camera, in the video you can see the burglar running away, just moments after the homeowner opened fire.
"I shot him, but I shot him on his foot. I didn't want to shoot him in the chest or head or anything, he was five feet away from me, I could have shot him between the eyes but I didn't want to kill him," said the homeowner.
The homeowner has owned his revolver for 40 years. He's never had to fire it, not even once, until early this morning.
One single shot through his bedroom window and the suspect was still able to run away but he didn't' get far. Police found and arrested him just a few blocks down the road. Residents in the neighborhood are now breathing a sigh of relief.
"That's good. I'm glad somebody took care of him," said another homeowner.
The video that was captured from the newly installed surveillance camera are now in the hands of the police. It apparently shows the face of the alleged burglar up close. Investigators have not released the suspect's identity.
Labels: trespassing, TX
10/13/09
Houston, Texas
From TXCN of October 13, 2009
Homeowner: I shot intruder who was kicking my bedroom door
A Harris County man who shot an intruder in his home said pulling the trigger is the most difficult decision anyone can make.
“It’s a weird feeling,” Jorge Guzman said as he walked through his bullet-riddled home on Lima Drive. “I don’t care who it is or who they think they are, when you’re in that position, it’s totally different.”
The break-in occurred in the early morning hours last Monday. Only Guzman and his uncle were home at the time.
The chilling encounter was captured in a call to 911.
“Please, they’re breaking the windows,” Guzman told a dispatcher.
Guzman, who had barricaded himself in a back bedroom with a handgun, described the scene as it unfolded to dispatchers.
“I hear somebody in the house. They’re trying to open the door. Hurry! Please hurry,” he said.
The dispatcher continued to reassure Guzman that sheriff’s deputies were on the way. At one point, Guzman was instructed to lay down his weapon.
“Go and put your gun down because if you hear anything, it’s going to be the deputies,” the 911 dispatcher insisted.
Then, moments later, the sound of gunfire was caught on tape.
Guzman told 11 News he fired the shots because the intruder was trying to kick down the door to his bedroom.
“As soon as he put his foot there, that’s when I shot, because he had a big tattoo on his face and when the lady was telling me that’s the sheriff’s department, when he came into that door I said that’s not the sheriff’s department,” Guzman said.
Guzman said once he shot the suspect, the 19-year-old ran around his home trying to find a way to get out.
Deputies arrested the wounded suspect, along with a woman they say drove his getaway car.
Guzman is just happy to put the incident behind him.
“You don’t know what’s on the other side of that door,” said Guzman.
Labels: home invasion, TX
10/9/09
San Antonio, Texas
From KENS5 of October 8, 2009
Alleged home intruder shot by homeowner, dies after car-crash getaway
What started early Thursday morning as a home invasion has ended in the death of the alleged intruder.
Just after 5 a.m., Bexar County Sheriff's deputies responded to the scene in the 11400 block of South Foster Road.
Deputies say 24-year-old Cardell Deon Joseph broke through the front door of a home there, and that's when the homeowner shot him once in the intruder's rib cage area.
They say the Joseph then ran from the house and drove away, but he then crashed his vehicle a few blocks away. According to reports, the suspect was still talking after the crash, and asked the homeowners for help.
But, Joseph later died at the scene.
It's unclear whether the crash or the gunshot wound was the major factor in his death.
Bexar County records show that Joseph was in trouble before. He was arresed for evading arrest and possession of marijuana.
The Bexar County district attorney's office will review the case.
Labels: home invasion, TX
10/8/09
Houston, Texas
From Click2Houston of October 5, 2009
Homeowner Shoots, Kills Burglar
A northwest Houston homeowner shot a burglar after he found him inside his home Monday morning, police told KPRC Local 2.
Investigators said the homeowner, Mark Brown, returned to his house in the 8500 block of Norton at about 9:30 a.m. when he heard someone inside.
Brown grabbed a shotgun hidden under a bed and found the burglar in a bedroom, police said.
The homeowner fired several shots after the burglar rushed at him from a closet. The burglar was hit three times, according to investigators.
The burglar, whose name was not released, died at the scene.
Milton Brandt has lived on Norton for 50 years. He called 911 after the shooting.
"I just talked to (Brown) a while ago. He's upset, sure he is," Brandt said. "He walked in the door and said all the lights are on."
Brown said he felt lucky that the burglar did not find the shotgun.
"The guy had already ransacked his bedroom and just so happened that God bless him, and he didn't find the shotgun under the bed," said David Brown, the homeowner's father.
"It's obvious it's been burglarized. There's disarray inside. It's a neat, well-kept home and you walk inside and obviously see piles of personal items set out in preparation of being taken -- drawers open, cabinets pulled out, etc.," said Detective C Elliott of the Houston Police Department.
Brown was not injured.
The case will be referred to a grand jury without charges.
Labels: residence burglary, TX
10/2/09
Corpus Chrisi, Texas
From KIII of September 30, 2009
Man Shoots Burglar
A Corpus Christi man, who says he's been burglarized the last two nights, took the law into his own hands Wednesday morning when a suspected burglar came back for a the third night in a row.
It was around 2:30am when the Garza family heard what they thought was a burglar in their garage.
Henry Garza says, "I was waiting for him, last night about 2 o'clock in the morning he came in, busted my door, in the garage, and got in it again. He run that away and that's when I shot him."
66 year old Henry Garza, who lives near Port and Baldwin wasn't taking any chances. Sunday and Monday night, Garza says burglars got away with his tools, a couple of bicycles, a stereo, and other small items.
So, Tuesday night, Garza and his wife, Mary, were ready. Around 2:30 in the morning they heard noises coming from their garage and Mr. Garza grabbed his single barrel 410 caliber shotgun. Mrs. Garza armed herself with a two by four.
Garza says, "I hit him one time with the gun, like this, and he ran away. My wife was standing there, he him my wife, she had a 2x4, she hit him with a 2x4. That's what made me mad, he pushed my wife around, and that's when I shot him."
Garza thinks he shot the intruder in the back of the leg, but the suspect was able to get away.
Garza says, "I know I hit him, cause he fell."
Mrs. Garza, who was knocked down is going to be ok and as for Mr. Garza says, "I'll be waiting for him here. If he comes tonight, if he's not wounded."
Labels: trespassing, TX
9/27/09
Houston, Texas
From the September 18, 2009 Houston Chronicle:
A teenage burglary suspect remains hospitalized after he was shot Friday morning while breaking into a home in southeast Houston, authorities said.
The owner of the home in the 8100 block of Gladstone was alone about 10:15 a.m. when he heard noises coming from the side of the house.
After hearing the sound of breaking glass, the homeowner, 42, grabbed his pistol and went to investigate. He pulled back a bedroom curtain and was confronted by the suspect, who was removing shards of the broken glass from the window, police said.
The homeowner was startled and fired a single shot. The suspect was struck but fled along with two other people. All three were taken into custody a short time later, police said.
Labels: minor offender, residence burglary, TX
9/4/09
San Marcos, Texas
From the Houston Chronicle of September 4, 2009
2 teens killed trying to break into home
A man shot and killed two teenagers and wounded another when they tried breaking into his home early Friday, police said.
A fourth teenager was arrested and is expected to be charged with aggravated robbery.
Three of the four male teenagers who tried breaking into the home were armed, one with a handgun and two with pellet guns that looked like more powerful weapons, San Marcos Police Chief Howard Williams said.
One of the three college-aged people who lived in the rental home opened fire on the teens with a .40-caliber Glock pistol, killing two 16-year-olds and wounding another suspect. A 17-year-old suspect fled the scene but was captured and arrested after returning to the scene to check on his friends, police said. He's expected to be charged with aggravated robbery, Williams said.
The wounded suspect was taken to Brackenridge Hospital in Austin with non-life threatening injuries, Williams said. Officials say the wounded suspect is also expected to be charged.
Police did not identify the suspects or those who lived in the home. None of the residents were injured. One was a Texas State University student.
Williams said the shooter appeared to be acting in self-defense and "there doesn't appear to be a crime" related to the shooting.
The suspects are from Luling, about 20 miles southeast of San Marcos, Williams said. It does not appear they know those living at the home, he said.
The shooting happened shortly before 2 a.m. Friday. Police responded to a 911 call about a home invasion and shots fired.
"If you feel threatened, you certainly have a right to defend yourself," said Williams.
San Marcos is about 30 miles south of Austin.
Labels: home invasion, minor offender, TX
9/3/09
Houston, Texas
From the My San Antonio of September 4, 2009
Robbery suspect killed in Houston card room gun battle
A suspected robber was killed and another man was injured in a gun battle after three masked gunmen ambushed a card game in southwest Houston on Thursday, police said.
Around 2 a.m., witnesses said the masked men waited for someone to leave the game, which was held inside an unmarked office park unit behind a shopping center.
The gunmen burst in through the open door and began robbing patrons, one of whom pulled his own pistol, said Sgt. Juan M. De La Cruz, a Houston homicide detective. A gunfight ensued.
One suspect was killed and one of the patrons suffered a non-life threatening wound and was taken to a nearby hospital. Police, who found multiple 9-millimeter shell casings at the scene, say the other two suspects fled.
Police recovered card tables, cards and cash, and one of the patrons said everyone at the game knew each other. Police said they didn't immediately know who rents the space, which like many in the complex has no signage.
De La Cruz said the gambling matter would be turned over to the vice squad, but it wasn't clear whether the game was illegal. In Texas, there's nothing wrong with money changing hands in poker and other games as long as someone isn't taking a cut.
Identities of those involved were not immediately released, and no arrests were made.
Labels: residence robbery, TX
9/2/09
Corpus Christi, Texas
From the Caller-Times of August XX, 2009
Business owner shoots at intruder early Wednesday
A man sleeping at his business in the 6700 block of Weber Road fired several shots at a man who busted the front door glass about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, police said.
Police later found a maroon Chevrolet Suburban backed up to the shop’s door with a large flat screen TV on the ground, police said in a news release. Police suspect the man attempted to re-enter the store to get another TV when the owner shot at him, the release said. A witness heard the shots and a man shout that he was shot.
About an hour later, a 33-year-old man walked into Bay Area Hospital emergency room with a gunshot wound on his hand, Capt. Todd Green said.
He was placed under police guard pending possible burglary charges, Green said.
The owner’s weapon was taken by police for evidence processing.
Labels: business burglary, TX
8/23/09
Houston, Texas
From the August 22, 2009 Houston Chronicle:
A man accused of kicking in the door of his ex-girlfriend's Spring home was recovering from a gunshot wound on Saturday.
Johnnie W. Cunningham III, 31, faces a burglary charge after police say he forced his way into a home in the 7000 block of Treaschwig late Friday night.
While the ex-girlfriend and another man slept, Cunningham began beating and kicking their back door around 10 p.m., said Thomas Gilliland, a Harris County Sheriff's Office spokesman.
Through the closed door, the ex-girlfriend told Cunningham to leave.
“He became belligerent, kicked the door open and gained entry to the house,” Gilliland said.
When Cunningham began struggling with the woman, the other man came out of a bedroom with a handgun. He ordered Cunningham to leave several times, but Cunningham continued to shove his former girlfriend, police say.
“At this time, the male occupant fired a warning shot into the ceiling,” Gilliland said. “The suspect again was belligerent and started towards the male complainant. The male complainant fired one time, striking the suspect in the upper chest.”
The shooter called 911 to report injuring an intruder.
Cunningham was transported to Ben Taub General Hospital in critical condition.
The shooter has not been charged, Gilliland said.
Labels: domestic dispute, home invasion, TX
8/21/09
Houston, Texas
From the August 21, 2009 Houston Chronicle:
The fatal shooting of a suspected burglar by a north Houston man on Thursday will be referred to a Harris County grand jury, police said.
The deceased, unidentified man was shot about 1 p.m. at a home in the 13500 block of Forest Pines Village near Forest Fir, Houston police said. He was later pronounced dead at Ben Taub General Hospital. The homeowner, who was not injured, told HPD officers he looked outside after hearing the doorbell. Seconds later, the burglar forced his way into the house, police said.
The homeowner had a pistol and fired at least once at the suspected burglar — who fled but collapsed about a block away, police said. The homeowner told HPD officer he kept the pistol in his home because of past crimes in the area.
Labels: residence burglary, TX
8/15/09
Houston, Texas
From KHOU of August 15, 2009
Clerk armed and ready for robbers, kills one
Life can change in a second. It can also end. Cell phone store owner, Javid Iqbal saw both on Wednesday afternoon, in just 17 seconds.
“It is a part of my life that I will have to remember all of the time,” Iqbal recalls.
It was amazingly fast. Security video released to 11 News showed Iqbal behind the elevated counter, when the would-be robbers rush the store.
Two men with bandanas covering their faces, the leader gun in hand, vaulted over the case.
But in the five seconds that it took, Iqbal was already around the corner in the back, gun in hand.
“I see that guy come in the back pointing a gun. I just started shooting,” Iqbal says.
The two men were just inches apart, arms and guns extended. Iqbal fired three times, hitting 34-year-old Bryan Thorn.
Both robbers tried to flee after shots were fired, the second (still unidentified) man made it out, but Thorn did not. He collapsed dead in the doorway.
Iqbal said he could only think about the three most important people in his life, “I was thinking about my family; my little girl, my wife, my father,” he said.
All of them were within six feet of the shooting in the back of the store.
“My little three-year-old girl was in the store playing on the computer. The first thing wasn’t mine. I have to save my family,” Iqbal said, recalling the 17 seconds he will never forget.
This isn’t the first time. This store’s prior owner back in 2005 was also the victim of multiple robberies. One of those resulted in a shootout, which was also captured on video.
Not long after that, the owner-who was held up by three men and was not hurt- would sell this store to Iqbal.
Iqbal went on to do great business; but not all for profit, sometimes it came at a price. In all he’s been robbed four times, but no suspects were ever caught.
That is why his wife forced him to buy a gun and learn how to use it.
“Four robberies? Now I am not going to go through that again. All this happens. I have to take a stand somewhere,” Iqbal says.
The store is now open again after the shooting. His customers are standing with him.
“What if a stray bullet would have hit their daughter or hit his wife? Oh I’m sorry? For $20? Come on man,” said Carl English, who was in to pay his cell bill.
The store is still open, but Iqbal doesn’t know how long that will remain. He is now looking for a new, safer location.
Iqbal said that being robbed four times in a little over a year is all that his family can take. They are planning to move on soon.
Labels: business robbery, TX
Seguin, Texas
From the July 29, 2009 Seguin Gazette-Enterprise:
SEGUIN — A wallet was stolen in a brazen nighttime robbery of a Guadalupe Street resident, according to reports.
A resident of the 2100 block of North Guadalupe Street woke up at 11:40 p.m. Sunday when he heard a noise in the front of his house, and then a man came into his bedroom and demanded, “Give me your money.”
The victim reached for his wallet and a handgun, and the two fought over the weapon before the suspect jumped out a window and left, the report said.
No shots were reported fired in the incident, which is being investigated by police detectives.
Labels: residence robbery, TX
Houston, Texas
From July 31, 2009 KTRK channel 13:
HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A vendor says three teens approached him and attacked while he was working. That's when he says he pulled out a gun and fired, killing one of the suspects.
The confrontation started about 11pm on MLK near Reed Road. Authorities tell us the vendor was parked at a gas station as he was delivering snack products to the store. Police say he was inside the store and when he walked back out, he was approached by three teenage boys who demanded the snack products.
When the vendor refused, authorities say the teens, all three of them, began to assault the vendor by punching, kicking and hitting him. During the assault, the vendor was able to defend himself.
"The individual is a concealed handgun license carrier, was armed at the time, retrieved a weapon and subsequently shot and killed an individual here on the scene," said Officer Brian Evans with the Houston Police Department.
Labels: concealed carry permit, minor offender, street robbery, TX
8/14/09
Beaumont, Texas
From KBMT of August 7, 2009
Store Clerk Shoots Robber
Beaumont police are looking for a man witnesses say has a gunshot wound to the arm after he robbed the Gulf Street Liquor Store in Beaumont.
Beaumont Police Officer Crystal Holmes tells KBMT 12 news around 10:30 a.m. Friday patrolmen were called to the 3000 block of Gulf Street in Beaumont where a 9-1-1 caller reported an armed robbery. The store owner told police a man with wearing a black cap, long sleeve black shirt, black baggy jeans and an orange bandanna used a large-caliber handgun in the robbery. As the robber started to leave the clerk grabbed his own handgun and chased the suspect into the parking lot. Police say the clerk told officers the suspect turned and pointed a gun in his direction so he fired a number of shots at the suspect. He said one of the slugs hit the man in the arm.
"I ran out to get his license plate," said Farid Ali who owns the Gulf Street Liquor Store in Beaumont. "When he saw me he tried to shoot me and that is when I shot back."
Although he and witnesses say the suspect was hit, there was no evidence found at the scene to show that a bullet had actually hit the man.
The suspect fled the scene in a green Ford Mustang with a ragtop.
A witness to the robbery followed the green Mustang through the North end of Beaumont until it reached Lucas. The witness last saw the car heading west on East Lucas near the railroad tracks and Helbig Road.
At 12:45 p.m. officers found the suspect car in the 5000 block of Landry. Police obtained a search warrant and found the suspects bloody clothing. Police also searched his car where they discovered blood stains and bullet holes on the side of the car.
Police say they used K-9 unit to track his footsteps which led police to Pine Burr. Police believe the man was picked up there by a friend or family member.
Authorities say they know the suspects identity but they are not going to release his name until they obtain a warrant for his arrest.
Officer Holmes is asking anyone that spots the suspect to call police rather than approach the man. Information that leads police to the suspect could earn a tipster a Crime Stoppers cash reward of up to $1,000. The number to Beaumont Police Dispatch is 409-832-1234.
Labels: business robbery, TX
8/13/09
Houston, Texas
From KTRK of August 13, 2009
Store owner fatally shoots would-be robber
Police say a cell phone store owner took action when two people tried to hold up his northeast Houston business.
According to the store owner, two men walked into his store on Laura Koppe near Lockwood around 5pm yesterday and tried to rob him. That's when he says he pulled out a gun and fatally shot one of the suspects.
The other suspect got away.
Labels: business robbery, TX
7/29/09
Harris County, Texas
From the July 28, 2009 Houston Chronicle:
A homeowner shot and killed a suspected burglar who came at him with a tire iron Tuesday after breaking into a storage shed on the man’s property in east Harris County, officals said.
Although the shooting will be referred to a Harris County grand jury, investigators said it appears to be self-defense.
"He has the right to protect himself and his property," said Sgt. Felipe Rivera, with the Harris County sheriff’s homicide division.
Investigators later Tuesday had not released the names of the homeowner or of the dead man.
Investigators suspect the incident was related to a burglary reported Monday at the same address. In that incident, the homeowner reported that a pair of hunting crossbows had been stolen.
On Tuesday, the homeowner saw a car about 3:30 p.m. as it pulled into the driveway leading to the home in the 100 block of Cedar Lane in Channelview.
After checking with his father-in-law, who lives in another home on the same property, the man took his .45-caliber pistol and went outside to confront the man he had seen in the car, investigators said.
The man was carrying empty cases used to hold crossbows when the homeowner confronted him in the driveway.
"He pulled out his gun and ordered the suspect to stop," Rivera said. "The suspect threw the cases down and produced the tire iron."
The homeowner fired once with the pistol. He fired a second time when the man continued moving toward him.
The man got into his car then began grabbing for the pistol, Rivera said.
"They struggled for the gun and he (the homeowner) fires two or three more shots," Rivera said.
The man tried to drive away, but struck a support column for a large covered car port, causing it to partially collapse.
He was pronounced dead at the scene, Rivera said.
Labels: residence burglary, TX
7/23/09
Houston, Texas
From the Houston Chronicle of July 23, 2009
74-year-old man shoots carjacker in SW Houston
A 74-year-old man shot and wounded a teenager who attempted to carjack him with a knife early this morning in southwest Houston, police said.
The 18-year-old male suspect was wounded in the abdomen and was caught by police after he tried to run away following the shooting. He was taken to Ben Taub General Hospital in fair condition.
No other injuries were reported.
Police have not released the suspect's name because no charges have been filed against him, but investigators said that he will mostly likely be charged with aggravated robbery.
The shooting happened outside a home in the 10900 block of Corona in southwest Houston about 6:30 a.m., police said.
The victim, August Peters, had just parked his car in front of his wife's home when he noticed another car drive past him and park at the curb across the street.
When the victim got out of his car, he told investigators that the teen came up to him and pressed a knife against his throat.
"He said, 'Give me your car or I'll kill you,'" said Victor Senties, a spokesman for the Houston Police Department.
The victim was able to reach inside his car to get a pistol. He fired two shots at the suspect, Senties said.
The suspect ran into the driveway of a home across the street and then somehow got into the home. He broke a window to get out and continued running away. Senties said no one was at the home at the time.
Police found the teen moments later on bridge on Wilcrest near Bellaire about two blocks from where he was shot.
Investigators are uncertain if the teenager got out of the car the victim had seen park on the street. They have no description of the vehicle and no other suspects at this time.
Labels: senior, street robbery, TX
7/16/09
Spring Branch, Texas
From the Houston Chronicle of July 16, 2009
NW Houston resident fatally shoots intruder
A man was shot and killed in a Spring Branch home this morning in what police believe was a case of self-defense.
Shortly before 7:30 a.m., paramedics received a call that a man was wounded in the 9000 block of Kerrwood, northwest of the intersection of Hammerly and Bingle.
Police on the scene say it appears the dead man was killed trying to rob the modest wood-frame house, which has a visible security camera installed outside.
Neighbors said crime has increased in the area in recent years, mostly break-ins and burglaries.
"It's disturbing, but there's nothing you can do about it," neighbor Terry Vick said, referring to what happened today.
Ginny Evans, who has lived in the area for less than two years, said she was stunned by the shooting.
"I can't blame him. I'd shoot (an intruder) if he was in my house," said Evans, who added that she had given her pistol to a friend but now plans to either ask for it back or buy another one.
"It's real scary, and it's sad," she said.
No arrests have been made and authorities are still on the scene. No other information was immediately available.
Labels: home invasion, TX
7/12/09
Houston, Texas
From KIAH of July 3, 2009
Clerk Fights Back After Robbery
Gunfire broke out Friday afternoon outside a Southwest Houston mini-mart. It happened when a store clerk went after two suspects who just finished robbing him.
Amir Borhani said it was a sense of déjà vu after two masked gunmen entered his family owned convenient store and robbed him.
"I've been in it before. They tried to rob my dad out here. I was in a gun battle before. I just didn't think it would happen again," said Borhani.
Borhani said the suspects took the money in the register and ran. He grabbed his own gun and went after them - fueled in part by pure rage.
"We're a little business and we try hard to make money I am hearing about people getting robbed around here and I'm tired of it," said Borhani.
He also said he shot at the suspects twice then ran after the suspect holding the money.
"I grabbed him, held his collar, put the gun to his head and said, don't move or I'm going to shot you. At that time he starts pleading please don't shoot me. I don't," said Borhani.
He got his money back, but the suspect wasn't going down so easily.
Borhani said, "He grabs my hand, knocks the gun out of my hand we both dive to the floor."
The two struggled for the gun, but Borhani managed to grab it and throw it out of reach. The suspect fought off Borhani and ran. He got away but ran into a minor roadblock.
"I was just driving down the street, and the guy just crossed. I couldn't break so I hit with my truck," said George Garcia.
Garcia was passing by when the suspect ran in front of his truck. Garcia tried to help but was shot at as the suspect limped away into the waiting get-a-way car with his accomplices.
The suspect may have gotten away, but one of them likely left a clue to their identity behind.
"I think we got enough evidence," said Sgt. James Welborn with the Houston Police Department.
Welborn said the suspect likely left a fingerprint when he bounced off Garcia's truck, "If they've ever been handled before with fingerprint evidence, and the descriptions we got I don't think we should have a problem."
Witnesses described the suspect's get-a-way vehicle as a dark blue sedan - possibly a Honda or Toyota.
Labels: business robbery, TX
7/9/09
Whitney, Texas
From the Publication of July 9, 2009
Intruder Shot North Of Whitney
An apparent ongoing dispute led to an intruder being shot after he forced his way into a Whitney area home late Saturday, July 4.
Hill County Sheriff’s Office deputies had been to a residence in the 300 block of Timberline Street off Farm Road 1713 earlier in the evening.
The shooting was called into authorities at 11:53 p.m. after the victim forced open a door at the home to gain entry.
The 46-year-old Whitney man struggled with the 43-year-old homeowner before he armed himself with a .22 caliber pistol.
One shot was apparently fired, striking the older man in the abdomen.
The victim fled and was taken to Lake Whitney Medical Center in Whitney by private vehicle.
He was later flown by Air Evac to Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center in Waco.
According to sheriff’s office reports, he was listed in stable condition the following day.
Sheriff Jeffrey T. Lyon said that a charge of burglary of a habitation is expected to be filed on the man after he is released from the hospital.
Labels: home invasion, TX
7/1/09
Sugar Land, Texas
From KIAH of July 1, 2009
Sugar Land Man Shoots Intruder
Residents are on alert tonight after a man tries to break into a Sugar Land home.
The man was shot after trying to break into an apartment on Long Reach Drive near Lexington in Sugar Land.
Going by his first name only, James, a computer technician, who works the graveyard shift was sleeping in his apartment when he was awaken by his barking dog around noon.
"That alarmed me so I picked up my gun just to have it with me in case someone was there," said James.
And there was; an unidentified intruder who apparently entered through a kitchen window.
"I opened my bedroom door and saw the guy," said James. "It looked like he was running towards me with a weapon like a screwdriver and I was scared."
The 33 year-old pulled the trigger striking the suspect in the upper body. James was dialing 911, when he says the suspect ran out through the front door.
"The suspect description that we have is a Hispanic male in his 20's," said Doug Adolf, a Sugar Land City Spokesperson. "We were told he might have fled in a silver-colored SUV."
The suspected get-away vehicle, which was stained with blood, was later discovered 10 miles away near a southwest Houston Long John Silver Restaurant.
Police say the suspect walked to a nearby clinic, and was eventually taken to Ben Taub hospital.
Surprisingly, James says he feels bad for the man.
"If he hears this, I hope he lives," said James. "I'm sorry that I had to shoot him. I was scared and he shouldn't be getting into people's apartment and trying to rob them."
"That makes me feel great that there is someone out there that will defend themselves and their community," said Courtney Huckaby, a neighbor.
Police say when the suspect took himself to a clinic he actually claimed a robber had shot him. It's unclear his exact condition at this time, and whether charges have been filed against him.
Sugar land PD says there has been an increase in apartment burglaries and a task force was created to combat the problem.
Labels: home invasion, TX
Odessa, Texas
From KOSA of June 25, 2009
Burglar Shot by Owner of Truck He Was Breaking Into
A burglar is in jail tonight after he was shot by the owner of the truck he was breaking into and apprehended by police.
It was the latest in a string of attempted car robberies at the Woodlands Apartment Complex where the shooting took place.
After a series of attempted car break-ins management here at the woodlands apartment complex told residents to contact police if anything else was going on. The other night one resident did just that but not before shooting and detaining a would-be burglar.
"Pow pow pow... just like that".
Tony Lynch ran out of his apartment only to find a bleeding man on the ground.
"This is a really nice neighborhood. This is a real nice complex and it was a shock to me", said Lynch.
Police say a resident fired two rounds at two would-be burglars... hitting one in the ankle.
Neighbors say it wasn't the first burglary.
"The managers have put notes on the doors saying that everybody should be aware that we've been having some problems with breaking into vehicles", said Lynch.
Vandalism hit this resident.
"Pretty upset. You have to go back and re-do everything and fix it up".
After the break-in and shooting one witness tells us the gunman said he didn't mean for it to go off. So was this an accidental shooting or did he take "don't mess with Texas" a little too seriously?
"They kind of deserve it for breaking into a car", said Ryan Dominey.
"Would you just let them break in? I would end up shooting them too" added Ryan Dodd.
Either way... it's legal under Texas Penal Code 9.42.
"It authorizes a person to use deadly force to protect land or tanagible, movable property during the night-time", says Cpl. Sherrie Carruth of the Odessa Police Dept.
It may be legal... but police say it's rare. And Tony Lynch... wouldn't pull the trigger.
"It aint worth it man... you can replace a car but you can't replace a life".
Labels: street property theft, TX
6/18/09
Harris County, Texas
From the Houston Chronicle of June 18, 2009
Harris man fatally shoots teen at home
A homeowner who had twice ordered a teenager to leave the property — once while holding a rifle — shot the teen dead after the boy refused to leave and walked toward him, authorities said.
“He feared for his life,” said Harris County sheriff’s Lt. Rolf Nelson.
Dwayne Austgen, 69, was inside his north Harris County home in the 5500 block of Susanna around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday when he noticed a teenager in his front yard, officials said. The man went outside, confronted 17-year-old Vidal Herrera, and told him to leave, authorities said.
After the teen left the property, Austgen noticed Herrera had left a crack cocaine pipe, officials said. Austgen then went back inside his home, taking the pipe with him, officials said.
A short while later, Herrera returned to the home, confronted Austgen about the pipe, and the pair argued, officials said. Austgen, this time holding a rifle, again ordered the teen to leave, officials said.
Herrera began to walk away but then approached the homeowner, who fired the .22-caliber rifle, striking the teen in the abdomen, officials said. Herrera was taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital, where he died.
The case will be referred to a Harris County grand jury without charges.
Austgen could not be reached for comment.
(More)
Labels: minor offender, trespassing, TX
Wichita Falls, Texas
From the Times Record News of June 10, 2009
Police: Suspect treated for gunshot wound then jailed
A man was treated for a gunshot wound to his leg then taken to the Wichita County Jail on assault charges in connection with an incident Monday, said Officer Harold McClure, public information officer with the Wichita Falls Police Department.
Perrion Lavell Warrior, 46, was charged with three counts of aggravated assault family violence in connection with the incident. His bond was set at $60,000 and he was being held Tuesday in the Wichita County Jail.
According to reports:
Police were called to the 500 block of Marconi to check on reports of shots fired about 10 p.m.
Officers talked to a 44-year-old woman who said she was threatened by her live-in boyfriend. She said he was intoxicated and they were arguing in the bedroom.
Her 24-year-old daughter lives next door and came over when she heard the commotion. At about the same time, the victim’s 22-year-old son showed up.
The woman’s children arrived and found the suspect holding a knife to the woman’s throat.
Both children asked the suspect to put the knife down and tried to get him to leave. He threatened them, and said they would all be dead before he left.
The son left the room, came back with a handgun, and shot Warrior once in the left leg.
The suspect was taken to the emergency room in a private vehicle, where police took him into custody and then to jail. His injury was not considered life threatening.
The assault victim’s son does not face any charges for the incident because the shooting was considered self-defense.
Labels: assault, domestic dispute, intoxication, TX
6/15/09
Spring, Texas
From June 15, 2009 DPRC channel 2:
SPRING, Texas -- A woman opened fire when two robbery suspects broke into her Spring home on Sunday, KPRC Local 2 reported.
Harris County Precinct 4 deputy constables said the 34-year-old was alone inside the home in the Timberlane subdivision on Briarcreek Boulevard near Cades Cove Drive at about 6 a.m.Investigators said the woman opened fire when the attackers burst through her bedroom door.
"She's in her bedroom, locked in her bedroom. And she could hear them rustling through the rooms about the house. She grabbed her weapon and you know, held up inside her bedroom. It wasn't until they forced their way into her bedroom, they kicked the bedroom door in. She fired several shots at the suspects," said Lt. Jeff Stauber with the Harris County Sheriff's Department.
Investigators said Gerson Jonathon Linares and Shalom Mendoza, both 17, were wounded.
Detectives said the teenagers, who live in the neighborhood, ran out of the home and called for help, claiming to be the victims of a shooting.
"Through our investigation, we were able to tie them back to this incident on Briarcreek," Stauber said.
Investigators said the pair has admitted that they were involved in the crime.
Labels: female, home invasion, minor offender, TX
6/12/09
Houston, Texas
From the June 6, 2009 Houston Chronicle:
An alleged carjacker was shot and killed in north Houston Saturday morning, police said.
At about 6:15 a.m., witnesses pulled Darryl Milton Franklin Jr., 37, out of a car that he was reportedly breaking into in the 1100 block of Langwick Drive.
As they waited for police to arrive, witnesses saw him attempt to break into other vehicles and even try to commit a carjacking, authorities said.
Franklin attacked a man who approached him. The man, who was carrying a permitted concealed weapon, shot Franklin, said Houston Police spokesman Victor Senties.
The shooting is being investigated by the District Attorney’s Office and will likely be referred to a grand jury, Senties said.
Labels: carjacking, concealed carry permit, TX
6/11/09
San Antonio, Texas
From WOAI of June 11, 2009
Bakery worker shoots and kills would-be robber
A man was shot and killed when police say he tried to rob a bakery.
Investigators told News 4 WOAI Roberto Adame tried to rob the Cinderella Bakery in the 1200 block of Saltillo Street on the West Side Wednesday evening.
The bakery owner's son, who was working in the back, heard screams and came out with a gun. Police say he shot Adame at least two times.
Adame took off running. Police found him a few blocks away from the bakery and called for an ambulance. He was taken to Wilford Hall Medical Center, where he later died.
The bakery owner's son is not expected to face any charges.
Labels: business robbery, TX
6/9/09
Galveston County, Texas
From the June 3, 2009 Houston Chronicle:
Also covered by the June 2, 2009 Galveston County Daily News:A 77-year-old man was within his rights when he shot a robber during a holdup of a game room in unincorporated Galveston County, Texas City police officials said Tuesday.
“He is truly a victim whose back was against the wall,” said Texas City police Capt. Brian Goetschius, referring to Robert Hays.
Hays was among about a dozen patrons inside Players Paradise about 12:45 a.m. Monday when a pair of armed men stormed the club at 4801 State Highway 146, officials said.
Hays said he was "peacefully minding my own business'' when the armed robbers forced their way inside.
"The next thing I knew, I was essentially flying through the air backwards and slammed down on the floor,'' said Hays, a Korean War veteran.
Hays, now lying on the floor, handed the robber his wallet. "He looked through it and threw it back down on me," he said.
He watched as the robbers worked their way through the game room, taking the wallets and purses from their other victims.
A snub-nose .38 caliber revolver in his hands, Hays was ready in case the robbers came at him.
"There were only two ways he could get at me,'' Hays said. "I positioned myself on the floor where I could see him if he came either way.''
Hays pulled the revolver from under his shirt and fired a single shot, striking one of the masked robbers, Goetschius said.
"It's not an easy thing to pull a trigger on a human being,'' Hays said. "But, when that man stood over me and said, 'Give me all your money,' my blood just boiled."
The robber fell to the ground and dropped his gun, Goetschius said. “One of his shoes came off and he ran out the back door with the other suspect.”
Hays said he shot the man to protect himself and the other patrons at the game room, especially Sharon, his wife of 39 years.
"When that first man dropped his pistol and went down, she got up and grabbed (it) and was ready to back me up,'' Hays said.
TEXAS CITY — A 77-year-old Korean War veteran fired one round Monday, wounding one of two masked men suspected in the robbery of a game room on the outskirts of the city, authorities said.
There were about 12 patrons inside Players Paradise, 4801 state Highway 146 Suite B, when a frequent guest knocked on the door, Capt. Brian Goetschius of Texas City police said.
The game room, which was robbed at 12:44 a.m., was open only to members, Goetschius said.
“They looked through the monitors and recognized him as being there before,” Goetschius said. “They ordered everyone to the ground, went through several wallets and got the apron from the attendant.”
The veteran, Robert Hays of Texas City, was thrown to the ground, and then a suspect went through his wallet, Goetschius said.
“The 77-year-old concealed gun permit carrier drew his .38-caliber revolver and shot one of the crooks,” Goetschius said. “The crook immediately fell to the floor, and he dropped his gun and he lost a shoe.”
Labels: business robbery, concealed carry permit, senior, TX
5/27/09
San Antonio, Texas
From the May 27, 2009 San Antonio Express-News:
An attempted robbery at a North Side pharmacy turned deadly Wednesday morning when the business owner pulled out a gun and shot the suspected robber.
No other injuries were reported at the incident that happened about 10 a.m. at Babcock Square Pharmacy, located at the intersection of Babcock and Huebner Roads.
Police Chief William McManus said the suspect handed an employee behind the counter a note that demanded the narcotic drug OxyContin. The chief said the employee was somehow able to alert the pharmacy's owner, who retrieved his gun and confronted the suspect.
“The suspect saw his gun, and said, ‘Let's get it on,'” McManus said.
The owner, who saw a cocked revolver in the suspect's hand, pointed his gun at the suspect and shot him point-blank, McManus said. Only the owner, his wife, an employee and the robbery suspect were inside the store at the time of the shooting, according to authorities.
The chief said no charges would be filed against the owner, who was not immediately identified.
“He was in fear of his life, so this appears to be justified,” McManus said.
Labels: business robbery, TX
5/14/09
Azle, Texas
From the Azle News Online of May 9, 2009
Armed citizen takes out tires as shoplifters flee
A citizen with a “concealed-carry” handgun license shot out a tire on a car full of fleeing shoplifters, then followed them in his own vehicle Wednesday morning, helping Azle police apprehend four people who were subsequently charged with robbery.
Police officers from at least three agencies caught up with everyone in a neighborhood behind Allsup’s convenience store off Highway 199 west of Azle.
Four accused shoplifters had been spotted by employees of Albertsons grocery store and were attempting a getaway with less than $50 worth of miscellaneous items when they were spotted by a citizen in the parking lot. The citizen was carrying a properly licensed concealed weapon, Azle police chief Steve Myers said Wednesday afternoon.
The fleeing driver seemed to be headed straight for the citizen, who fired at the vehicle, striking a front tire.
Another citizen called 911 and reported “an undercover officer shooting at someone who tried to run him down,” Myers said.
That “undercover officer”, it was later discovered, was the armed citizen, Myers said. Both the caller and the “shooter” remained unidentified by police in the interest of their safety.
However, the man with the handgun got in a pickup and followed the suspect vehicle, which could no longer be driven by the time it arrived in the neighborhood, Myers said.
“I guess they thought they could turn off the highway and get lost out in the county,” he said.
However, that area is made up of just a few interconnected streets, with no other way out besides the highway, he said.
Arrested were Michael Reiser, 38, of San Angelo; Kyle Scott, 21 of Fort Worth; Jennifer Jeffrey, 35, of San Angelo; and Tami Mickey, 32, of Fort Worth.
Three of the four were apprehended at the vehicle by Azle police in the 400 block of Oakwood Street. Reiser, the driver, was caught by Azle officer Chris Negrete and a DPS trooper about 30 minutes later in the 1600 block of Willowwood Drive.
Both are off of Pearson Lane, north of the highway.
The four reportedly discarded the shoplifted items as they drove from the scene.
They will be charged with robbery, a felony, instead of shoplifting, a misdemeanor, because the car was used as a deadly weapon in their escape, Myers said.
Albertson’s is in Tarrant County, so charges will be filed with the Tarrant County District Attorney’s office even though the suspects were caught in Parker County. Azle police, Parker County Sheriff’s deputies and at least two Department of Public Safety troopers helped in the chase, Myers said.
The chief has mixed feelings about the help officers received from an armed citizen.
“Our concern in a situation like that is the number of people in the immediate vicinity of an individual who don’t have a way to know who or what he is,” Myers said.
“A uniformed officer is easily identifiable. But the public doesn’t know who (a citizen with a handgun) is, or how to help.”
On the other hand, this particular citizen did choose the most restrained use of his weapon, firing only at the tires of the vehicle and ultimately helping catch a car full of suspects.
Labels: business robbery, concealed carry permit, TX
Lubbock, Texas
From KCBD of May 13, 2009
Local man reacts to an almost home invasion
A local man wants your help finding two men who tried to break into his house, and he caught the almost home invasion on his web cam.
Many people would be frightened if they were at home and someone tried to break in, but Andy Hartman says he stayed calm because he had a weapon, and he knew the rules on when and how to use it. "I heard somebody knock on the door, and rang the doorbell. I thought it was just a salesman so I kind of ignored it," Hartman said.
Every day when he gets home from work Hartman puts his wallet, keys, phone and gun on the kitchen counter. He carries his gun with him where ever he goes, and last Wednesday, he almost had to use it in the comfort of his own home.
Hartman's home web cam taped someone kicking his back door repeatedly. In the video, you can see the shutters shake each time the person kicks. Hartman grabbed his phone, his gun and called 911. "I'm in my bedroom with a gun. They're breaking in my house," he said in the 911 call.
While waiting for police, Hartman stayed in a back room and listened as the intruder kicked his door more than 20 times. "The officers will want you to put the gun up once they're there, but it's okay obviously for you to have it while they're still breaking in," the 911 operator told him.
Hartman says he was able to stay calm because he knew exactly what to do. He took a concealed handgun class in January. "You know when you can and cannot use the gun, and when it's time to use it you know how to use it," he said.
The woman who led the class Andy took, Gay Lynn Stone, says, "The rules of deadly force for the state of Texas, it just simply says if your life is threatened or the life of another person is threatened then y ou have the right to protect you or that person."
Stone says because Texas' handgun laws are written loosely, he probably could legally shoot the intruder even before they entered the house, but she thinks Hartman made the right decision in waiting for the police. "He did exactly what he was supposed to do, and he treated it as if the use of deadly force would be the last resort," she said.
Police arrived in less than three minutes, but the suspects got away. Probably better for him than if he had made his way into the house. When asked if he would have shot the intruder Hartman said, "Absolutely. No question in my mind."
The police still have not caught the suspects, but Hartman believes two Hispanic males in their early 20s driving a gray Dodge Neon were involved.
Labels: concealed carry permit, trespassing, TX
Austin, Texas
From May 8, 2009 Austin channel 8:
An East Austin man got a rude awakening early Monday morning about 5 a.m.
Police were called to an apartment at East 11th Street and Chicon on reports a man had been shot.
The victim was taken to Brackenridge Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Police are investigating the incident as a home invasion.
Labels: home invasion, TX
5/5/09
Weatherford, Texas
From the Weatherford Democrat of April 29, 2009
Grand jury: city homicide justifiable
The Weatherford home owner who shot and killed an intruder in March will not face criminal charges, a Parker County Grand Jury recently determined.
After hearing a full offense report, which included witness statements and evidence, jurors declined to indict the elderly shooter.
Weatherford police presented the case April 16. The homicide, which occurred in the 500 block of South Rusk Street, occurred shortly after 1 a.m. on March 4.
On the morning of the incident, Robert Earl Bardwell, 57, of Weatherford, was shot multiple times after police say he forced entry into a residence and started assaulting the elderly owner’s 34-year-old son.
The home owner, identified as a 66-year-old white male, reportedly attempted to warn Bardwell by firing one shot from an automatic pistol into the ceiling. However, when the assailant failed to heed the warning and continued to assault his son, police say the father shot the intruder several times, fatally wounding him.
According to police, Bardwell was estranged from a relationship with a female subject in the home at the time of the incident.
Following the incident, police declined to identify the shooter and his son because neither man was arrested.
Labels: assault, home invasion, senior, TX
5/2/09
Fort Worth, Texas
From the April 30, 2009 Forth Worth Star-Telegram:
FORT WORTH — An 18-year-old Fort Worth man killed Tuesday afternoon inside a north Fort Worth apartment had apparently forced his way inside, armed with an aluminum bat, when he was shot by one of the apartment’s residents, investigators said.
Derek Splawn, a student in the Keller school district, had been upset with the apartment’s 18-year-old resident and had reportedly threatened in an earlier telephone conversation "that he was tired of this and he was going to come over there," homicide Detective Curt Brannan said.
Around 4 p.m. Tuesday, police said, Splawn made good on his word and had a friend drive him to the Watercolor apartments in the 8600 block of Spring Tree Lane, near Beach Street and North Tarrant Parkway. As the friend waited in the car, Brannan said, Splawn first pounded on the apartment’s patio door, shouting for the 18-year-old resident to come out, before beating on the apartment’s front door.
Though the resident did not emerge, Brannan said, Splawn was able to force his way inside the apartment after the resident’s roommate opened the front door to peek out and saw Splawn standing there with the bat.
"Before he could get the door shut, the man [Splawn] pushed the door open and had taken several steps inside the doorway in the direction of the [18-year-old]," Brannan said.
Brannan said the 18-year-old, in turn, picked up a shotgun he kept in the home and fired once, striking Splawn in the face.
Labels: home invasion, TX
4/28/09
Midlothian, Texas
From the Star-Telegram of April 27, 2009
Midlothian man's fatally shot at Arlington house, police say
A 42-year-old Midlothian man was fatally shot in Friday night by his former father-in-law, Arlington police said.
Police said the shooting appeared to be in self-defense, and that they would turn over evidence to the Tarrant County District Attorney's Office for a determination. No one has been arrested.
Rodney Kennedy was at a home in the 1400 block of Pecan Street when he was shot by his former father-in-law, 67, police said. The shooting happened at 10 p.m. during an altercation, according to reports.
The house is near the University of Texas at Arlington.
Labels: domestic dispute, TX
4/16/09
Dallas, Texas
From April 15, 2009 WFAA channel 8:
DALLAS — A 26-year-old woman fatally shot a man who lived in her Red Bird apartment complex and broke into her unit Tuesday night, Dallas police said.
Two women were inside their apartment in the 8000 block of Leigh Ann Drive, which is just north of Danieldale Park and Interstate 20, when the 55-year-old man knocked on the door about 11 p.m, police said.
One of the women called police as the man tried to get inside, and the other woman shot him as he entered, causing him to stumble out the door and collapse in the grass, police said.
Labels: female, home invasion, TX
4/9/09
Houston, Texas
From April 8, 2009 channel 2 in Houston:
HOUSTON -- One person was killed when a group of men tried to steal a boat while driving down a freeway, KPRC Local 2 reported.
Houston police said three men in a car tried to steal a boat that a man was hauling with his pickup truck on Interstate 45 at about 1 a.m.
Investigators said the men in the car opened fire on the man in the pickup truck. The man in the pickup truck returned fire, officials said.One of the men inside the car was killed. The driver of the car stopped at a gas station on North Shepherd Drive for help.
The driver of the pickup truck lost control and ended up a field. There were fish in the boat because the man was returning from a fishing trip at Lake Conroe.
Labels: street robbery, TX
4/5/09
Houston, Texas
From KTRK of April 5, 2009
Pawn shop manager shoots would-be robber
A robbery attempt in southwest Houston ended with gunshots and a suspect being taken to the hospital.
Saturday evening, investigators say that two men walked into the Bayou pawn shop off Fondren near Clarewood with guns drawn. The manager reportedly grabbed a gun and fired at the men. One of the suspects was hit and the other surrendered.
The condition of the suspect, who was hit by a bullet, hasn't been released. Police took three people in for questioning.
Labels: business robbery, TX
4/4/09
Houston, Texas
From KTRK of April 3, 2009
Suspect shot by security guard
A suspected car burglar is recovering from a gunshot wound after being confronted by a security guard.
It happened in the parking lot of the Kings Best market on Martin Luther King near Old Spanish Trail. We're told the security guard spotted someone breaking into vehicles.
In the end, the suspect was shot in the leg. That man was taken to a hospital, and the security guard was questioned.
Labels: private security, TX
Atascosa County, Texas
From WOAI of April 2, 2009
Shotgun-toting robbery suspect shot and killed by business owner
A business owner shot and killed a suspected robber near Poteet according to deputies.
The Atascosa Co. Sheriff’s investigators say around midnight two robbers burst into Larry's Game Room on Hwy 16. That’s about seven miles north of Poteet.
The robbers, who had a shotgun and pistol, fired one shot in the ceiling and began demanding money. They forced a female worker to ground and pointed shotgun at her. The business owner came out of the backroom with a 40-caliber handgun and shot one of the robbers in the head.
Carlos Valero, 25, died at the scene. The other would-be robber ran off. Both are believed to be from the Atascosa area.
Right now, investigators are working on an arrest warrant for the other alleged hijacker. Both the Atascosa Sheriff’s Office and Texas Rangers are handling the investigation.
Deputies say the shooting happened at a place that had eight-liner machines. These machines can sometimes be used for gambling and investigators are looking to see if these were legit.
Labels: business robbery, TX
4/1/09
Weatherford, Texas
From the Weatherford Democrat of March XX, 2009
Shotgun blast deters robbers
Authorities arrested Jose Manuel Salas, 33, and Javier Harvey Ortiz, 44, Saturday in connection with an early morning robbery along Azle Highway.
Reports indicate a homeowner operating a business from the same location called for help at approximately 1:30 a.m. after he found two men stealing cash and rolls of quarters from his business.
The homeowner told the men to stop before firing a shotgun once at one of the suspects who then fled with another man in a car, according to an affidavit detailing the incident.
A short time later, Parker County Sheriff’s deputies detained a vehicle matching the homeowner’s description. Salas was driving and Ortiz was a passenger, the Sheriff’s Office said.
A statement claims deputies found stolen property matching a description given by the homeowner inside the vehicle, and the homeowner arrived to identify the suspects and vehicle.
Salas was charged with burglary of a habitation, failure to maintain financial responsibility and for no driver’s license.
Ortiz was arrested in accordance with a Tarrant County warrant and was also charged with burglary of habitation.
Labels: residence burglary, TX
3/30/09
Harris County, Texas
From the Houston Chronicle of March 29, 2009
Robbery suspect dies after getting shot, run over
A man allegedly attempting to rob a northwest Harris County cell phone store died after he was shot by the business owner and then hit by a car as he attempted to flee, authorities said.
Deputies answered a call around 6:15 p.m. Saturday at a cell phone store in the 5200 block of Barker Cypress, where they learned that two armed men dressed in black allegedly attempted to rob it, said Sheriff’s Office spokesman Lt. John Legg.
The store owner produced his own handgun and the alleged robbers fled the business, Legg said.
As the men ran into the parking lot, the store owner chased them. One of the men fled the scene in a 90s model red Ford Taurus, while the other man stopped and turned toward the store owner, Legg said. “At that time, the owner of the store fired several shots towards the suspect, hitting him once,” Legg said.
However, the alleged robber continued to run through the parking lot and attempted to run across Barker Cypress, where he was hit by a car. The man, whose identity has not been released, collapsed and died, Legg said.
No charges have been filed against the store owner and Legg said the case will likely be referred to a grand jury.
Deputies are searching for the second suspect who fled. Anyone with information is urged to call the Sheriff’s Office at 713-221-6000 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.
Labels: business robbery, TX
3/20/09
Fort Worth, Texas
From the Fort Worth Star-Telegram of March 20, 2009
Clerk trades gunfire with robbers in west Fort Worth
Robbers used a shotgun Thursday evening to blast open the glass door of a west-side retail store in west Fort Worth, but a clerk shot back, police said.
The two robbers fled the CC 99 Cent Plus Store in the 5700 block of Lovell Avenue, and the clerk was not hurt, said Lt. Paul Henderson, police spokesman.
"It's unknown," he added, "if either suspect was hit."
The incident happened around 8:35 p.m. at the store, which is near Lovell Avenue's intersection with Camp Bowie Boulevard.
The two men wearing hooded sweatshirts breached to glass door and entered the store. They pointed the shotgun and a handgun at the clerk and demanded "all the money," Henderson said.
But the 38-year-old clerk, crouching behind a counter, grabbed his own gun and fired several shots at the robbers, Henderson said.
"The two would-be robbers fled the store as bullets flew past them," Henderson said.
A witness later told police that two men matching the descriptions of the robbers were spotted running in the 5800 block of Curzon Avenue, one block south of the store's location.
Anyone with information can call robbery detectives at 817-392-4370 or Crime Stoppers at 817-469-TIPS, Henderson said. The information is considered confidential and callers may be eligible for a $1,000 reward.
Labels: business robbery, TX
3/16/09
Killeen, Texas
From KWTX of March 16, 2009
Fort Hood Soldier Arrested After Killeen Woman Shoots Would-Be Burglar
Fort Hood soldier Jamar Mcnair Jones, 18, was in the Bell County Jail charged with burglary of a habitation with the intent to commit theft Monday after a Killeen woman shot a man who tried to force his way into her home.
The woman called 911 early Friday morning after the would-be burglar fled.
She told officers she was awakened by the doorbell around 4 a.m. Friday.
The front door of the woman’s home had a viewer, but she told officers she was unable to see who was ringing the bell so she opened the door slightly.
When she did, the man attempted to force his way in.
That’s when she fired.
While officers were interviewing the woman, other officers at Metroplex Hospital advised them that a man matching the description of the would-be burglar had just arrived at the emergency room for treatment of a gunshot wound.
The man was transferred to Scott & White Hospital where he underwent surgery to remove the bullet, police said.
Jones was arrested after he was released from Scott & White Monday evening, police said.
His bond was set at $500,000.
Labels: female, home invasion, TX
3/7/09
Parker County, Texas
From March 6, 2009 NBC affiliate in Dallas-Fort Worth:
A rural North Texas woman said she dialed 911 repeatedly but got no answer as an intruder roamed her home in the dark.
Laverne Hokett lives in Parker County, just west of Fort Worth.
She said she was awakened one night last month by someone breaking through her back door. She dialed 911 several times from her cell phone but got no answer. Then she called her daughter Deborah Turpin.
She and her husband arrived at her mother's home and held the intruder at gunpoint while dialing 911 over and over before getting an answer.
Labels: residence burglary, TX
Weatherford, Texas
From the Weatherford Democrat of March 4, 2009
Alleged intruder shot, killed in Rusk Street home
The victim of an early morning shooting had reportedly broken into a house on South Rusk Street and was assaulting a 34-year-old male in the home, when a resident shot and killed the alleged assailant. Robert Earl Bardwell was pronounced dead at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds. Weatherford Police report officers were dispatched to the 500 block of South Rusk Street at approximately 1:13 a.m. in regards to the shooting. The initial investigation showed Bardwell went into the house without consent of the resident and assaulted his 34-year-old son. The resident, identified as a 66-year-old white male, attempted to warn the assailant by firing one shot from an automatic pistol into the ceiling. However, when Bardwell reportedly failed to heed the warning and continued to assault his son; the resident shot the intruder, fatally wounding him. Police say the 66-year-old has not been arrested. Whether the shooting was self-defense or a criminal offense will be determined by the Grand Jury.
Labels: assault, home invasion, senior, TX
2/25/09
Fort Bend, Texas
From the Fort Bend Now of February 23, 2009
Fort Bend Homeowner Shoots, Kills Armed Man Angry Over Being Refused Entry To Party
A homeowner in the Providence neighborhood shot and killed an armed man who may have been seeking retribution after being kicked out of a party on Saturday night.
The name of the dead man hasn’t yet been released, “pending forensic confirmation,” the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement issued Monday morning.
However, a law enforcement source with knowledge of the case said the dead man is believed to be “a pretty high-ranking member of a gang,” whom the homeowner appears to have shot while “defending his property and his family.”
According to the sheriff’s office statement, deputies responded to a disturbance and possible shooting incident at 10:48 p.m. Saturday at a home in the 8700 block of Warrenford Drive, between Bellaire Boulevard and Bissonnet St. west of State Highway 6.
“Upon arrival, Fort Bend County deputies found an unidentified male lying in the street, the victim of an apparent fatal gunshot wound.”
The sheriff’s office didn’t name the homeowner or reveal details of the shooting incident.
But the law enfocement source familiar with the investigation said the dead man and one or more companions had approached the homeowner’s house and tried to enter, because one of his children was having a party there.
But the dead man and his companions were told to leave, and initially did so, the law enforcement source said. But then they came back.
“One of them approached the man” who owned the house “and threatened him.”
Both the homeowner and the alleged gang member were armed with handguns, the source said. At least one shot was fired, and the man who tried to crash the party was killed.
“Due to the circumstances surrounding this incident, this case will be referred directly to the grand jury,” the sheriff’s office statement said.
Labels: home invasion, TX
2/19/09
Ferris, Texas
From the February 7, 2009 Waxahachie (Tex.) Daily Light:
FERRIS – The Ellis County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a shooting incident that occurred before noon in the 200 block of Newton Road near Ferris.
Sheriff Johnny Brown said the homeowners were in the process of moving when they returned to the residence to pick up another load of belongings. En route, they observed two male suspects coming out of the residence.
As the two suspects went to drive away in an SUV later identified by authorities as stolen, the male homeowner exited his pickup to ask them what they were doing.
The suspect vehicle then struck the homeowner’s pickup and the homeowner, who suffered slight injuries.
“The homeowner opened fire on them at that point,” Brown said.
The suspect vehicle then struck another vehicle that the homeowner’s wife had exited before going out into a field and coming to a stop.
“The passenger got out and ran. The driver-suspect was transported by air ambulance with gunshot wounds,” Brown said.
Labels: assault, residence burglary, TX
Houston, Texas
From January 22, 20009 MSNBC.com:
HOUSTON - A burglar was fatally shot in northwest Houston early Wednesday, police told KPRC Local 2.Houston police said a man kicked in the door of an apartment on Pinemont Drive near Langfield Road at about 3:15 a.m.
Two men entered the home and one of them had a gun, investigators said.
One of the tenants, 30-year-old Matthew Rixner, grabbed a shotgun and opened fire on the attackers, police said.
One of the attackers was wounded and died at the scene. Police said he was 18-25 years old, but his name was not released.
The second attacker escaped, officials said.
Labels: home invasion, TX
Channelview, Texas
From February 11, 2009 Fox News in Houston:
HOUSTON - A man who Sheriff's deputies say was trying burglarize a home is taken by helicopter to the hospital after he is shot.
The shooting took place after 12 a.m. Wednesday in a business at the intersection of Wadsworth Street and Talcott Street in Channelview.
Harris County Sheriff's investigators have not determined if a clerk or a security guard shot the would-be burglar.
Labels: business burglary, TX
Houston, Texas
From February 11, 2009 KTRK channel 13:
Irvin Horton, 64, was notified by his burglar alarm company of an active alarm at his business at 1012 Avenue Oaks shortly before 3am. When he arrived, he observed a suspicious vehicle occupied by the suspect, parked in the driveway adjacent to his business. Horton also noticed the gate to his business had been forced open and articles had been removed from a locked storage trailer inside the property.
Police say Horton confronted the suspect while the man was inside the vehicle and told him to get out. The suspect refused and made a sudden movement inside the vehicle and reached for an unknown article.
The suspect then started the vehicle and attempted to strike Horton as he attempted to drive away. Horton fired at the vehicle's front tire. The suspect continued to drive away while Horton continued to fire additional shots at the fleeing vehicle. The suspect lost control of the vehicle and struck a concrete drainage culvert at Robertson and Woodard.
The suspect, described only as a Hispanic male, was transported to Ben Taub General Hospital in critical condition from injuries sustained during the incident. Horton was not injured.
Labels: business burglary, TX
2/8/09
Kaufman County, Texas
From WFAA of February 6, 2009
Intruder shot at Kaufman County business
Investigators said an alleged intruder at a Kaufman County business was in stable condition Friday morning after the owner shot him.
According to Assistant Chief Deputy Troy Graham, the owner reported hearing someone inside his storage facility in the 1000 block of Everett Drive around 2:30 a.m. Robert Sanders grabbed his loaded rifle, walked to the front and confronted the suspected burglar.
He opened fire and struck the suspect, several times. Deputies found the wounded man lying just outside the door.
Sanders leases a storage unit at the location, and lives in the back of that unit.
At this time, no arrests have been made. Police say there are no plans to charge Sanders.
Stolen items from another nearby property were found in the victim's truck.
Labels: trespassing, TX
Dallas, Texas
From MyFoxDFW of February 7, 2009
Homeowner, Suspect Both Hurt after Burglary
A Bristol homeowner was hurt Sunday after he rolled up on a burglary in progress. But he was able to shoot and stop one suspect before he got away.
According to the Ellis County Sheriff's Office, the homeowner and his family returned home at around 11:30 a.m. They noticed two men about the take off in an SUV with some of their belongings.
The suspects tried to drive off, slamming into the homeowner's truck and hurting both him and is young children. The man told deputies he them pulled out his small-caliber rifle and fired shots at the SUV.
One of the suspects was hit three times and is now in critical condition at a local hospital. The second suspect fled on foot.
Ellis County sheriff's deputies are still searching for the second suspect. Residents are urged to call 911 if they notice someone suspicious.
Labels: altercation, residence burglary, TX
2/6/09
Tyler, Texas
From the February 2, 2009 Tyler Morning Telegraph:
A Tyler woman successfully defended her property and children from would-be burglars by shooting at and hitting one of them through her bedroom door while she was locked inside, police said this morning.Police responded to the report of a burglary in progress at the Southwest Pines Apartments shortly after 9 p.m. Sunday. The resident, a 31-year-old woman, said someone was in her apartment and she was locked in her bedroom with her children, police said in a prepared statement. The suspects, who entered the locked back door, attempted to get into the locked bedroom, and the victim shot through her bedroom door.
Police arrived and a 14-year-old boy was detained for questioning.
A few minutes later, officers received information that a black male near the front of the apartment complex was advising he had been shot. Other officers responded to this location and found another 14-year-old boy who had been shot in the left jaw. Fire and EMS personnel arrived and took over the care of the boy, who was transported to East Texas Medical Center.
The investigation revealed that three males had entered the apartment to burglarize it, and one of them was shot, police said. The age of the third suspect was not revealed by police. The suspect who was shot was admitted to ETMC awaiting surgery. He was listed in good condition before dawn today, according to a police statement. He is under arrest for residential burglary.
Labels: residence burglary, TX
1/24/09
Houston, Texas
From the January 23, 2009 Houston Chronicle:
Homicide detectives are still investigating an overnight shooting in which a resident of a north Houston apartment said he disarmed a burglar and killed him with his own gun.
The shooting occurred about 10 p.m. Thursday at the Worthington Apartments at 1350 Greens Parkway, KHOU Channel 11 reported.
Police said two residents reported that they came home and found that two men had broken into their apartment.
One of the intruders had a gun, which was wrestled away from him during a struggle with the residents, police said.
The resident fired, killing one of the burglars, while the other ran away, police were told.
Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, residence burglary, TX
Houston, Texas
From the January 21, 2009 Houston Chronicle:
One man was killed and another ran for his life early today after they broke into a northwest Houston apartment and were met with gunfire from one of the residents, police said.
Detectives this morning were trying to identify the man who was killed by a shotgun blast about 3:15 a.m. at the Shadow Creek Apartments in the 7500 block of Pinemont near Hollister.
The two men who live in the ground-floor apartment told officers they were preparing to watch a movie when they heard a loud noise. Their front door was suddenly kicked open and two men burst into the apartment, one of them holding a revolver, police were told.
Both residents grabbed shotguns and one of them fired, killing one of the intruders while the other ran away.
Police said the residents did not know the attackers. It was not immediately clear why the men targeted that apartment.
Labels: home invasion, TX
Dallas, Texas
From January 21, 2009 Fox News channel 4:
DALLAS -- A 17-year-old burglary suspect ended up shot to death late Wednesday morning when he confronted a man with a gun in an east Oak Cliff home
Dallas police say Gabriel Flores allegedly kicked in the door of a home in the 300 block of Hobson St. He was still inside when the 51-year-old son of the elderly homeowners came by to drop off a newspaper.
The son, who has a concealed handgun license and was carrying his weapon, confronted Flores. Police say Flores drew his own weapon and fired at the son as he fled the house. The son returned fire and struck Flores once.
Flores died later at the hospital. The case will be referred to a grand jury. The homeowners were not at home during the shooting, and no one else was hurt.
Labels: concealed carry permit, residence burglary, TX
Houston, Texas
From the January 20, 2009 Houston Chronicle:
A woman accused of shooting a man with a bow and arrow at her father's workplace before being shot by two civilians and a Houston police officer has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Julie Parker, 33, was listed in fair condition at Ben Taub General Hospital today with several gunshot wounds suffered in the Monday afternoon incident.
Police and witnesses said that Parker shot Armando Silva in the chest with a hunting bow and arrow after she entered the offices of Texas Components Corp. in northwest Houston.
Silva, 49, was reported in good condition at Ben Taub today.
Police are still trying to determine the motive for the incident. Officers said the violence erupted after Parker came into the office in the 1600 block of West Sam Houston Parkway with a hunting bow and arrows and what appeared to be a handgun about 3 p.m. Monday.
Her father works there and was in the building at the time, police said, but it was not clear whether she was looking for him.
After walking into the company's micro-electronics division, Parker shot Silva with an arrow and then pointed the apparent gun at two other employees, police said.
Those employees, who are licensed to carry concealed handguns, fired "numerous" shots at Parker, hitting her several times, investigators said.
Parker dropped her pistol, which later was found not to be a real gun, and retreated to an office with the bow and arrow, officers said. Workers at nearby businesses took cover and called police.
Labels: altercation, concealed carry permit, TX
1/7/09
Amarillo, Texas
From News Channel 10 of January 7, 2009
Police: Homeowner Fatally Shoots Alleged Robber
Police say two men attempted to break into a home on the 4100 block of South Hughes in Amarillo this morning.
The homeowner, police say, used a long gun to shoot one of the suspects. The other alleged robber managed to run away.
When police arrived at the home, 4117 S. Hughes, they found one of the suspected robbers lying on the ground with several gun shot wounds. They attempted to resuscitate him, but were unsuccessful.
Police are now searching for the second man involved in the invasion. Police have a vague description of him. He is a black male and was last seen wearing black clothing.
Witnesses say both suspected robbers have broken into the home up to four times in the past.
Police call this the first homicide of 2009.
The owner of the home went to the police station, as part of the investigation. But police have not made any arrests.
Police have tentatively identified the dead man, 22 years of age, but are waiting to notify the next of kin before releasing his name.
The Amarillo Special Crimes Unit is still investigating the block of South Hughes where the shooting occurred. They also closed off a section of Southwest 42nd Avenue.
Labels: home invasion, TX
San Antonio, Texas
From My San Antonio of January 4, 2009
'Justified homicides' more than doubled
One hour after revelers welcomed the new year in 2008, a motorist at a Northwest Side intersection fired three shots into 24-year-old Tomas Garza, moments after authorities said Garza threatened the motorist with a baseball bat in an apparent road-rage incident.
The killing, the first of 137 recorded in San Antonio last year, was an act of self-defense, police later determined, and was classified by department officials as a justified homicide.
(More)
1/6/09
Milam County, Texas
From KXXV of December 29, 2008
Milam County home invasion
New details are emerging in the Milam County home invasion that left the resident's ex-husband dead.
Milam County Sheriff's deputies report that 34-year-old Eddie Sexton, III, was shot and killed when he apparently tried to force his way into his ex-wife's house.
Deputies also say Sexton was shot only once, and that his ex-wife called 911 and attempted to give first aid to her ex-husband.
Deputies say the gunman is 28-year-old Toby Broussard; it's not clear yet as to his relation is to Sexton's ex-wife.
No charges have been filed in the shooting.
Secton's body will be sent for an autopsy.
Milam County Sheriff's deputies responded to a home invasion call around 2:00 Sunday morning on Milam County Road 218 just outside of the Cameron city limits.
Labels: domestic dispute, female, TX
12/25/08
Conroe, Texas
From the Houston Chronicle of December 20, 2008
Domestic dispute ends in a deadly shooting
A woman's 80-year-old grandfather fatally shot her estranged husband after he tried to take their two children from the grandparents' house, Conroe police said Saturday.
Brice Wade Boudreaux, 32, died Friday evening at the home on Silver Creek Drive in Conroe, police said in a statement.
The investigation was ongoing Saturday, and it was not immediately clear whether the grandfather would face charges. He was questioned by police and released.
According to police, Boudreaux's estranged wife and children have been living with her grandparents for about five months.
When Boudreaux arrived Friday and tried to take the children, the grandfather intervened and ordered him to leave. Boudreaux refused, pushing the man out of the way, the statement said.
The grandfather then allegedly retrieved a revolver from another room and placed it in his back pocket before again advising Boudreaux, who was aware the older man had a gun, to leave, police said.
As the two left the home out to the driveway, Boudreaux again pushed the older man and allegedly struck him in the chest area where he recently had a pacemaker inserted, police said.
Fearing for his life, police said the older man then allegedly shot Boudreaux once, killing him.
Labels: domestic dispute, senior, TX
12/22/08
Dallas, Texas
From the Houston Chronicle of December 17, 2008
Police ID suspect killed in bank robbery attempt
Police on Wednesday identified the suspect and the security guard who fatally shot him during an attempted bank robbery in south Dallas.
The suspect in the attempted bank robbery Tuesday was 31-year-old Christopher Sebastian Jones.
Jones was fatally shot inside a bank after exchanging gunfire with security guard Matthew Scott Prindle, 36. Jones entered a branch of Chase Bank and shot at Prindle, who was grazed in the upper body but not seriously injured. Prindle returned fire, striking Jones, who died inside the bank.
Members of a police tactical unit entered the bank after seeing a woman hiding under a desk. Officers then found Jones' body.
Labels: business robbery, defender shot, private security, TX
12/18/08
Terrel, Texas
From the MyFoxDFW of December 18, 2008
Dog Walker Kills Armed Teen Robber, Police Say
A man walking his dog in Terrell on Wednesday fatally shot an armed 17-year-old robber, police said.
The incident happened at about 10:20 p.m. in Ben Gill Park in the 100 block of Lions Club Lane where, police said, a group of teen robbers surrounded the man.
According to investigators, Markee Lamar Johnson pulled out a gun and the 47-year-old man, a licensed concealed handgun owner, fired shots.
The 17-year-old Terrell High School student was struck in the head and died at Parkland Hospital. His weapon was recovered at the scene and later determined to be stolen during a separate offense in Terrell, according to police.
Police said they would not likely file charges against the man.
"I think in this particular situation, it would be a clear example of someone exercising their rights to protect themselves under the law," Capt. A.D. Sanson said.
Three other teen suspects fled the scene in a vehicle that was recovered in the 300 block of S. Park Street, police said.
Police identified the the other suspects and arrested one of them. Ryan Scott Patterson, 17, is charged with aggravated robbery.
The robbery victim, who did not want to be identified, was not injured.
Labels: minor offender, street robbery, TX
12/11/08
Cedar Hill, Texas
From WFAA of December 5, 2008
Burglar shot dead in Cedar Hill driveway
Police said a Cedar Hill resident shot and killed a person attempting to break into a vehicle in his driveway Friday morning.
The gunfire erupted at 7:30 a.m. in the 9100 block of Sleepy Hollow, one of the city's nicest, most established neighborhoods.
Police said the homeowner heard an alarm going off on his pickup truck. He grabbed a gun, went outside, and opened fire when he saw the alleged burglar attempting to remove a stereo system.
The suspect died at the scene.
"This is extremely rare," said Cedar Hill spokesman Corky Brown. "This is a really quiet neighborhood like most of ours in Cedar Hill. It's very shocking to the neighbors to have something like this occur."
The names of the homeowner and the suspect have not been released.
The homeowner has not been arrested or charged at this point.
Labels: street property theft, TX
11/25/08
Lubbock, Texas
From KCBD of November 24, 2008
Homeowner Shoots Intruder Attempting to Break In
A homeowner got a surprise wakeup call Monday. Gabriel Guzman was in his 59th Street home Monday morning, when he was startled by his doorbell continuously ringing. "They kept ringing the doorbell and it kind of worried me some so I kind of glanced out the window and I didn't see anything," said Guzman.
Guzman kept peering out his windows, and that's when he saw 18-year-old Adrian Hardaway walk towards his backyard. Out of fear Guzman grabbed his gun. "I opened up the door and yelled at him and I just told him to get away. I looked and he was pointing his gun at me and I had mine and I warned him to get away. I looked again and that's when he had his gun and I thought he was going to shoot me - so I shot him," said Guzman.
Guzman backed the suspect up into his backyard, once he shot him, the suspect feel over and Guzman warned the suspect several times to toss the gun away. Once he finally tossed it aside, then he called the police.
Guzman says he doesn't regret his decision. "When it actually happens, you don't know what you are going to do. I didn't intend to look and have a gun pointed back at me. I just did what I thought was right at the time and that's about it," said Guzman.
Lubbock police say they believe the suspect was responsible for two other burglaries in the neighborhood before he was shot. The suspect was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Labels: trespassing, TX
11/15/08
Edinberg, Texas
From The Monitor of November 10, 2008
Attempted carjacker gets shot
The clerk warned Alejandro Salinas about the suspicious men who had been hanging out in front of the convenience store for the past hour.
He told Salinas to be careful as he went back out to his Chevrolet Z-71 pickup truck, that he had just filled at the Aziz Convenience Store about 11 a.m. Saturday.
Salinas walked out to his truck and hopped in.
But before he could close the door, 18-year-old Hector Severo Ramos was holding a .25-caliber pistol at Salinas' neck, said Hidalgo County Sheriff Lupe Treviño.
"He says ‘Get out of the truck. I'm going to take it and I'm going to kill you," Treviño said of Ramos.
Salinas told the gunman to calm down; they could work things out.
Then he pushed Ramos' pistol away, pulled out his own pistol and fired two 9 mm bullets into Ramos' chest.
Ramos fired once into the air and his arms fell onto Salinas.
The two men tumbled to the pavement as blood spilled from Ramos' chest.
Three men who were with Ramos took off from the convenience store at Texas Highway 107 and Alamo Road in a brown Chevrolet Impala, deputies said.
Sheriff's deputies responded to the scene and emergency crews rushed Ramos to McAllen Medical Center, where he died upon arrival.
Salinas had a license to carry a concealed firearm and a clean criminal record, Treviño said.
Ramos, a U.S. citizen who lived in South Alamo, had been arrested for giving a false report to a police officer, aggravated robbery, theft and engaging in organized criminal activity, Treviño said.
Ramos may have been involved with a local gang or attempting to start a new one, Treviño said.
Deputies continue to look for the three men who were with Ramos before he was shot. They could face murder and aggravated robbery charges, Treviño said.
"If they fled knowing (Ramos) was dying at the scene and they were all responsible for the commission of this felony, then they could be held liable for that," Treviño said.
Meanwhile, the sheriff said he would likely not pursue criminal charges against Salinas, who told deputies he killed Ramos in self-defense.
"This is not a murder," Treviño said. "This is a justifiable homicide."
Labels: carjacking, concealed carry permit, TX
11/8/08
College Station, Texas
From KBTX of November 6, 2008
Suspected Robber Shot in College Station
A Bryan man is in jail after police say he was shot in the arm by someone he was trying to rob.
College Station police say, Wednesday night, five people were in a home on the 3500 block of Wild Plum when three suspected armed robbers broke inside the home.
Officers say those suspects ordered the people in the house on the floor and took their personal property.
According to witnesses the suspects left the scene.
Officers say that's when the victims locked the door.
Police say the suspects returned and busted into the home.
Officers say two people were hiding in the bedroom and when one of the suspects fired a gun, one of the victims returned fire hitting one suspect in the arm.
That suspect, 20-year-old Cardell Anthony Jackson was arrested after a 911 call was made about his gun shot wound and he was treated at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center.
He's charged with nine counts of aggravated robbery and one count of burglary of a habitation with intent to commit a felony.
Labels: home invasion, residence robbery, TX
11/3/08
Dallas, Texas
From KWTX of November 3, 2008
Texas Homeowner Grabs Robber’s Gun, Kills Him
A homeowner in North Dallas who answered his door Sunday night to find a man pointing a gun at him killed the would-be-robber.
Police say the resident grabbed the man’s handgun and used it to shoot the would-be robber.
A second would-be-robber escaped on foot.
The homeowner wasn’t injured, but the man he shot later died at an area hospital.
Names of the homeowner and the victim were not released.
Police Senior Cpl. Kevin Janse told The Dallas Morning News that the resident “was protecting himself."
Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion, TX
10/31/08
Watuagua, Texas
From the Dallas Morning News of October 29, 2008
Watauga homeowner stabbed, shot with own gun during robbery
A Watauga homeowner was stabbed several times and shot once with his own gun during a robbery early this morning, police said.
The incident occurred in the 6000 block of Sundown Drive in Watauga about 10 miles northeast of Fort Worth.
According to Watauga police, a man heard someone trying to break into a trailer parked in his driveway around 3:30 a.m.
Armed with a shotgun, the man confronted the intruder who stabbed him several times. The gun went off during the scuffle, and the homeowner was shot in the arm.
A neighbor who came to the help the homeowner was also stabbed multiple times, police said.
The homeowner, who police did not identify, was taken to Harris Methodist Medical Center in critical condition. Police said the neighbor drove himself to the hospital.
Police have no suspects or a detailed description of the intruder.
Labels: defender's gun taken away and used against him, street property theft, TX
San Antonio, Texas
From WOAI of October 31, 2008
Sledge Hammer Wielding Man Shot in Northwest Side Bar
A scary guy with a sledge hammer sounds like a Halloween prop, but it was the real deal this morning for a northwest side bar employee, 1200 WOAI's Michael Main reports.
A maintenance man at the I Don't Know Yet lounge in the 100 block of Babcock stationed himself in a back room at the bar, following a series of bar break-ins in the area around Babcock and Hillcrest.
About four this morning, the maintenance man heard glass breaking and a smashing sound. He emerged to find a man pounding the juke box with a sledge hammer.
When the maintenance man told the intruder to stop, he instead turned toward the maintenance man with the sledge hammer.
The maintenance man responded by firing four shots, and at least two of them struck the intruder, who stumbled to a waiting car and sped off. About fifteen minutes later, a man was dumped in the parking lot oft he emergency room of Northeast Baptist Hospital suffering from gunshot wounds. The car that delivered him sped away. The guy was airlifted to BAMC with life threatening wounds.
Police say they don't expect to file charges against the maintenance man.
The suspect is a suspect in at last four similar bar burglaries in which cash was taken from jukeboxes, including one earlier this morning.
Arlington, Texas
From the Forth Worth Star-Telegram of October 29, 2008
Arlington man who shot intruder was defending himself, police say
The south Arlington resident who shot and killed one of two intruders in his home late Monday night was defending himself, according to police.
The resident, who was in an upstairs bedroom when the suspects barged into the house, met one of the intruders on the stairs when a shootout ensued, said Lt. Blake Miller, an Arlington police spokesman.
The intruder was killed instantly, police said. The second suspect fled during the shooting and is still at large.
"With the information we have now, it appears that the resident was justified in defending himself and his family," Miller said.
The identity of the dead suspect is being withheld pending family notification, Miller said. Neighbors who called 911 Monday night said that they heard up to eight or nine gunshots. Police also are withholding the identity of the residents because of fear of retaliation.
No one answered the door late Tuesday morning at the two-story brick home in the 900 block of Carthage Way.
According to police, three of the home occupants were outside the residence when two men wearing masks approached them with a gun about 10 p.m. Monday.
The men then forced the occupants inside the home and at some point, struck one of the victims in the head. One of the intruders shot several rounds into the floor of the home.
After hearing the gunfire, a fourth resident, who was in an upstairs bedroom, grabbed his gun and confronted the gunman on the stairs. The two exchanged fire and the intruder was killed, police said.
This is the second shooting this year at the home just south of Harold Patterson Sports Complex.
Last summer a bondsman looking for a cousin fired shots after someone at the home tried to run him over, Miller said. It was unclear whether Monday night’s shooting involved anyone who was involved in that incident. That case has been sent to Tarrant County district attorney’s office.
Meanwhile, police continued to search late Tuesday for the dead man’s accomplice. That suspect was last seen wearing bluejeans, purple gloves and a white sweater with crowns.
Labels: home invasion, TX
10/26/08
Harris County, Texas
From the Houston Chronicle of October 25, 2008
Pawn shop clerk shoots, kills would-be robber
A pawn shop clerk shot and fatally injured an armed man allegedly attempting to rob the northwest Harris County business Saturday evening, authorities said.
The gunman entered Gulf Coast Pawn and Jewelry store in the 9400 block of Louetta Road and attempted to rob the business at 5:56 p.m. when he was shot by one of the store clerks, authorities said.
He was taken to Willowbrook Methodist Hospital where he later died, authorities said.
Labels: business robbery, TX
10/23/08
Lufkin, Texas
From Fox News of October 23, 2008
Pizza Delivery Man Shoots, Fends Off Would-Be Robbers
A pizza delivery man who was taking an order to a house in East Texas pulled out a gun and opened fire on two would-be robbers, police said.
One of the alleged robbers was hospitalized after getting shot in the back, Lufkin police said. The Papa John's pizza delivery man, who's licensed to carry a handgun, wasn't hurt.
The shooting was Tuesday night, after the delivery man walked up to a house and rang a doorbell, Lufkin police said. It turned out the house was vacant and two armed men approached him from the side of the house, The Lufkin Daily News reported Thursday. The delivery man drew a .22 caliber Derringer and fired two shots, and the assailants ran away, police said.
It appears unlikely the delivery man will face any charges since he "was defending himself at the time of the shooting," Lufkin Police Lt. David Young said.
A call placed to the restaurant and a call to the chain's corporate headquarters in Louisville, Ky., weren't immediately returned Thursday.
Police said Johnx R. Greer, 18, was arrested at a hospital where he was treated for a gunshot wound to the back. He's been charged with aggravated robbery and was being held in the Angelina County Jail on a $100,000 bond. His attorney, John Tunnell, did not return a call Thursday.
Labels: concealed carry permit, pizza delivery driver, TX
10/17/08
Fort Worth, Texas
From the Star-Telegram of October 17, 2008
Man fatally shoots would-be robber, police say
Two men with shotguns tried to rob a man late Thursday in southeast Fort Worth, but the would-be victim pulled his own gun, killing one, police said.
Anthony Wilson, 27, of Arlington died at about 10 p.m. at Huguley Hospital, according to the Tarrant County medical examiner's office.
Wilson went to the hospital after the shooting, which happened an hour earlier outside a home in the 3800 block of Radford Road, according to reports. The neighborhood is southwest of the intersection of East Berry Street and East Loop 820.
Police responding to a report of shots fired at the address met with the 35-year-old resident, who said he was in his pickup outside the home when he was approached by two men toting shotguns.
The man was "forced to lie down in the street while the suspects contemplated what to do next," said Lt. Paul Henderson, police spokesman.
"One of the men," Henderson said, "decided to force (the resident) back inside his residence and told him to get up. As (he) began to stand up he retrieved a handgun that was concealed in his pants and began slinging lead at the two would-be robbers.
"One suspect was hit multiple times and immediately collapsed in the street."
The other man ran southbound from the location, Henderson said.
"A car drove by," he added, "and picked up the collapsed suspect and left the area."
Meanwhile, the hospital staff at Huguley called police to report that a man had just arrived with multiple gunshot wounds, but the man, later identified as Wilson, could not be saved, Henderson said.
Later, a 26-year-old man was brought to the hospital by a family member "to talk to police about his involvement with the shooting," Henderson said.
That man was not wounded, but he was questioned at police headquarters and subsequently arrested for an outstanding aggravated assault warrant out of Arlington, Henderson said.
"His involvement in the shooting is still not clear," Henderson said. "It is unknown if there are any others involved. The investigation is ongoing."
The man who shot the robbers was not charged with anything Thursday night, Henderson said.
He noted, however, the Tarrant County District Attorney's Office can consider whether to refer the man's case to a grand jury, which is routine.
Labels: street robbery, TX
10/16/08
San Antonio, Texas
From My San Antonio of October 15, 2008
Robbery victim wounds assailant
A man shot by a robber at a Northeast Side apartment complex wounded the gunman after he dropped his gun during their struggle, police said.
The incident happened about 9:30 a.m. in the 4600 block of Thousand Oaks Drive at The Crest of Thousand Oaks apartments.
Police Chief William McManus said the gunman was wearing a ski mask when he approached the victim, later identified as Terry Hoover.
“They struggled over the weapon,” McManus said at the scene. “The complainant was shot in the thigh.” The victim managed to get the gun, however, and he shot the robber in the torso.
The men were rushed to a hospital in separate ambulances. The suspect, Troy Curtis, 40, is charged with aggravated robbery with bodily injury. He was being held in Bexar County Jail on $50,000 bond.
Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, residence robbery, TX
Dallas, Texas
From the Star-Telegram of October 16, 2008
Man shot in Dallas after breaking into home, police say
Police believe a 21-year-old man entered a Dallas condominium early Thursday to steal a flat screen TV, but he was shot to death instead, police said.
Gary Williams was taken to Baylor Medical Center following the shooting about 2 a.m. at the condo in the 6100 block of Tremont Street, southwest of Lakewood Country Club, aid Sgt. Ray Beaudreault, a homicide detective.
Williams was pronounced dead on arrival, having been shot multiple times by the homeowner who was armed with a 9mm handgun, Beaudreault said.
The resident told police that he was sleeping, but his wife heard something downstairs. She awoke her husband who got his handgun and went to investigate.
He told officers that he confronted a man, later identified as Williams, who, he said, was removing the TV from the wall, Beaudreault said.
The robber "came at him," Beaudreault said, so he opened fire.
"He fell down a brief time, then got up and jumped through the window that he came in from," the detective said of Williams. "He landed spread-eagle on the front porch and he was lifeless."
Beaudreault said the case will be referred to the Dallas County District Attorney's Office, and prosecutors will show the information to a grand jury.
Beaudreault called that procedure routine. He indicated the man probably won't be indicted by the grand jury.
"They usually no-bill these cases and there is no reason this case would be any different," Beaudreault said. "He was in his house. He was protecting his property and his life."
Labels: home invasion, TX
San Antonio, Texas
From My San Antonio of October 16, 2008
S.E. Side homeowner kills intruder
A Southeast Side homeowner shot and killed a man early Thursday morning who was trying to break into his bedroom window.
The man, believed to be in his 20s, was trying to get into a rear bedroom window of a house in the 1400 block of Greer and when the homeowner shot him, police said.
The homeowner, a firearms instructor, was home alone and in the bedroom the burglar was attempting to enter.
The homeowner, who teaches people how to shoot weapons, told police he awoke just after 3 a.m. to a see a man trying to climb in his bedroom window.
Police say the homeowner got a handgun and fired at least three times. No charges are expected to be filed against the homeowner.
Investigators are trying to determine if the dead man was linked to a nearby burglary 15 minutes before he was shot at the house on Greer.
Labels: home invasion, TX
10/15/08
Austin, Texas
From KXAN of October 15, 2008
Robber shot by victim in South Austin
A party at an apartment on Oltorf Street in South Austin turned into a crime scene over the weekend.
Police got the call around 2:30 a.m. on Oct.11. The 911 caller said that "there was trouble." According to police reports, 26-year-old John Crayton robbed a number of party goers and ended up getting himself shot in the stomach.
"They heard a gunshot from inside the closet, and they wondered where the gunshot came from," said Sgt. Brian Miller with the Austin Police Department. "They opened up the closet, and Mr. Crayton jumped out. He proceeded to rob everybody inside the apartment."
There were seven people in the front part of the apartment. Police said Crayton pointed his gun at those in the room and even hit several of his victims with the weapon. All he got was a pack of Marlboro Light cigarettes and $3 from one victim.
Crayton apparently planned to exit out of back of the apartment and kicked in the door to a bedroom. Police said there were two other victims in that room, and one had a gun.
"I don't think he anticipated that," Miller said. "I don't think he anticipated anyone being there."
The victim in that room took aim and shot Crayton in the stomach.
"It was registered, he owns it and by Texas law, you have the right to defend your property and yourself," Miller said.
Crayton ran out the apartment and to his apartment, less than a mile away. An hour later, Crayton called police and reported that he had been a victim of a robbery. When police arrived, Crayton told them he had been shot in the stomach in this parking lot, which was located right outside his apartment.
Officers realized Crayton fit the description of the man who robbed those in a nearby apartment. Crayton was taken to the hospital and later arrested for robbery with a deadly weapon. The victim who shot him won't be charged.
Labels: residence robbery, TX
10/9/08
Kilgore, Texas
From KLTV of October 7, 2008
Kilgore homeowner fights off armed invader
A would-be robber invaded an East Texas home while the homeowner fights to keep him and his son alive.
The home invasion happened in the 4500 block of FM 2204, east of Kilgore, around 7:00 this morning. Gregg County officials say an armed man entered the home in search of money, but left empty handed. Tuesday afternoon, the homeowner showed KLTV 7 LaKecia Shockley step by step how he survived his home invasion.
"I slammed him into this wall here and I think that's when we fell on the floor. I wasn't going to let go of him. I had him...I wasn't going to let go of his gun hand."
Mark Dickey is a brave and lucky man.
Mark says he was in his living room when a man armed with a nine millimeter gun walked through his front door with a demand.
"The door comes open, I see a silver plated gun and a guy behind it with a blue bandanna on...so I was just in shock," Dickey told us Tuesday.
"He says, 'Where do you keep your money?' And I said well, we don't keep any money in the house and he says well where's your wallet...at that point I thought if I turned here and gave him my wallet he's going to shoot me for sure. He'd already told me he would."
Mark told the robber his wallet was in the bedroom. That's when he decided to act.
"I bought myself a little time and walked into my bedroom and came back and I got close enough to him in my front room where I could grab him," said Mark.
"I grabbed his gun hand and we started tussling and we came this way towards my kitchen...we came this way and he was hitting me and I was hitting him and I pushed him into my wife's mirror right there."
Mark says thanks to his second degree black belt in karate, he was able to get a hold on the gun.
"I had his wrist and he was trying to get that gun pointed down to where he could shoot me but he couldn't get it down because I had his wrist locked," described Mark. "He fired a shot and as you can tell we looked for it and the police finally found it right here out my kitchen window."
During the struggle, Mark's 14 year old son was hiding in a closet. Mark yelled for his help, hoping it would scare off the intruder.
"I called for my son to get my gun and I think that he knew that somebody else was in here so he left," said Mark.
"The only thing that was going through my mind was my son's safety, you know. None of us know how we would react with a gun pointed at us so that was my first time, but I can tell you I wouldn't relish the thought of that happening again. I can tell you that," said Mark.
Deputies are looking for a black male believed to be in his late teens to early twenties. He was last seen wearing a blue bandana, dark shirt, and blue jeans. If you have any information, call the Gregg County Sherrif's department.
Labels: home invasion, residence robbery, TX
9/28/08
Houston, Texas
From September 27, 2008 KHOU channel 11:
HOUSTON -- One suspect is dead and two others are on the run after a deadly home invasion on Friday night.
Houston police report that the armed group pushed their way through the front door of the home on Wycliffe.
According to witnessed, the group got into a scuffle with the homeowner's boyfriend, who had a gun. The boyfriend fired shots, killing one of the suspects.
Police said robbery was the motive.
The authorities do not plan to charge the boyfriend.
Labels: home invasion, TX
9/9/08
Houston, Texas
From the September 9, 2008 Houston Chronicle:
A cleark at a southwest Houston cell-phone store fatally shot a man who tried to rob the store, Houston police said.
The robbery occurred about 7 p.m. Monday at a T-Mobile store in the 7500 block of the Southwest Freeway, police said. The location is near Fondren.
Labels: business robbery, TX
9/6/08
San Antonio, Texas
From KSAT of September 6, 2008
Homeowner Fatally Shoots Intruder
A home invasion on the city's east side Saturday ended in gunfire as the homeowner fatally shot the intruder, police said.
According to police, the intruder broke in through a window, but he didn't make it far.
The invasion and shooting happened Saturday at about 10 a.m. in the 1400 block of South Palmetto.
Police said the intruder, a man in his early 30s, slipped in through the back window of the house.
They said the homeowner had been sleeping inside but must have heard the intruder breaking in.
"(The homeowner) woke up, grabbed a rifle, confronted the person (and) shot him inside the house," San Antonio Sgt. Steven Peterson said. "(It) looks like the person was able to get back out the window and collapsed in the back yard and died."
Police said the intruder died at the scene of an apparent gunshot wound to the upper torso before paramedics could arrive.
Officers took the homeowner to the police station so he could give a detailed statement.
Peterson said the San Antonio Police Department's Homicide Unit is investigating the shooting.
No charges have been filed against the homeowner, police said, and officers at the home said based on the information they had, it looked like the homeowner acted in self-defense.
Labels: home invasion, TX
9/5/08
Lufkin, Texas
From August 20, 2008 KTRE channel 9:
At 10:36 Sunday night, restaurant manager Katie Jeffreys left Catfish King with the night deposit after closing up.
Her boyfriend, Keith Labrozzi, had come to pick her up and their next stop was the bank. But they never made it. A robber surprised them with gunfire in the parking lot.
"Mr. Labrozzi had a concealed handgun permit and he was armed. He exchanged gunfire with the suspect. Mr. Labrozzi had several gunshot wounds and died a short time later at the hospital," says LT. David Young with the Lufkin Police.
Young says Labrozzi fired at the suspect, 19-year-old Brian Martin Womack of Hudson, hitting him in the stomach.
Katie Jeffreys was shot in the foot, but managed to crawl under her SUV and call 911 before trying to give her boyfriend CPR.
Labels: concealed carry permit, defender killed, street robbery, TX
9/3/08
Blue Mound, Texas
From the Houston Chronicle of September 3, 2008
2 intruders shot, 1 killed, at North Texas homeUPDATE: More coverage from September 5, 2008 FoxNews.com.
Police say a homeowner wrested a shotgun from an intruder and shot him and a fellow intruder in his suburban Fort Worth home.
One of the men died of his wound in the shooting early Wednesday in Blue Mound, while the other is hospitalized in Fort Worth.
Keith and Kellie Hoehn (HAYN) tell police the intruders kicked in their front door and pointed a shotgun at Mrs. Hoehn's head. She brushed the barrel aside, and a struggle ensued. The husband disarmed the armed intruder and shot both.
Investigators say the homeowner is unlikely be charged. They say he shot the men out of concern for his sleeping children.
Police say they believe the intruders had broken into the garage of another house nearby earlier in the night.
Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, home invasion, TX
8/30/08
Fort Worth, Texas
From CBS 11 of August 25, 2008
Fort Worth Man Shoots, Kills Neighbor's Dogs
A North Texas family is mourning the loss of two of their pets. The nine-month-old pit bulls were shot and killed by a neighbor who says it was self defense.
The shooting happened in a neighborhood off Ten Mile Bridge Road in northwest Fort Worth.
The neighbors never had any problems before. But that all changed over the weekend.
The man who pulled the trigger says he didn't have any choice. But the dogs' owners disagree.
Kristopher Harrison has a six-year-old daughter. He says that's why he was upset when two pit bulls wandered into his backyard Saturday afternoon.
Harrison says he told his next door neighbors, if it happened again, he would shoot the dogs. And that's exactly what he did around 4 a.m. Sunday morning.
Harrison says he and a friend were taking a break from watching the Olympics when the nine-month-old dog named 'Scarface' crawled under the fence. Harrison had his shotgun with him, so he says he shot the dog and the dog's sister, 'Lady'.
"I wish he just would have went in the house and would have came and told me instead of retaliating that way," dog owner Shaylen Ross said.
One of the animals was found dead in Harrison's backyard. The other was found dead in its own backyard.
"He was showing his teeth, growling and he was coming at me," Harrison explained. "The second dog, I didn't know. I didn't think I was going to have to shoot him, because he seemed a little hesitant. But then he looked at the hole in the fence. I thought he was going to go back under, then he turned around and started coming at me and that's when I shot him."
Fort Worth Police are reviewing the case, but they say if the dogs were in the neighbor's yard when they were shot it's unlikely that any charges will be filed.
8/27/08
Bastrop County, Texas
From the August 27, 2008 Austin American-Statesman:
Sheriff’s deputies in Bastrop are investigating a fatal shooting that happened Tuesday when a man fatally shot another man he says was trying to break into his residence on John Croft Road near the city of Bastrop.
A dispatcher said that Dillian Wilhelm shot James Nauer, of Bastrop, around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday when Nauer reportedly entered his house with a club. Nauer was critically injured and taken to the University Medical Center at Brackenridge where he was pronounced dead, according to the sheriff’s office.
The Bastrop County sheriff’s office and the district attorney’s office are investigating the case to determine if charges will be filed, investigators said.
Labels: home invasion, TX
8/26/08
San Antonio, Texas
From KSAT of August 25, 2008
Tattoo Parlor Owner Shoots, Kills Intruder
The owner of a tattoo parlor shot and killed an intruder at the business on near north side early Tuesday.
Police said the incident began as a disturbance at Perfection Tattoo in the 3500 block of Blanco Road at 2:30 a.m.
The business owner told police the man drove up to the building and broke a window and then threw a Molotov cocktail through the window, police said.
The owner then opened fire on the man outside the business, killing him, police said.
Police don't plan on filing charges against the owner, police said.
The intruder has not been identified.
Labels: business robbery, TX
8/21/08
Harris County, Texas
From the Houston Chronicle of August 21, 2008
NW Harris County store owner fatally shoots robber
Confronted with a pistol and bound with duct tape, the owner of a northwest Harris County store decided not to quietly submit and hope his attacker would show mercy.
The businessman worked himself free, got his own gun and killed the robber in a shootout, sheriff's deputies said.
The incident happened about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday when a man walked into the cellular phone store in the 12000 block of Veterans Memorial Drive near Antoine, pulled out a gun and tied up the owner, sheriff's detectives said.
"He (the robber) was in the process of trying to disable the surveillance equipment when the owner was able to free himself,'' said Sgt. Ben Beall.
The owner grabbed his own pistol and opened fire. The robber did the same, but was fatally wounded.
"The owner is fine. He was not injured,'' Beall said.
A woman at the store today said the owner did not want to comment on the incident.
Investigators are trying to determine whether the dead man is the same person who held up a number of other cell phone stores in the area recently, Beall said.
Labels: business robbery, TX
8/20/08
Harris County, Texas
From the Houston Chronicle of August 19, 2008
Apparent intruder fatally shot in southwest Harris County
Harris County Sheriff's deputies are investigating a shooting in southwest Harris County that left one man dead Tuesday evening.
Residents at the Sierra Pines Apartments reported hearing gunshots about 5:50 p.m. near building No. 16.
Deputies arrived at 6403 Sierra Blanca and found a man who had been fatally shot by a resident.
It appears he was attempting to force entry into an apartment, Homicide Sgt. Wayne Kuhlman said.
Labels: home invasion, TX
8/14/08
Houston, Texas
From KHOU of August 8, 2008
Houstonian shoots accused intruder
Houston police say they are investigating a shooting where a homeowner fought back and shot a suspected burglar.
Investigators say that the ordeal began after two men broke into a home on Pecan Villas in southeast Houston.
The homeowner heard the suspects and then grabbed his gun and shot at the reported intruders, police say.
One of the men was hit. He was taken to the hospital and is in serious condition.
The second suspect was arrested at the scene.
Labels: home invasion, TX
8/4/08
Houston, Texas
From the August 4, 2008 Houston Chronicle:
Gunfire broke out during a holdup at a family-owned roofing company early Sunday, leaving one attempted robber dead and the business owner seriously wounded, Houston police said.
Detectives said Sergio Rodriguez, his brother and a co-worker were preparing to open about 6:50 a.m. when three or four armed men forced their way inside the building in the 10500 block of Foy.
"Somewhere in the middle of the (robbery), Mr. Rodriguez was shot," said Houston Police Department homicide investigator Fil Waters.
One of the roofers managed to grab a gun and began shooting, fatally striking one of the intruders and wounding another. Rodriguez also was struck during the gunfire exchange, police said.
"My understanding is that he's in surgery and will recover," Waters said.
Sergio Rodriguez Jr. stood outside the crime-scene tape later Sunday as police continued their investigation.
"To me, he's the man of steel," Rodriguez said of his wounded father. "He works every day, trying to take care of the family. Without him, I don't know what to do."
Labels: business robbery, defender shot, TX
7/30/08
Houston, Texas
From Click2Houston of July 29, 2008
Car Owner Shoots Suspected Thief
A car owner opened fire on a suspected thief early Tuesday, KPRC Local 2 reported.
Houston police said the car's owner found the man sitting in his vehicle at the Gulf Pointe Apartments on Gulf Pointe Drive near Dickinson Road shortly before 4 a.m.
The car's owner opened fire, wounding the man in the leg.
Residents said they heard at least two gunshots.
Investigators said the man was taken to Ben Taub Hospital. He is expected to survive.
The Harris County District Attorney's Office has not said if the car's owner will be charged.
Labels: street property theft, TX
7/25/08
Houston, Texas
From KHOU of July 21, 2008
Bouncer at Sugar's strip club shoots, kills knife-wielding customer
Houston police on Monday were questioning the bouncer of a strip club who claims he was forced to shoot a customer over the weekend.
It happened at the Sugars club off the Gulf Freeway at Dixie Farm Road.
The customer was apparently drunk and angry about being told to leave the establishment.
Witnesses said he got a knife from his car and started slashing tires.
When the bouncer tried to stop him, the customer allegedly lunged at him with the knife.
That’s when the bouncer pulled out his weapon and opened fire.
The man died at the hospital.
Officials said no charges are expected to be filed.
Labels: private security, TX
7/24/08
Mercedes, Texas
From The Monitor of July 21, 2008
Sheriff: Immigrant shot burglar teen
An illegal immigrant tasked with guarding a convenience store shot and killed a teenager who attempted to burglarize it, Hidalgo County Sheriff Lupe Treviño said Monday.
Silvestre Delgadillo, 28, remained on the run and authorities had "no idea" whether he fled to Mexico, Treviño said.
Delgadillo, who was convicted in 2005 on a felony drug charge, has been charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, a third-degree felony.
But the actual homicide is complicated by Texas' castle law, which allows people to use lethal force to defend themselves and their property.
Delgadillo is accused of shooting Roberto Garcia, 17, late Friday night.
"He is there to protect his residence - protect the business - under the direction of the owner," Treviño said.
He said he will submit the case to the District Attorney's office, which will then present it to a grand jury. The grand jury will determine whether to charge Delgadillo in connection with the homicide.
Delgadillo, who was deported after being released from prison earlier this year, could also be charged with a felony for illegally re-entering the country.
The shooting occurred late Friday or early Saturday, Treviño said, when Garcia and Ramiro Garza and Eloy Santana, both 17, tried to burglarize Valeria's Drive Thru convenience store by breaking through its roof.
Delgadillo was living inside the business, though, and had been told by store owner Olivia Lopez, 34, to guard it with a gun she provided, Treviño said. Delgadillo shot Garcia during the burglary, hitting him in the lung and artery, Treviño said. The wound killed Garcia within minutes.
Lopez, the storeowner, will be charged with failure to report a felony because she was not candid with police about the shooting, Treviño said. A grand jury would also have to decide whether she could face any sort of homicide charges.
"Ms. Lopez gave a convicted felon a firearm," Treviño said. "That's against the law. She lied to us from the onset of the investigation. That's against the law."
Garcia's accomplices will also be charged with burglary, Treviño said.
**Note**
While there were illegal actions that led up to this defensive gun use, the defense itself was by all appearances justified, hence our use of it here on the blog.
Labels: business burglary, illegal alien, TX
7/21/08
El Paso, Texas
From KVIA of July 20, 2008
No charges filed against man who shot teen
Police have hot filed charges against a Northeast resident who allegedly shot a man in self-defense.
The police department's Drive-by-Shooting Response Team (DSRT) was called to assist with a "shots fired" call at the 9500 block of Iris at about one Saturday morning.
Officers discovered a 19-year-old man had been shot in the ankle and forearm at a residence in the area.
An investigation revealed the victim went to a party at the residence and engaged in an argument that escalated into a physical confrontation, police officials said.
Police said a resident of the home grabbed a handgun and fired several shots at the victim in and attempt to protect his home and family.
The victim was transported to Thomason hospital and a further investigation is underway.
Labels: altercation, TX
