Accused car burglar is shot in the legs by homeowner, then drives away, Texas cops say
A San Antonio homeowner is accused of shooting a suspected car burglar in the legs, police said.
Officers responding to reports of a shooting in progress on Feb. 27 were told by the homeowner that he confronted someone who was burglarizing his car, according to a preliminary police report.
“I couldn’t see what he had in his hands,” the 36-year-old homeowner and military veteran told San Antonio’s KSAT. “All I know is he raised his hands and was coming toward me, so I began to fire my weapon.”
The homeowner said there were two guns and a bulletproof vest inside his vehicle, San Antonio TV station WOAI reported.
The homeowner “fired multiple rounds from his handgun,” the police report said.
Officers at the scene said he fired at least 10 rounds, KSAT reported.
“I wasn’t trying to take someone’s life for personal property,” he told the station. “I felt as though I was protecting myself,” he said.
The 19-year-old suspect fled the scene in a car with another person and was later found at a local hospital, police said.
The man reportedly collapsed after arriving at the hospital half a mile away with gunshot wounds to the back of both legs, KENS reported.
“He did get my weapon,” the homeowner told WOAI, “and when they replayed the cameras at the hospital, they saw him go and throw my gun in the bushes.”
The investigation is still active, police said.
Texas law permits the use of deadly force at night in self-defense and protection of property when certain criteria are met.
This story was originally published February 28, 2024 at 6:21 PM with the headline "Accused car burglar is shot in the legs by homeowner, then drives away, Texas cops say."
