Neighbors Band Together Against Burglars

Smith County, Texas — One man was shot after he and a group of accomplices attempted to run down two Smith County neighbors on Saturday night.

According to the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched to a call about a burglary at around 1:00 a.m. in the 15000 block of Brookstone Rd.

When deputies arrived at the scene they met with the homeowner and his neighbor. The homeowners said shortly after coming home from work, he witnessed a vehicle with its lights off pull up to his home and several people get out.

The suspects began to walk around the homeowner’s car in the driveway when he came out of the house with a gun, believing they were trying to break into the vehicle.

The homeowner fired his gun into the air several times, causing the suspects to flee on foot. While the suspects getaway vehicle drove to where they had all fled down a dead-end road, the homeowner went inside and called 911 to report the attempted burglary.

While still on the phone with 911 dispatchers, the victim went back outside where he met with his neighbor who had also armed himself. The two were discussing the incident when getaway vehicle returned, driving at them with a high rate of speed and the head lights still dead.

Both the homeowner and his neighbor said they felt like their lives were in danger and opened fire on the approaching car.

Hit by the gunfire, the vehicle swerved off the road, through the homeowner’s yard and into a wooded lot nearby. The suspects all got out and ran further into the forest.

Just as deputies had begun to arrive at the scene, one of the suspects came out of the woods, telling the homeowner’s neighbor he’d been shot. One of the deputies called for assistance from UT Health East Texas EMS where he was taken for treatment of his non-life-threatening injuries.

After being questioned by law enforcement officers, the suspect admitted to driving the getaway vehicle with two other passengers and had been breaking into other vehicles that night before arriving at the scene of the shooting. Deputies are still working to uncover if the car used in the burglary attempt was stolen and report they have yet to locate the suspect’s accomplices.

Smith County Sheriff’s Office also declined to identify the suspect as additional charges are pending against him.

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