SAN ANTONIO – A homeowner in his late 70s fatally shot a man who tried to break into his home Thursday morning on the city's far Northwest Side.
Police spokesman Doug Greene said a man in his 40s was trying to burglarize a home around 9:30 a.m. in the 9700 block of Autumn Dew when the homeowner heard the commotion.
The homeowner and his wife warned the man to leave, but when he broke the front door handle, the homeowner fired a shot through the door, striking the man in the chest, Greene said.
"He was really trying to make a strong effort to get into the house," Greene said. "They felt the need to defend themselves and their property."
The burglary suspect died at the scene, Greene said.
Neighbors who live close said the area is quiet and that they hadn't had anything happen like this in 20 years.
Carl Rick Jr. said while he is surprised this happened, he wasn't surprised that his neighbor made it out OK.
"They picked the wrong man because Bill was an ex-Special Forces lieutenant colonel," Rick said.
Police said the would-be-burglar had parked down the street prior to the incident.
George Gonzalez, who was working close by, said he did see him walking from that direction, but at the time didn't think much of it.
"We didn't see what house he was coming from, but he was walking up the street, talking to himself," said Gonzalez. "We were kind of joking around, saying, "Look at that guy, talking to himself. He's crazy. He's crazy.’”
The homeowner who fired the shot will not face any charges.
