SAN ANTONIO – A Northeast Side man says he hopes the justice system leaves a lasting impression on a 14-year-old suspect who allegedly tried to steal his car at gunpoint and fired a shot.
“He needs to be severely punished. He needs to realize the severity of his crime,” Timothy Van Lindert said.
Van Lindert spoke to KSAT 12 News on Thursday, recalling the events that happened at his apartment complex, not far from Interstate 35 and Rittiman Road.
He said he had just finished walking his dogs around 8 a.m. Wednesday when he noticed a teen sitting at a nearby picnic table one moment, then suddenly standing near his car the next.
“I turn around, you know, and there’s a gun right up to my head,” Van Lindert said. “And he goes, ‘Give me your keys. I’m taking your car.’”
The 62-year-old said he instantly began struggling with the suspect, who he later found out was just 14 years old.
Van Lindert said he tried to reach for the gun but could only grab the teen’s wrist.
“He’s got the gun, like, back and forth like this, pointing at me,” Van Lindert said. “We’re going at it for a little while and stuff, and a bullet goes off.”
Fortunately, no one was hurt by the gunfire.
The would-be victim said he convinced the suspect, at one point, to empty the weapon. He said the teen quickly changed his mind, though, and picked up the gun again.
The suspect, Van Lindert said, eventually got into his car and attempted to drive off. However, he backed into a wall.
Van Lindert said that is when he partially climbed into the car through an open window and put the car in park.
“All this time he’s hitting me in the back of the head with the gun,” Van Lindert said.
The suspect then ran off, heading toward an elementary school across the street.
Van Lindert said he was worried that the teen, who was still carrying the gun, might hurt children there.
“Thank God (the doors) were locked,” he said. “Thank God they were locked because he just tried to basically kill me.”
San Antonio police officers arrived at the scene and took the teen into custody. He faces several charges.
Van Lindert said while he now realizes how close he came to disaster, he does not regret his actions.
In fact, he said he would not hesitate to fight back in the future.