Houston, Texas

From Houston‘s Click2Houston.com of October 18, 2005

Police: Homeowner Fatally Shoots Attempted Robber

1 Suspect Dies In Trash Can; 2 Other Suspects Flee Scene On Foot

A homeowner opened fire Monday night and killed a man he said was trying to rob him outside his southeast Houston home, KPRC Local 2 reported.

The homeowner told KPRC Local 2 that he returned to his home on North Carolina at Zachary at about 10:45 p.m. when he saw three men unlocking burglar bars.

Authorities said one of the attempted robbers jumped out of a trash can and tried to rob him at gunpoint.

"The man had popped up out of his trash can sort of like a jack-in-the-box. The homeowner had a gun on him also. The homeowner fired, striking the suspect in the garbage can several times," Houston Police Department Homicide Division Investigator Kevin Carr said.

That suspect was pronounced dead inside the garbage can. The other two attempted robbers fled the scene on foot.

Police said they do not plan on filing charges against the homeowner. However, officers are not sure if the homeowner had a permit to carry the gun he used in the shooting.

Like fish in a barrel