Mesquite, Texas

From the Mesquite Star of September 21, 2007

Business owner shoots burglary suspects

A pair of burglary suspects were foiled Thursday evening by the owner of a business in the 700 block of Rodeo Center Blvd. when he entered the second floor of the building and fired a shotgun at the two suspects after they resisted an order not to move, Mesquite police say.

At about 10:25 p.m., Mesquite police received a call noting a burglary in progress at a closed business. The owner entered the building to investigate voices he had heard inside, the caller indicated.

Upon entering the building, officers heard three shots, police reports say. The owner of the building indicated he had found the two burglary suspects on the second floor. He pointed a shotgun loaded with buckshot at the burglars and told them not to move, police say. One burglar advanced toward the owner of the business and he fired, striking the burglar in his chest and face, police say. After hearing the gunshots, officers went upstairs and found both burglars lying on the floor, police reports state.

Charles Ray Knight Jr., 40, a white male, was transported to Baylor Hospital in Dallas suffering from pellet shot to the face, a punctured lung, and one pellet entered his heart. He is listed in stable condition.

James Edward Jamie Black, 40, a white male, was identified as the other burglary suspect.

Both Black and Knight have lengthy criminal histories. Black, who was found with bolt cutters and copper cable belonging to the business owner lying next to him, was arrested and charged with burglary of a building, a felony, and is being held on $2,500 bond. Knight was on parole from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice until 2017. He was also charged with burglary of a building and his bond was set at $1,500. The copper cable found near black [sic] could indicate it as [sic] the motive of the burglary. Copper theft has risen in the area as the price of copper has soared.

The owner of the building will not face charges in the incident.