Houston, Texas

From Houston’s ABC13.com of January 23, 2006

Homeowner fights back against armed intruders

A northwest Houston father fought back and killed an armed intruder.

The final straw came when one of the home invaders grabbed his 12-month-old daughter and threw her down the stairs. Police say three men forced their way into the home of a man at an apartment complex on W. Tidwell near W. Sun Forest. The armed men demanded money.

The victim first tried to stop the men with a steak knife. The men grabbed a child in the home and threw the toddler down the stairs. The toddler is OK.

One suspect pulled a gun but the victim was able to get it away from him and shot him. Then the suspect pulled a second gun and the victim got it away from him and shot him again, killing him. Police say the other two men fled the scene.

"The two suspects are known to the complainant. The dead man is not known to the complainant. They left the scene before police arrived," said Officer Philip Yochum with the Houston Police Department.

Investigators say the victim knew the two suspects who got away and that both the victim and suspects are Katrina evacuees. Police aren't sure if the dead suspect is an evacuee as well.