SMITH COUNTY, Texas — The Smith County Sheriffs Office is investigating an overnight shooting incident.
According to the SCSO, on Saturday, just before 1 a.m., officials were called to the scene of a burglary in progress in the 15000 block of County Road 1356, in southern Smith County.
The sheriff's office says the homeowner claimed he came home from work and saw a vehicle pull up to the front of his house with the lights off and several males got out of the vehicle. He stated he then saw the men walking around his vehicle, which was parked in the driveway. The homeowner believed that the men were trying to break into his car.
The SCSO reports the homeowner walked out of his house armed with a gun and fired several shots into the air. At this time, the men ran away, according to the homeowner. Authorities say the homeowner went back inside his house to call 911 as the suspect vehicle drove away from his residence, headed in the direction of where the men had run.
The homeowner came back outside and met with his neighbor, who was now outside, armed with a firearm, as well. The homeowner was explaining the incident to his neighbor as he was still on the phone with 911.
According to law enforcement, at this time, the suspect vehicle approached both of them at a high rate of speed and with its lights off and both the homeowner and the neighbor felt their lives were in danger as the vehicle approached. The homeowner fired several rounds toward the vehicle and the neighbor fired at least once. The vehicle was struck with the and swerved off the road into the homeowner’s yard. The vehicle then crossed the road and drove into a wooded area. All of the occupants then ran from the vehicle and into the woods.
A short time later, one of the men in the vehicle came out of the woods and told the neighbor he had been shot. A deputy had just arrived on scene and requested EMS. When paramedics responded, the man was taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Smith County investigators were able to interview the man who they say admitted to driving the suspect vehicle, along with two passengers. The SCSO says the man also confessed the group had broken into several other vehicles just prior to this incident. Investigators also determined the suspect vehicle was stolen.
The additional suspects are still at large and the known suspect’s name is being withheld pending additional charges.
This investigation is ongoing and CBS19 will update this article as more information becomes available.
