HOUSTON — A father of three was shot to death early Friday by car burglars in southwest Houston, police said.
Officers said five men were checking car doors in the neighborhood when the homeowner, who may have seen them on surveillance cameras, came outside shooting toward the group. They ran away but police said the homeowner got in his car and went looking for them. As he was returning home, he ran into the group and they shot him in his stomach. He died on the front steps of his home.
"Officers got here they tried their best to do CPR and do everything they could but unfortunately, they were not able to do anything,” said Lt. R. Willkens with the Houston Police Department. “Prayers to him and his family. Unfortunately, he has a wife and three young kids inside that house right now.”
Neighbors were awakened by gunfire.
“All I heard were the gunshots and that was like 1:40 a.m. in the morning,” neighbor Elizabeth Angeles, said.
Officers said home surveillance video shows a silver car pulling up in front of the victim’s home.
Police are looking for the people involved.
"He was a great man, a great neighbor," Angeles said.
Investigators said his girlfriend and three young children were in the house at the time of the shooting.
Neighbors said the family is trying to wrap their heads around this tremendous loss.
If you have any information about this incident, you're asked to call police or Houston Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477.