HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — A grand jury will decide if a man they said chased down and shot another man who allegedly stole his car will be charged with a crime.
The 19-year-old suspected car thief was killed. He has not been identified.
What happened
According to investigators, the car was stolen from an apartment complex on Louetta near Ella around 4 a.m. Thursday.
They said the car owner called 911 and told authorities that he and his girlfriend were following his stolen Dodge Charger in a Lexus. They said they were getting shot at and firing shots back at the person in his car.
Investigators said the 19-year-old driving the Charger was shot several times and came to a stop along Louetta near Holzwarth, about 3 miles away from the complex from which the car was taken.
When authorities got to the scene, they found the Charger riddled with bullet holes and the alleged car thief dead.
Self-defense?
A legal expert said that in cases like this one, several factors go into what's considered self-defense.
David Kwok is co-director of the University of Houston Law Center’s Criminal Justice Institute.
"The critical question here is: 'Can you bring out weapons in the course of your pursuit?' And the formal legal rule is it has to be necessary for you to do so," Kwok said.
Kwok said another factor that’s often considered in Texas is the time of day. He said the laws are more deferential when thefts occur at night, like this one.
The investigation
Authorities said they're getting surveillance video and talking to witnesses about what happened.
Officials also shed light on the rights that people have when protecting their property.
"Obviously ... you’re firing weapons while you’re driving down the roadway. Law enforcement is not allowed to do that. You’re endangering other people, and 'is it worth the person’s life to recover your stolen vehicle?' is the question people need to ask themselves," Harris County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Ben Beall said.
A friend of the car owner is defending his buddy. He said his friend is a hard-working family man who doesn't condone violence.
Here's the update that authorities provided at the scene: