cvfl
01-23-2009, 05:58 AM
Jan 21, 2009 6:18 pm US/Central Dallas Homeowner Shoots, Kills Alleged Burglar
Marianne Martinez DALLAS (CBS 11 News) ―
http://llnw.image.cbslocal.com/24/2009/01/22/175x131/OakCliffburglarshooting.jpg
Click to enlarge KTVT / KTXA
A North Texas homeowner shot and killed a 17-year-old, who police say broke into an Oak Cliff house. The shooting happened around 11am in the 300 block of Hobson.
"It was a matter of life and death," explained Charles Bircher. The homeowner said he doesn't always carry his gun, but is glad he had it Wednesday. Bircher claims the teenager, "was trying to kill me."
According to police, it was Gabriel Flores who kicked in the door of the house Bircher shares with his mother, Ivy Willis. "These people don't work and just want to break in and take what everyone else got," she said. There was no one home when Flores initially entered the house, but soon after Bircher arrived home and confronted the burglar. Flores had stolen a gun from inside the home and used it against Bircher, but the homeowner has a concealed handgun license and was carrying a weapon.
"He shot at me four or five times and thank goodness he missed," explained Bircher. "I got off one or two rounds and I guess I hit him."
Flores was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Seventy-nine year old Ivy Willis arrived home a few hours after the incident and said she's relieved her son protected himself. "I would've done the same thing."
Dallas police will refer the case to a grand jury, which will decide if charges should be filed against the homeowner.
Marianne Martinez DALLAS (CBS 11 News) ―
http://llnw.image.cbslocal.com/24/2009/01/22/175x131/OakCliffburglarshooting.jpg
Click to enlarge KTVT / KTXA
A North Texas homeowner shot and killed a 17-year-old, who police say broke into an Oak Cliff house. The shooting happened around 11am in the 300 block of Hobson.
"It was a matter of life and death," explained Charles Bircher. The homeowner said he doesn't always carry his gun, but is glad he had it Wednesday. Bircher claims the teenager, "was trying to kill me."
According to police, it was Gabriel Flores who kicked in the door of the house Bircher shares with his mother, Ivy Willis. "These people don't work and just want to break in and take what everyone else got," she said. There was no one home when Flores initially entered the house, but soon after Bircher arrived home and confronted the burglar. Flores had stolen a gun from inside the home and used it against Bircher, but the homeowner has a concealed handgun license and was carrying a weapon.
"He shot at me four or five times and thank goodness he missed," explained Bircher. "I got off one or two rounds and I guess I hit him."
Flores was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Seventy-nine year old Ivy Willis arrived home a few hours after the incident and said she's relieved her son protected himself. "I would've done the same thing."
Dallas police will refer the case to a grand jury, which will decide if charges should be filed against the homeowner.