A Texas homeowner pursued and shot a suspected thief who stole a barbecue pit from his property over the weekend, authorities said.
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said the incident occurred early Sunday morning in Humble when an unidentified man attempted to drive away with a barbecue pit and a homeowner pursued him in his vehicle. Sheriff Ed Gonzalez made the announcement. A series of social media posts.
The owner caught up with the suspected thief and his passenger a short distance from the home when he got out of his car and approached the two, the sheriff said.
Gonzalez said the homeowner “feared for his safety” and fired “several shots” at the suspect, believing he was reaching for a firearm.
The theft suspect was pronounced dead at the scene.
Another person who was with the deceased man was not shot and has not been charged with any crime.
“The homeowner cooperated with investigators and provided a detailed statement about the incident,” Gonzalez said, adding that the case will be handed over to a grand jury.
“Once the investigation is complete, the case will be turned over to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office for presentation to a grand jury,” the top officer said.
