Soon-to-be new dad shot while defending pregnant wife from robber

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Family members of a man shot while protecting his wife from a robber in north Harris County said the couple is expecting a child soon.

The family told ABC13 the soon-to-be new dad is in critical condition after being shot in the chest. The man's wife, who is 37 weeks pregnant, was not seriously hurt during the ordeal, but she was experiencing false contractions, according to the family.

"The baby's heartbeat was fine," her mother told us. "She is having contractions like every five minutes but they don't think she's in labor yet."

The Harris County Sheriff's Office said the incident happened just before 1 a.m. Monday at the City Station Apartments just off Cypress Station Drive.

The family said the woman was getting something from her vehicle when she was approached by a stranger who asked for her cell phone.

"All of a sudden, he attacked her from behind and took her down and hit her on the side of the face," her mother told us.

Deputies said the husband stepped out of his apartment and encountered the robber, who then shot him. The robber fled the area.

Family said the wife played dead and quietly crawled back to their apartment, dragging her husband behind her.

The victim was then able to drive himself to Northwest Medical Center. The wife was also taken to the hospital by ambulance out of concern for the baby.

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