It was an emotional morning as family members rushed to the victim's side moments after hearing a group of gun-toting burglars fired numerous bullets inside his house, injuring the homeowner.
Monica King, a relative of the victim, said, "I think it was very selfish for whoever broke into their house because these are two working people. This is a family."
Relatives say the burglars kicked in the front door moments after the homeowner's wife left to take their 10-month-old daughter to day care.
Deputies say the gunmen didn't realize a man was still at home sleeping in the downstairs bedroom. They say the homeowner surprised those burglars. The crooks shot him in the leg and ran off.
"It's very frustrating," said Tahli Johnson, the victim's sister. "The baby could have been in there with him. Anybody could have been in the house."
This burglary happened in Eagles Landing 3, a new subdivision off Kuykendahl still under development. Several neighbors told deputies they noticed men in a suspicious white Pathfinder and black Grand Marquis parked in the area around 7am, just before the burglary.
Neighbor Nikita Williams said, "He was just moving around and I didn't think nothing of it. And I just went back home not knowing that something was going to happen at this house."
As deputies collect and analyze evidence the criminals left behind, the victim's family is hoping surveillance cameras in the community can help identify the bad guys.
"They will be caught," King promised. "Sooner or later, they are going to catch up with them. Sooner or later."
The victim has been treated and released from the hospital for an injured leg.
Deputies say it's important to always report any suspicious activity. The family and investigators are encouraging anyone with information on this burglary or the gunmen to call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.
