Home invasion suspect shot to death in west Houston apartment

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A man believed to be part of a home invasion attempt at a west Houston apartment complex is dead and the son of the resident was wounded in a shootout, police said.

It happened in the 2500 block of Old Farm Road at an apartment some time around 5 a.m. in the Briarmeadow area of west Houston.

A woman was asleep in her upstairs apartment when three men used a ladder to get inside, Houston police said. The men used zip ties and bound the woman while they searched the apartment for what investigators believe was a jewelry heist attempt.

"The entire thing is just bizarre," HPD homicide detective Alex Vinogradov said. "It looks like some of them used (the ladder) to climb up to the second story of the apartment, kick in the back door and go in that way."

During the invasion, the woman's son arrived and confronted the men before a shootout erupted. One of the suspects died from gunshot wounds.

The son was shot twice and was rushed to a hospital. There was no word on his condition.

Surveillance cameras inside the apartment captured the entire ordeal, authorities said.

Two suspects were able to get away and another person may have been outside watching the apartment. Investigators believe the invasion was not a random act.

"The homeowner is telling us that she believes that everyone involved is from Cuba," Vinogradov said. "They had Cuban accents. The homeowners themselves are from Cuba as well, so there is some kind of relation."

The invaders were young men in their 20s and investigators believe they knew what they were looking for.

"It's absolutely no accident that they hit this apartment," Vinogradov said. "They didn't just follow them out here."