Father of three fatally shot in head protecting family in SW Houston

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A 38-year-old man was shot to death in a southwest Houston home as he attempted to protect his family members from a suspect opening fire, family members say.

The victim's nephew confirms to Eyewitness News that Roberto Bermudez, a father of three, and his family were at his mother-in-law's house on the 7000 block of Bintliff Drive to unclog a pipe.

An argument broke out, and the shooter (who was an invited guest) went outside and returned with a gun, opening fire.

Bermudez was pushing the shooter out the door when he was shot.

"[Bermudez] and his wife were both grabbing [the shooter]. It could have been her, it could have been him. The last shot she heard was the one that hit my uncle," nephew Bryan Bermudez explained.

Bermudez was shot in the forehead and died in the home. By the time police arrived, family members had piled on top of the suspect in the yard, beating him up and detaining him.

The 25-year-old suspect was taken to hospital, but did not have serious injuries.

Investigators recovered a semi-automatic handgun from the scene of the shooting. About 50 family members and friends waited on a front lawn for hours down the street from the shooting.

"He made me appreciate life. He was very optimistic about everything that happened," Bryan Bermudez said. "He's the guy you would go to if you needed anything. Advice. Money. Anything. He would always help people out. I can say that because he helped me out a lot."