Homeowner, 72, shoots burglary suspect caught on his property

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A 72-year-old homeowner found himself face to face with a suspect trying to break into his home Friday morning.

Harris County Sheriff's deputies say it happened around 8:30am in the 3600 block of Mooney Road. Robert Dietz says he woke up to see his surveillance cameras down so he stepped outside to investigate. It wasn't but one second later that he saw a man crouched down in the middle of his storage shed.

Dietz says he was startled to see him and tried to keep him there until authorities could respond to his 911 call. The suspect, according to the homeowner, still tried to escape and threw a metal gas can at Dietz, striking him in the head, while doing so.

Dietz, who was armed, then shot the suspect once in the stomach before he ran away.

"It shook me up," he said. "I was probably a lot more scared than he was. He didn't appear to be afraid at all."

Deputies were able to arrest the suspect who is now being treated at Ben Taub Hospital.