Home invasion suspect facing capital murder charge after shootout with homeowner

Homeowner confronted 18-year-old who broke into home on Ulysses

UNIVERSAL CITY, Texas – A homeowner is dead and an intruder is in the hospital after an overnight struggle in Universal City.

Police said an 18-year-old broke into a home in the 8400 block of Ulysses around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday when he was confronted by the home's owner, 51-year-old Michael Robinson.

Robinson grabbed a gun after his wife said she saw someone in their driveway. But by the time he armed himself, the alleged burglar was already near their bedroom.

Both Robinson and the 18-year-old fired shots at each other. Robinson was shot in his rib cage and was taken to San Antonio Military Medical Center where he died. The intruder was shot in the arm and upper chest and ran to get help a few houses away.

A neighbor opened the door and called for help for the intruder. When police arrived the suspect still had a gun on him.

"(The neighbor) was trying to do the right thing -- was trying to be a Good Samaritan -- but you got to remember if someone comes to your door at two or three in the morning and they have a gun shot, maybe it's the best thing not to let them in the house because you don't know what they have or what they've been involved in," Tina Vitacco of the Universal City Police Department said.

Police were going door to door Tuesday morning looking for any surveillance video of the suspect.

They believe he may have stolen items from neighbors as well. The suspect had been driving a stolen vehicle.

Police say that suspect is now recovering in the hospital, but when released he faces a capital murder charge.


About the Author:

Stephanie Serna is a weekday anchor on Good Morning San Antonio and GMSA at 9 a.m. She joined the KSAT 12 News team in November 2009 as a general assignments reporter.