Car thief tells SUV owner ‘Leave me alone or I’ll shoot,’ then pulls trigger

Victim suffered gunshot wound to knee, police say

SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio police believe they have identified a suspect in connection with an attempted vehicle theft and shooting early Thursday on the city’s Southeast side.

They tracked down that man, whose name they did not release, at his home and tested him for gunpowder residue, according to a preliminary police report.

However, it is unclear where police ultimately arrested him.

SAPD: Man shot while stopping theft of vehicle outside his home

They believe he may be the man who an SUV owner found inside his vehicle around 2 a.m. Thursday in the 700 block of Cravens.

The vehicle owner told police he woke up to the sound of his engine running in his driveway, then confronted the man who was sitting inside his SUV.

He said the would-be thief told him to leave him alone or he would shoot, then made good on his promise.

The 54-year-old SUV owner was wounded in his knee.

Police said he was stable when he was taken to a hospital by ambulance.

The shooter is believed to have escaped on a bicycle, leaving behind the SUV.

The police report said an officer quickly spotted a man matching the description, but that person was able to get away again.

At some point later, police were able to come up with a name and address for the suspect, the report says.

It was at that home where they spoke with him and tested him for gunshot residue.


About the Authors:

Katrina Webber joined KSAT 12 in December 2009. She reports for Good Morning San Antonio. Katrina was born and raised in Queens, NY, but after living in Gulf Coast states for the past decade, she feels right at home in Texas. It's not unusual to find her singing karaoke or leading a song with her church choir when she's not on-air.

Tim has been a photojournalist and video editor at KSAT since 1998. He came to San Antonio from Lubbock, where he worked in TV and earned his bachelor's degree in Electronic Media and Communication from Texas Tech University. Tim has won a handful of awards and has earned a master's in Strategic Communication and Innovation from Tech as well.