SAN ANTONIO – Outside a home where a man had just hung Christmas lights the red and blue lights from police cars competed for attention early Tuesday morning.
Joseph Salazar was already awake, courtesy of the trouble that had brought San Antonio police to his neighborhood in the 500 block of Monticello Court.
“It was five gunshots, and about 2:45 in the morning,” he said. “There were about eight or nine police cars in here and right here where we’re standing is where they were putting markers. They were putting down those little yellow markers.”
Police were marking off evidence, including shell casings from bullets fired at Salazar’s neighbor.
One of the bullets hit the 41-year-old homeowner in the back of his leg.
That man, whose name has not been released, told police he had just finished putting up his Christmas lights and was putting away his ladder when he heard someone in his driveway, breaking into his pickup.
Officers at the scene said as the victim approached the car burglar, accomplices in a waiting car began shooting.
They believe there were three people in all who got away in some sort of red vehicle.
Salazar said although his street usually is quiet, he is not surprised by the violence, especially at this time of year.
“We’ve had a couple of other break-ins in the neighborhood. I had one in my shed,” he said.
Police continue to look for the people involved in the latest car burglary and shooting.
They say they plan to look at surveillance video from neighbors in the hope of finding some clues about the criminals.