Posted on 03/13/2013 7:10:29 AM PDT by SwinneySwitch
EDINBURG — A restaurant owner fatally shot a man who police say appeared to have climbed through the roof of the establishment early Tuesday morning.
About 4 a.m. Tuesday, Gilbert Medina broke into the Pumpjack Mexican Restaurant, 711 W. Monte Cristo Road, said Lt. Oscar Treviño, an Edinburg police spokesman.
The restaurant had been broken into three times before in recent weeks, having cash and TV’s stolen, Treviño said.
Since the thefts had previously taken place on weekends, police investigators had been preparing a surveillance operation for this coming weekend to catch burglars in the act, Treviño said.
In the previous cases, thieves had broken in through the roof, which appears to have been the entry route in Tuesday’s botched theft, as well; a metal ladder was found on the back of the building.
Police refused to identify the restaurant owner, but Treviño said he spent the night inside the establishment in order to protect his business. When Medina broke in, the owner confronted Medina and fired at least three gunshots, Treviño said.
The owner told police that Medina had a sharp object in his hands during the confrontation, a claim that police were working to corroborate.
No criminal charges have been filed in the case and officers continue to investigate to see whether the gunfire was justified. Police will turn over the case to the Hidalgo County District Attorney for review, Treviño said.
Texas’ so-called “castle law” was extended to a person’s home to their workplace in 2007, allowing employees who reasonably believe they need to use deadly force against intruders who break into their establishment and may attack them.
One neighbor missed his serving of huevos rancheros at the Pumpjack — a place walks across the road to visit every day.
“I was asleep when it happened,” said Anatalio Piña, an 81-year-old retired carpenter. “I didn’t hear anything.”
Three shots, one dead criminal - nice job. I hope the ammo shortage won’t prevent him from reloading.
I would bet the crime rate in the area goes down.
In NY/NJ/CT/MA he would be charged with premeditated murder; he PLANNED to get a bad guy. In TX he'll get a bunch of attaboys!
When I was a child and we lived in Maryland, the Federal government placed housing and drug rehab centers downtown and the crime began. Store owners had to put up gates on their door and windows and could not get insurance because of the high crime. They were going out of business.
They organized a night watch and picked off a bunch of robbers. The self defense was scandalous...these dirty whitey racists picking off poor people and drug addicts.
Socialist Feds totally wrecked that town with social engineering in the name of race “victims.” We never stayed in one place long, so my family did not feel the total brunt of the Federal wrecking crew in our lives.
Frontier justice? Looking back at the Houston Shotgun Squad
The dead perp is permanently enjoying 4000+ alarm rancheros juevos con diablo salsa bajo con fuego— way down below with fire.
No, the perp was a fine young man that was getting his life together, trying to be a good dad to his kids by multiple baby mommies, thinking about getting his GED, and was an aspiring rapper.
The Modus Operandi of many criminals is amazingly stupid, which is why police departments maintain MO files.
The stupidest of the lot will get away with a crime once, then continue to commit crimes *exactly* the same way, often in the same *place*, even if they are caught a dozen times. As such, the police just check their records, then go to the last known residence of the perp and arrest him.
I suppose it depends on how angry you are at a burglar as to whether or not you set up an ambush to nail him. But you should never admit that you were angry, just guarding when the burglar menaced you with a weapon.
And don’t forget, you might save the taxpayers millions of dollars in trying and imprisoning the perp, if his career instead ends in a hail of gunfire.
Swear you fell asleep while going over the bills and the break in woke you.
“I hope the ammo shortage won’t prevent him from reloading.”
I would expect fellow Texans to do the compassionate thing and mail him a few rounds. He saved us a lot of money housing and prosecuting the thug. Though I guess the lawyers won’t be too happy about their loss of revenue.
Plan to stop in at the Pumpjack the next time I’m in Edinburg.
Wonder what cartridge he used? Mine would be 12 gauge double ought buckshot.
Always rely on the KISS theory (”Keep It Simple, Stupid”), for example:
One lie is always preferable to two or more.
Answer police and court questions minimally, hopefully with pat answers. Do not volunteer information.
Stick to your statements when confronted by cross examination. “Were you angry, upset, or confused?” “I was in fear for my life.” “Did his race matter to you?” “I was in fear for my life.”
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.