Posted on 07/01/2022 3:05:57 PM PDT by nickcarraway
A 93-year-old suburban Los Angeles homeowner, who a relative said was frustrated over being the victim of numerous home break-ins, shot and critically wounded a burglar and scared off the would-be thief's accomplices, according to authorities.
The retired plumber, identified as Joe Howard Teague by the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, turned the tables on the group of home invaders early Wednesday when he grabbed his gun and confronted them inside his house in Moreno Valley, the sheriff's office said. Recent Stories from ABC 11 NC Summertime Weather
"I approached them to put them under citizen's arrest. They wouldn't adhere to that and then one of them came at me with a fishing pole," Teague told reporters outside his home Thursday.
He said the suspects, who entered his home after kicking open his door, began throwing things at him as he tried to hold them at gunpoint.
"It was just like somebody comes to a gunfight with a pocketknife, you know," Teague said.
Teague called 911 at about 12:30 p.m. and reported a burglary in progress at his home, the sheriff's office said in a statement. As deputies responded, Teague told a dispatcher he was holding several suspects, according to the sheriff's department.
Teague said the suspects included at least one woman.
When deputies arrived at Teague's home, they found one of the suspected burglars suffering from a gunshot wound.
A witness told deputies that several people were seen fleeing Teague's home on foot prior to the arrival of deputies.
The wounded suspect, identified as Joseph A. Ortega, 33, of Moreno Valley, was hospitalized in critical condition, according to the sheriff's department.
"Investigators have established that several individuals, including Ortega, were inside Teague's property when a shooting occurred," the sheriff's department said.
Teague was not injured. He was taken to a sheriff's department station, questioned and released, authorities said.
Sheriff's department officials said it appears the shooting was justified, but added that the investigation is ongoing.
"Based on the severity of Ortega's medical condition, the Central Homicide Unit responded to the scene and assumed the investigation," the sheriff's department said.
Investigators are working to identify the other assailants. No arrests have been announced.
Oscar Malma, whose wife is related to Teague, told ABC station KABC in Los Angeles that Teague had been the victim of a string of recent break-ins, including one that occurred on Friday.
Malma said the elderly man had grown increasingly frustrated over his home being targeted by thieves and the response from local police.
"He was tired because every time he calls the police, the police were taking forever to come and assist him," Malma said.
He said a burglary Friday at the man's home occurred in broad daylight.
"And now this happened in the middle of the night," Malma said. "He was defending his property. That happened inside of his home. So, I don't think there would be any reason for him to be arrested."
If vigilantism was let loose to solve 1% of the crime 90% of it would disappear.
bttt
Don't bet on it! We're talking CA where criminal are released and law abiding citizens are jailed.
Old folks can be dangerous. They don’t have much longer to live and not afraid to shoot. It doesn’t matter if some “woke” DA wants to prosecute them defending their home.
Cue Jerry and That's a shame
He is 90 years old, there were thugs in his house. What's left to investigate?
Do the right damn thing, coppers!
Bad decison of the reporter to identify the robbery victim by name and location. The reporter probably hopes someone drives by whacks the victim as retaliation.
AND—We do NOT have time to earn the $$$ to replace our property all over again.
Moreno Valley is not a suburb of Los Angeles. It is a Suburb of Riverside.
After any self-defense shooting, we are allowed 72 hours before giving a statement. He should not have gone to the station to make any statement without his lawyer.
Exactly.
Dont piss off us old folke. The older we get the less of a deterent life in prison is
Put differently, “The older I get, the less the notion of life in prison becomes a deterrent”.
True.
The good get arrested and often framed.
The evil get out on no bail, low bail, a legal technicaltity, intervention from a federal agency that criminal is aiding them elsewhere so cannot be touched, defense attorney was given the list of witnesses and the key witnesses were killed or families threatened so refused to go to trial or a juror was biased due to racism or other form of bias and will not convict.
How do you like your lousy, stinking country now, Americans? You did this to us and I hate you.
-Born in the USA and no longer tolerant.
Immortal meme of Charles Bronson....
The character was never born and so now can never die.
He should not listen to her. He didn’t shoot because he was tired of all the break ins, he did not shoot to defend his property.
The only thing anyone should be saying is that he feared for his life. He feared for his life because he was outnumbered and attacked, he feared for his life because he is a frail 93 year old man, he feared for his life because the man lunged at him with a fishing pole which in this instance was a deadly weapon.
I’ve said too much. The only words should be “I was in fear of my life”
Stupid reporting. Was the guy from Los Angeles or Moreno Valley, 50 miles away with two counties and half a dozen cities in between between them?
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