Home Invasion Ends In Deadly Shooting (TX)

[ExSoldier]

KLTV ^ | November 11, 2006 | Molly Reuter

A well-known business owner in Tyler has his home broken into, and ends up shooting the alleged would-be burglar to death. The shooting happened early Saturday morning in a neighborhood police say does not see a lot of criminal activity.

Police responded to a house on the 900 block of Watkins Street in Tyler around 4:30 a.m. Saturday morning, after they received a call that a man had been shot.

Tyler police say the owners of the home in South Tyler were asleep when a man tried to break into their home. "They were woken by hearing something beating on the front door, and then the door was actually caved in as the person was making entry," said Tyler Police Department Sergeant Bill Goecking.

Police say the homeowner, Robert Delk, grabbed his handgun for protection. When the alleged intruder got the door open, police say the homeowner shot and killed the man. "We arrived and the subject was taken to medical center hospital and pronounced dead at the hospital," said Goecking.

Police identified the alleged intruder as Justin Herrera, 22, of Tyler. Police say Herrera just recently moved to East Texas from Fort Worth and is a student at UT Tyler. According to authorities, records in Tarrant County show officials there have dealt with Herrera, but the details are unknown.

Police sayDelk did not know Herrera. Delk is well known in the Tyler community for his photography business located in South Tyler. Police say they don't often get called out to Delk's neighborhood.

"The neighborhood's been pretty calm," said Goecking. "This is a very unusual thing for this neighborhood, especially the 900 block of Watkins."

The big questions that remain are why Herrara chose Delk's home and what was he going to do once he got inside.

Police say an autopsy will be performed on Herrera to see if drugs or alcohol were a factor. At this time, police say no charges will be filed against Delk, but it is still an ongoing investigation.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[PatrioticRick]

Cave my door in, ya your getting shot.

[SubNine]

Cave in my door, you're getting filled with 12 gauge 00 buckshot.

[afeazell21]

Another BG off the streets.

[Old Chief]

Justice serves early and efficently.

[Maui19]

Sounds like it could be a drunk college student. I don't think many burglers try to gain entry by pounding on a front door at 4:30 am. I think it would be interesting to hear more details.

[Packman73]

Cave in my door, you're getting filled with 12 gauge 00 buckshot.

+1! And then he would be 'dead on scene'.

[Team American]

According to authorities, records in Tarrant County show officials there have dealt with Herrera, but the details are unknown.

Slow learner?
More proof that bad stuff can happen anywhere at any time...

[Fragman]

Just goes to show that college does not mean smart.

[Jaltered]

The DFW metroplex just needs to keep exporting their "misunderstood youth" to East Texas where they can be "dispatched" by the politically incorrect small-towners.

[P95Carry]

Beat down a door, in the early hours - in TEXAS!!!!

Demonstrably very foolish.

[peacefuljeffrey]

Sounds like it could be a drunk college student. I don't think many burglers try to gain entry by pounding on a front door at 4:30 am. I think it would be interesting to hear more details.

Well, let that be a lesson to the college students before they get themselves that $#^tfaced:

Don't get yourself so blitzed that you can't avoid getting shot by someone who believes -- justifiably -- that you are a dangerous threat at 4:30 a.m.! (Ya MORON!)

[retsupt99]

to a night of drinking...if that's what it was...? It certainly doesn't make it any easier for the home owner...he had no idea about what was going down.

This kind of shooting is very unfortunate, but the home owner should assume no responsibility for this guys bad 'drinking' judgement...

OMO

ret