A Texas father fatally shot a would-be carjacker who attempted to steal his car while his family, including young children, was still inside the vehicle.
Incident Details
The incident unfolded on Sunday afternoon, May 3, around 3:30 p.m., when a driver crashed into two cars along Highway 66, about 18 miles outside Downtown Dallas, according to the Garland Police Department. After the crash, the driver fled to a nearby gas station, where he allegedly tried to take several vehicles by force.
Surveillance footage obtained by Fox 4 shows the suspect approaching the victim's white Impala in a shopping center parking lot across the street. The erratic suspect, whose name has not been released, walked up to the driver's side and immediately prompted the father to get out of the car.
Family in Danger
At the time of the encounter, the father had several children and two adult women in the car, police said. The carjacker attempted to yank the father away from the vehicle, sparking a struggle. During the chaos, a young boy and the rest of the family fled from the car.
Police reported that the father produced a firearm and fired more than 10 rounds at the suspect. The suspected carjacker was rushed to a hospital but died from his injuries, Fox 4 reported.
Investigation and Community Response
Police are still working to identify the suspect, described only as a Hispanic male. All passengers in the targeted vehicle, including the children, escaped without injury. The father remained at the scene, cooperated with investigators, and surrendered his weapon to aid in the investigation.
Garland Police Lt. Pedro Barineau told NBCDFW that charges are not expected against the father. “That driver was defending himself and was fighting with that suspect. The car was occupied by several children as well as two other female adults,” Barineau said. “We are looking at this as a self-defense case. We’re also looking into why this suspect did what he did.”
The shooting drew strong reactions from the community, with many residents praising the father for protecting his family. “I have three kids. I’m gonna do whatever it takes to keep them safe. That kind of stuff is split-second,” resident Taylor Standfield told the outlet. “It’s hard to imagine what it’s even like being in that situation with the adrenaline and knowing that you have kids in your vehicle.”
Garland Smoke and Vape manager Tatiana Starks, who witnessed the shooting from a nearby shopping center, said the suspect was clearly not himself in the moments before. “You could definitely tell that he was not in his right state of mind,” Starks told Fox 4. “I’m just glad that the man was able to protect himself and his family. It’s just a blessing that the kids and the family walked away with no injuries.”
