US News
Texan kills 2 robbers while on phone with 911
By M&C US News Nov 20, 2007, 16:39 GMT
CNN played the dramatic 911 recorded call from a Pasadena, Texas resident, who called in to alert police to his neighbor's home being ransacked.
The two burglary suspects were on a neighbor's property, but as they were observed leaving the property with confiscated goods, both men were shot dead.
Joe Horn, 61, told the dispatcher what he intended to do: Walk out his front door with a shotgun.
"I've got a shotgun," Horn said, according to a tape of the 911 call. "Do you want me to stop them?"
"Nope, don't do that - no property is worth shooting somebody over, OK?" the dispatcher responded.
"Hurry up man, catch these guys, will you? 'Cause I'm ain't gonna let 'em go, I'm gonna be honest with you, I'm not gonna let 'em go. I'm not gonna let 'em get away with this s***."
Shortly after, Horn said he sees one suspect was standing in front of his house, looking at it from the street.
"I don't know if they're armed or not. I know they got a crowbar 'cause that's what they broke the windows with. ... Man, this is scary, I can't believe this is happening in this neighborhood."
The dispatcher asks if he can see the suspects but they had retreated into the target's house, out of view: "I can go out the front [to look], but if I go out the front I'm bringing my shotgun with me, I swear to God. I am not gonna let 'em get away with this, I can't take a chance on getting killed over this, OK? I'm gonna shoot, I'm gonna shoot."
"Stay inside the house and don't go out there, OK?" the dispatcher said. "I know you're pissed off, I know what you're feeling, but it's not worth shooting somebody over this, OK?"
"I don't want to," Horn said, "but I mean if I go out there, you know, to see what the hell is going on, what choice am I gonna have?
"No, I don't want you to go out there, I just asked if you could see anything out there."
The dispatcher asks if a vehicle could be seen; Horn said no. The dispatcher again says Horn should stay inside the house.
The police still had not arrived to the scene.
"I can't see if [the suspects are] getting away or not," Horn said.
Horn told the dispatcher that he doesn't know the neighbors well, unlike those living on the other side of his home. "I can assure you if it had been their house, I would have already done something, because I know them very well," he said.
Dispatcher: "I want you to listen to me carefully, OK?"
Horn: "Yes?"
Dispatcher: "I got ultras coming out there. I don't want you to go outside that house. And I don't want you to have that gun in your hand when those officers are poking around out there."
Horn: "I understand that, OK, but I have a right to protect myself too, sir, and you understand that. And the laws have been changed in this country since September the First and you know it and I know it."
Dispatcher: "I understand."
Horn: "I have a right to protect myself ..."
Dispatcher: "I'm ..."
Horn: "And a shotgun is a legal weapon, it's not an illegal weapon."
Dispatcher: "No, it's not, I'm not saying that, I'm just not wanting you to ..."
Horn: "OK, he's coming out the window right now, I gotta go, buddy. I'm sorry, but he's coming out the window. "
Dispatcher: "No, don't, don't go out the door, Mister Horn. Mister Horn..."
Horn: "They just stole something, I'm going out to look for 'em, I'm sorry, I ain't letting them get away with this --. They stole something, they got a bag of stuff. I'm doing it!"
Dispatcher: "Mister, do not go outside the house."
Horn: "I'm sorry, this ain't right, buddy."
Dispatcher: "You gonna get yourself shot if you go outside that house with a gun, I don't care what you think."
Horn: "You wanna make a bet?"
Dispatcher: "Stay in the house."
Horn: "There, one of them's getting away!
Dispatcher: "That's alright, property's not something worth killing someone over. OK? Don't go out the house, don't be shooting nobody. I know you're pissed and you're frustrated but don't do it."
Horn: "They got a bag of loot."
Dispatcher: "OK. How big is the bag?" He then talks off, relaying the information.
Dispatcher: "Which way are they going?"
Horn: "I can't ... I'm going outside. I'll find out."
Dispatcher: "I don't want you going outside, Mister..."
Horn: "Well, here it goes buddy, you hear the shotgun clicking and I'm going."
Dispatcher: "Don't go outside."
On the tape of the 911 call, the shotgun can be heard being cocked and Horn can be heard going outside and confronting someone. Horn is heard sayng, "You move your dead."
A loud bang is heard, then a shotgun being cocked and fired again, and then again.
Then Horn is back on the phone:
"Get the law over here quick. I've now, get, one of them's in the front yard over there, he's down, he almost run down the street. I had no choice. They came in the front yard with me, man, I had no choice! ... Get somebody over here quick, man."
Dispatcher: "Mister Horn, are you out there right now?"
Horn: "No, I am inside the house, I went back in the house. Man, they come right in my yard, I didn't know what the -- they was gonna do, I shot 'em, OK?"
Dispatcher: "Did you shoot somebody?
Horn: "Yes, I did, the cops are here right now."
Dispatcher: "Where are you right now?"
Horn: "I'm inside the house. ..."
Dispatcher: "Mister Horn, put that gun down before you shoot an officer of mine. I've got several officers out there without uniforms on."
Horn: "I am in the front yard right now. I am ..."
Dispatcher: "Put that gun down! There's officers out there without uniforms on. Do not shoot anybody else, do you understand me? I've got police out there..."
Horn: "I understand, I understand. I am out in the front yard waving my hand right now."
Dispatcher: "You don't have a gun with you, do you?
Horn: "No, no, no."
Two days later, Horn released a statement through an attorney.
"The events of that day will weigh heavily on me for the rest of my life," it said. "My thoughts go out to the loved ones of the deceased."
The identities of the men killed were released Friday.
They are Miguel Antonio Dejesus, 38, and Diego Ortiz, 30. Official records show that each of them had a prior arrest in Harris County for drug offenses.
The men were reportedly shot at a distance of less than 15 feet.
A woman who lives nearby who asked not to be identified told CBS News affiliate KHOU correspondent Rucks Russell that she always saw Horn as a grandfather figure. "He is the guardian of the neighborhood," she said. "He takes care of all our kids. If we ever need anything, we call him."
But according to Tom Lambright, Horn's attorney and a friend for more than four decades, he's the one in need now. "He just needs everyone to know he's not a villain, he's not a bad guy," Lambright said.
He went on to say that Horn voluntarily gave an extensive video statement to police immediately following the shooting.
Horn was not taken into custody after the shooting. A Harris County grand jury will decide if charges are to be filed.
Lambright says Horn acted in complete and total self defense and has nothing to hide.
The incident may prove a test for a new law recently passed in Texas which expands the right of citizens to use deadly force.
Under Texas law, people may use deadly force to protect their own property or to stop arson, burglary, robbery, theft or criminal mischief at night.
COMMENT
blog comments powered by DisqusLatest Headlines in US
- 1. Mitt Romney Addresses Tea Party Summit Pictures
- 2. Seven injured as US Navy plane crashes into apartments
- 3. At least three injured in US Navy plane crash
- 4. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, others to face death penalty trial
- 5. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, four others to face death penalty trial
Older Talkback
page: 1
I fear for this man because he followed the law. It's the law breakers that get all the breaks.
We need this man patrolling our borders.
He should get the key to the city. Two less scumbags on the streets.
The creeps got what they ask for!!!!!!!!!! Way to go!!!!
John
Mr. Horn, American hero.
told him not to go outside and especially not to shoot anybody. The way he ultimately said it ....he was going outside to shoot these guys.....
I doubt they would have been on his property had he stayed put; no way of knowing. A little trigger happy and yet somewhat justifiable.
WONDERFUL!!!....AT LEAST TEXAS HAS IT RIGHT. I AM TRULY OVERJOYED ABOUT THIS. I'VE PLAYED THE 911 CALL OVER AND OVER.
I SEE NOTHING WRONG WITH WASTING THESE LAWBREAKERS. I WORK FOR A LIVING.
' Hello 911, is that you officer ? ER - just a minute, hold on, I have a slight problem '
Then with the phone in one hand he flicks out his Colt 45 with the other, cocks it one handed and - BANG BANG, straight between the eyes, each one.
Then, he puts his gun back in it`s holster and continues --- ' OH, I`m very sorry officer, I WAS going to report a burglary and ask you to send the cops round, but it`s too late now, could you make it an ambulance. Take your time it`s not urgent.'
OK punks, I know yer thinking the old guy don`t know how to shoot that damn thing.
But being that this is a 44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world and will blow yer heads clean off - then go ahead feel lucky punks, MAKE MY DAY.
I fully support Mr. Horn. The crooks gave up their rights when they chose to burglarize someone's home. I hope our Hero isn't hung out to dry by a legal system that uses all of its loopholes to protect criminals instead of putting them behind bars. I AM ALL FOR THE RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS AND TO PROTECT OUR PROPERTY. TEXAS DOES HAVE IT RIGHT!
a job well done. scum like he shot, have taken advantage of hard working people in this country long enuff.i hope he dosent see a day in jail.but he probably will. my prayers are with him.
Odds are they were illegal immigrants and faced the ultimate penalty for breaking yet another law. The I.N.S. won't have to deal with these two. It's a good thing because if we waited on the government the two criminals in time would have ended up using lethal weapons and killing you or me.
But in retrospect, Mr. Tex. got a little trigger happy. The criminals were not threatening him until he screwed up their plans for the loot. (Though I believe Texas law gives him the right to protect his neighbor's property if he's given permission.) So in a sense it seems like he should have left the hornets nest alone and now he is at the mercy of our sucky system for justice. The ACLU and the every hispanic rights group will be all over him and once again taint justice. He'll probably end up with manslaughter... I'm guessing 10yrs.. serving 5 with the balance on probation if he's lucky. He should have listened to the advice of the Dispatcher.
Hey you think those two border guards will be released---pardoned by our President? They sure as heck should be. Sucky justice again...
mr horn committed murder,he walked out of his house armed with a shotgun and shot the 2 men dead,he was told to stay in his house,This mr horn will not go free,if he is set free then this will cause vigilantes to roam the streets and kill any one they see stealing,robbing,mr horn needs to go to jail for life,
You are obviously residing in that fairy grotto loosely called Heaven.
This is the REAL world mate, you don`t say PLEASE when faced with criminals. Certainly not in your country where everybody packs a gun, even kids.
All criminals caught in the act should be shot immediately by anybody protecting their property, family, or own lives, whether they are 5 or 50 years old, male or female. If anybody has doubts about blowing their heads off, the here is a tip - shoot them in the guts, THAT never fails to take the wind out of their sails. Army tip.
AND my naive little darling, Vigilantes were superb and a credit to America, as were the KKK. These brave citizens kept crime down to a minimum, nobody messed with them. Else it was a bullet or the oak tree, kind of take yer pick punk.
The rule of justice and survival is ; -
HE WHO SHOOTS FIRST WINS
Ask your unscathed young men who have returned from Iraq or Afghanistan, they will tell you straight. Then ask those using crutches or are in wheel chairs and see what they say.
Stay in Heaven Mr. Angel, it`s safer up there.
He did what alot more Americans should do... Stand up for whats right the 'old school way' I would love to hear more of this in the news on a daily basis about some dirtball gunned down in the street instead of bleeding our justice system and eating our tax dollars away...
Justice Served All The Way.......
I would say that if he didn't go outside they would have gotten away and no one would have been shot. But this man took matters into his own hands and the outcome is apparent The Texas law states that people have the right to protect theirs and others property with deadly force. I for one think he did the right thing. He in fact tried to do it the 'political' way and made the call but due to the nature of the event he had to take matters into his own hands. People will get on their soapboxes and say he is a vigilante, well maybe he is. But the fact is he did what was needed because criminals have way too many rights and are becoming too big of a finacial probloem on everyone. I think that criminals would think now knowing that people will shoot them if they try to commit these acts and think twice that the neighbor might shoot them as well. That empty house their looking to steal from is protected from all sides now! While people will say it's people being vigilantes I say that our society as a whole has gone downhill fast and we need to be more harsh towards criminals. I don't like to see my tax dollars go to waste on someone in a jail cell while some kid and his family are on the steet homeless and hungry. I don't want them to sit in jail for many years just so they can earn a degree or make an income. They need to bring back the chain gangs and make these people PAY for their crimes against the communities no matter how small and not make any money from it. And rehabilitation is a joke. If you get your sorry but thrown in jail it's your own fault and you reap the consequences. If and when they get out do like everyone else does and get a job. If you can't get one because your a fellon then oh well, should have thought about that before you commited the crime. If you break the law harsh punishment is what you'll get. Don't break the law and there is nothing to worry about. These bleeding hearts out there need to wake up and realize people need to take back their communities so that their kids can play safe and they can sleep easy at night. Kudos to the guy with the gun. To the criminals you get what you had coming!
You sad ignorant people. I'm from Texas, I own a gun, but I'm also a member of both the NRA and ACLU. While I would absolutely shoot someone if they were breaking into my home and endangering my family, going outside to instigate confrontation is something completely different and not justifiable. Protecting your family is NOT the same as shooting someone for robbing an empty house. I mean, is a DVD player worth a life? Seriously? How much material stuff is equal to taking a life? We're supposed to be a Christian nation and this is anything but.
If that 61 yr old neighbor were an american born person with hispanic decent that shot two white boys, you all wouldn't be praising your idiot laws.
Futher, that man wanted to kill. He had no intention of stopping a robbery. He instigated with two thieves; listen to his 911 call. I'll bet those thieves weren't even armed.
And the killer didn't even go to jail or get charged with a crime. He spilled blood. Those two thieves may have robbed, but who is he to take there life over money? They weren't threatening anyone's life, much less his own - he was in the comfort of his home. He's no better than terrorists who kill people and aim to scare innocent people by not being afraid to kill to make a point.
In addition, James is right - he wasn't defending anyone. He defended material items that are replaceable. That's unjustifiable. One cannot take someone else's life over material items. That goes against the Bible and Jesus. Doesn't he believe in what Jesus thinks - 'Love thy enemy' ? I don't think Jesus said 'Suck thy enemy's blood by shooting them with a shotgun and let them die.' He will pay for their deaths on the day of judgment.
What? The robber's are probably in this country looking for a better life, Doing the jobs that We American's are not willing to do.
So when someone wants to steal from you - serve them cookies and tell them to help themselves???
Let this story RESONATE to ALL the would be criminals. The next time you think about breaking and entering, Think of what the outcome may be.
...most thieves hold a regular job. (source: FBI)
Police no longer protect property or actually investigate property crimes i.e. auto theft, burglary, etc.
This being the case, who will?
I am voting for Mr Joe Horn for president of the USA! I'm sure he would find Osama and blast him straight to Hell! Joe Horn, you are an American HERO!
I bet most of the people that are commenting are caucasion, and of course the victims are hispanic, if it was a black man shoting a caucasion men or a caucasion shooting a black man, you know very well that you will feel so different, not to say that mr.horn is wrong in protecting his property, but it wasnt his property(i think), it was somebody else's property, matbe shot him in the legg, well I never been in that position b-4, and if i was maybe I would of shot them. GOOD LUCK
OMG - Is anyone still surprised that it was Texas that gave us Gdubya and the 'hunt 'em down, smoke 'em out' foreign policy that has made the USA a world-wide enemy? Good Lord people, when are material goods enough to take a human life over? What if those were your sons? Your husbands? Your brothers?
Oh, wait, I think I'm talking to the wrong audience - here in the USA we are keepers of cars, diamonds, and houses, but certainly not our brothers.
Our entire history is built on trading human lives for material wealth. So I guess that is just par for the course. Money over all - as American as sweet apple pie...
wow....Are we as Americans really this stupid? Are we forgetting simple civics? There's 3 branches of law right? This stupid idiot played all 3 branches, including an extra one the executioner. What type of human could do something like this. I wouldn't do it to an animal! Sure there's things I don't like but wow....I know I can't killing people who miss up. Lets hope none of your children ever decide to make a mistake or end up doing something stupid and some jackal decides its time to put an end to their life.
What if Mr. Horn missed and shot someone who was innocent. I think crooks should be placed behind bars too. But taking another's life over material things? I don't think Mr. Horn is a hero. He was mostly getting off on his right to bear arms and use his gun as he saw fit. I'm not condoning the behavior of the crooks. But who cares they're dead right.
He'll get off it's Texas after all. Land of nut jobs that kill first and then invent a story to portray themselves as heroes.
You all are sick. Taking a human life is nothing to be proud of. Killing is wrong anyway you look at it. Two wrongs don't make a right. Imagine your brother, father, mother, son, daughter etc. killed over making a stupid decision. The robbers were wrong but to kill someone over stealing is crazy. How can someone think that taking a human life is ok? What is wrong with the world? Why can't people forgive and help? Instead people lose it and are so quick to be nothing better than their backward reasoning. Think beyond the immediate and try to understand. I know it's asking a lot but use your head and heart and try to rationalize. Karma, what goes around comes around. But do you have to be part of the cycle? What this man did was wrong and one day it will come back to him in some form. This whole thing is sad.
I find the whole 'taking of a life' dramatization and empathizing thing disturbing when used in this context. Killing is complex...sometimes it is not wrong IMO. In this case I agree with the shooter. You all say it's stuff...but you have no idea what that 'stuff' represents to someone, perhaps a lifetime of struggle. I don't know either, so I can make no judgement. So here are two people violating another - and we should sit by and do nothing, ie stay in the house. We wonder why in todays society our children grow up with no fear, no respect and a sense of entitlement that would choke a horse. Why not, an innocent family can be violated and victomized and you will read 2 pages of why that is OK because stopping them should be done in a more humane manner. Lets forget who intiated this WRONGFUL act and let them walk away because goodness gracious we would not want to set an example or help your neighbor and for heavens sake lets not injur the criminals. Well when you make this the example don't complain when the criminals are bold, if they will break into your home with no regard don't be surprised if they shoot your family, kill your dog or any other dishonerable or horrific deed they see fit because we would not any one to stop them and please don't hurt them....this is what our kids are seeing, you can pretty much do anything you gosh darn please and people will actually DEFEND your right to break the law, and if you want to do something about it please don't HURT the criminals...so it's your life's savings, or your college tuition for your child, or your funds to keep your eldely parents....just eat it and be nice. When is enough going to be enough - when are the criminals going to be AFRAID to commit crime, I suppose never if they read the sentiments here. 'Hey Joe, we can go rob someone blind, and the idiots next door will just watch, because our useless, immoral, discusting lives are worth much more than these innocent folks we are violating....' 'Totally cool dude - lets do this thing'.....
what if he thought an undercover officer was with them and killed him? what would all of you praising him say then? lets ignore the advice of 911 operators and people with training and do our own thing. if the ethnicities were reversed would you feel the same way? as he gets older do you want him running outside and shooting a gun? as his neighbor it would be bitter/sweet, thanks for the help but my kid was playing across the street and you missed your target hitting little billy.
THats cold blooded murder!!! he had a choice to go outside or not to shoot or not.. he broke the law just like they broke the law he should be punished just like they would have been punished i dont care how old he is killing is a crime!!! im 21 i bet anyone their bottom dollar that if that was me i would be sittin in jail still
page: 1
GOOD FOR HIM!!!Nov 20th, 2007 - 17:45:15
More people should shoot losers like that. Maybe they'll think twice before robbing somebody if they think they might get shot.
Report this comment