Channelview, TX—A Texas homeowner is recovering in the hospital this Christmas after a rough encounter with three home invaders left him shot and injured. Still, the man is grateful to be alive, considering the odds were against him.
Police say that around 9:30 in the morning on December 23rd, there were two folks at the home on Amie Michele Lane. They were startled to hear strange noises outside. One of the people in the house took cover and hid. The other one, later identified by a relative as Yair Gallegos, took action and grabbed a shotgun.
He didn’t wait long. Three men burst into their trailer home, one with a handgun drawn. Unwilling to take the risk that three thugs with a gun had burst into his house for a good reason, Gellegos opened fire.
He shot all three men. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez told reporters that all three men were confirmed dead at the scene.
But the homeowner paid a price. After Gallegos shot one of the thugs, the thug with the gun shot back and hit the homeowner. The man’s cousin later told reporters that his cousin was hit in the leg and the back.
The cousin, Cesar Lopez, said that his cousin Gellegos had no connection to the thugs. “The other three guys are not from here, never seen them in my life. Nobody has, so we’re guessing it’s somebody from somebody else that just tried to break into a home and tried to do a home invasion,”
Sheriff Gonzales told reporters that a witness saw a fourth man running away from the property before the shooting started. Police are still looking for him.
Meanwhile, Yair Gallegos was in surgery for most of the rest of Monday. He is listed in serious condition.
Police have said that the motive seems to be a random home invasion and burglary. The three or four thugs picked the house at random for what they hoped would be a quick score.
They Couldn’t Be More Wrong
They were dead wrong. And thank God that Yair Gallegos didn’t believe some nonsense that the cops will be there to save you or that you can reason with people intent on breaking the law.
Gallegos’ cousin Cesar Lopez said, “The one good thing, I guess I can say, is that he did have a weapon in order to defend himself.” He’s darn right about that.
Meanwhile, Sheriff Gonzales said that the thugs appeared to be “planning to break in and make a quick getaway.” Well, they made a quick getaway, alright, But their getaway was into eternity and there’s no coming back from that trip.