Man asleep in truck after fight with girlfriend fatally shoots accused thief: TX cops

A Texas man was shot to death after breaking into a truck while the owner was asleep inside, with a rifle in reach, officials say.

Deputies responded to the scene of a shooting overnight at an apartment complex in north Houston, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said in a Feb. 13 post on X, formerly Twitter.

The owner of a truck awoke to find another man inside the vehicle, having broken in, Gonzalez said, and the owner opened fire with an AR-15.

The alleged thief died at the scene, Gonzalez said, adding that he was “possibly armed with pistols.”

Deputies say the man only happened to be sleeping in his truck that night because he had gotten into a fight with his girlfriend, KRIV reported.

It’s likely the accused thief didn’t notice there was anyone inside the truck, investigators told KHOU.

“They shouldn’t be out doing it in the first place. I don’t believe that he realized that the reportee was sleeping in this truck before it was too late,” Sgt. Ben Beall told the station.

Deputies said at least three other vehicles appeared to have been broken into before the accused thief targeted the truck, KRIV reported.

Officials did not say if charges will be brought against the truck owner.

This story was originally published February 13, 2024 at 6:48 AM with the headline "Man asleep in truck after fight with girlfriend fatally shoots accused thief: TX cops."