Father Shoots Teen Robbers Who Tried To Steal SUV While His Babies Were Inside

Houston, Texas -- A father in Texas warded off two suspected robbers in their teens by shooting at them before they could allegedly steal the family’s SUV.

The suspects, both of whom were 16 years old, sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

The unidentified man and his wife were driving and had nearly arrived at their house in Houston when the incident took place a little after midnight Monday in northwest Harris County. The couple’s two infant children were sitting in the backseat of the car, according to Click2Houston.

As the SUV was coming to a stop on Feather Creek Drive, two teenagers approached the vehicle and tried to open the back door, beside which the couple's 1-year-old child was sitting in a carseat.

The father, who was seated in the passengers’ seat, whipped out a gun and fired shots through the rear window at the boys, investigators said. Both the suspects were struck.

The wife was seated in the driver's seat during the incident and drove away from the spot after the shots were fired. Surveillance footage from a nearby house captured one of the suspects lying on the ground while another ran away.

Another car arrived at the spot and picked up both the teenagers. Investigators believe the teens were trying to rob the couple's vehicle.

"One of the parents inside the vehicle, as the suspects were attempting to enter, one of the parents fired off several rounds and shot both of the male suspects," Sgt. J. Wheeler said. "They were transported to area hospitals."

The two suspects received treatment for their injuries from a hospital and are reportedly in stable condition.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said the father acted out of fear for the safety of his family.

The family told ABC13 that they are now doing fine after the incident. Details of charges against the teenagers were not released.

A similar incident was reported in 2018 after an off-duty police officer shot a 21-year-old gunman in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The officer, a mother of two children, pulled her weapon from her handbag and shot the would-be robber in his chest and leg as he approached a group of parents and children outside a school.