74-year-old man shoots Houston carjacker (Neighbors call him a hero)

Date: Jul 24, 2009 12:50 PM

FYI (copy below):

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/alief/news/6543768.html

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HPD: 74-year-old man shoots Houston carjacker

Neighbors call him a hero

By MIKE GLENN and DALE LEZON Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle

July 23, 2009, 9:21PM

A southwest Houston man who told police he shot a

knife-wielding carjacker Thursday morning is a getting a

strong show of support from some of his neighbors.

He was protecting us, said Jaime Zaldivar, who has lived

next door to August Peters, 74, for several years on Carona

near Wilcrest.

Peters pulled in front of the home about 6:30 a.m. when he

noticed another car drive past and park along the curb

across the street, police said.

Soon after Peters got out of his car, Martin Baltazar, 18,

came up to him and jammed a knife against his throat,

Houston police said.

He said, Give me your car or I’ll kill you,’ said Victor

Senties, an HPD spokesman.

Peters reached into his car for a pistol. He began firing,

with at least one round striking Baltazar in the abdomen,

Houston police said.

The wounded Baltazar fled across the street, forcing his way

into the home where Lui s Ramos lives with his wife and

brother.

Baltazar ran through the house terrifying Ramos’ wife in

the bedroom as he sought to escape.

He said, Don’t touch me. Don’t touch me. Move,’ Ramos

said. I was nervous. I didn’t know what to do in this

case.

Ramos said Baltazar finally found the kitchen but was unable

to open the locked back door.

He took a big chair and he hit the window, Ramos said.

The bleeding Baltazar climbed through the shattered window

but apparently had a problem holding up his baggy trousers,

Ramos said.

He left his pants in the kitchen, he said.

Baltazar vaulted the backyard fence but was captured moments

later by Houston police a few blocks away from where he was

shot.

He was taken to Ben Taub General Hospital where he was in

fair condition, officials said later Thursday.

Baltazar has been charged with aggravated robbery with bail

set at $30,000.

No other injuries were reported.

August Peters could not be reached for comment later

Thursday. His neighbors described him as a quiet man,

friendly person.

He’s a good man. He never looks for problems, Zaldivar

said.

Residents say they are concerned about crime in their

neighborhood. Zaldivar and Ramos both said their homes have

been burglarized.

The Second Amendment IS Homeland Security !