Intruder shot and killed by homeowner in Fredericksburg

GILLESPIE COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — A 19-year-old man was shot and killed after he broke in to a Fredericksburg house early Saturday morning, according to the Gillespie County Sheriff’s Office.

The homeowner, a 73-year-old man, told police he woke up to a “loud banging noise” outside of his home near the back patio around 12:45 a.m. Saturday.

When he went to check, the man saw Cleto Neri Solorzano, 19, of Fredericksburg on the back porch. Solorzano began attacking the man, pushing him into the home and hitting him with a blunt object. Police report Solorzano put the man into a chokehold causing him to lose consciousness.

The man’s fiancee’ told police she woke up during the fight and asked Solorzano to stop attacking, but he ignored her. According to GCSO, she got a handgun from the bedroom and fired a warning shot out the patio door, but Solorzano continued to attack the man.

Fearing for her safety and seeing her fiance’ unconscious, she fired another shot, hitting Solorzano in the head. The man called 9-1-1 after he regained consciousness, police say.

Solorzano was taken to Hill Country Memorial Hospital, and later to University Hospital in San Antonio. He died from his injury, according to police.

GCSO is investigating and believe that drug use was involved.