Homeowner shoots at would-be burglars

Two men escaped injury after a homeowner shot at them during a break-in.

On April 24, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Deputy James Carver and Sheriff Jason Chennault were dispatched to the Pumpkin Hollow area for a burglary in progress.

The caller said two men tried entering his home by breaking a window. The man said the intruders broke into the back door of the residence.

The homeowner was armed with a shotgun and confronted the suspects. The homeowner fired the gun at the men and they fled.

“Upon arrival at the scene, Deputy Carver and Sheriff Chennault located the suspects’ vehicle parked in the yard of the residence. The vehicle was loaded with items that had been stolen from outbuildings on the property,” the CCSO report said. “Deputy Carver and Sheriff Chennault found a foot trail in the wet grass leading away from the residence. Deputy Austin Cluck and his K-9 partner, Lucas, were called to the scene; Lucas was able to track the suspects’ trail to a dirt road, where it appeared the suspects met a vehicle.”

Chennault, along with deputies, searched the Pumpkin Hollow area and found one of the men who matched the homeowner’s description.

James Levesque admitted he had a role in the burglary, and the vehicle found at the scene was registered to him.

Carver determined the other man involved in the crime was Chase Baker.

“Deputies Carver, Cluck, Aaron Johnson and Deputy Marshal John C. Wofford located Baker at a residence in the Briggs area and arrested him.

Levesque and Baker were taken to the Cherokee County Detention Center where they were booked for the felony crimes of first-degree burglary and knowingly concealing stolen property,” the report said.

Neither suspect was injured by the fired shotgun and the recovered stolen property will be returned to the homeowner.



Motive for the shooting? Really? I’ll take ‘Burglary’ for $500, Alex


Man shot and killed after breaking in to San Bernardino residence

A man suspected of breaking into a San Bernardino residence early Wednesday was shot and killed, the San Bernardino Police Department said.

Shawn McElroy, 39, of San Bernardino, broke into a residence on the 300 block of S. Stoddard Avenue just before 4 a.m. on Wednesday, police said.

Officers went to the area after getting a call about a break-in and shooting. Authorities said officers found McElroy with gunshot wounds and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said the motive for the shooting is under investigation.



State hospital escapee shot by Wichita County homeowner

WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — The Wichita County Sheriff said a grand jury will determine whether a man was justified in shooting another man who escaped from the North Texas State Hospital Wednesday night.

It happened at 3225 West Rathgaber Road between 9–9:30 p.m.

Sheriff David Duke said Matthew Reyes, 25, noticed a janitor lay keys down on a table and then found the key that let him out of the facility.

Soon after that, Duke said a woman at the home on Rathgeber Road noticed Reyes swimming in her pool in only his underwear.

Duke said the woman called 9-1-1, and that’s when Reyes noticed her looking at him out the back window and tried to get into the house.

Duke said by that time, the woman’s husband arrived home and grabbed a shotgun.

The 42-year-old homeowner said he confronted Reyes who got on the ground before then charging him.

Reyes was shot once in the right leg, and that’s when deputies arrived followed by EMS.

At United Regional, Duke said medical personnel found the janitor’s keys inserted inside Reyes’ body when x-raying for pellets.

Reyes was flown to John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth where he is undergoing surgeries.

He was court-ordered to the North Texas State Hospital from Denton County, and Duke said he will return there to the state hospital.

The case remains under investigation.