Mother says son shot 2 teens in self-defense in Orlando neighborhood

ORLANDO, Fla. – A mother said her son had a gun pointed at him while in their own driveway in Orlando early Thursday morning, so he fired back in self-defense.

Orange County deputies said the call first came in at 2 a.m. for a report of a car burglary with shots fired on Martinwood Drive in Pine Hills. Maria Vasquez told FOX 35 it started as two teenagers were trying to steal his car.

“He say, ‘what are you doing? Why are you watching my car?,'” Vasquez said.

According to deputies, the man told them he confronted two people who were burglarizing a car and when they made a threatening move toward him, he fired several shots. Deputies said the two teens were taken to the hospital with non life-threatening injuries.

“Was your son injured?” FOX 35 reporter Valerie Boey asked Vasquez. “No he’s good,” the mother replied.

Vasquez said one of the teenage suspects broke into her car on April 8. Deputies confirmed that break-in. “He go to my car, open and taken my credit card and ID, and my ID for employers and copy,” she said.

She said they stole a copy of the key to her son’s car and came back around 2 a.m. to steal the Toyota Camry. Maria said investigators discovered her son’s car key in the suspect’s pocket. Deputies confirmed that one of the suspect’s in this burglary had evidence from the previous burglary.

“My son is a good person. He works a lot.,” Vasquez said.

According to deputies, the teens are ages 13 and 16. Investigators have to determine whether criminal charges are appropriate.

“He feared for his life. He was defending his space,” resident Judith Stokes, said. Stokes said the Pine Hills neighborhood is usually peaceful.

“To have something like this go on, it is startling,” Stokes said. She believes the teens should have been home, instead of out at 2 a.m.

Vasquez hopes they have a quick recovery.

“Do you hope the teenagers will be ok?” Boey asked, in which Vasquez replied, “Yes, I pray.”