Two West Side residents turn tables on home invaders in separate incidents

Residents managed to turn the tide against home invaders during two separate incidents overnight on the West Side.

San Antonio Police Department Sgt. Thomas Brittain said the first home invasion occurred late Tuesday just before midnight in the 100 block of Farrel Drive when a resident heard banging on windows before his front door was broken don.

“(The suspect) broke a window in the back, and then came in through the front door,” Brittain said. “Pretty much bust through the front door ... with a bar.”

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A home invasion suspect was shot late Tuesday just before midnight in the 100 block of Farrel Drive by the homeowner, who met the intruder in his living room with a rifle. A home invasion suspect was shot late Tuesday just before midnight in the 100 block of Farrel Drive by the homeowner, who met the intruder in his living room with a rifle. Photo: Jacob Beltran /San Antonio Express-News Photo: Jacob Beltran /San Antonio Express-News Image 1 of / 23 Caption Close Two West Side residents turn tables on home invaders in separate incidents 1 / 23 Back to Gallery

Once the suspect was in the living room, he was met by the homeowner with a .22 caliber rifle, Brittain said.

The homeowner fired several shots hitting the suspect twice before he fled down the street, police said.

Neighbors began calling police. When they arrived they found the suspect with two gunshot wounds to the chest and an injury to the arm.

The suspect, who police said was in his 30s, was taken to University Hospital and was listed in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

Brittain said the suspect could face a charge of burglary and home invasion depending on the outcome of the investigation.

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About an hour later, police responded to a call for a home invasion in the 800 block of Brownleaf Drive.

SAPD Sgt. Lena Smith said two men armed with handguns, one with two firearms, began knocking on the door of the house at about 1 a.m.

“Before they could open the door, the door was kicked in by two suspects,” Smith said.

A struggle ensued between the suspects and the homeowner, who managed to take away one of the guns from the suspects, investigators said.

That’s when bullets were exchanged between them, police said.

One suspect was critically injured by the homeowner and transported to University Hospital when responders arrived, Smith said.

“The homeowner was defending himself, of course,” Smith said.

He and the second suspect were shot as well, but both of them were in stable condition when transported to University Hospital.

It was unclear how the second alleged invader was shot during the struggle as of Wednesday morning, Smith said.

“They were very serious in their assault,” Smith said. “Most people would consider this a home invasion, we would consider it as a burglary with intent ... to harm.”

Both suspects will be facing aggravated assault charges, police said.

jbeltran@express-news.net

Twitter: @JBfromSA