Armed robber dies after trying to rob ex-marine, 72, who ran him down in car

Former marine: Kenneth Kobobel Snr chased down a robber in his car and rammed him against a wall

An armed robber who tried to rob an ex-marine died after the 72-year-old veteran pursued him in his car and ran him down.



Kenneth Kobodel Snr gave chase after the 9mm-toting thief pistol-whipped him and robbed him and his brother of more than $800.



Spotting the robber in the car park of a nearby strip mall, Mr Kobobel rammed the man against a metal fence leaving him fatally injured.



The dead man, whose identity has not yet been released, had forced himself into Mr Kobodel's Houston, Texas, office at around 9:45am on Friday and robbed the great-grandfather and his brother at gunpoint.



According to Mr Kobodel, the man had screamed, 'Give me the money! You're dead', before forcing him and his brother to the floor and robbing them both.



Kobodel handed him $20, but after he was patted down and a further $800 was discovered the robber struck him on the head with the barrel of the pistol.



The robber is then said to have ordered the pair to count to 100 before getting up, but by the count of 20 Mr Kobodel rang 911 and climbed into his 1997 Lexus sedan to pursue him.

Houston police said the robber had only managed to run about one block east before Mr Kobobel pinned him against a fence with his car.



Mr Kobodel's son, Kenneth Kobodel Jnr, had just pulled up as his father sped off. The son said he was not surprised by his father's impulsive response.



The son told mysanantonio.com his ex-marine father 'doesn't put up with a whole lot of nothing.'

Scene of the robbery: Mr Kobobel's office at a strip mall in north Houston

According to Mr Kobodel Snr, he saw the robber in a car park of a mall on Northline and drove towards him.



The man pointed the gun at him and fired at least once, Mr Kobodel remembered. Mr Kobodel said he then rammed him with his car, but the robber jumped back and recocked his pistol.



So Mr Kobodel rammed the man again, pinning him against a metal fence. Getting out of his car, Mr Kobobel found the seriously injured man lying nearby and walked over and put the gun out of his reach.



The man was pronounced dead at the scene after emergency services arrived.



Rammed: The dent in the metal fence shows where Mr Kobobel hit the suspect with his car

Damage: The dents left on Mr Kobobel's car after he ran the gunman down

Despite his actions, Mr Kobobel said he is in emotional turmoil over the man's death.



'I thought it was good that I caught this jerk who'd robbed me, but what I didn't like was that this man was laying there and his life was ebbing away,' he said.



He added: 'I would have given him the $800 if he'd still be alive.'



'I thought it was good that I caught this jerk who'd robbed me, but what I didn't like was that this man was laying there and his life was ebbing away '



Houston Police Department spokesman Ken Nealy told ABC Local: 'As they approached in their vehicle, the suspect pulled out a handgun and chambered a round by pointing the gun towards the complainant and the vehicle.



'The complainant struck the suspect with his vehicle.'

