An 84-year-old repeat robbery victim shot an attempted home invasion suspect who tried to break into his home early Wednesday morning.

Officers responded to a residential street near Loop 12 and Interstate 35E around 1:30 a.m, Dallas police said.

Neighborhood crimewatch leader DeRouens Mitchell praised the victim for taking a stand.

"If more people would shoot at the robbers or invaders, they would think twice about breaking into their homes. 'Hey this person may be armed,'" Mitchell said.

The victim, who asked that his picture and personal identification be withheld, said he believed he looked like an easy target, and that's why crooks have come after him.

After the last time he was robbed he said he decided, "It won't happen to me again."

So the man grabbed his gun when he heard someone trying to break into the house where his 76-year-old wife was sleeping.

He said he fired several shots, striking the would-be intruder, who he said was also armed with a handgun. The suspect got away.

The victim said police seized the gun he used to compare it with wounds to a man who police found later at a hospital.

Police declined to confirm anything about their investigation or any arrest Wednesday.

Mitchell said he also kept a gun at home in a city where the police force is hundreds of officers smaller than it was a few years ago.

"I can't be everywhere. They can't be everywhere," Mitchell said. "Sometimes you've got to take responsibility of your own to protect your own."

Others neighbors said they saw the police cars early Wednesday morning on what is normally a very quiet street.