Four teenagers in Houston learned a very difficult lesson Friday night after they attempted to rob a man sitting outside his garage. That man, it turned out, was a retired Marine.
According to reports, Alexander Borrego, a former Marine, shot a teen while the young man and three of his friends attempted to rob him at gunpoint. Borrego and his family reside in Northeast Harris County. According to local deputies, Borrego was standing in his driveway on Friday night when the four men walked up and ambushed him
“He runs behind me, puts the gun to the back of my head and told me to get up,” Borrego said.
The former Marine complied, and the suspects then started pulling him towards the garage.
“That was the only way into the house, so my first reaction was to get away from the garage door and go to the front door where it was locked,” Borrego recalled. “We were in a struggle right here. They were pulling me this way.”
Fortunately for Borrego—and very unfortunately for the suspects—he happened to be carrying his pistol in the front pouch of his hoodie.
“Before pulling the trigger, my last thought was ‘we’re all going to die right here because none of them are going to get in the house,’” Borrego said, thinking of his wife and children. “I’m a lefty, and I just turned like that and swatted the gun away from my head.”
Borrego then opened fire, shooting one of the suspects twice—once in the chest and once in the leg. All four teenagers immediately bolted from the scene back to the home of the injured robber, who is reported to be 13 years old. His mother drove him to the hospital. He is expected to survive.
Security officer Arthur Chatham Jr., who works in the neighborhood, spotted two of the teens running and caught up to them.
“I encountered two of the suspects, running in the neighborhood on the opposite side of the subdivision, detained them, got their information and passed it on to Harris County Sheriff’s Department,” Chatham said.
One suspect is still on the run, while two were caught by Chatham and the fourth was injured.
Police said that Borrego will not face any charges in connection with the incident.
Borrego appeared very pensive in his interview with KPRC and was very uncomfortable with what he had to do. Still, he said he did what he needed to do to protect his family.
“I don’t have hate for them,” Borrego said. “It’s sad, but hey, I had my pistol — I thank God for that.”
According to KPRC, Borrego’s wife took to social media to thank God and praise her husband after the incident.
“You hear about stuff like this all the time, but never think it would happen to you. This could have ended terrible for my family and I, but I think God, everyone watching over us and Alexander Borrego for stopping them from coming inside. I am so proud of you babe. #MyHero,” she reportedly said.
Watch the exclusive interview here: ABC13/Video
Sources: OpposingViews, KPRC, KTRK, Click2houston