An armed Texas man fatally shot one of three armed home invaders who broke into his home on Sunday and held the father and his young children at gunpoint.
According to the Port Arthur Police Department, three armed suspects forced their way into the Texas home around 8:30 p.m. in the 2500 block of 18th Street. The suspects pointed a gun at and demanded money from a female resident who was just arriving home, and the commotion alerted the 29-year-old father who immediately armed himself with a rifle, PA News reported.
In an effort to protect his family, the Texas father fired multiple shots at the invaders, striking and killing 27-year-old Terence Ellies.
“The homeowner fired several shots at the suspect, who was pronounced deceased on scene,” Port Arthur Police Dept. Sgt. Shannon Meaux said. “The other two suspects fled the area before officers arrived.”
Law enforcement officials said the remaining two suspects fled the scene, leaving Ellies in the home fatally wounded. He was pronounced dead at the scene. According to Beaumont Enterprise, the two suspects are still at large and physical descriptions have not been released.
To provide any information regarding the home invasion, contact the Port Arthur Police at 409-983-8600. Fox 4 reported that informants won’t be required to provide identification and they may be eligible for a cash reward.
Cities nationwide saw an unprecedented crime wave that authorities believe was likely fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic and widespread civil unrest sparked by the death of George Floyd while in custody of the Minneapolis Police Department.
According to Fox News, 81 people have been killed in Minneapolis this year, a jump in 72 percent from the same period last year. Philadelphia had a staggering 490 murders this year, nearly breaking the former record of 504 in 1990.
On the west coast, Seattle saw 47 murders, 19 more than 2019, marking the highest homicide rates since 2008.
In California, the Los Angeles Police Department saw 2,750 shots-fired situations, as well as 1,226 shooting victims as of mid-December.
Killings in New York City jumped 41 percent in 2020, recording a staggering 447 homicides and the largest number in nearly 10 years, The Associated Press reported.
The number of people shot in the city reached a 14-year high, as well, doubling the total in 2019
The victims weren’t always intentional; over the last year, a 1-year-old boy sitting in his stroller, a 43-year-old mother looking out her child’s window and a 53-year-old man on a walk with his dog were all struck and killed by stray bullets.
“We’re definitely coming out of that dark period,” Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said at police headquarters Tuesday, noting the end of 2020. “The confluence of COVID into the protests into all of the debate about defunding th police — I can’t imagine a darker period.”
