A Texas father fatally shot a would-be carjacker who tried stealing his car — with his family, including his young children, still inside — after the suspect fled the scene of a multi-vehicle crash across the street.
The chaos began Sunday afternoon when a driver slammed into two cars along Highway 66, about 18 miles outside Downtown Dallas, at around 3:30 p.m., according to the Garland Police Department.
The driver, whose name has not been released by police, then fled to a nearby gas station, where he was accused of trying to “take several vehicles by force.”
Surveillance footage obtained by Fox 4 showed the suspect approach the victim’s white Impala in the parking lot of a shopping center across the street.
The erratic suspect, whose name has not been released by police, walked up to the driver’s side of the Impala and immediately prompted the father to jump out of the car.
The father had several children and two adult women in the car during the violent encounter, police said.
The suspected carjacker tried to yank the father away from the vehicle, which triggered a struggle as a young boy and the rest of the family bolted from the car.
Police said that the father “produced a firearm” and fired more than 10 rounds at the suspect.
The suspected carjacker was rushed to a hospital, where he died from his injuries, Fox 4 reported. Police said they are still working to identify the suspect. Police only described him as a Hispanic male.
All passengers in the targeted vehicle, including the children, escaped without injury.
The father stayed at the scene, cooperated with investigators and turned over his weapon to officers to aid in their investigation.
Police said they do not expect to file charges against the father, Garland Police Lt. Pedro Barineau told NBCDFW.
“That driver was defending himself and was fighting with that suspect. The car was occupied by several children as well as two other female adults,” Barineau said.
“We are looking at this as a self-defense case. We’re also looking into why this suspect did what he did.”
The shooting drew a strong reaction from the community as many residents praised the father for protecting his family.
“I have three kids. I’m gonna do whatever it takes to keep them safe. That kind of stuff is split-second,” resident Taylor Standfield told the outlet.
“It’s hard to imagine what it’s even like being in that situation with the adrenaline and knowing that you have kids in your vehicle.”
Garland Smoke and Vape manager Tatiana Starks, who witnessed the shooting from a nearby shopping center, said the suspect was clearly not himself in the moments before it happened.
“You could definitely tell that he was not in his right state of mind,” Starks told Fox 4. “I’m just glad that the man was able to protect himself and his family.”
“It’s just a blessing that the kids and the family walked away with no injuries,” she added.
