A 16-year-old alleged gang member faces multiple charges after police said he shot a neighbor during a burglary in Garland.
The shooting happened on August 25 in the 1800 block of Dalewood Trail. Garland police said they had already been investigating the teen in connection with over a dozen other crimes.
Officers were called around 6:10 p.m. to a report of a burglary in progress. A resident told police a male suspect had entered his vehicle and then ran from the garage.
According to investigators, the burglary victim’s neighbor recognized the suspect as the same teen who had broken into his vehicle two weeks earlier. When the suspect returned to the scene, the neighbor tried to stop him. Police said the teen pulled a gun and opened fire, critically injuring the man.
An officer arriving in the area reported hearing the gunshot and seeing the suspect run through an alley. The teen managed to jump a fence and temporarily evade police.
Investigators later determined he was hiding in a nearby home. Officers arrested him without further incident and recovered a firearm believed to have been used in the shooting.
Detectives said they were already preparing arrest warrants for the teen in other cases before the shooting.
The 16-year-old is being held at the Dallas County Juvenile Detention Center. His charges include aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, burglary of a habitation, evading arrest, seven counts of burglary of a vehicle, two counts of engaging in organized criminal activity, and theft of a firearm. Police said additional charges may follow.
As of September 1, Garland police said the investigation remains active, and no additional updates on the victim’s condition have been released.
