Early on the morning of Friday, May 19th, police officers in the town of Beaumont, Texas, were directed to a home where a homeowner had fired upon a home invader. The gunfire had seriously wounded the home invader, leaving him lying in a pool of blood.
Describing the incident on Facebook, the Beaumont Police Department described their response to the burglary and what was found upon entry of the home, writing:
On Friday, May 19, 2023 at 12:07 am, Beaumont Police responded to a residence in the 5300 block of Wildwood in reference to a Burglary in Progress.
While Officers were in route, dispatched advised that the homeowner had shot the suspect who was now inside the residence. When officers arrived they found the suspect unresponsive in a large pool of blood inside the bathroom. A BPD Officer was instrumental in saving the suspect’s life by using his tourniquet to render aid. The suspect was transported to a local hospital for treatment and is expected to survive. Charges are pending against the suspect.
A later post included a mugshot of the alleged home invader, Jason Omar Cruz, and described what his currently happening to him. It said, “BPD Detectives have obtained a Burglary of a Habitation Warrant for Jason Omar Cruz, a 43 year old Beaumont resident. Cruz was shot by the homeowner of a residence he broke into just after midnight. He is still in the hospital recovering from his injuries but once he is released, he will be relocated to the Jefferson County Jail. The bond has been set at $100,000.”
Beaumont Police Spokesperson Haley Morrow said that the homeowner will not face charges for the shooting, saying, “Even though they are the ones who shot the suspect, they are still the victim. The suspect is the one who broke the law and committed a crime and as a result, he was shot.”
That is likely true given the provisions of Texas’ “castle law.” The law office of Matthew D. Sharp, describing that law, wrote:
The laws of Texas state that self-defense is a “complete defense” when the defendant is accused of a crime. The use of force is justified in certain instances in which the individual is permitted to defend themselves. Texas’s Castle Doctrine affords people with the legal right to self-defense when in a private space such as their home or vehicle.
The individual’s legal right to self-defense also applies when they’re compelled to defend their property. Generally speaking, the individual doesn’t need to retreat before using force in self-defense. In short, this is Texas’s “stand your ground” law.
Similarly, the use of deadly force in matters of self-defense is the legal right of Texans in some situations. According to Texas law, each individual’s “home is their castle,” and deadly force may be needed in defense of this protected space.
So, as the homeowner shot Cruz when Cruz was inside the home, the castle doctrine will likely be a shield from prosecution if the police are overruled by woke prosecutor.
Featured image credit: Beaumont Police Department
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