Protest Turns Into Chaos Outside Burglar Gunman's Home Last Edited: Sunday, 02 Dec 2007, 9:11 PM CST Created: Sunday, 02 Dec
2007, 6:44 PM CST
Protest Outside home of Joe Horn, the man who shot two men he saw burglarizing a neighbor's home.
HOUSTON -- A protest over a Pasadena man who fatally shot two men he believed to be burglarizing a neighbor's home turned into chaos Sunday.
Quanell X, along with relatives of the two victims, protested Sunday afternoon outside of the home of Joe Horn, the 61-year-old man who opened fire on the two men he believed were burglarizing a neighbor's home.
The burglary suspects -- Miguel Antonio DeJesus, 38, and Diego Ortiz, 30 -- were killed in the shooting, which happened about 2 p.m. on Nov. 14 at a home in the 15600 block of Timberline Drive in Pasadena.
Hundreds of people with signs of support for Horn lined Timberline Street Sunday afternoon waiting for the arrival of Quanell X, who organized a demonstration outside of Horn's home for 3 p.m. Sunday.
"He was perfectly within his rights to protect himself and his neighbor, and it's just wrong what Quanell's trying to start," Horn supporter Richard Flores said.
Quanell X believes Horn should be charged in the shootings.
"We're not out here because of race. We're out here because a man took the law into his own hands ... became judge, jury and executioner. That's what we're up against," Quanell X said. "(Horn) gunned those men down in cold-blooded murder."
Family and friends of the victims said all they want is justice.
"We know (DeJesus and Ortiz) were doing wrong. They deserve to go to jail, but don't deserve to be shot down here with no questions asked and nothing to defend themselves. Everybody has the right to go to the justice system. (Horn) was nobody to take that away from them," Stephanie Storey, one of the victim's girlfriend said.
Horn was on the phone with 911 operators when he opened fire on DeJesus and Ortiz with a 12-gauge shotgun. He confronted the suspects as they were leaving the home through a gate leading to the front yard. Both of the men were pronounced dead at the scene.
911 Call Records Events That Led Up To Shootings
Horn said the shooting "weigh(s) heavily" on him, but the tape of his call to 911 reveals his determination to stop the men he saw leaving a neighbor's house against the dispatcher's clear warnings to stay inside.
Horn called 911 first, and told a police dispatcher that he planned to kill the two men -- just moments before he opened fire.
"I'm not going to let them go. I'm not going to let them get away with this," Joe Horn tells the dispatcher.
During the 911 call, which runs about six minutes, the dispatcher repeatedly tells Horn not to go outside or use his shotgun.
After Horn spotted the men coming out of the neighbor's house, he tells the dispatcher: "I ain't going to let them get away with this. They stole something. They got a bag. I'm doing this."
"Don't go out the house," the dispatcher cautions. "Don't be shooting nobody."
A few moments later, the click of a shotgun can be heard, then a warning barked by Horn: "Move. You're dead."
Three shotgun blasts follow.
After shooting the suspects, Horn again called police:
"Get the law over here quick. I had no choice," a frantic-sounding Horn says. "They came in the front yard with me. I had no choice."
Charges Not Yet Filed Against Gunman
Under state law, Texans are allowed to defend themselves with deadly force to protect their own property. The person using deadly force must believe there is no other way to protect their belongings.
However, it is unclear whether that law extends to using deadly force to protect a neighbor's property.
Horn, in a written statement issued by his lawyers on Nov. 16, also expressed sympathy for the families of DeJesus and Ortiz.
"Any loss of life casts permanent devastation over the lives of everyone involved," Horn said. "The events of that day will weigh heavily on me for the rest of my life. My thoughts go out to the loved ones of the deceased."
The Harris County District Attorney's Office is investigating the case but has not yet decided if the case should be sent to a grand jury.
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