Tom GantertHouston, TX – A Methodist pastor and his wife fatally shot a man who broke into their home late at night.
The incident occurred when Pastor Jeff Powers and his wife, Julie, were in bed at about 11 p.m. on May 4, KHOU reported.
Powers and his wife told police they were awakened by noises that were coming from their backyard.
First, the couple saw the suspect – later identified as 24-year-old Roberto Sanchez – in their backyard, ABC News reported.
And then a few minutes later, he kicked in the back door to their home,
“A preliminary investigation revealed the residents were asleep in their bed when they were awakened by a loud noise. While investigating the cause of the noise, they noticed their backyard gate was opened and saw a male [suspect] in their back yard,” a police spokesman told reporters.
“The suspect then forced his way and gained entry into the residence. The residents, in fear for their lives, discharged their firearms several times, striking the suspect,” he said.
After the man broke through their back door, the pastor and his wife opened fire with their .40-caliber and 9 mm handguns.
Then Powers and his wife called 911 to summon help for Sanchez.
The couple went outside and placed their guns on the ground while they waited for police to arrive, according to ABC News.
Police and EMS responded and Sanchez was declared dead at the scene.
The Harris County Medical Examiner’s Office stated his cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds, according to ABC.
Houston police recovered both guns used in the shooting, according to KHOU.
There was also surveillance video of the incident filmed inside the pastor’s home.
Outside surveillance video from a neighbor’s home captured the suspect walking down the street, KHOU reported.
Police said they were not recommending charges against the pastor and his wife for the shooting.
Powers, 52, recently retired from Westminster United Methodist Church and became a pastor at a new parish, according to KHOU.