Lawyer says he fired gun at burglar; he won't cower at home or as city's mayor
Tony Buzbee. Photo from Wikimedia Commons.
Houston lawyer and mayoral candidate Tony Buzbee says he shot at a burglar early Monday but no one was hurt because his gun misfired.
Police said the burglar or burglars took several million dollars’ worth of artwork and jewelry from Buzbee’s home in an upscale neighborhood, the Houston Chronicle reports. The incident occurred hours after Buzbee hosted a Super Bowl party.
Buzbee, a former Marine, described what happened in Facebook posts here and here, in television interviews and during a reception for his mayoral campaign. In addition to the Houston Chronicle, the Dallas Morning News, KPRC2 and KTRK have coverage.
Buzbee said he saw someone riding a moped stolen from his garage around 6 a.m. Monday, leading him to go upstairs to check on his son and daughter. Buzbee got his gun and police were called. While he was waiting, Buzbee saw an intruder running out of a second-floor room.
“I told him, step back, and I was going to fire my weapon at him,” Buzbee told supporters at his campaign reception. “Now, you think I want to fire my weapon at somebody? That’s the last thing I want to do.
“But you think I’m going to hide in the corner when somebody comes in my house? No, I will not do that, and as your mayor I will not do that.”
The burglar ran from the house after his weapon misfired, Buzbee said. He told KTRK he believes the burglars stole seven paintings and several watches from his collection.
Buzbee also reported a crime in his home in December 2017. Buzbee alleged a woman he was with on a first date destroyed $300,000 worth of sculptures and paintings at his home.
The woman has entered a pretrial intervention program that will allow her to avoid prosecution if she abides by the terms, according to the Dallas Morning News.
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