Police in Texas fatally shot a gun-wielding homeowner moments after he killed a suspected burglar who tried to sneak into his house.
When Jerry Wayne Hale, 30, tried to break into the home Thursday, he thought the homeowner had passed away and left his possessions, the Dallas Morning News reports. But William Keith Hall, 57, was armed and ready when Hale arrived, just before 7:45 p.m.
That's when two witnesses, who reportedly heard gunfire, found Hall standing over Hale and called 911. The bystanders approached and tried to persuade Hall not to kill the home invader.
One witness, David Murphrey, recalled the exchange to CBS-DFW:
“I said, 'No, don’t kill him. I’ve already called the cops. Cops are on the way.' He said, 'Good, I’m going to kill him and then I’m going to shoot them, too.' I said, 'Oh, my God.'”
Hale then allegedly pointed his weapon at Murphrey and the other witness, so they ran away.
When police arrived, they gave Hall "loud verbal commands to drop the gun," but he refused. Police said that Hall "[manipulated] the slide on his weapon, [moved] toward the officers, and [raised] the gun at the officers." The three responding officers opened fire on the Hall.
No officers were injured in the incident. Hall and Hale were pronounced dead at the scene.
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