When the family truck got stolen, three Texas relatives decided they weren’t going to take the crime lying down.
Now, one of those family members is being accused of shooting and killing the suspected car thief, after the clan was able to track the stolen vehicle with an Apple AirTag.
None of the people involved have been named, though San Antonio Police Department spokesperson Nick Soliz did provide a timeline of events to reporters during a news briefing recorded by local KSAT.
The truck in question was stolen at around 1 p.m. local time on Wednesday from a residential neighbourhood in San Antonio’s north side. The family was able to track the vehicle with a hidden AirTag inside the truck and eventually located it in the parking lot of a shopping centre across town.
“It looks like they tried to confront the suspect, who they saw in their vehicle,” Soliz said.
The police spokesperson added that it’s believed the truck owners called police to report the stolen vehicle before confronting the suspect, but chose not to wait for them.
Investigators still aren’t sure how the shooting transpired, but Soliz said one of the family members tried to “contact the suspect in the truck,” but believed he saw a gun being pulled on him.
The family member opened fire on the suspected truck thief, a man in his 30s, who was later pronounced dead.
Police said they’re still investigating if the alleged thief had any weapons on him when he was shot.
“Right now, it’s believed that only the victim of the stolen vehicle fired shots,” Soliz said. “He did strike the suspect in the stolen truck.”
It’s unclear if the person who fired on the alleged thief, or any of the other family members, will face criminal charges.
“If you are to get your vehicle stolen, I know it’s frustrating, but please do not take matters into your own hands like this,” Soliz urged.