Police: Texas pastor shoots alleged burglar at church
BAYTOWN, Texas -A pastor shot an alleged burglar at his church Tuesday morning in Baytown, Texas, police say.
Pastor Benny Holmes was asleep in his office at around 6 a.m., when he heard the alleged intruder, said Baytown Assistant Chief Roger Clifford.
"We have some exterior video, which we'll be releasing later today, showing the perpetrator forcing his way inside the church," Clifford said, adding that the alleged burglar made a "loud commotion" that woke Holmes up.
"He retrieved his pistol, he went to investigate, and basically he saw the suspect leaving with some electrical equipment," Clifford said.
Holmes told police that the suspect, Lee Marvin Blue, 27, turned aggressively toward him and he fired a shot, striking Blue in the shoulder.
The suspect was airlifted to a hospital, reports CBS affiliate KHOU. He is expected to survive and police say he will be charged with burglary.
Holmes previously made national headlines in September 2014, when he caught 52-year-old Laura Ferguson allegedly stealing a package from his porch.
The pastor held the woman at gunpoint until police arrived. Clifford said before that incident, Holmes had experienced a series of package thefts, so he crafted a trap for Ferguson.
"He baited the front porch with a parcel and sure enough he saw the female come for it. It was good work," Clifford said.