CHL Holder shoots burglar
Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2008 5:16 pm
Suspected burglar dies after 911 call mix-up
07:54 PM CST on Wednesday, February 27, 2008
By TANYA EISERER / The Dallas Morning News
teiserer@dallasnews.com
Burglary suspect shot Feb. 27, 2008
A Dallas 911 operator sent emergency crews across town to the wrong address early Wednesday after a homeowner's son fatally shot a suspected burglar.
"There was a misunderstanding between the caller and the call taker as far as what the name of the street was," said Lt. Joel Lavender, a Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesman. The call came into the 911 call center, which is run by Dallas Fire-Rescue, about 6 a.m. Wednesday. The caller told the operator that there had been a shooting on Scotland Drive.
"The call taker heard 'Skyline,' " Lt. Lavender said. "The call taker repeated 'Skyline' back to the caller, and the caller said yes."
Emergency crews quickly arrived on scene in the 2200 block of Skyline Road near Mountain Creek Lake, but found no emergency.
About 6:13 a.m., another call came into 911, and emergency crews were dispatched to the right address in the 2200 block of Scotland Drive in east Oak Cliff. The suspected burglar, Gerald Foley, later died at a local hospital.
According to police, someone had thrown a rock through a bathroom window of the home about 9 p.m. Tuesday. The next morning, Otis Fagan, 43, told police he had come to check on his father, also named Otis, when he noticed that the door to a detached storage shed had been shoved open, a police report said. He then saw a man inside the shed looking around with a flashlight, a police report said. The suspected burglar fled, and Mr. Fagan chased after him and they began to fight, a police report said. Mr. Fagan, who has a concealed handgun carry license, told police that he shot the man because he feared for his life.
Police later recovered about $2,000 worth of hand tools that were taken during the burglary, a police report said. Lt. Craig Miller, a homicide unit supervisor, said the elder Mr. Fagan told detectives that he's been having problems with thieves stealing from his shed.
Tonya Finn, the homeowner's daughter, said she was thankful her family was not hurt.
"It's sad you can't live with people," Ms. Finn said. "I'm glad my mom and dad are safe. There are a lot of shook-up emotions."
Staff writer Kimberly Durnan contributed to this report.
07:54 PM CST on Wednesday, February 27, 2008
By TANYA EISERER / The Dallas Morning News
teiserer@dallasnews.com
Burglary suspect shot Feb. 27, 2008
A Dallas 911 operator sent emergency crews across town to the wrong address early Wednesday after a homeowner's son fatally shot a suspected burglar.
"There was a misunderstanding between the caller and the call taker as far as what the name of the street was," said Lt. Joel Lavender, a Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesman. The call came into the 911 call center, which is run by Dallas Fire-Rescue, about 6 a.m. Wednesday. The caller told the operator that there had been a shooting on Scotland Drive.
"The call taker heard 'Skyline,' " Lt. Lavender said. "The call taker repeated 'Skyline' back to the caller, and the caller said yes."
Emergency crews quickly arrived on scene in the 2200 block of Skyline Road near Mountain Creek Lake, but found no emergency.
About 6:13 a.m., another call came into 911, and emergency crews were dispatched to the right address in the 2200 block of Scotland Drive in east Oak Cliff. The suspected burglar, Gerald Foley, later died at a local hospital.
According to police, someone had thrown a rock through a bathroom window of the home about 9 p.m. Tuesday. The next morning, Otis Fagan, 43, told police he had come to check on his father, also named Otis, when he noticed that the door to a detached storage shed had been shoved open, a police report said. He then saw a man inside the shed looking around with a flashlight, a police report said. The suspected burglar fled, and Mr. Fagan chased after him and they began to fight, a police report said. Mr. Fagan, who has a concealed handgun carry license, told police that he shot the man because he feared for his life.
Police later recovered about $2,000 worth of hand tools that were taken during the burglary, a police report said. Lt. Craig Miller, a homicide unit supervisor, said the elder Mr. Fagan told detectives that he's been having problems with thieves stealing from his shed.
Tonya Finn, the homeowner's daughter, said she was thankful her family was not hurt.
"It's sad you can't live with people," Ms. Finn said. "I'm glad my mom and dad are safe. There are a lot of shook-up emotions."
Staff writer Kimberly Durnan contributed to this report.