North Richland Hills man

shoots intruder in back yard

By DOMINGO RAMIREZ JR.

Star-Telegram staff writer

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NORTH RICHLAND HILLS -- Trying to protect his family, Julius Billy pointed his 9 mm handgun at an intruder who had tried to kick open his back door early Friday and was standing in his back yard.

Billy repeatedly warned the man to get on the ground.

"I kept telling him to lay down," Billy, 30, said hours after the confrontation. "He was about 30 feet away from me, but he kept coming toward me. He even jumped a little fence towards me and said, 'Go ahead. Shoot me.'"

Billy fired, hitting the man in the shoulder. He ran back into the house to be sure his wife was calling 911, then returned to the back yard to check on the wounded man.

"He was down, but trying to get up," Billy said. "He saw me, and this time he told me not to shoot."

Police arrived within minutes and took the 27-year-old intruder into custody. He was taken to John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth, but his wound was not considered life-threatening, officials said.

Police did not identify the man Friday. Officials plan to present the case to the Tarrant County district attorney's office, which will decide whether either man should face criminal charges.

Couple heard noises

The shooting happened about 12:30 a.m. in the 7900 block of Laura Street. Billy and his wife had been discussing vacation plans when he heard noises at his back door, he said.

Billy went to another room, grabbed his handgun and ran out the front door and circled the house as his wife grabbed the phone to call 911.

The confrontation

Billy found the man in his back yard.

"I was surprised that he had not run away," Billy said. "I asked him, 'What are you doing?'"

Billy pointed his handgun and repeatedly told the man to get on the ground.

"All I wanted to do was detain him until police got there," Billy said.

Billy said he became increasingly frightened.

"He wouldn't stop," he said.

Billy fired one shot.

When police arrived, the man was on the ground, North Richland Hills police Sgt. Greg Trickey said Friday.

Children in bed

Billy said he was bold only because the man was on the side of the house where his 5-year-old son was sleeping. His 13-year-old son also was home. Both children slept through the confrontation and shooting.

"If he got past me, who would be around to stop him?" Billy said. "The main thing for me was that I was the last line of defense for my family."

Comments (5)

code_dude1: ... Good job. That is one report that should not be prosecuted. 1 March 15, 2008 Dyarger: ... Better to be judged by 12 than be carried by 6. I'm sure the scumbag will sue the homeowner.Suspect had every chance to stop. 2 March 16, 2008 tseciwa: ... "I kept telling him to lay down," Billy, 30, said hours after the confrontation. "He was about 30 feet away from me, but he kept coming toward me. He even jumped a little fence towards me and said, 'Go ahead. Shoot me.'" Stupid is as stupid does! The idiot is lucky he isnt dead! 3 March 17, 2008 rangerjustice: ... Be careful what you ask for... 4 March 17, 2008 gpd277: ... Sounds like a consent shooting to me 5 April 04, 2008

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