Man guarding store shoots suspected copper thief

08:08 AM CDT on Thursday, July 10, 2008
From Staff Reports

Garland police say they do not plan to file charges against a 25-year-old man who fatally shot a suspected copper thief this morning.

5700 block of Broadway Boulevard in Garland The incident happened shortly before 1:20 a.m. at Bargain Town – Variety & Furniture store in the 5700 block of Broadway Boulevard, police said.

The business owner’s son had been guarding the roof after the store had been recently hit by copper thieves. The son said he confronted a man who had climbed on the roof. The son fired his gun, striking the man in the torso, police said. The man fled, climbing back down the building and collapsing on the ground.

Paramedics arrived to find the man had died. Police said he had a small backpack with tools investigators believe were used to steal copper.

Police have not released the name of the man pending notification of family.

Charges were not expected to be filed against the son, who has been cooperating with the investigation, police said.
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