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Being in the electrical business this is a pretty large problem, lucky one of our competitor's electricians is thinning the heard of thieves. Hopefully they don't decide to charge him with anything
Pretty nice grouping
One man is dead while two others are being charged in connection with copper theft after a homeowner shot at their van early Friday morning during a reported burglary.
Rodney Allen Burns, 53, was pronounced dead at 7:12 a.m. by Ector County Medical Examiner Shirley Stanford.
The shooter, owner of the home at 2123 Muskingum Ave. and of the work vehicle reportedly being burglarized there, was not arrested or charged as of Friday evening.
However, David Allen Whitehead, 40, and his wife, Tanya Lynn Whitehead, 34, the other people in the van, were arrested on-sight at 6714 Ector Ave., Odessa Police spokeswoman Cpl. Sherrie Carruth said. Tanya Whitehead's name was also given as "Tonya" in jail records.
Evelyn Burns, Rodney Burn’s stepmother, said she was the one who made the call to 9-1-1 to inform police about her stepson when the van arrived at her trailer at 6714 Ector Ave.
Rodney Allen Burns, deceased.“When police got here, they asked if I performed CPR,” Evelyn Burns said. “I told them, ‘How? His face has been shot up.’ ”
Evelyn Burns said she was woken when David Whitehead started knocking on the door and was repeatedly shouting that Rodney had been shot. She said she walked down to the van and saw that Rodney’s face had been shot.
“I don’t know why (Rodney) was with (David.) Usually with my boys, you get them together and in about five minutes, they’re having a fistfight,” Evelyn Burns said.
According to public records, Rodney Burns had been arrested before, and had a history of nonviolent misdemeanors.
“Rodney had his faults and problems,” Evelyn said. “But if you needed a dollar, and it was the last dollar he had, he would still give it to you.”
The gunshots are related to a shooting that happened after the homeowner of 2123 Muskingum Ave. fired shots at people who were trying to steal from his work truck. Carruth said OPD would not release the name of the shooter because detectives said it would hinder the investigation, however government records listed the home as belonging to Robert C. Gomez.
“The investigation is ongoing and they’re not sure if they’re going to refer the case to the grand jury or charge him,” Carruth said.
David Allen WhiteheadAccording to Section 9.42 of the Texas Penal Code, a homeowner is entitled to using deadly force to protect their property if: the actor believes “force is necessary to prevent theft,” to prevent arson, theft assault, robbery or aggravated robbery at nighttime” and if any other means of force would expose the actor to another risk of death or serious bodily injury.
Attempts to reach Gomez were not successful. According to police dispatch, Odessa police has advised Gomez to put a sign warning against media or anyone else stepping onto his property. The sign reads “No trespassing. No media or you will be criminally prosecuted.”
In the past year, 2123 Muskingum Ave., has reported two other burglaries. One was Nov. 23 to report a theft, and the most recent was Jan. 31 to report an automobile burglary.
Tanya Lynn Whitehead“He hasn’t lived here long and has asked me if I’ve ever seen anyone take anything from his truck,” neighbor Johnny Rodriguez said. “He’s called the law before and they said they were patrolling the area, but I’ve never seen them. If he took the law into his own hands, God bless him.”
Neighbor Rosie Mata said that she and her husband woke up to gunshots early in the morning.
“We heard about three gunshots,” Mata said.
Rodriguez said that even though the morning was full of police vehicles, that type of activity is rare on the street.
“It’s busy because 23rd is just right there, but it’s usually quiet around here at night,” Rodriguez said.
Evelyn Burns said that the force used against Rodney was “brutal” and unnecessary.
“This is a bad deal for us all. Nobody wins in this type of situation,” she said.
Pretty nice grouping
One man is dead while two others are being charged in connection with copper theft after a homeowner shot at their van early Friday morning during a reported burglary.
Rodney Allen Burns, 53, was pronounced dead at 7:12 a.m. by Ector County Medical Examiner Shirley Stanford.
The shooter, owner of the home at 2123 Muskingum Ave. and of the work vehicle reportedly being burglarized there, was not arrested or charged as of Friday evening.
However, David Allen Whitehead, 40, and his wife, Tanya Lynn Whitehead, 34, the other people in the van, were arrested on-sight at 6714 Ector Ave., Odessa Police spokeswoman Cpl. Sherrie Carruth said. Tanya Whitehead's name was also given as "Tonya" in jail records.
Evelyn Burns, Rodney Burn’s stepmother, said she was the one who made the call to 9-1-1 to inform police about her stepson when the van arrived at her trailer at 6714 Ector Ave.
Rodney Allen Burns, deceased.“When police got here, they asked if I performed CPR,” Evelyn Burns said. “I told them, ‘How? His face has been shot up.’ ”
Evelyn Burns said she was woken when David Whitehead started knocking on the door and was repeatedly shouting that Rodney had been shot. She said she walked down to the van and saw that Rodney’s face had been shot.
“I don’t know why (Rodney) was with (David.) Usually with my boys, you get them together and in about five minutes, they’re having a fistfight,” Evelyn Burns said.
According to public records, Rodney Burns had been arrested before, and had a history of nonviolent misdemeanors.
“Rodney had his faults and problems,” Evelyn said. “But if you needed a dollar, and it was the last dollar he had, he would still give it to you.”
The gunshots are related to a shooting that happened after the homeowner of 2123 Muskingum Ave. fired shots at people who were trying to steal from his work truck. Carruth said OPD would not release the name of the shooter because detectives said it would hinder the investigation, however government records listed the home as belonging to Robert C. Gomez.
“The investigation is ongoing and they’re not sure if they’re going to refer the case to the grand jury or charge him,” Carruth said.
David Allen WhiteheadAccording to Section 9.42 of the Texas Penal Code, a homeowner is entitled to using deadly force to protect their property if: the actor believes “force is necessary to prevent theft,” to prevent arson, theft assault, robbery or aggravated robbery at nighttime” and if any other means of force would expose the actor to another risk of death or serious bodily injury.
Attempts to reach Gomez were not successful. According to police dispatch, Odessa police has advised Gomez to put a sign warning against media or anyone else stepping onto his property. The sign reads “No trespassing. No media or you will be criminally prosecuted.”
In the past year, 2123 Muskingum Ave., has reported two other burglaries. One was Nov. 23 to report a theft, and the most recent was Jan. 31 to report an automobile burglary.
Tanya Lynn Whitehead“He hasn’t lived here long and has asked me if I’ve ever seen anyone take anything from his truck,” neighbor Johnny Rodriguez said. “He’s called the law before and they said they were patrolling the area, but I’ve never seen them. If he took the law into his own hands, God bless him.”
Neighbor Rosie Mata said that she and her husband woke up to gunshots early in the morning.
“We heard about three gunshots,” Mata said.
Rodriguez said that even though the morning was full of police vehicles, that type of activity is rare on the street.
“It’s busy because 23rd is just right there, but it’s usually quiet around here at night,” Rodriguez said.
Evelyn Burns said that the force used against Rodney was “brutal” and unnecessary.
“This is a bad deal for us all. Nobody wins in this type of situation,” she said.
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