Halethorpe man shoots teen breaking into his truck

Of all of the vehicles he could have chosen to break into along Hazel Avenue in Halethorpe, 17-year-old Timothy Rivera chose the wrong one.

 

It was 4:30 a.m. on Wednesday when a woman inside the home spotted Rivera on her security camera system breaking into her vehicle out in the driveway. She then alerted the man of the house. 

 

"He goes outside with a rifle and confronts that suspect,” said Cpl. John Wachter of the Baltimore County Police Department, “The suspect then takes either a knife or screwdriver (and) swipes it at him.  He then shoots that suspect."

 

What the police failed to mention was the homeowner was armed with an AR-15 assault-style rifle, and according to charging documents, he had ordered Rivera to get on the ground and told him not to move when the teen rushed towards him.

 

The homeowner then felt a burning sensation in his left hand and thought he had been shot when he fired at the thief.

 

A nearby neighbor supports his actions.

 

"A man has a right to defend his property.  I mean... somebody coming out of my car, I'd probably go at them myself," said Linda Hersl, "We've had plenty of crime. I've had my tires slashed twice and that's financially hard and we've had a lot of things like that happen."

 

Ultimately, Rivera walked into the Shock Trauma Center with a gunshot wound to his right wrist, and city police contacted Baltimore County detectives who made the arrest.

 

"The suspect is facing theft charges and assault charges in connection with the incident,” said Wachter, “He is being charged as an adult, and I just found that out so I don't have all the information together yet."

 

As for the man who shot him who maintains he did so in self-defense, he faces no charges for now, but police say the case will be handed over to the State's Attorney's Office which will review all of the evidence before determining whether it was justified.