08:40 PM CST on Thursday, January 4, 2007
By TANYA EISERER / The Dallas Morning News
A Red Bird-area homeowner turned the tables on a gun-toting burglar Wednesday night, taking the weapon away from him and beating him up with it.
The suspect, identified by police as 21-year-old Marquis D. Anderson, ended up in a local hospital.
Marquis D. Anderson "When the police got him, he wasn't able to talk," said Steven Flowers, a neighbor whose home was also burglarized. "He got beat bad. I wish it had been me [who delivered the beating]. I would have done the same thing."
Mr. Flowers, who lives on Greenspan Avenue near Interstate 35E and Camp Wisdom Road, arrived home shortly after 6 p.m. to find that his home had been burglarized. The burglar had kicked in a rear door and stolen jewelry and a handgun.
"I noticed the lights on in my house," said Mr. Flowers, who has lived there about eight years. "I could see a silhouette, peeking out of the window of my den. I left and called 911."
Police records show that the suspect fled that home and broke into a neighboring home in the 7600 block of Woodspan Drive. That homeowner, Prentice McKinney, arrived home to find his front bedroom light on, his front window busted out and a man looking out the window at him, records state.
Mr. Flowers said that Mr. McKinney went into the home through the window and confronted the burglar. Police said the suspect fired a shot at Mr. McKinney, but it hit a wall instead.
"He said by the time the guy realized he was in the house, he had already pounced on him and beat him up pretty bad," Mr. Flowers said. "He can't remember how he got the gun from him. He said he just had so much adrenaline pumping, he just kind of lost it."
The burglar had tried to steal two handguns and jewelry from that home, a report said.
When police arrived, they found the unconscious burglar in a pool of blood on the hallway floor.
Mr. McKinney had a cut to his right arm and was treated at the scene but told police he would take himself to the hospital to be checked out.
Another home on Woodspan Drive also was burglarized, police said. A cellphone taken from that house was recovered at the home on Greenspan Avenue.
Mr. Flowers said that his wife had passed away about eight months ago and that the thief had ransacked his home and stolen their wedding bands and a .38-caliber handgun. He said he got all of his things back but still felt disturbed and violated.
He said he felt the burglar got what was coming to him.
"He'll think twice," Mr. Flowers said.
In late November, Mr. Anderson was arrested on suspicion of burglary of a habitation. He was released from the Dallas County jail on $2,500 bail.
On Thursday, he remained in a local hospital in police custody. He faces at least one count of burglary of a habitation.
By TANYA EISERER / The Dallas Morning News
A Red Bird-area homeowner turned the tables on a gun-toting burglar Wednesday night, taking the weapon away from him and beating him up with it.
The suspect, identified by police as 21-year-old Marquis D. Anderson, ended up in a local hospital.
Marquis D. Anderson "When the police got him, he wasn't able to talk," said Steven Flowers, a neighbor whose home was also burglarized. "He got beat bad. I wish it had been me [who delivered the beating]. I would have done the same thing."
Mr. Flowers, who lives on Greenspan Avenue near Interstate 35E and Camp Wisdom Road, arrived home shortly after 6 p.m. to find that his home had been burglarized. The burglar had kicked in a rear door and stolen jewelry and a handgun.
"I noticed the lights on in my house," said Mr. Flowers, who has lived there about eight years. "I could see a silhouette, peeking out of the window of my den. I left and called 911."
Police records show that the suspect fled that home and broke into a neighboring home in the 7600 block of Woodspan Drive. That homeowner, Prentice McKinney, arrived home to find his front bedroom light on, his front window busted out and a man looking out the window at him, records state.
Mr. Flowers said that Mr. McKinney went into the home through the window and confronted the burglar. Police said the suspect fired a shot at Mr. McKinney, but it hit a wall instead.
"He said by the time the guy realized he was in the house, he had already pounced on him and beat him up pretty bad," Mr. Flowers said. "He can't remember how he got the gun from him. He said he just had so much adrenaline pumping, he just kind of lost it."
The burglar had tried to steal two handguns and jewelry from that home, a report said.
When police arrived, they found the unconscious burglar in a pool of blood on the hallway floor.
Mr. McKinney had a cut to his right arm and was treated at the scene but told police he would take himself to the hospital to be checked out.
Another home on Woodspan Drive also was burglarized, police said. A cellphone taken from that house was recovered at the home on Greenspan Avenue.
Mr. Flowers said that his wife had passed away about eight months ago and that the thief had ransacked his home and stolen their wedding bands and a .38-caliber handgun. He said he got all of his things back but still felt disturbed and violated.
He said he felt the burglar got what was coming to him.
"He'll think twice," Mr. Flowers said.
In late November, Mr. Anderson was arrested on suspicion of burglary of a habitation. He was released from the Dallas County jail on $2,500 bail.
On Thursday, he remained in a local hospital in police custody. He faces at least one count of burglary of a habitation.
