Ok, this occurred in November, 2007, however, I heard this for the first time today on the radio. I was shocked beyond belief. I wasn't sure at first if it was a joke call. I heard a man yell, "You're dead" and then two shotgun blasts. Apparently the man is being heralded as a hero while others are obviously saying this is premeditated murder. I agree, the man had no right to kill two people who were not in any way trying to harm him. :mad: Hearing the 911 call is vastly different from reading the transcript below. Here you can listen to the call:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7jqLie6-Y0


(CBS) The 911 call came from a Pasadena, Tex., resident, who alerted police to two burglary suspects on a neighbor's property. Before he hung up, two men were dead by his hand.

Joe Horn, 61, told the dispatcher what he intended to do: Walk out his front door with a shotgun.

"I've got a shotgun," Horn said, according to a tape of the 911 call. "Do you want me to stop them?"

"Nope, don't do that - ain't no property worth shooting somebody over, OK?" the dispatcher responded.

"Hurry up man, catch these guys, will you? 'Cause I'm ain't gonna let 'em go, I'm gonna be honest with you, I'm not gonna let 'em go. I'm not gonna let 'em get away with this ----."

Shortly after, Horn said he sees one suspect was standing in front of his house, looking at it from the street.

"I don’t know if they’re armed or not. I know they got a crowbar 'cause that's what they broke the windows with. ... Man, this is scary, I can't believe this is happening in this neighborhood."

He gets more agitated. The dispatcher asks if he can see the suspects but they had retreated into the target's house, out of view: "I can go out the front [to look], but if I go out the front I'm bringing my shotgun with me, I swear to God. I am not gonna let 'em get away with this, I can't take a chance on getting killed over this, OK? I'm gonna shoot, I'm gonna shoot."

"Stay inside the house and don’t go out there, OK?" the dispatcher said. "I know you're pissed off, I know what you're feeling, but it's not worth shooting somebody over this, OK?"

"I don’t want to," Horn said, "but I mean if I go out there, you know, to see what the hell is going on, what choice am I gonna have?

"No, I don’t want you to go out there, I just asked if you could see anything out there."

The dispatcher asks if a vehicle could be seen; Horn said no. The dispatcher again says Horn should stay inside the house.

Almost five minutes into the call, police had not arrived.

"I can’t see if [the suspects are] getting away or not," Horn said.

Horn told the dispatcher that he doesn’t know the neighbors well, unlike those living on the other side of his home. "I can assure you if it had been their house, I would have already done something, because I know them very well," he said.
Dispatcher: "I want you to listen to me carefully, OK?"

Horn: "Yes?"

Dispatcher: "I got ultras coming out there. I don't want you to go outside that house. And I don't want you to have that gun in your hand when those officers are poking around out there."

Horn: "I understand that, OK, but I have a right to protect myself too, sir, and you understand that. And the laws have been changed in this country since September the First and you know it and I know it."

Dispatcher: "I understand."

Horn: "I have a right to protect myself ..."

Dispatcher: "I'm ..."

Horn: "And a shotgun is a legal weapon, it's not an illegal weapon."

Dispatcher: "No, it's not, I'm not saying that, I'm just not wanting you to ..."

Horn: "OK, he's coming out the window right now, I gotta go, buddy. I'm sorry, but he's coming out the window. "

Dispatcher: "No, don't, don't go out the door, Mister Horn. Mister Horn..."

Horn: "They just stole something, I'm going out to look for 'em, I'm sorry, I ain't letting them get away with this ----. They stole something, they got a bag of stuff. I'm doing it!"

Dispatcher: "Mister, do not go outside the house."

Horn: "I'm sorry, this ain't right, buddy."

Dispatcher: "You gonna get yourself shot if you go outside that house with a gun, I don't care what you think."

Horn: "You wanna make a bet?"

Dispatcher: "Stay in the house."

Horn: "There, one of them's getting away!

Dispatcher: "That's alright, property's not something worth killing someone over. OK? Don't go out the house, don't be shooting nobody. I know you're pissed and you're frustrated but don't do it."

Horn: "They got a bag of loot."

Dispatcher: "OK. How big is the bag?" He then talks off, relaying the information.

Dispatcher: "Which way are they going?"

Horn: "I can't ... I'm going outside. I'll find out."

Dispatcher: "I don't want you going outside, Mister..."

Horn: "Well, here it goes buddy, you hear the shotgun clicking and I'm going."

Dispatcher: "Don't go outside."
On the tape of the 911 call, the shotgun can be heard being cocked and Horn can be heard going outside and confronting someone.

"Boom! You're dead!" he shouts. A loud bang is heard, then a shotgun being cocked and fired again, and then again.

Then Horn is back on the phone:
"Get the law over here quick. I've now, get, one of them's in the front yard over there, he's down, he almost run down the street. I had no choice. They came in the front yard with me, man, I had no choice! ... Get somebody over here quick, man."

Dispatcher: "Mister Horn, are you out there right now?"

Horn: "No, I am inside the house, I went back in the house. Man, they come right in my yard, I didn't know what the --- they was gonna do, I shot 'em, OK?"

Dispatcher: "Did you shoot somebody?

Horn: "Yes, I did, the cops are here right now."

Dispatcher: "Where are you right now?"

Horn: "I'm inside the house. ..."

Dispatcher: "Mister Horn, put that gun down before you shoot an officer of mine. I've got several officers out there without uniforms on."

Horn: "I am in the front yard right now. I am ..."

Dispatcher: "Put that gun down! There's officers out there without uniforms on. Do not shoot anybody else, do you understand me? I've got police out there..."

Horn: "I understand, I understand. I am out in the front yard waving my hand right now."

Dispatcher: "You don't have a gun with you, do you?

Horn: "No, no, no."

Dispatcher: "You see a uniformed officer? Now lay down on the ground and don't do nothing else."

Yelling is heard.

Dispatcher: "Lay down on the ground, Mister Horn. Do what the officers tell you to do right now."
Two days later, Horn released a statement through an attorney.

“The events of that day will weigh heavily on me for the rest of my life," it said. "My thoughts go out to the loved ones of the deceased.”

The identities of the men killed were released Friday.

They are Miguel Antonio Dejesus, 38, and Diego Ortiz, 30. Official records show that each of them had a prior arrest in Harris County for drug offenses.

The men were reportedly shot at a distance of less than 15 feet.

A woman who lives nearby who asked not to be identified told CBS News affiliate KHOU correspondent Rucks Russell that she always saw Horn as a grandfather figure. "He is the guardian of the neighborhood," she said. "He takes care of all our kids. If we ever need anything, we call him.”

But according to Tom Lambright, Horn’s attorney and a friend for more than four decades, he’s the one in need now. “He just needs everyone to know he’s not a villain, he’s not a bad guy,” Lambright said.

He went on to say that Horn voluntarily gave an extensive video statement to police immediately following the shooting.

Horn was not taken into custody after the shooting. A Harris County grand jury will decide if charges are to be filed.

Lambright says Horn acted in complete and total self defense and has nothing to hide.

Local opinion has been passionate on both sides of the shooting.

One letter to the Houston Chronicle said, "He didn't shoot them in the legs, to make sure they did not run away, or hold them at gunpoint until police arrived. No, he was judge, jury and executioner."

Another letter writer praised Horn, saying, "Where does the line form to pin a medal on Joe Horn? I want to get in line." Another wrote, "Let's get rid of the police force and just hire Joe Horn!"

Support for Horn was also running about 2-1 in an online survey of readers on the KHOU Web site.

The incident may prove a test for a new law recently passed in Texas which expands the right of citizens to use deadly force.

Under Texas law, people may use deadly force to protect their own property or to stop arson, burglary, robbery, theft or criminal mischief at night.

But the legislator who authored the "castle doctrine" bill told the Chronicle it was never intended to apply to a neighbor's property, to prompt a "'Law West of the Pecos' mentality or action," said Republican Sen. Jeff Wentworth. "You're supposed to be able to defend your own home, your own family, in your house, your place of business or your motor vehicle."

well, the burglars were asking for it when they decided to break into a house

But it was the neighbor's house, and they were leaving. That man was not in harm's way. He was itching to kill somebody and it was those two.

i remember hearing about that. i don't blame the guy.

But it was the neighbor's house, and they were leaving. That man was not in harm's way. He was itching to kill somebody and it was those two.

Exactly right.

He ignores the dispatcher and declares, "Boom, you're dead" as he shoots them.

This guy got a little too much enjoyment out of killing people.

Exactly right.

He ignores the dispatcher and declares, "Boom, you're dead" as he shoots them.

This guy got a little too much enjoyment out of killing people.
Amen to that.

He knew help was on the way. He could have locked himself in the cellar, attic, etc, and waited for the police to arrive. I listened to the 911 call. It sounds to me as if he was looking to kill.

This happened in November. Why didn't we hear about it when it first
happened? Why are some news stories late in coming to the chit chat board?
it was in the news at the time it happened, it just wasn't posted here.

Dude had an itchy trigger finger, simple as that.

The guy shouldn't have killed them, but the Burglars were asking for it by robbing a house. That's what happens.

HEEEEEEEE HAW! Only in Texas!!


The one state where you could have an open bottle of booze and a gun laying in plain view on the front seat of the car!!

Yeah, sure sounds like the homeowner was looking for an excuse.


Something similiar just happened in B.C. - a 4 a.m. home invasion and the two invadors were stabbed by the homeowner. One is dead and the other in critical condition. In this case though, it was obvious self defense, however, there's more to the story because the home owner knew the suspects. Sounds like it had something to do with drugs somewhere along the line. Either that, or the homeowner should be more careful in picking "friends".

HEEEEEEEE HAW! Only in Texas!!


The one state where you could have an open bottle of booze and a gun laying in plain view on the front seat of the car!!

Yeah, sure sounds like the homeowner was looking for an excuse.


Something similiar just happened in B.C. - a 4 a.m. home invasion and the two invadors were stabbed by the homeowner. One is dead and the other in critical condition. In this case though, it was obvious self defense, however, there's more to the story because the home owner knew the suspects. Sounds like it had something to do with drugs somewhere along the line. Either that, or the homeowner should be more careful in picking "friends".
:eek: Yeah, he needs to find better friends. Cases like that where you are in a dirty business, you are only asking for trouble.

As for the neighbor in this case, he mentions the "new law" to the 911 operator that states one can use deadly force to protect property...what that idiot didn't hear or read is that you can use deadly force in Texas to protect property, but it has to be YOUR PROPERTY not your neighbor's property. DORK!:crazy: He knew damn well what he was doing. He probably got his shotgun ready on August 31st, waiting for the new law to take effect and as soon as it did, he anxiously waited to use his shotgun at the first sign of trouble.

Murder for sure. I could understand if it was his home but not the neighbors.

He was not taken into custody? Then why did officers put him on the ground
at gunpoint when they first arrived?
Um, that is what all law enforcement officers have to do in a situation where they are not sure who is the victim or who is the culprit.

Um, that is what all law enforcement officers have to do in a situation where they are not sure who is the victim or who is the culprit.


Especially when yer totin' a shotgun!!! :eek:

HEEEEEEEE HAW! Only in Texas!!


The one state where you could have an open bottle of booze and a gun laying in plain view on the front seat of the car!!

Yeah, sure sounds like the homeowner was looking for an excuse.


Something similiar just happened in B.C. - a 4 a.m. home invasion and the two invadors were stabbed by the homeowner. One is dead and the other in critical condition. In this case though, it was obvious self defense, however, there's more to the story because the home owner knew the suspects. Sounds like it had something to do with drugs somewhere along the line. Either that, or the homeowner should be more careful in picking "friends".
Way to make generalizations towards a state. :rolleyes:

Especially when yer totin' a shotgun!!! :eek:
That's for DAMN SURE! *cocking her shotgun and spitting out tobacco*

I heard this the day it broke. I say congrats because 1, he protecting a neighbor who was probably an old man. What if they were killers? What would you tell the kids on Christmas morning? 'Grandpa's dead. He was robbed and killed.' 2, maybe he was trying to shot at the leg and messed. It happens. (IE: Dick Cheney) 3, crime in that neighborhood (as well as nearby) went down alot since those two were killed. 4, one was carring a crow bar so who knows? They may have been heading for his house.
Fox News reported those men were illegal aliens as well.

I heard this the day it broke. I say congrats because 1, he protecting a neighbor who was probably an old man. What if they were killers? What would you tell the kids on Christmas morning? 'Grandpa's dead. He was robbed and killed.' 2, maybe he was trying to shot at the leg and messed. It happens. (IE: Dick Cheney) 3, crime in that neighborhood (as well as nearby) went down alot since those two were killed. 4, one was carring a crow bar so who knows? They may have been heading for his house.
Fox News reported those men were illegal aliens as well.

I agree. Once i had it hit so close to home, i have NO remorse for someone even if they are just robbing a house and not harming anyone. It scares the heck out of people to have someone in their house not knowing their intentions, and he probably got so scared he wanted to shoot them. Like one other poster said, serves them right for being in the house. I know it wasn't his house, but its called protecting your neighbor. I dont think he should've killed them, but you know what, tough luck, shouldn't have been robbing a house like that.

Fox News reported those men were illegal aliens as well.

Illegal aliens or not, a crime is a crime no matter who commits it. Just being
an illegal alien does not give a person the right to shoot at that person.

He may have been a little over-zealous, to be sure, (...or fed up with crime in his neighborhood) but I don't have any sympathy for the burglars. Much too often we hear of burglars who kill the people they rob. These are two burglars who will never have the chance to do that now.

Way to make generalizations towards a state. :rolleyes:


Oh lighten up - fairly obvious I was kidding. Besides, if I were to move to the States, Texas would probably be my first choice so take a stress tab.

I agree. Once i had it hit so close to home, i have NO remorse for someone even if they are just robbing a house and not harming anyone. It scares the heck out of people to have someone in their house not knowing their intentions, and he probably got so scared he wanted to shoot them. Like one other poster said, serves them right for being in the house. I know it wasn't his house, but its called protecting your neighbor. I dont think he should've killed them, but you know what, tough luck, shouldn't have been robbing a house like that.
:yeahthat