Man fed up after being robbed 4 times, shoots robber and gets arrested
Via Stephanie Claytor, KOB Eyewitness News 4
A man who owns an Albuquerque used car dealership says burglars have been hitting the shop in recent weeks, so when it happened again Sunday morning, he took action. But now, he’s in trouble with the law for doing so.
According to a criminal complaint filed by Albuquerque police, the shop owner – Jorge Mateo-Segura – told police he was tired of his dealership being broken into, so when the alarm went off Sunday, he told the alarm company not to send police and that he’d check it out himself.
When the man arrived at his shop, he shot a burglar.
Mateo-Segura told police he thought he saw the burglar reaching for a gun so he shot him. His brother said that every time the auto sales gets broken into they call the police who don’t do anything about the issue. He also said the business has been broken into four times since February.
However police have said that Mateo-Segura is under investigation and is being jailed because his story did not stay consistent, and the burglar said he was shot while running away. The burglar Gutierrez did admit to breaking into cars but maintains that he ran away when the owner arrived, and he was shot while fleeing from Mateo-Segura.
Gutierrez filed a criminal complaint that said he saw Mateo-Segura still holding the gun outside the fence after he was shot. Then he claims Mateo-Segura grabbed him by the shirt and dragged him in the building while they waited for police.
Mateo-Segura is currently being charged with assault with a deadly weapon and battery with great bodily harm. Gutierrez was arrested also and he has a grand jury indictment warrant for breaking and entering, but it is unclear if he’ll face new charges for breaking in cars at Mateo-Segura’s dealership.
This whole story just sounds like a joke and an injustice, however, when talking to the police, you have to tell the truth and be consistent. Its very crucial to be honest with authorities, especially if you shot someone. Its very infuriating that Mateo-Segura felt so victimized by criminals and so neglected by our justice system that he felt he had to take matters into his own hands, and is being punished for doing so.
What kind of justice system punishes the victim and dismisses the criminal? Either way this story proves to be a lesson: If you do use your gun for defense, be very clear with what happened and consistent. Also, what would you do? Continue to call the police and sit back while watching your business continually plundered, or take action?
