A homeless man is dead after a homeowner shot him during a confrontation in a northeast Houston neighborhood Wednesday, according to police.
Houston police say the shooting happened near the 9600 block of Tidwell.
Investigators say officers were originally called to the area for reports of a suspicious person inside a newer housing development where residents have reportedly dealt with ongoing trespassing problems for weeks.
According to police, the man who was later shot was homeless and had repeatedly been seen walking through backyards and entering homes that were still under construction.
Investigators say several homeowners had previously reported the man.
Police say the homeowner involved in Wednesday’s shooting spotted the man in his backyard earlier in the day. Another witness also reportedly saw the man near their property.
According to investigators, the homeowner confronted the man outside a vacant home and attempted to get him to leave the neighborhood.
Police say the man initially left the area but later returned through a wooded section near Tidwell that leads into the subdivision.
That’s where investigators say the confrontation turned physical.
According to police, the homeowner told officers the man attacked him during the encounter. The homeowner then pulled out a pistol and fired at the man.
Investigators say the man ran off after being shot.
The homeowner later went looking for him because he was unsure whether he had actually hit him.
When officers arrived on the scene, they searched the area and found the man dead inside a ditch near a playground.
The deceased man has only been described as a man in his 30s.
Police say the homeowner has been cooperative with investigators. No charges have been announced as the investigation remains ongoing.