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SALT LAKE CITY — Police say a Salt Lake man wanting to protect his elderly mother-in-law's home from burglars went a little too far.
Now, a burglary suspect is in the hospital being treated for a gunshot injury and the caretaker faces possible aggravated assault charges.
Glen Decker, 51, and his wife are caretakers of the vacant home of the wife's elderly mother, according to Salt Lake police.
"They knew someone had been breaking into the home," Salt Lake police detective Veronica Montoya said.
Someone kicked in the back door to the residence Tuesday, according to a Salt Lake County Jail report.
On Wednesday night, the couple stayed in the home on Harvard Avenue to see if the burglars returned. Just before 10 p.m., a man and woman showed up, Montoya said.
The Deckers confronted the couple with guns and ordered them to wait for police to arrive, Montoya said.
"Decker instructed the male to remain on scene or he would be shot," the jail report stated.
The man, however, attempted to flee.
"The man pushed past Decker to escape, and when he got to the back door, Decker again told him to remain on scene," the jail report states.
The man had his hands in the air as he continued to walk backward toward the door, according to the report.
The man was shot in the abdomen as he allegedly tried to exit, Montoya said.
Decker ran after the man and continued to shoot at him as the man got into a car and drove away, according to police.
"Decker stated that he unloaded the rest of the bullets into the vehicle at the male, who then drove the vehicle away," the jail report states.
The man later showed up at a local hospital. As of Thursday afternoon he had not been officially arrested, pending his release from the hospital, although he was under police guard, Montoya said.
The woman, Paulette Gray, 46, was arrested for investigation of burglary.
Decker was arrested for investigation of aggravated assault for allegedly chasing the man into the street and shooting at him as he drove away.
Montoya said in a case like this, the couple should have called police first and detectives would have set up their own sting operation and waited for the alleged burglars to arrive.
If someone breaks into a home and is trying to leave, Montoya said her department advises residents at that point to simply "be a good witness."
"Don't chase them," she said. "It's pretty clear he shot him to keep him there."
