A Dallas homeowner allegedly shot and killed a would-be burglar and then went back to bed. His neighbors are standing by him, maintaining that he was just trying to protect his property.
72-year-old James Meyer has been charged with murder, with authorities stating that he went back to bed following the shooting and before he called 911.
People who know Meyer maintain that he was acting in self-defense. According to Meyer, he woke up at around 5 a.m. when someone tried to break into a shed on his property. He stated that he went to the shed with his handgun and told the burglar to stop or he’d get shot. Meyer stated that the man approached him with a pickax, so he fired off a shot. The man dropped the ax and ran off. Meyer shot a second round into the night.
He told police that he didn’t know if the bullets had hit their intended target. According to the police report, Meyer then went back to bed. When he woke up two hours later, he found a body in a park behind his home. Meyer’s wife, according to an affidavit, called a lawyer before Meyer called 911.
Neighbors stated that burglaries were common in the area. Calvin Holbrook, when asked about Meyer, said: “He’s not a violent man. I’ve never heard of him ever being violent, even in provoking circumstances.” Alondra Flores, like many others, is plain confused. “I think it is crazy, because I never thought he would do that. But it is kind of understandable,” she said.
Meyer was freed on a $150,000 bond. He declined an interview.
