HOUSTON – Just before midnight Tuesday, a father arrived at home but before he got inside his southwest Houston home, he was confronted by three men wearing masks, according to police.
Officers said the men pistol-whipped the father, 39, and forced him to open the door to his house on Quail Meadow Drive near Braesridge Drive.
The men started ransacking the place not knowing the father’s two daughters - ages 20 and 15 - were home, authorities said.
According to police, the daughters realized something was wrong, so they hid and pushed a panic button on the home alarm system.
The men tried to force the father to disable the alarm, but because the sisters were repeatedly punching the panic button, the father was unable to turn it off, police said.
At this point the men realized someone besides the father was home and went searching for the daughters, discovering them hiding in a closet, officers said.
Minutes later the father’s wife and son arrived home in separate cars, police said.
The son, 20, realized something was wrong, rushed inside the home to grab his pistol and shot one of the men in the head, killing him, according to police.
Officers said the other two men ran from the home and jumped on the hood of the mother’s car, who was with another child.
The mother ripped her car into reverse, sending the suspects flying, police said.
According to authorities, the mother was able to find police at a nearby Whataburger and asked for help.
Investigators are searching for the two other men, who were able to get away in the father’s gray Toyota Sienna minivan.
Neighbors in the area were concerned about the violent invasion.
A woman who lives nearby said “I think all of us in this neighborhood will be careful and keep our doors locked to be extra cautious... I guess they better not come back."
Louis Hernandez, a father of two who lives two doors down said the invasion is unsettling.
“I am pretty concerned because that really doesn't happen around here,” said Hernandez.
Another neighbor who wanted to remain anonymous said, “The guy could have killed his family so I don't think he did the wrong thing."
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers are 713-222-TIPS.