Tulsa Police: Man Caught Breaking Into SUV Shot In Leg By Homeowner

A Tulsa homeowner says he felt he did what he had to when he shot a man in his yard early Wednesday morning.

The homeowner tells us it started as a burglary, but when the man tried to pull a knife on him, he felt he had to protect his family.

"I work hard for a living and pay for my stuff and to have someone [rummage] through your stuff and break in your vehicle--it ticks me off that there's people that do that," John Becker said.

Becker lives at the corner of 108th East Ave and 33rd Street. Around 4:45 Wednesday morning, he said he heard a commotion in his driveway.

He told us he was in his living room watching TV, when he saw the dome light on in his truck, so he went outside to investigate. He took his shotgun with him.

We asked him what was going through his mind.

"Oh god, please police, hurry up and get here," Becker said. "What am I going to do now?"

He showed us what happened next. He confronted a stranger, who was sitting in his passenger seat, and told him to leave.

The suspect refused and kept stepping toward him. Becker warned him that he would shoot, and eventually the suspect reached into his pocket and started pulling out something. Police later confirmed it was a knife.

"It happens fast, but to me its like things just slow-motioned," Becker said. "For some reason, something told me to lower my gun and shoot him in the leg. And he's lucky he's got that."

Becker said he never wanted to kill him, he was just thinking of his 7-year-old daughter and 14-year-old son, who slept through the whole thing.

"You're always trying to protect yourself and your family, and especially having my little girl around, she's my number one concern," Becker said.

Police found several of Becker's personal items on the suspect. His name won't be released until charges are brought against him.