Homeowner Fatally Shot By Suspected Burglar Near Tulsa

A homeowner was shot and killed while confronting a car burglar in his own driveway. Tulsa County deputies are still searching for his killer.

They continue to canvas the red fork neighborhood where the shooting happened but still have no suspect in the shooting death of 38-year-old Staijeck Helm.

Deputies say a car parked outside of the man’s home near W. 43rd and S. 43rd West Ave. was the target of a burglar early Thursday morning. Investigators said around 2:30 a.m. Helm heard the suspect outside and confronted him.

Neighbors said they could hear what happened next.

"When I was in the house there was about two gunshots before I came outside then I came out here and heard yelling and screaming and heard another gunshot,” said neighbor Doug Scott. 

Soon the neighborhood was flooded with emergency crews as neighbors tried to help Helm who had been shot by the suspected burglar.

"I could hear people saying, 'they shot him' and it sounded like they were trying to save his life cause I could hear '1,2,3’ like they were trying some type of chest compression,” Scott said.

Helm died on the scene and neighbors can only tell deputies they saw a man dressed in dark clothes taking off from the scene on a bicycle. Now they will continue to canvass the area to see if anyone caught anything on home surveillance video.

"If there is anything on there that might be for use to us, it doesn't have to be but might be, give us a call because we would rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it," said deputy Scott Dean. 

Neighbors say burglaries have become a regular occurrence in that area.

"If something like that happens on my property or my yard I’m coming out to do whatever I have to do to defend myself,” said Scott. "Very good honest hard-working people and someone you would be proud to call your neighbors.”

If you have any information that could help deputies please call them immediately.