Tulsa Homeowner Shot During Burglary: I Thought I Was Going To Die

By Lori Fullbright, The News On 6

TULSA, OKLAHOMA – A Tulsa man who was shot by a burglar inside his home back on Election Day is healing from the bullet wounds, but is still struggling with the terrifying ordeal.

Wesley Nelson talked with News On 6 reporter Lori Fullbright Thursday.

His story is absolutely horrifying. He voted on July 27th, then went by his home in Brookside for lunch and found two 17-year-old boys stealing his TV. That should've been the end of it, but instead, Wesley was left sitting on his bedroom floor, sure he was going to die.

7/28/2010 Related Story: Two Teens Arrested In Shooting Of Tulsa Homeowner During Burglary

"I came in here, I put my briefcase down right here and saw them," Wesley Nelson said.

Nelson saw two, teenage boys trying to take his TV off the wall. One of the boys ran out the back, but the other ran to Wesley's bedroom, with Wesley right on his heels.

"I'm this far behind, this close and I come around the corner and he's got my gun in his hand, he's left-handed," Nelson said.

Wesley tackled the suspect onto the bed, trying to get the gun, but the suspect got loose and shot Wesley. The first time on the top of the head, then again into Wesley's left shoulder, then in his right shoulder and finally fired the final bullet between Wesley's shoulder blades.

"I was just waiting, wondering how long the pain would go on before I died," he said.

All of that would be bad enough, but Wesley said the shooter wasn't finished yet, which is the most chilling part of the story.

"He started to back out and kept dry firing that gun, over and over and over," Nelson said.

The sound of that trigger being pulled is what Wesley hears as he plays that day over in his mind.

"Click, click, click, click, click. I get mad. I try to concentrate, click, click, click," he said.

Police arrested Christian Raber, who lived right next door and the boy who ran, Ethan Dentlinger. Wesley knew Dentlinger and had helped take care of him as a child.

Wesley wants them tried as adults, especially Raber.

"The guy's a killer," he said. "He's just going to hurt and rob and steal and kill."

Wesley believes he survived because his gun was loaded with practice rounds and maybe a little divine intervention.

Records say both suspects confessed.

Raber is scheduled to be in court Monday. Wesley plans to be there. He hopes the 17-year-old will be certified as an adult to face the burglary and shooting charges.