A young African-American woman in Houston, Texas fired two shots and wounded a man who attempted to steal her purse early Tuesday morning, according to police.
Lachelle Hudgins pulled up to her apartment complex at 2:30 a.m. when she realized five men had approached her car. She began to roll up her windows when one of the men reached into her passenger window, which was still partially opened, and attempted to grab her purse, an officer with the Houston Police Department Robbery Division told the Houston Chronicle.
“I couldn’t do anything except scream. At one point, they told me to stop screaming, and he reached his hand inside my car,” Hudgins told ABC13 Reporter Miya Shay.
Before he could get the purse away from her, Hudgins was able to pull her handgun from the bag and fire two rounds into the suspect before all the men fled, police said. The shots shattered Hudgins’ windshield.
“It was all I had in my gun. I shot until I couldn’t shoot anymore,” Hudgins said.
Five men tried to rob a young woman this morning. They didn’t expect her to grab her handgun and fire. Today, she is unharmed, and at least one suspect is shot. Exclusive #ABC13 interview at 4:30 & 6. https://t.co/OW8oZoQTkQ #Hounews pic.twitter.com/IS8htwfx7t
— Miya Shay (@ABC13Miya) September 3, 2019
“I got the gun for that purpose, but I never thought I would really have to use it,” she said.
A short time later, police received a call about a man that had been found shot on the other side of the apartment complex. He went under surgery for his injuries and will likely face aggravated robbery charges.