Burglary suspect out on bond ‘botches’ burglary by shooting his leg, Florida cops say
A burglary suspect out on bond is back in jail after he accidentally shot himself with a stolen gun — while breaking into a car in Florida, according to the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office.
It happened Wednesday, Jan. 4, during a series of car burglaries north of Crestview, the sheriff’s office said in a news release. Crestview is about 50 miles northeast of Pensacola.
“A woman living on Highway 85 ... called the OCSO to report a man was outside of her home saying he had been shot,” the sheriff’s office said.
“Deputies found (the suspect) with a gunshot wound to his leg. He was taken to a hospital for treatment.”
An investigation revealed the 28-year-old man had been recorded “on several residential video cameras ... committing a series of car and residential burglaries,” the sheriff’s office said.
Detectives also learned the man was out on bond in connection with two past burglary cases and on “felony probation for a previous theft of a firearm,” officials said.
A list of items taken during the Crestview burglaries was not provided, but one woman reported the man was seen wearing her stolen boots, officials said.
“A homeowner on Zach Avenue says she discovered someone had broken into her car and taken her purse,” officials said. “Later while watching a neighbor’s surveillance video, she saw (the suspect) on camera wearing her white Sperry boots, which had been in her home’s garage.”
The suspect was arrested Jan. 5 after being released from a hospital and charged with “grand theft, burglary to a structure, car burglary, and felony violation of probation,” officials said.
“Overall, he has 13 felony guilty convictions since 2012 in Florida, including six for burglary, four for grand theft, and one for grand theft of a firearm,” the sheriff’s office said.
This story was originally published January 6, 2023 at 3:58 PM with the headline "Burglary suspect out on bond ‘botches’ burglary by shooting his leg, Florida cops say."