COMANCHE Okla_ Residents of Comanche are on edge after a home invasion in Stephens County. A homeowner was shot twice by a masked robber.
It happened around 1:30 AM Tuesday at a home on Highway 53 just west of Comanche. The man survived the shooting, but the robbers are still on the loose. With a population of around 1,500, Comanche is known for being a quaint town. However, residents said recent burglaries and home invasions have them a little worried.
They said incidents like this aren't supposed to happen in their town. Early Tuesday morning, Highway 53 was a busy place. The Stephens County Sheriff responded to a call from a house. Sheriff Wayne McKinney said 2 people broke in, while the homeowner and his wife were asleep inside. They alarmed the homeowner's dog.
"The homeowner got up to investigate and confronted the suspects in his home," McKinney said. "They shot him."
It was at that point that the woman living in this house said she was tied up and held at gunpoint herself, while the suspects ransacked her home. They still weren't finished.
"As they were leaving, they shot the husband again as he was lying on the floor," McKinney said.
This type of incident isn't common in or near Comanche, but this is the second invasion in the past month and a half. Comanche police are still looking for a suspect who raided a home, assaulting two on the south side of town on December 14th. Sheriff McKinney said Comanche is still a safe place to live, even after these recent burglaries.
"I don't think it's the start of a rash of violent home invasions."
At the same time, he reminds citizens to always be on guard.
"We can't be complacent in what we are doing," McKinney said. "We need to make sure we protect our families and our homes are secure. If you are going to go check out a suspicious noise in the house, make sure you are armed. Call 911 and get the local police or sheriff's office en route."
As for the victims, the woman was not hurt in the incident. Her husband was taken to OU Medical center in Oklahoma City for surgery. At last check early this afternoon, he was listed in critical condition.
The sheriff's department does not have a good description of the suspects in last night's invasion because their faces were covered.
If you have any information at all, please contact the Stephens County Sheriff's Office. If you know anything about the other home invasion from December 14th, call the Comanche Police Department.
