A Texas gun owner defended himself and another woman from a teenager who allegedly tried to rob them at gunpoint in Austin, Texas last week, police said. 17-year-old Jalen Reed has been charged with robbery with a deadly weapon. Reed had already been convicted of a series of robberies in 2021. Police say he was released from custody of minors on May 27 with an ankle monitor, which he cut off two days later. Reed then committed a series of nine robberies in five days, police say. Reed reportedly approached the man and woman shortly after exiting a vehicle, which police say contained three other suspects. “Surveillance video recorded Reed getting out of the vehicle and approaching a black victim and a black female victim,” police wrote. “Reed pulled out a gun and robbed the victim of his backpack. At the same time, the other suspects in the car stepped forward and waited for Reed. Reed moved towards the escape car as he aimed his pistol at the victim. “He fired his shotgun several times at Reed and those at Chevy Malibu in self-defense.” NYPD REPORTS 51% INCREASE IN CAR THEFT, AS “THREAS” CRIMINALS ARE PREDICTED WITH STOLEN VEHICLES ON SOCIAL MEDIA The male victim hit Reed in the leg. Police located Reed and the other three suspects shortly afterwards and applied a tourniquet to Reed before transporting him to the hospital. Authorities found several stolen items at the scene, including pistols. Police released photos of Reed and his two accomplices, Andre Harris and Paul Rosum, both 18 years old. However, the fourth suspect was a minor. Jaylyn Reed, 17. (Courtesy, Austin Police Department)
Paul Rossum, 18. (Courtesy, Austin Police Department).
Andre Harris, 18. (Courtesy, Austin Police Department)
Police said the four suspects committed each of the robberies in a similar manner. CLICK HERE TO RECEIVE THE FOX NEWS APPLICATION “All nine robberies that took place recently took place in a similar way during the day,” the APD wrote. “One suspect got out of the vehicle and then entered a busy business area. The other suspects in the car would also spot possible ‘targets.’ In several cases, the victims suffered head injuries after “whipping with a pistol” by the group of men.