Fort Worth police said an officer and a homeowner suffered non-life threatening injuries when both were struck by pellets from a shotgun after a home invasion attempt on the 2500 block of Azle Ave.
Sgt. Chad Mahaffey said the officer and the homeowner were hit Wednesday night after the resident called police to say someone he knew had kicked in his front door. While the officer walked the 2700 block of Grayson with the homeowner and gathered information about the incident, someone opened fire from the alleyway between N.W. 27th St., and N.W. 28th St.
Officer N. Owens was hit with the majority of the shotgun blast in the shoulder, side and face. Owens was rushed to JPS Hospital and underwent surgery, but is expected to be OK. The homeowner was also struck, but was not hospitalized.
Police believe the gunman and the home invader are the same person, and that that person ambushed the officer.
Fort Worth police said Manuel Vela, 35, is wanted for criminal mischief related to the residential door break-in moments before shots rang out.
NBCDFW's Kim Fischer and Elvira Sakmari contributed to this report.
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