Texas dad shoots would-be thieves trying to steal car with young kids inside

A child, aged one, had been in back of the car that the alleged thieves tried to get into

Police respond to the scene of the shooting and attempted robbery (Click2Houston)

Two teenagers have been taken to hospital in Harris County, Texas, after a father of two young children pulled his gun on them during an attempted robbery, officials said.

At about midnight on Monday, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez shared on Twitter that a man and his wife were driving home then they were approached by two would-be thieves.

The two alleged thieves tried to open the back door of the car outside the family’s home on Feather Creek Drive, when the father pulled the trigger.

Sheriff Gonzalez said an infant child had been seated in the back of the car when the attempted robbery took place.

“The adult male feared for the safety of his family and fired shots and struck both suspects,” Mr Gonzalez said. “The wife was driving and drove away after the shooting to get away from the suspects.”

A video taken by a nearby doorbell camera showed the car pulling-up and four shots being fired to the rear of the vehicle.

KHOU, who obtained the footage, said the man had fired through the car’s rear window to strike the would-be thieves. What sound like cries for help can be heard after the family vehicle speeds off.

The teenagers, who were both aged 16, were both injured and taken to hospital in private vehicles who arrived at the scene shortly after the shooting, officials said.

Their conditions were described as stable and fair by Mr Gonzalez.

An investigation is ongoing and no names have been released.