Teenaged shooting suspects linked to numerous burglaries

TULSA - Police say the two 17-year-olds arrested in connection with Tuesday's shooting of a Midtown Tulsa man are now linked to at least ten other burglaries in the victim's neighborhood.

"I am very grateful that he's doing well," says Lesley Nelson. She knows how close she came to losing her father, Wesley Nelson. Tuesday he caught two burglars inside his home. One of the suspects ran away. The other ran back in Nelson's bedroom and grabbed the victim's gun.

During the struggle Nelson was shot three times in neck and shoulders.

Lesley Nelson says as her father lay bleeding, the shooter didn't realize he was out of bullets and came back to try and fire the weapon again. "The guy got on top of him and just shot him. Then he leaves. Comes back a minute later and starts dry clicking even more."

Cpl. Gene Watkins with TPD's Burglary Unit believes the teen suspects burglarized other area homes just before breaking into Nelson's house. He believes they may be responsible for at least ten other burglaries in the area.

Watkins says a tip from a watchful neighbor led police to the suspects. "That car has been seen at other burglaries in that area. But we didn't have a tag number until that witness came forward and gave us the tag. That's really the break we needed to crack this case."

Carol Bush with the Crime Commission says after years of lying dormant, the victim's neighborhood just recently re-activated their Alert Neighbors Program. "I suspect that is one reason why those neighbors are attentive to what was occurring and knew what to do."

While the suspected shooter lives next door to Nelson, the other suspect was also arrested in October, after his student ID was found inside a Brookside business following a burglary. The business is located just blocks from the shooting scene.

Nelson's family says he is doing well and could be released from the hospital as early as Wednesday night.

Anyone interested in starting an Alert Neighbors Program can call the Crime Commission at 585-5209.