Police: Tailgate thief shot witness who followed him

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Police in Balch Springs are searching for the man who broke into a car and then shot the man who tried to stop him.

The police department released surveillance pictures from the Thursday morning incident. It happened around 4:30 a.m. on Lake June Road near Peachtree Road.

A man called 911 to report that someone in a dark, four-door car was stealing the tailgate off a Ford F-150 pickup truck.

The witness ended up following the suspect, who fired several shots at him as he was driving away.

More shots were fired at another person who came outside because of the gunfire.

The witness was hit once and taken to the hospital. He is expected to be okay. The second person was not hurt.

Anyone with information about the tailgate thief is asked to call the Balch Springs Police Department.