Man allegedly shot neighbor burying his pet guinea pig
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Inset left: John Martin Dixon (Texas Department of Public Safety). Inset right: Emmanuel Menchaca (GoFundMe). Background: The residence where Menchaca was struck by bullets three times in Houston, Texas (Google Maps).

A Texas man is behind bars for shooting his neighbor”s son while the teenager was burying his pet guinea pig, Lone Star State police say.

John Martin Dixon, 46, stands accused of two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, Harris County Sheriff’s Office records show.

The violent incident took place shortly after midnight on July 17. On that night, officers from the Houston Police Department responded to an active shooting situation at a home located on Belgard Street.

There, Emmanuel Menchaca, 18, was shot three times, at least once in the back, according to a criminal complaint obtained by Law&Crime.

A second member of the family – Menchaca’s younger brother – described also being shot at, but he was not hit by gunfire, police said.

“According to the complainants’ accounts at the time, prior to the shooting, both individuals were in the backyard of their house, burying their pet Guinea Pig, which had recently died,” the charging documents state. “Once they finished, the complainants began heading towards the front of their property in the driveway, where their neighbor opened fire on them.”

Menchaca described feeling “a push from the back” and realized he had actually been “shot in the back,” according to the complaint.

As the gravity of the situation dawned, the younger brother sought cover behind a nearby vehicle, observing his sibling being repeatedly shot. Meanwhile, he mentioned seeing Dixon standing outside.

Menchaca would later tell investigators he was “shocked” about the shooting and “didn’t understand why” Dixon allegedly “did that.”

In a GoFundMe initiative to assist with medical and relocation costs, the victim’s mother speaks affectionately of her injured son – who has since embarked on college studies in San Antonio.

“He is a diligent young man who, during his leisure time, enjoys playing soccer with his friends, working out at the gym, and eating at Raising Cane’s,” the fundraiser describes. “Our son is a caring, altruistic, and cheerful person with a deep love for animals.”

Both the victim and his younger brother were able to run back inside and tell their parents about what had happened.

The charging document is light on specifics – but the defendant is linked to the firearm that was allegedly used in the shooting.

“[T]he owner of the firearm, [defendant’s father] John Morgan Dixon, stated that no one else uses his firearm but him,” the complaint goes on. “John Morgan Dixon stated he and his son, the Defendant, used the firearm earlier that day to shoot a snake by the back door of their home. Defendant also told officers on scene that he also used his dad’s firearm to shoot a possum earlier the same day.”

The firearm in question was recovered from the elder Dixon’s room, where it was stored underneath a flashlight, police said.

During a later interview, Menchaca’s brother described making “eye contact” with the alleged shooter, according to the complaint.

Weeks passed before charges were filed in the case. After the defendant was charged, in early August, he was placed on the Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitive List. Dixon was arrested on Monday.

For now, the state of the case is less than ideal for Menchaca’s mother.

“I’m not satisfied with the charges. I would’ve preferred a higher charge,” Andrea Menchaca told Houston-based ABC affiliate KTRK. “Let’s not forget my son was in the hospital for 17 days in the ICU.”

The defendant is currently being detained in the Harris County Jail on $200,000 bond.

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