HOUSTON, Texas - Jack Hands was always willing to help other people down on their luck — unemployed people capable of working or people addicted to drugs, neighbors said. Hands, 90, loaned them money or gave them odd jobs and would continue helping them even when they stole from him.

But late Tuesday, Hands was forced to defend himself when one of those he had helped pulled a gun and threatened to kill him for denying his request for more money, said residents in his northeast Houston neighborhood. After the younger man lunged at Hands, the elderly man grabbed a shotgun and killed him, shooting him in the neck.

Police released Hands without charges after questioning him. A grand jury will review the case.

Hands, who lives alone with his dog, was too shook up to discuss the incident Wednesday. "I'm sorry, sweetie," he said, politely declining an interview. "I'm going through a crisis right now."

The dead man's name hasn't been released. Neighbors described him as a troubled man who had been living off and on with another family in the neighborhood.

Neighbors said Hands is lucky to be alive.

"He's blessed," said Ernest Tucker, who lives across the street. "Mr. Hands is an unusually good person. He's one of the best guys around this neighborhood."


'Put the gun down, son'

Houston Police Department homicide investigators who responded to the shooting could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

The shooting happened about 11:40 p.m. in the living room of Hands' modest home in the 6200 block of Antha, near the Eastex Freeway and Tidwell.

Hands had loaned the younger man $250 several months ago, but the man never repaid him, Tucker said. Late Tuesday, the younger man went to Hands' home and demanded more cash. When Hands refused, the younger man grabbed Hands' gun off a shelf inside the home and pointed it at him.

"The guy told (Hands) he was going to kill him," said another neighbor, Louise Henry. "Mr. Hands said, 'Put the gun down, son.' He kept talking to him and talking to him."

The younger man then threatened to kill himself before Hands was able to take the gun from him and asked him to leave, said a Houston Police Department spokeswoman. But the visitor refused and continued pacing around inside the house, upset with Hands, making the elderly man anxious, so Hands grabbed a shotgun nearby, the HPD spokeswoman said.


Support from neighbors

The younger man then lunged at Hands, and Hands shot him one time, the spokeswoman said.

The shot struck the man in the neck, police said.

"The same people would always come by bugging him for money," Henry said. "I guess he feels bad for them. They would steal his tools from him."

Hands is quiet, keeps to himself and doesn't bother anyone, neighbors said. "These guys down here don't work, he feeds them," Tucker said. "A whole bunch of them around here don't work - he'd let them do work for him and they would steal from him, but he'd still help them."

The neighbors are supporting Hands in his time of need.

"He did what he had to do," said Tucker, who has lived in the neighborhood for 38 years. Of the man killed, Tucker said, "That boy, he was dangerous. I stayed away from him. He was a problem."

cool

Good shoot.

Glad he's ok.

Great shoot.

Awesome, handling a shotgun and taking out a piece of shit at 90?  Fucking awesome!

You spend too much time around low lifes and its only a matter of time before something like this happens.

Glad the old guy is ok.

Sounds like you just got personal with me.  

90 year old + shotgun + dead bad guy= full of win!!!  While the old guy may have been a bit naive about dopeheads, he did what he had to do. Good Shoot!!

so who wants to guess birdshot or buckshot?



 

It pisses me off to no end when I read stories like this of good people trying to help shits like this out, and the swine steal from them and threaten them. Its complete crap what our society is going to.

Damn good shoot.

I'm guessing it was Mr. Hands who called the amber lamps..........



_MaH

BOOM NECK SHOT!

Poor guy.

Never google   "Mr Hands"..............trust me.

Very distubing stuff.

dont fuck with old people in the hood there is a reason they are old

It sounds like his neighbors are looking out for him anyway.  

Reminds me of a story down here a few years ago.  A good samaritan down here on vacation with his wife picked up a guy who *had a flat tire* and was bringing him somewhere to help him and the guy stabbed him, robbed him and left him to die.  Where they were RV'ing is a little tourist island but you have to drive around the edges of the worst area of the city to get there.   Poor guy probably didn't know that.  

good for him

Anybody out that way that can look in on him?



He may be getting some unwanted attention.

Good for him! 1 less dead beat

its too bad really that the kid ie SHITBIRD put the old guy in a position where he had to kill said SHITBIRD. ol well guess the kid got what he was asking for ! good shoot Mr Hands

Mr. Hands really helped him out this time.  He punched his ticket out from the world of the living.

He needs a six pack of Pabst Blue Ribbon

I was going to post something like you until I read yours.  So I'll just +1

Note to self:

Give 'em an inch and they'll take a mile.

Crusty old guy is probably rethinking his future helpful neighborhood strategy, some can't be helped.

Another one bites the dust
Another one bites the dust
And another one gone and another one gone
Another one bites the dust, eh

good...