Two burglary suspects wounded by man trying to help Fort Worth police; another civilian riding with officers also reacts, violating rules, police say

Two suspects trying to escape after a home burglary were shot Thursday in a bizarre incident involving a neighbor with a .45-caliber handgun and a young civilian riding along with police.

Two Fort Worth patrol units responding to a burglary report on Tulare Lane arrived at the scene in time to see two men trying to get away.

The civilian, a young man who was riding along to observe officers at work, jumped from one of the patrol cars and headed toward one of the suspects who was getting into the car.

A neighbor later told police that he thought the civilian was a plain-clothes policeman, and he feared the getaway car would hit the civilian and a patrol car, so he opened fire, which sent the suspects to the hospital, police said. The aftermath is shown in this photo.

The "Ride-in" civilian, however, violated written instructions not to get involved, police said.

Bill Miller has more in this report.