'I saved my life': Houston woman defends herself from five would-be robbers, shooting at least one

A Houston, Texas, woman used her firearm to defend herself from five male suspects when they attempted to rob her early Tuesday. Now, she says she is in disbelief that she was able to walk away from the incident unharmed, telling a local news station, "I saved my life."

What are the details?

Lachelle Hudgins arrived home around 2:30 a.m. on Tuesday, and as she pulled into her apartment complex, she noticed a group of men lingering together roughly 20 yards away. According to Hudgins, the suspects approached her vehicle,and two of them reached inside her open passenger window — grasping for her purse — as she tried to roll it up.

"I couldn't do anything except scream," Hudgins told KTRK-TV. "At one point, they told me to stop screaming."

Five men tried to rob a young woman this morning. They didn’t expect her to grab her handgun and fire. Today, she is unharmed, and at least one suspect is shot. Exclusive #ABC13 interview at 4:30 & 6. https://t.co/OW8oZoQTkQ #Hounews pic.twitter.com/IS8htwfx7t

— Miya Shay (@ABC13Miya) September 3, 2019

But she was, actually, able to do more than just scream. Hudgins reached inside her purse and grabbed her handgun before the suspects could. She fired off the only two rounds in the firearm, striking one of the perpetrators. "It was all I had in the gun," she explained to KTRK. "I shot until I couldn't shoot anymore." 

The suspects fled, and police received a call a short time later of a man "who was found with a gunshot wound on the other side of the complex about 100 yards away," KHOU-TV reported. The wounded suspect was transported to a hospital and underwent surgery. He is expected to be charged with aggravated robbery, and the investigation is still ongoing.

KTRK reported that Hudgins "still can't believe she survived an attempted robbery unscathed." She told the outlet, "I saved my life."