Iraq War Veteran Holds Burglary Suspect at Gunpoint Until Police Arrive

An alleged burglar got more than he bargained for when police say he broke into an Evansville, Ind. home — an armed Iraq War veteran.

Joseph Vallar, who served with the Army's Special Forces, got a call from his neighbor at work telling him there was someone in his house. He quickly drove home, grabbed a handgun from his car and went inside to catch a man near his son's bedroom, the Evansville Courier & Press reported.

Vallar pointed his gun at the man and told him to get down, cross his legs and interlock his fingers while he called 911.

"I just caught somebody breaking into my house, I have my gun drawn on him right now, get down!" Vallar said to the dispatcher according to the 911 transcript. He added to the suspect, you ain't using the bathroom, you ain't using nothing, you're just going to lay there."

"Come into the front door," Vallar told the dispatcher. "I'm sitting here by the front door, with my gun drawn at the guy."

When police arrived, they arrested 19-year-old Joshua Wilson. Police say they found pills, cologne, a pocket knife and one of Vallar's army medals on Wilson. He has been charged with burglary.

Karen Kajmowicz of the Evansville Police Department said Vallar did not violate any laws and the situation turned out perfectly, but could easily have gone the other way.

"It was great that it turned out the way it did, but there were so many potential problems, it's scary to think how it could have turned out," Kajmowicz told WFIE-TV

Vallar acknowledged the risks, but told WFIE he would do it all over again if he had to.

"I feel good. I feel like justice has been served, it feels good to know I have my belongings back, and he's going to get what he deserves," he said.