Woman opens fire at a thief, but leaves the scene with her gun when police arrive to arrest him

• Andre Dawson, 27, suspected of trying to steal purse in Bellmead, Texas 
• He was restrained by group of men, but woman fired at him when he fled 
• Shot did not hit Dawson, but he stumbled and was quickly recaptured
• Video shows unidentified shooter walking away from scene as police came
• Texas law allows gun owners to use deadly force to prevent those fleeing with stolen property, but Dawson was not holding the purse as he ran

A woman who saw a purse-snatching outside a Texas Walmart parked her truck and fired a handgun at an alleged thief as he was running away.

Cellphone video of the incident on the outskirts of Waco showed the unidentified woman shooting a single shot at Andre Dawson, 27, before he fell to the ground and was captured.

Authorities say that Dawson, who was later arrested, was not hit but stumbled when he heard the shot, though they still want to talk to the woman who opened fire at him as he tried to flee.

A woman in Texas (right circle) was seen on bystander video shooting at a suspected purse snatcher (left circle) outside of a Walmart in Bellmead. Above, he falls to the ground after the shot, which did not hit him

Police say they are just looking to identify her and hear her account of the incident.

Dawson allegedly tried to snatch a purse from the shopping basket before a group of men chased him down and tackled him.

In bystander video he is seen pinned to the ground as the unidentified armed woman points a handgun at him.

The woman had seen ‘commotion’ around the purse snatching and parked her truck before getting out with her firearm, witnesses told KWTX.

At one point he gets up and begins to run away, though falls after the shot is fired and briefly avoids a group of men who chased him down and held him until police arrived.

The unidentified woman who fired the shot left the scene before officers could talk to her.

‘OMG!!!! What is happening to Waco?’ Marisa Pina said with a Facebook post of her video.

The unidentified woman (left circle) was seen pointing her gun at Andre Dawson, 27, as a group of men held him on the ground

Dawson then attempted to escape his captors, and the unidentified woman shot at him as he ran away toward a Wendy’s

As of Saturday morning Dawson was in custody at McLennan County Jail on suspicion of theft, but had not yet been charged or arraigned.

The Bellmead Police Department was not immediately able to respond to a request for comment on Saturday morning.

The Texas city was the focus of national media attention earlier this year when a shootout between motorcycle clubs and local police killed nine bikers and injured 18.

In addition to ‘castle’ laws that allow gun owners to use their weapons when intruders enter their home, Texas state law also they can use deadly force against those ‘fleeing immediately after committing burglary, robbery, aggravated robbery, or theft during the nighttime from escaping with the property’.

The group of men that originally restrained Dawson was able to catch back up to him after he stumbled. He is currently being held on suspicion of theft

Police say that they want to identify and talk to the unknown woman, who was seen leaving the scene with her weapon as the authorities pulled up

In 2010 a Houston taco truck worker was acquitted after shooting a man who stole a tip jar with $20.12.

In 2013 San Antonio’s Ezekiel Gilbert was acquitted of murder for shooting a 23-year-old Craigslist prostitute who did not have sex with him but took $150 he paid her. The woman, Lenora Frago, was paralyzed after being hit in the neck and died months later.

It did not appear that Dawson had any stolen property on him at the time of the shot.

Last month a Detroit-area woman pleaded no contest to reckless discharge of a firearm after shooting and hitting the tire of a shoplifter’s SUV driving away from a Home Deport parking lot.

Tatiana Duva-Rodriguez, 46, faces up to 90 days in jail but hopes to receive only fines.