16-Year-Old Texas Boy Shot in Chest Defending Stepmother

16-year-old William Hammond is recovering in the hospital after heroically defending his stepmother, Charlotte Tucker, during a violent carjacking in Deer Park, Texas on the evening of July 23rd.

Authorities chased the carjacker 21 miles to southwest Houston before he was finally arrested in the stolen vehicle.

According to Newsweek, carjacking suspect 28-year-old Matthew Hubbard confronted the pair while leaving a restaurant on Spencer Highway with a firearm. Hammond stepped before his mother without hesitation to shield her from the weapon. Hubbard shot Hammond in the chest and then fled with Tucker's vehicle, spurring on a high-speed police chase, reaching speeds of up to 115 mph. The stolen vehicle eventually crashed into the driveway of a home. Multiple cars were damaged as a result. No residents reported injuries.

The brave teen described the gunshot wound as "close to my heart" in an interview with local news station KTRK-TV. The bullet entered his chest right between the 5th and 6th ribs and very narrowly missed his heart. Amazingly, he stayed conscious throughout the entire ordeal, despite the pain.

Hubbard faces multiple charges including aggravated assault, aggravated robbery, and evading arrest. A judge set his bond at $1 million during a recent court hearing, based on the harm caused to a young person and the severity of the event.

This teen is a hero! Most of us like to think we would take a bullet for our friends and family, but would we? When faced with a situation like this, how would you react? Let me know in a comment below this article, then keep scrolling for more Texas-based news in the galleries below...