HOUSTON—A bounty hunter was shot by a Houston homeowner early Wednesday morning, investigators said.

It happened on Lynda near Highway 249.

Jesus Hinojosa said a group of armed men started banging on his door around 3:30 a.m.

When he opened the door, Hinojosa said one of the men stuck a gun inside.  That’s when Hinojosa says he fired two shots, hitting one of the bounty hunters in the stomach.

“I thought they were just trying to get in and rob us,” Hinojosa said.

After the shots were fired, the men ran off, and Hinojosa said he called police. 

The wounded man was Life Flighted to the hospital in stable condition.

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Jesus Hinojosa

Investigators said they are getting conflicting stories about what exactly happened, but Hinojosa insisted the men never identified themselves.

What’s more, the bounty hunters were reportedly looking for a man who wasn’t there. 

“They were looking for a guy that—He doesn’t live here. He was my mom’s boyfriend, but he doesn’t live here. His address is not this address. I don’t even know why they came looking for him here in such an aggressive manner.  That was just totally unnecessary. They could have knocked on the door without drawing their guns and I would have opened it and talked to them,” Hinojosa said.

The incident is under investigation, but Hinojosa maintains he was just trying to protect his family.

“I feel bad for the guy, but I just thought they were trying to hurt my family.  I mean, what would you do? You open your door at 3:30 in the morning and you see guns pointed in your face? I mean, I think I did the right thing,” Hinojosa said.

Rules of engagement

So what are the rules of engagement for the people bail bond companies hire as bounty hunters?

11 News legal analyst Gerald Treece said that bounty hunters are sort of a step below law enforcement officers.

“They have a right to arrest you if there’s a warrant out for you,” he said.

If they document a clear and present danger, and they have a private investigator’s license, Treece says, they can show up at a residence with guns drawn.

The Texas Department of Public Safety said that bounty hunters can not enter a residence without the occupant’s permission.

In Hinojosa’s case, Treece says he acted reasonably.

“They better realize that people in their homes have the Castle Doctrine on their side,” said Treece.

That law states that if someone is on your property, at night, without your permission, you can use deadly force.