DALLAS — In a now viral video obtained by WFAA, a tenant in a Dallas apartment is seen shooting through his apartment door as two men accused of pretending to be maintenance workers attempt to break in.
According to the Dallas Police Department, just after 6 p.m. on Aug. 19, officers responded to call for service at the Interlace Apartments where two male suspects had knocked on a victim's door claiming to be maintenance.
On Tuesday, Aug. 22, police said one of the men, Aaron Contreras, 30, was arrested in the case on charges of aggravated assault, deadly conduct and attempted burglary of a habitation. Police did not say whether a second suspect had been identified.
Ethan Rodriguez identified himself as the victim to WFAA.
Rodriguez told the supposed maintenance worker he wasn't home through his doorbell camera, and the "worker" left.
When he returned, another man was with him, and they attempted to kick down Rodriguez's door.
Rodriguez told WFAA he had no choice but to shoot at them once he saw the gun in one of the suspect's hands.
"I was hoping I got 'em," he told WFAA. "That was mainly it, just hoping I got 'em."
"[Police] told me I let off 13 shots," he continued. "I couldn’t believe it, but then again I did empty the clip!"
Rodriguez said he was home with his brother at the time. Dallas PD confirms one of the suspects returned fire at Rodriguez, but neither he nor his brother were hit.
In the video, you can see bullets fly into Rodriguez's neighbor's apartment. He told WFAA they were not home at the time of the shooting. Neither were Rodriguez's wife or their 7-month-old baby boy.
"Everything happened I guess you could say in God’s favor. I protected my family, and he was just being a dummy trying to come to my house and get whatever."
Rodriguez told WFAA his family will now break their lease and look for new housing elsewhere.