Case Study: Man Defends Home From Fake Maintenance Workers Trying to Kick In His Door
As concealed carriers, one of the best training tools we have is to study a variety of self-defense cases and learn from them.
By evaluating these situations and looking at what went wrong, what went right, and how it might have been handled differently, we gain a better understanding of how these incidents unfold and become better prepared to defend ourselves.
On August 20, 2023, a man defended his home against two intruders posing as maintenance workers in a Dallas, Texas apartment building. Let’s break it down.
Incident Breakdown
Two burglars received a rude awakening when a man shot at them through his front door as they attempted to kick it open.
A video of the event can be viewed here, so you can see what happened for yourself. WARNING: Video may be disturbing to some viewers.
At around 6 p.m. that day, Ethan Rodriguez was at home with his brother when a man he didn’t recognize knocked on his door at the Oak Cliff apartments in Dallas, Texas. He spoke with the man, later identified as 30-year-old Aaron Contreras, through a doorbell camera using his phone. Contreras claimed to be a maintenance worker going around the building to check the air filters.
During their brief interaction, Rodriguez told Contreras that nobody was home and that he would have to come back another day. Contreras can then be seen in the video turning around to knock on the door of the apartment across the hall.
Case Note: While it’s tempting to tell someone you’re not home to avoid an interaction, it’s better to simply tell them that now is not a good time and to come back later rather than telling a stranger the residence is unoccupied. It may seem harmless, but criminals often pose as workers when casing a place to rob, and it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Several minutes later, Contreras is seen in the video returning to the apartment with a handgun and another man who was wearing a ski mask and gloves.
Contreras proceeds to kick the door, then steps aside to let the masked man try. The man gives the door three hard kicks before turning it back over to Contreras, who turns around to back kick the door eight times.
Around the time of the eighth kick, Rodriguez starts firing his pistol through the front door at the intruders, who flee down the hallway. In all, 13 rounds are fired and bullets can be seen hitting the wall of the apartment directly across from them.
Case Note: Luckily, nobody was in the apartment across the hall when the incident occurred. That being said, this is why it’s always important to be mindful of what’s beyond your target to avoid collateral damage.
Police later determined that two of the shots fired came from Contreras, as two of the casings were found outside and a couple of bullet holes went through the front of the door.
The Aftermath
Following the incident, two Dallas police officers arrived on scene to assess the situation.
Video footage shows the officers telling Rodriguez and his brother to come out of the apartment with their hands visible. Both men were compliant in answering the officers’ questions and explaining the situation.
After viewing the doorbell footage and evaluating the scene, police were able to identify Contreras, who was arrested that same day by Dallas County sheriff's deputies and charged with aggravated assault, deadly conduct, and attempted burglary of a habitation, according to Fox News.
At the time of this writing, he is being held in the Dallas County jail on a $150,000 bond. Luckily, nobody was injured during the shootout.
No charges are being brought against Rodriguez, who later told Fox News he feared for their lives.
"I check the camera to see who’s all at the door and I saw him kicking the door with a firearm and, fearing for my and my brother’s life, I just let the gun go. I didn’t know what to do," Rodriguez said. "This was a random attack, we couldn’t have expected any of this. He’s not linked to anyone in my family or anybody that we know."
Texas is a Castle Doctrine and “stand your ground” state, meaning a person does not have an obligation to try leaving before using deadly force in a defensive situation, according to the U.S. Concealed Carry Association.
Legally, deadly force is justified in the event someone tries to force their way into a person’s home, vehicle, or place of work; tries to forcibly remove someone from their home, vehicle, or place of work; or attempts to commit aggravated kidnapping, murder, sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, robbery, or aggravated robbery.
In short, if someone believes that either death or serious bodily harm is about to occur to themselves or someone else while in their home, as in this case, deadly force is justified in the state of Texas.
Reflection
After learning the details of the encounter, it’s time to reflect on what happened and how you might have handled the same situation.
Do you think the shooter handled the situation correctly? Why or why not? Do you think there was anything that could or should have been done differently? What would you have done in the same scenario? Be sure to share your thoughts on this concealed carry case with us on social media@VedderHolsters.
Knowledge is power, and analyzing incidents like these can only serve to better prepare you to respond appropriately in the event you are faced with a similar situation. For more resources on training, information on local gun control and concealed carry laws, and general CCW tips, check out the U.S. Concealed Carry Association.
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