‘Not Your House, Bro’: Man Shoots Guy Trying To Enter His Apartment After Halloween Party

Authorities in Houston say no charges have been filed against a man who shot a person trying to break into his apartment Thursday.

Police say that the apartment resident was sleeping on the couch while his daughter and girlfriend were in the bedroom, when he heard the doorknob rattle, Fox 26 Houston reported. The intruder, who police say may have been intoxicated and may have been trying to enter the wrong unit, began kicking the door frame and demanding to be let in, the resident told the station.

“He’s like, ‘This is my house.’ I’m like, ‘This is not your house, bro,’ and then he’s trying to bum-rush in,” the resident, who requested to not be identified, told Fox 26.

Police investigating the incident say the intruder lived at the apartment complex, but may have been under the influence of alcohol and may have been trying to enter the wrong unit after leaving a Halloween party. Fox 26 reporter Sakura Gray reported the intruder was wearing a costume similar to the orange suit worn by Jim Carrey’s character in the movie “Dumb and Dumber.”

The resident described what ultimately prompted him to start shooting at the man, who neither he nor his girlfriend recognized.

“After he hit me, he tried to take me down or whatever – and that’s when I ended up shooting him,” the resident said.

Police say one round hit the man in the upper torso. The suspect was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

“At night, when someone’s coming into your house, you do not have a duty to wait and decide if it’s a mistake or if this is just some drunk guy,” FOX 26 Legal Analyst Chris Tritico said. “You can take action to defend your property and yourself, and that includes deadly force. In this circumstance, when it may have just been a mistake, the homeowner doesn’t have to wait to decide. You can use deadly force.”

Police say that the resident remained on the scene and cooperated with investigators. Texas expanded its Castle Doctrine to include “stand your ground” language that eliminated the legal requirement to retreat in locations a person has a legal right to be, in 2007, according to the Texas Tribune.