DeSoto woman shoots armed intruder who followed her home
DESOTO, Texas - DeSoto police say a woman shot an armed intruder who followed her home.
Neighbors reported hearing several shots Friday night just before 8 p.m.
When police arrived at the scene, they found a man with gunshot wounds inside the woman's garage. A pistol was lying next to him.
The woman told police a truck followed her home from a nearby Taco Bell.
Neighbors are still concerned, saying it could’ve happened to any of them. Many of them were quick to call 911 after hearing multiple gunshots.
"I just heard one gunshot go off first. Then it was followed by two more," recalled neighbor DJ James.
Surveillance video shows a family flicking on their back porch lights just before 8 p.m. Friday.
That’s when DeSoto police say a woman shot a man who was trying to break into her home near South Polk Street and Belt Line Road.
That man was later identified as 35-year-old Octavio Flores Mondragon.
"There was a lot of confusion going on," said neighbor Joe Kindred. "Shortly after that, the DeSoto Police Department showed up."
Surveillance video shows a caravan of DeSoto police cars responding within minutes. Police say dispatch could hear a woman screaming as Mondragon tried to force his way into her home through the garage door.
The video then shows officers holding guns running to the back alley, where they found Mondragon shot and a loaded pistol lying next to him.
"We just don’t have this kind of activity here, so it was jarring and scary," Kindred said.
The woman told police a truck followed her home from a nearby Taco Bell. She said the truck then pulled into her driveway, and an armed man attempted to get into her home.
Police say the woman called 911, grabbed a handgun and shot Mondragon. He was taken to a hospital and is now charged with burglary.
The woman and her family didn’t answer the door Monday. However, her neighbors are thankful she’s safe.
Mondragon remains in critical condition.
According to public records, Mondragon lives about a mile away from where the incident happened.
Police still investigating a motive and also investigating to see if he’s linked to any other crimes in the area.