What to Know
- A dog was shot and killed after two men tried to force their way into a Bronx home Sunday night.
- The family father pinned the attempted intruder's arm in the door, and his wife bit the stranger's hand and stabbed him in the leg with a power drill
- As the gunman retreated, he fired off several rounds which missed all the family members, but struck a dog they were watching for a neighbor
A neighbor’s dog was shot and killed after two strangers tried to force their way into a Bronx home, the rattled victim told NBC New York.
The man, who only wanted to be identified as Samuel, answered the door of his apartment in the Melrose neighborhood Sunday night around 8 p.m. after a seemingly innocent knock on the door from two men.
Immediately after the door opened up, the dastardly duo attacked without saying a word, Samuel said.
“He pulled out the gun on me, I slammed the door on his hand,” said Samuel, who used all his strength was able to pin the attempted intruder’s arm and leg in the door, though the stranger kept a firm hold on the handgun.
Fearing what could happen if the armed men got inside, where his wife, daughter, family dog and neighbor’s dog were, Samuel was able to hold the men off.
“Everything happened so fast. I was just thinking about saving myself and my family. Just struggling with that door and that’s it,” he said. “God gave me strength to keep that door closed. For my life and my daughter’s life because they wanted to come in here with one intention, to shoot at us.”
During the struggle, his wife Ilaria rushed over to help. She bit the stranger’s hand and stabbed him in the leg using a power drill.
After that, the stranger retreated — but not before firing off a few rounds at the door, which had multiple bullet holes left scattered on it. The bullets missed the family members including their dog. However, the Yorkshire Terrier named Thor that they were watching for a neighbor was struck by one of the bullets, as the family found him lying on the floor with a hole in his stomach.
The two men who tried to break into the home are still on the run, leaving Samuel and his family living in fear.
“We didn’t do nothing,” Samuel said. “I’m just trying to be here, be a father and raise my family, that’s it.”
Detectives are investigating the incident. Anyone with information regarding what happened is asked to contact police immediately.
