A Texas salesman narrowly evaded death after a homeowner attacked him. According to reports, the homeowner yelled racial slurs at the door-to-door salesman and shot at him after he mistakenly stopped at his home. However, his electronic tablet device blocked the bullet, saving him.
The terrifying ordeal at the Fort Worth residence left the victim, who works for Reliant Energy, shaken up. After the incident, the victim recounted his experience to authorities and emergency responders. “He just came out and just straight pointed the barrel at me,” he said.
“And then shot me and told me to ‘get away from here, n—–.'” The victim, whose name remains undisclosed, told NBC Dallas-Fort Worth, “I’m lucky it didn’t hit me, it hit the tablet.” Fort Worth Police responded to a call near the 3100 block of Purington Avenue on Thursday, February 8, 2024.
On getting there, the authorities found an adult male. According to the police, the man was going door-to-door as a salesman for the local energy company. At one home, an adult male suspect “started yelling racial slurs and then fired a weapon toward him,” police said.
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While recounting the scene, the Texas salesman showed reporters his wrecked tablet. The device reportedly appeared shattered, and it had a bullet hole. Also, the tablet device had a visible bullet-sized dent in the back. However, when officers investigated, they found no one inside the residence where the resident opened fire.
Authorities have yet to name the victim or the suspect. But police said on Monday, February 12, 2024, that the case is still under investigation. Also, officers say they “will be writing a warrant” on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
While speaking to news outlets, the Texas salesman said he’s been working for Reliant doing sales for ten years. He stated, “This is the one thing I always fear, getting shot at the door, and today it happened.” He added, “I got two daughters. I could’ve been in the hospital dead now.”
After the incident became public, the Texas salesman’s company released a statement. In the statement, Reliant said, “We’re continuing to gather information.” Also, the company noted that they are thankful the sales agent is alive. According to a company spokesperson, a contracting agency for Reliant employed the victim.
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“The safety and security of sales agents is our top priority,” Reliant said. “Fortunately, incidents like this are rare. We are fully cooperating with local law enforcement as they investigate this incident.” Although the incident is still under investigation, authorities have issued a warrant for the suspect.
If found guilty, local police say the suspect could face charges of aggravated assault. In addition, authorities could charge him with a hate crime. Consequently, he could face years in prison if convicted of the charges. The Texas salesman, who asked not to be identified, fully cooperates with authorities on the investigation.
This incident is another reason why some residents are advocating for stricter gun laws in the US. They believe such laws, if implemented, will significantly reduce crimes such as this. Although the Texas salesman was lucky enough to survive the assault, others might not be so fortunate. Hence, the calls for stricter gun laws.
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