Student knocks on door asking for water after feeling thirsty. But the homeowner allegedly shoots him in the back instead: ‘Couldn’t move my legs’
A simple water request escalated into a court case.
A student was doing door-to-door sales in a Scottsdale neighborhood when a simple request for water on a hot day escalated into a shooting. The elderly homeowner allegedly responsible for the shooting was arrested, but the young man fears his life may have been irrevocably altered after the incident.
On Sept. 13, 21-year-old Washington resident Juan Hoffman was working as a door-to-door salesman, offering window-cleaning services in a gated neighborhood near Pima Road and Stage Coach Pass in North Scottsdale, Arizona, to earn extra money for school, according to 12News. Before finishing work, Hoffman became thirsty in the 101°F heat and, after running out of water, knocked on 80-year-old Patrick McBride’s home to ask for a refill. The interaction, however, went awry.
Hoffman claimed McBride was upset by his presence in the area and allegedly told him that he was “not allowed to be here.” Hearing the cold response, Hoffman said he apologized to the homeowner, told him, “God bless,” and wished him a good rest of his day before leaving the residence sans water.
Homeowner allegedly looked for the student while carrying a gun
Hoffman was reportedly preparing to leave the neighborhood for lunch when he realized his wallet had fallen out of his pocket. He remained in the neighborhood to retrace his steps on his Segway, a two-wheeled transportation device, to look for it.
At the same time, McBride allegedly retrieved a 9mm pistol from his safe at home before leaving his residence with his wife to search for Hoffman and supposedly made sure he left the area, per the arrest documents. McBride saw Hoffman on his Segway and confronted the student.
“Hey, I told you to leave [this and that]. You’re not allowed to be here,” McBride said, according to Hoffman’s account. Hoffman said he explained to McBride that he was leaving soon, but he had to look for his lost wallet. However, his response seemingly didn’t placate the homeowner’s ire.
“I’m like, ‘Yeah, no worries. Like, I just need my wallet,’” Hoffman told 12News. “He’s like, ‘I don’t care about your wallet.’” The interaction soon turned dangerous when McBride allegedly pulled up his shirt to show Hoffman his concealed gun, which had the student immediately turning around to make a quick exit. “Yeah, I need my wallet. But it’s not worth my life,” Hoffman said.
When Hoffman turned his back towards McBride, the homeowner allegedly brandished his gun and opened fire. “It was the worst pain I’ve ever felt in my life. I couldn’t move my legs. It was unbearable,” Hoffman recalled the moment. “I couldn’t feel it. I just felt fuzzy.”
It was allegedly an act of self-defense
McBride’s wife reportedly dialed 911 and told dispatchers that her husband shot Hoffman, although she claimed to be unaware of the reason why. Hoffman was soon transported to a nearby hospital and stabilized, while McBride was arrested by police and is facing charges of serious physical injury, aggravated assault, and disorderly conduct involving a weapon.
According to the arrest report, McBride saw Hoffman on his Segway with an arm raised. Fearing for his safety, the homeowner said he acted in self-defense when he drew his gun. When Hoffman was two feet away from him, McBride fired a shot. However, he claimed he had no intention of firing.
Hoffman, whose life was forever changed by the incident, disagreed with McBride’s claim. “He pretty much went to his house, grabbed a gun, and hunted me down. I don’t understand,” Hoffman said. “I don’t understand how that’s self-defense. If he went out as a way to come look for me.”
While the shot was not fatal, Hoffman said the incident left him worried about how it would negatively affect his life. “I pretty much had my whole, you know, life planned out. […] Now I don’t know if I can, you know, run. I don’t know if I can have kids,” the 21-year-old said. Hoffman, a student-athlete, now faces the challenge of learning to walk again while the bullet remains in his body.
Looking back at the incident, Hoffman said his biggest fear was “dying and not being able to kind of tell people, you know, that I love them.” While he understands that there’s a possibility he may have to spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair, Hoffman said he is determined to get better, and a GoFundMe was launched to help pay for his medical bills.
Meanwhile, McBride has pleaded not guilty and is set to appear in a trial sometime in early 2027.
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