Man upset about neighbor’s dogs ‘barking all day’ makes court appearance after shooting through front door
HUMBLE, Texas - A man is accused of shooting up his neighbor’s home because their dogs had allegedly been barking all day. Investigators believe the man intended to target a different home.
BACKGROUND: Intoxicated man upset about dogs 'barking all day' shoots through neighbor's front door and windows
56-year-old Russell Day has been arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and deadly conduct.
Both are second-degree felonies. In court Wednesday, his bond was set at $50,000 for the aggravated assault charge and $15,000 for deadly conduct.
Russell Day (Photo courtesy of Harris County Constables Pct. 4)
As part of his bond conditions, Day is not allowed to return to the crime scene on Cedar Grove Court in Humble. He's also not allowed to have any contact with the victims' families or possess any weapons.
The shooting happened shortly after 1 a.m. Tuesday.
Mike Gerica said he, his wife, and five young children, all under the age of 14, were home at the time sleeping when the shooter unloaded nearly 50 rounds into his home.
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In the surveillance video, Day’s son is heard yelling at his dad to stop, claiming his dad was shooting at the wrong house.
"I thought it had to be a home invasion," Gerica said.
"When I approached the door, that's when I heard him screaming, 'open the f’in door. Nobody's going to get hurt. Don’t make me f’in do this,'" Gerica said.
Harris County Pct. 4 Constables said Day fired 46 rounds into the family's home.
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The gunfire destroyed his front door, entryway, and bathroom. Some bullets went through the backdoor of his home. Fortunately, no one was injured.
(Photo: FOX 26 Houston)
Gerica said the man's screams and gunshots woke up his oldest daughter, who swiftly took action to protect her younger siblings.
"She basically barricaded themselves in a room, while my son called 911 as well," Gerica said, as he began to get emotional. "He's only 12 years old, and he thought his parents were dead."
(Photo: FOX 26 Houston)
Gerica said his kids are now traumatized and unable to go to school.
Pct. 4 Constables said Day was intoxicated and had multiple guns including AR rifle when he was taken into custody. Constable Mark Herman said deputies have encountered Day before Tuesday's shooting.
Day apparently lived directly behind Gerica and told investigators he was upset the family's dogs had allegedly been barking all day.
(Photo: FOX 26 Houston)
But Gerica said his two Labradoodles are mostly inside dogs who only typically go outside to use the restroom.
"We’re always trying to be really considerate of others, and we’ll bring the dogs in if they do bark," he explained. "Our dogs are never outside after 9 o'clock at night; usually, that’s about the last time they’ll use the restroom until the morning."
Gerica said the man was outside in his yard when his kids were jumping on the trampoline the day before the shooting.
"He knew he was going into a house with children," he said. "And for somebody to be in that mind frame to not care about the life of others, especially when it comes to kids, is beyond me."
Gerica noted he and his family have decided to live elsewhere for the time being for fear of their own safety.