Arizona Man, 80, Shoots Door-to-Door Salesman in the Back After Water Request

An 80-year-old Scottsdale man shot a door-to-door salesman in the back after the man asked for water, leaving him with no feeling in his legs.

Scottsdale Resident Armed Himself and Tracked Down Segway Salesman Before Shooting

An 80-year-old man in a gated north Scottsdale community allegedly shot a door-to-door salesman in the back after the man rode up on an electric Segway and asked for a glass of water. The victim, who has not been publicly identified, was left with a spinal injury and no feeling in his legs, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by Law & Crime.

Patrick McBride now faces charges of aggravated assault causing serious physical injury and disorderly conduct with a weapon following the Sunday shooting.

The Initial Encounter

The salesman had been riding through McBride's neighborhood on his Segway scooter, offering window-washing services, when he stopped at McBride's gated home. According to the affidavit, McBride told investigators the man rang the gate bell and asked for water, saying he had been working a job in the area.

"The defendant started confronting him on his story, becoming suspicious of what he was doing and why he was in the neighborhood," the document states, drawing on McBride's own account to police.

McBride warned the man he was not permitted inside the private community. As the salesman departed on his Segway, McBride told investigators the man pointed his cellphone toward the house — leading McBride to believe he was being photographed or recorded.

"This did not sit well with the defendant," the affidavit says.

A Plan to Sweep the Neighborhood

The salesman told police he had stayed nearby because he believed he had lost his wallet. Roughly ten minutes after the initial encounter, McBride and his wife devised what the affidavit describes as "a plan to make sure this male had left the neighborhood."

McBride retrieved his handgun from a safe — noting to investigators that he typically does not go out without it — and holstered it on his left hip. His wife drove their car north to check that part of the neighborhood while McBride set out on foot heading south, with instructions for his wife to call him if she spotted the Segway.

The Shooting

McBride allegedly found the salesman and yelled at him to leave. He told police the victim then began riding toward him on the Segway, gaining speed and raising his right hand holding a cellphone.

"The defendant felt fearful the victim was going to do something, so he drew his handgun while stepping to the left," the affidavit states.

McBride told investigators that the two men collided and his pistol "suddenly went off," and that he initially did not realize the victim had been shot.

The salesman gave police an account that directly contradicted McBride's version. He said he saw McBride draw his weapon while the salesman was already turning away — and that McBride then fired, striking him in the back.

The victim was transported to a hospital, where he remained in stable condition. The affidavit quotes investigators stating the victim "cannot feel his legs."

Aftermath at the Scene

McBride remained at the scene following the shooting. His wife used towels to apply pressure to the victim's wound until paramedics arrived. When officers spoke to McBride, he told them, "He shouldn't be in this neighborhood" and "He made a move at me, I told him to leave," according to the affidavit.

Investigators later recovered McBride's handgun, which had a cracked and partially broken trigger guard. They also found a shell casing in McBride's pocket — which he admitted to picking up from the ground to, in his words, "preserve evidence" so it would not be run over.

Self-Defense Claim and Background

McBride told police he acted in self-defense. He attended the U.S. Air Force Academy, where he received training in handguns and rifles. Despite his claim, investigators moved forward with charges.

McBride was being held this week on a $150,000 bond.

Source: Law & Crime