BOCA RATON, Fla. — WPTV is diving into an arrest in Boca Raton, where a ding-dong ditch prank lead to the arrest of 40-year-old homeowner Santiago Cairo.
WATCH BELOW: 'You have a right to protect yourself,' criminal defense attorney Michelle Suskauer tells WPTV
The incident occurred on Oct. 16 around 8 p.m., when reports say Cairo claimed he spotted several individuals at his front door and believed they were trying to break in.
After calling 911, he armed himself and confronted a 14-year-old outside.
According to arrest records, Cairo insisted that he never aimed his gun at the teen, keeping it in a "low ready position" to detain the teen as authorities arrived.
However, the young prankster recalled a much different story.
He admitted to engaging in the classic prank—ringing a stranger's doorbell and running—and told investigators that when Cairo emerged with a flashlight and a gun, he shouted, “You messed with the wrong guy.”
The teen described feeling threatened as Cairo ordered him to get on his knees and even grabbed him by the shoulder, trying to push him down.
An investigation revealed that the teen never attempted to break into Cairo’s home, and Cairo himself admitted to authorities that he "went too far."
He was arrested on charges of aggravated assault with a firearm, but is out on a $10,000 bond.
WPTV’s Joel Lopez spoke with Cairo, who declined an interview due to the ongoing legal battle as he pleads not guilty in the case.
"All I can say is that Mr. Cairo never in fact pointed his firearm at anyone or put his hands on anyone," his attorney stated.
Digging further into the case Lopez met Cairo’s neighbor, Mary Elizabeth Hall, expressing her disappointment in the investigation.
“I witnessed that mother drive away with her children in the back, while my neighbor Santiago was sitting handcuffed in the back of a car,” she said.
Hall is convinced that investigators haven’t thoroughly looked into the case, as she said the neighborhood has seen a rise in car break-ins.
“I question if it was a prank or if they were trying to steal something," she remarked. "My neighbor did the right thing, and the outcome was not the right thing.
This incident isn’t isolated; similar pranks across the country have resulted in tragic outcomes, including injuries and fatalities when well-meaning residents mistake pranksters for intruders.
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"It’s a very, very dangerous game they were playing. Luckily no one was killed. This could have gone in a very different direction," said criminal defense attorney Michelle Suskauer, who is not involved in this case.
She emphasizes that self-defense and stand your ground laws have their limits.
“The question in this particular case is what did this person reasonably believe or did they reasonably fear that their home was going to be broken into?” she posed.
She expects a lot more usage of firearms in Florida with open carry and anticipates more arrests from people misusing firearms.
"You have a right to protect yourself; you have a right to protect your property. Every case is different, and we have to look at the interactions between the two and figure out if the use of his firearm is reasonable," said Suskauer. "It's a good message to firearm owners that every use of their firearm is not necessarily protected."
Cairo's next court appearance is scheduled for next month.
Hall hopes for a fair outcome.
“I hope the outcome is that that young man learns a very serious lesson and that my neighbor Santiago, his name is cleared,” she said.
