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Stockton Man Fights Off Four Home Burglars After Being Shot In Leg

STOCKTON (CBS13) — A Stockton man says he decided he would sacrifice his life if it meant saving his family as he fought off four home burglars after being shot in the leg.

The suspects kicked open the front door of the home on Tudor Rose Glen at 4 a.m. on Tuesday. When Carlos Soto heard the crash in the middle of the night, he walked out of his bedroom and found burglars at his front door.

"As they came in, he hit the first guy," said his father, also named Carlos Soto. "He went down, he was out."

It was four against one: The younger Soto versus four masked burglars.

"Then another guy came over to grab him and he swung at him," his father said. "Another guy came in, grabbed my son. My son threw him against the wall."

The younger Soto says he never thought twice about risking his life for his sisters and parents still fast asleep.

"They were either going to kill me or they were going to tie all my sisters and my family up and kill us all individually," he said.

He had no idea he would come inches from dying.

"I heard a big bang, big bang, big light right in front of my eyes," he said. "It didn't stop me from fighting."

That gunshot woke up Carlos' dad.

"I loaded three or four shots in [my rifle], cocked it, came downstairs," the father said.

But by that time, the burglars had taken off. And that's when the son realized the bullet hit him just inches away from a main artery.

"And the only reason I knew I was shot is because I took a couple steps and my right leg was dragging just a little bit," he said.

Hours later, investigators caught all four suspects in a stolen vehicle.

His parents say their son is a hero, taught and trained to protect his family. He's studied martial arts and is a collegiate wrestler

"I've always told him this is something that you learn, and you don't ever tell nobody," his father said.

The brawl between one victim and four suspects showed who clearly picked the wrong home.

"I think we proved it, that you know bad guys don't win," he said.

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