Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Man gets 60 days for holding his girlfriend at gunpoint

22-year-old Kevin Wilson, of Muncie, Indiana was sentenced to 60 days in jail after pleading guilty to criminal confinement, a Class C felony and interference with the reporting of a crime, a misdemeanor.  After completing his jail sentence, Wilson will be on electronic home detention for 10 months.

Wilson pointed a gun at his then girlfriend after she told him she intended to end their four-year relationship. Wilson apologized for his actions. "I over-reacted and I let rage take the better of me," he said.

His lawyer pointed out that Smith was a law abiding person with no prior criminal record and urged the judge to allow Smith to serve his entire sentence on home detention.

The judge declined. "I can't even imagine how (the victim) felt when she saw that gun pointed at her," she said.


Monday, January 27, 2014

Man shoots and kills new neighbor

62-year-old Rodney Black, of Barboursville, West Virginia told police that he saw two men "shaking the door on his tool shed in his backyard."  So he "reached and got his .243 and loaded the gun and pointed the gun out of his window and then shot the first male and then pulled the bolt action back and fired another shot and hit the other male."

The two men, 60-year-old Garrick Hopkins and his brother, 61-year-old Carl Hopkins, Jr., died of their injuries.

But the shed in question was on Hopkins' property and contained nothing that belonged to Black.

Hopkins had recently purchased the property next to Black's.  The brothers were there to look over the property and examine plans for a new house.

According to police, Black "did not warn them nor did he call 911 when he saw them" but just got his gun and shot the men.  Black also told police that "no first aid was given after the incident."

Black was arrested and charged with two counts of first degree murder.

Police seized a large number of weapons and ammunition from inside Black's home.

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Retired cop shoots & kills man for texting at movie

71-year-old Curtis Reeves, Jr., of Tampa, Florida, is a retired Tampa police captain.  On Tuesday he and his wife went to see the movie "Lone Survivor."  They sat behind 43-year-old Chad Oulson and his wife Nichole.

Reeves objected to Chad texting during the movie previews and asked him to stop. Chad said he was texting his 3-year-old daughter and kept texting. Reeves left to complain to the manager and when he came back he and Chad got into an argument.

According to a witness, "somebody throws popcorn. I'm not sure who threw the popcorn. And then bang, he was shot."

Reeves told police he "was in fear of being attacked" so he pulled out his .380 semi-automatic handgun and shot Chad. Chad was shot in the chest and his wife Nicole, who had put her hand over her husband, was shot in the hand.

Chad and Nicole were taken to the hospital where Chad died of his injuries.  Nicole was treated for non life-threatening injuries.

Reeves was arrested and charged with second-degree murder.

After Reeves retired from the police force he served as director of security at Busch Gardens theme park.

"I can't believe people would bring a pistol, a gun, to a movie," said a witness.  "I can't believe they would argue and fight and shoot one another over popcorn. Over a cellphone."


Thursday, November 7, 2013

Man fires gun over parking dispute at Home Depot

The confrontation in the Home Depot parking lot in Tampa, Florida began when 35-year-old Raymond Lindstrom pulled out of his parking space. As he was exiting the parking lot, he drove near a minivan being driven by Latasha Strong. The two vehicles were very close to each other and the drivers exchanged words through their open windows.

At that point, Latasha's husband, 27-year-old Darrell Strong pulled up in another car with this friend, John Christian. Strong and Christian got out of the car and went to confront Lindstrom. Lindstrom remained in his truck but pulled out a gun and pointed it at the two men.

Strong and Christian tried to take the gun from Lindstrom but Lindstrom drove away.

Then Strong ran back to his car and got his gun. As Lindstrom drove by, Strong fired two shots at his truck.

The bullets missed Lindstrom's vehicle and instead hit an unoccupied Toyota Corrolla, knocking out the back and side windows.

Police estimate there were about a dozen people between Strong and Linstrom's truck when the shots were fired.

Strong was arrested and charged with discharging a firearm in public and aggravated assault with a firearm

Police added that both Strong and Linstrom have concealed weapons permits.

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Tennessee man shoots 15-year-old kid who was toilet-papering his neighbor's house

65-year-old Dale Farris, of Estill Springs, Tennessee fired two shots at some teens who were toilet-papering their principal's yard.

A 15-year-old boy was hit by shotgun pellets. He was struck in the right foot, inner left knee, right palm, right thigh and right side.

According to the sheriff's office, "some kids got out at a residence over there to roll it with toilet paper and this gentleman came out of his residence a couple of houses over and shot one of the teenagers. The problem is they were not on Farris' property and they were not doing anything to his property."

A check of criminal records show no prior violent incidents involving Farris. Farris has been charged with aggravated assault and reckless endangerment.

The principal whose house was targeted does not want to file charges against any of the teens.

The teenager is recovering from his wounds.

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Man pleads guilty to shooting golfer who broke window at his home

53-year-old Jeff Fleming, of Reno, Nevada, entered a plea of guilty to battery with a deadly weapon. Fleming was accused of shooting a golfer who broke a window at his home with a golf shot that went astray.

According to prosecutors, the golfer couldn't find his ball on the 16th hole and was about to take a drop shot when Fleming approached him with a shotgun and fired a shot. The golfer was treated for minor injuries to his arm and both legs at the local hospital.

The deputy district attorney said he was unsure of what motivated the shooting and added that Fleming had no felony criminal record and was legally permitted to own the gun. He also added that if you "live on a golf course you've got to expect your house to get hit every once in a while. This shooting is one of those stories that you can't make it up."

In exchange for the guilty plea prosecutors dropped the assault with a deadly weapon charge. Fleming will be sentenced in December. He faces from probation to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Man shot and killed over spilled beer

55-year-old Vaughn Hilliard, of North Charleston, South Carolina, has been charged with the murder of 46-year-old Troy Cason, also of North Charleston.

According to the police report, the victim had gone to meet some friends when one of the friends threw a beer on the ground. Hilliard came around the corner and began fighting with Cason because he thought Cason had thrown the beer.

Witnesses told police that Cason pushed Hilliard to the ground during the fight. Hilliard then left, came back with a rifle. A witness said that Cason tried to leave, but Hilliard fired a shot, hitting Cason in the left side. Cason was taken to the hospital but died of his injuries a few days later.

News reports do not indicate any prior criminal history for Hilliard and he has not been charged with being in illegal possession of a gun. He has been charged with murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime.

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Walmart worker shoots co-worker over 'easier' position

46-year-old Justine Boyd, works at the Walmart in Neenah, Wisconsin. Boyd has a concealed weapons permit and was carrying a Sig Sauer semi-automatic handgun when she recently shot a co-worker.
Boyd shot 56-year-old Sharon Goffard in the abdomen from about 6 feet away.
According to the district attorney, "It appears to be, from all evidence I've seen, an isolated incident between these two regarding what looks like a dispute over positions at the Walmart."
Goffard's boyfriend told reporters that Boyd had recently confronted Goffard about her new position in the liquor department, which Boyd deemed to be easier.
In addition to the handgun used to shoot Goffard, police found a Taurus Rossi .38 special revolver in Boyd's bag.
Boyd has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide. Goffard was admitted to the hospital in critical condition.

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Handguns seized at Orlando airport from Florida concealed weapons permit holders

61-year-old Stephen Miley admitted that he had a handgun in his carry-on bag when stopped by TSA officers at the Orlando International Airport. According to the arrest report he said "he did not mean to bring his gun into the checkpoint" and "he produced a State of Florida concealed weapon permit." Miley was arrested and charged with carrying a firearm in a place prohibited by law.
According to airport officials, the majority of people arrested for carrying firearms in their carry-on luggage have state concealed weapons permits. So far this year 23 guns have been seized at the Orlando airport, 26 guns each have been seized at Tampa and Fort Lauderdale and 15 each at Jacksonville and Miami.
Nationwide, the TSA has reported a 30 percent increase over the same period last year of passengers trying to go through security with guns. Last year TSA found 1,549 firearms on passengers, which was up 17 percent from the year before.
The most common excuse offered by passengers is "I forgot it was there." But if someone is given a permit to carry a loaded, hidden handgun in public don't they also have an obligation to know where that gun is at all times? To forget where your loaded, unlocked handgun is is inexcusable.
Jimmy Taylor, a sociology professor who writes about the nation's gun culture, finds it hard to believe airline passengers forget they're carrying guns. "My wife and I check on things like eye drops and Chapstick to see if we're allowed to take them on a plane, so it's a little difficult to imagine that you aren't checking the policies about your loaded firearm before you get to the airport."

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Two men, both with concealed weapons permits, fire shots at each other while driving

27-year-old Eric Adamany, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, told police he had just left a Taco Bell restaurant and pulled over to send a text message when a gold Dodge Magnum pulled up next to him. A passenger looked at him and said, "What are you looking at white boy?" showed a chrome handgun and fired a shot at Adamany's car.
"I immediately grabbed my gun, which is just sitting here, and I stuck it out the window and they took off," said Adamany. "They fired over 50 rounds before I ever returned fire."
The police report says Amamany "began to fire his gun at the Dodge Magnum, emptying his clip in an attempt to shoot out the Dodge's tires." He told police "how he is right-handed but shot the gun with his left hand while driving on the freeway because he was steering and calling 911 at the same time."
Roy Scott, the driver of the other car, told police that he and a friend were driving when a blue car passed him. The other driver "mean mugged" him and showed a black handgun. Scott then grabbed his gun and displayed it before driving off. Scott says that Adamany fired first so he fired back. He told police that he fired back out his driver's window, pointing backward over his shoulder with his right hand, while steering with his left.
According to police both men have valid concealed weapons permits.
Adamany has been charged with first-degree recklessly endangering safety, use of a dangerous weapon. No charges have been brought against Scott at this time.