Man who fired at neighbor’s apartment said he mistook gun for flashlight, police say
By Pat Reavy
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TAYLORSVILLE, Utah (KSL) — A Taylorsville man who claims who mistook his gun for a flashlight is facing a criminal charge accusing him of firing into his neighbor’s apartment.
The 64-year-old man was charged Monday in 3rd District Court with shooting in the direction of a person, a third-degree felony.
On Aug. 31, Taylorsville police were called to the area of 1600 West and 5600 South after the man called 911 to report he had fired a shot into the ceiling of his apartment, according to charging documents.
The man told officers that he fell asleep with his gun next to him on the bed, “and when he woke up, he thought the gun was a flashlight, and pointed it at the ceiling and pulled the trigger. When asked why he pointed the gun at the ceiling when he thought it was a flashlight, (the man) said he didn’t know,” the charges state.
Police then went to the neighbor’s apartment to make sure everyone was OK. Officers “discovered that the bullet stopped just shy of penetrating through the carpet in their bedroom,” and that no one was injured.
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