| SHOT MEANT FOR DOG STRIKES CHILD - The Times-Record-Roane County Reporter says a Gandeeville man aiming to shoot a dog bothering his chickens ended up shooting his 6-year-old stepson in the foot, police said.
Norman Wayne Browning, 43, of 266 Wolf Camp Road told authorities he saw his dog in with his chickens around 8:30 p.m. Friday. He went inside his home and got his gun and told his children he was going to shoot the dog.
Browning fired his .243 caliber bolt-action rifle and killed the dog and then heard his 6-year-old stepson crying "Daddy, Daddy, I'm bleeding."
Deputy Mike King of the Roane Sheriff's Dept. said Christopher Allen Laxton was shot in the left foot by the same bullet that killed the dog and then went through the family's mobile home.
"It looks like it went straight through the dog, then the bottom of the trailer, and hit the boy in the foot," King said.
The child was taken by ambulance to the Gandeeville-Harmony Volunteer Fire Dept., picked up by a HealthNet helicopter and transported to a Charleston hospital. King said the boy was expected to be released from the hospital on Monday.
King said the investigation into the incident was ongoing, and no charges had been filed, according to the Spencer newspaper.
"It appears to be an accidental shooting," the deputy said.
DRUNK POLICE OFFICER HOLDS TEENS AT GUNPOINT - A Kermit town police officer was arrested early Saturday after he allegedly held four teens at gunpoint in the parking lot of a restaurant.
According to Logan Police Chief David White, Stanley Andrew Messer, 25, of Kermit, was arrested and charged with public intoxication, four counts of brandishing a weapon and obstructing an officer â all misdemeanors.
Messer allegedly held the teens, three of which were black, at gunpoint.
Messer, who was off-duty was reportedly driving down the street with a State Police officer who was also off-duty.
West Virginia State Police Trooper J.E. Williams was a passenger in the vehicle with Messer, but the trooper was not arrested.
State Police indicated that Trooper Williams was not guilty of any wrongdoing, the men had been associating with other police officers earlier. Logan police said they had been "clubbing."
When Logan authorities asked why the state trooper didn't take any action to stop Messer while he held the teens at gunpoint, White replied "Now that I don't know."
Christine Evans, the mother of one of the teens, told the Logan Banner she had no doubt the incident was racially motivated.
A report said "Officers received a call about 3:44 in the morning in reference to a man in the parking lot with a gun. On their arrival, there was a white male standing there with a weapon in his hand and two individuals on the ground at gunpoint. Officers gave several commands for Messer to put the weapon down," and after resistance, finally complied.
Messer intitially told the Logan Police officers that he had heard a call over the scanner that there was a robbery in progress at McDonald's. No such call was made by Logan County 911.
Logan police chief White said "My officers did draw their weapons and gave him four or five commands to put his weapon down and he finally complied. It could have been a lot worse.
TEEN FIGHT LEADS TO STABBING - A female Brooke County teenager is charged with stabbing another girl, police said they were fighting over a guy.
Amber Stevens, 18, of Weirton, allegedly stabbed a 17-year-old girl.
Police Capt. Vince Gala said the victim received two stab wounds, one to her shoulder and the second under her armpit.
Police said the two were arguing when Stevens grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed the girl. Stevens has been charged with malicious wounding.
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