Gun set off during fight, misses resident

REPRINTED COURTESY OF THE SENTINEL

By Tatiana Zarnowski, Sentinel Reporter, February 12, 2007

A Carlisle man escaped injury when two men fighting outside Saturday evening caused a gun to fire into his house.

Carlisle police say Michael Washington, 24, and Chris Felton, 23, got in an argument at a downtown bar Friday evening. Then on Saturday, Washington, his girlfriend and a 3-year-old child were parking their vehicle in the 100 block of South Bedford Street when police say Felton approached Washington just after 5 p.m.

Man struck with gun

Police say in a press release that Washington “tried to calm the situation,” but Felton nevertheless pulled out a handgun and pistol-whipped Washington in the head, causing the gun to discharge into the first floor of David Taylor’s home. Taylor, 37, was on the second floor when the bullet struck a first-floor window.

Felton fled the area and was arrested at 8:40 p.m. at his family’s home in the 500 block of North Pitt Street, police say.

Washington suffered a head injury, which police say is not life-threatening.

Police charged Felton with aggravated assault, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and former convict owning a firearm.

Police continue to investigate the incident and ask anyone with information to call 243-5252.