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Man arrested for shooting squirrels
allen griggs
Member Posts: 35,693 ✭✭✭✭
Gunshots, dead squirrels lead to man's arrest
By TIM EBERLY
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/25/08
Atlanta police initially thought they could be heading to a murder-suicide.
Neighbors had heard gunshots coming from a home in a Buckhead* neighborhood - a place not known for gunfire.
Then the officers found the dead squirrels.
It was good news that no people were dead but bad news for the man who, police say, shot and killed the squirrels.
The man, 61-year-old Sam Alston, was arrested this week on four misdemeanor charges, including two counts of reckless conduct and two counts of disorderly conduct, according to Fulton County Jail logs.
Alston is accused of using a shotgun to kill the squirrels in his back yard, presumably because they were eating from Alston's bird feeder, Atlanta police Maj. James Sellers said. The squirrels were found near the bird feeder, which was empty, Sellers said.
According to a police report, a child's playground in a neighbor's yard was in Alston's line of fire, about 20 yards away.
Police were called to Alston's home on Valley Green Drive on Friday morning. Officers initially considered breaking into the home to see if anybody was hurt inside, but ended up calling and speaking to Alston, who gave police his wife's phone number so they could make sure she was OK.
Alston admitted to shooting squirrels on Thursday night, the report said, and told officers he would return home to talk to the officers, saying he'd be there in 15 minutes.
More than an hour later, Alston hadn't showed up, the report said.
So police took warrants out for his arrest.
Alston could not be reached for comment.
*Buckhead is the wealthiest neighborhood in Atlanta. Inhabited only by rich white people.--A.G.
By TIM EBERLY
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/25/08
Atlanta police initially thought they could be heading to a murder-suicide.
Neighbors had heard gunshots coming from a home in a Buckhead* neighborhood - a place not known for gunfire.
Then the officers found the dead squirrels.
It was good news that no people were dead but bad news for the man who, police say, shot and killed the squirrels.
The man, 61-year-old Sam Alston, was arrested this week on four misdemeanor charges, including two counts of reckless conduct and two counts of disorderly conduct, according to Fulton County Jail logs.
Alston is accused of using a shotgun to kill the squirrels in his back yard, presumably because they were eating from Alston's bird feeder, Atlanta police Maj. James Sellers said. The squirrels were found near the bird feeder, which was empty, Sellers said.
According to a police report, a child's playground in a neighbor's yard was in Alston's line of fire, about 20 yards away.
Police were called to Alston's home on Valley Green Drive on Friday morning. Officers initially considered breaking into the home to see if anybody was hurt inside, but ended up calling and speaking to Alston, who gave police his wife's phone number so they could make sure she was OK.
Alston admitted to shooting squirrels on Thursday night, the report said, and told officers he would return home to talk to the officers, saying he'd be there in 15 minutes.
More than an hour later, Alston hadn't showed up, the report said.
So police took warrants out for his arrest.
Alston could not be reached for comment.
*Buckhead is the wealthiest neighborhood in Atlanta. Inhabited only by rich white people.--A.G.
Comments
Ok it was relitively harmless (except to Squirrels) rat shot from a .22. And it was to rid his property of animals he considered pests.
But he HAD to know that shooting any firearm within city limits was taking a risk of the police being called. And in a Liberal bastion such as Atlanta, that charges would likely be filed if he was caught.
Alot of "Old Timers" get lost in the good ole days, and/or are imply defiant of modern laws. My fathers still shoots pests in his yard w/a .22. But that's in small town Kansas.
He knows it's against the law and that he's taking a risk. Doesn't care. But he's an adult and if he does get caught, like it or not, he brought it on himself.
It happened on a Thursday night, I wonder if alcohol was involved.
Now that the statute of limitations has passed, I confess to the same crime.
My girlfriend lived in Buckhead. One day the city of Atlanta put a street light on the telephone pole right in front of her house.
We hated that damn light, it shone right into our bedroom window.
I got out there at one in the morning, and shot the light out with a .22 with a scope. Took two shots, those street lights are tough! Thick glass.
I figured, knowing how inept the city was, it would take 18 months to repair, then I would give it the treatment again.
The next night, the damn light was repaired and blasting into our bedroom again. I thought, Holy S***! Must be a city alderman living close nearby, he had requested the light in the first place. I couldn't believe, within 16 hours the light had been fixed.
I gave up on controlling light pollution in Buckhead.
Pellet guns of today will do a fine job on tree rats.
I'm looking out the window at one raiding the birdfeeder now. I live about 35 miles north of that guy and would not even think about using a .22 in the backyard. I have a buddy over in Larryville that uses CB shorts in his .22 to protect his pear tree, but there is nothing but woods behind him.
My question is, in some states (TX notably) there is a tree rat season and it is just as serious to shoot them out of season as any other game animal. I have gotten a number of different responses, any local tree rat hunters know for sure?
/One birdfeeder is spring loaded and pretty much rat proof. I guess I need to move the other one where they can't get to it. ( or electrify it)
But if it really pisses me off I'm deadly with my pellet pistol. Just noticed one of those silenced air rifles on sale. That would even be better.
I doubt Georgia DNR will go after this guy for "hunting" out of season.
Ga. DNR takes real seriously bear poaching, as well as turkey, and shooting deer at night. Georgia is crawling with squirrels, DNR probably figures the guy has gotten his just desserts.
BTW if you don't like Varmint hunting and are of the sensitive type
"DO NOT WATCH THIS VIDEO"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYigC49tnh8
I wonder if there little chalk outlines on the ground around his Bird Feeder?
That is funny. You probably are right, the Atlanta cops made the chalk outlines of the squirrels.
Let us say, the Atlanta PD is very "diverse."
And he was completely sober. The squirrels had eaten $120 worth of bird food Sam's wife put out over a two month period.
He should have picked up the bodies, but felt he had done nothing wrong!
Sam used a .410 shotgun 2.5 inch reload. Shooting into a dirt bank. Sam is an excellent shot, decorated Army retiree. One of the top shooters in Sporting Clays.
And he was completely sober. The squirrels had eaten $120 worth of bird food Sam's wife put out over a two month period.
He should have picked up the bodies, but felt he had done nothing wrong!
Thank goodness you showed up to give us the rest of the story. I've been on pins and needles for the last 3 years wondering what happened.
Seriously, how did you even find this thread?
"Never do wrong to make a friend----or to keep one".....Robert E. Lee
Maybe Whitie wanted squirrel for dinner.
quote:Originally posted by woolygums
Sam used a .410 shotgun 2.5 inch reload. Shooting into a dirt bank. Sam is an excellent shot, decorated Army retiree. One of the top shooters in Sporting Clays.
And he was completely sober. The squirrels had eaten $120 worth of bird food Sam's wife put out over a two month period.
He should have picked up the bodies, but felt he had done nothing wrong!
Thank goodness you showed up to give us the rest of the story. I've been on pins and needles for the last 3 years wondering what happened.
Seriously, how did you even find this thread?
Would help if we got the rest of the story. Did Sam have to pay a fine? Community service?
Albuquerque has a law making it illegal to discharge a firearm in the city limits. There is no exclusion for Leos, so it is pretty much overlooked. July 4 and New years sound like D day.
Thankfully, this man has the means to shove a third party debt collector right up their * for making such a stupid charge. Warn the old timer. Can't shoot guns in your million dollar home club!
"The squirrels were found near the bird feeder, which was empty, Sellers said." the little bastages deserved it!
[img][/img]
I wonder if there little chalk outlines on the ground around his Bird Feeder?
[:D][:D][:D]
Then again, I prefer squirrels to birds.
[img][/img]
What is it with people digging up 3-4 year old threads here lately?
ignorance and apathy mostly...
What is it with people digging up 3-4 year old threads here lately?
Just walking down memory lane, I suspects!
If it were in relation to a Competition or Expert Forum inquiry, it's be more understandable!
Probably came up when someone had started a search for something or other . . .
quote:Originally posted by countryfarmer
What is it with people digging up 3-4 year old threads here lately?
ignorance and apathy mostly...
I don't know and I don't care.
http://www.rodenator.com/