BOONE COUNTY, Ind. — A Thorntown man was charged with criminal recklessness after police said he fired a gun in his kitchen during a drunken argument.
Police were sent to the home of Walter Medley, 52, on Feb. 8 after his adult child called police to report a domestic disturbance. She told officers her parents were arguing, and she heard at least two shots fired downstairs.
When police arrived, they met Medley and his wife in the garage. A probable cause affidavit stated Medley had both hands in his pockets when talking to officers, leading a Boone County deputy to suspect Medley may still have been in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, Medley refused a deputy’s orders to get down on his knees, which led to a stun gun being deployed. The stun gun made contact with Medley’s jacket, rendering it much less effective. In the commotion that followed, the deputy said he saw Medley reach toward his waistband, so the deputy “rushed” the man and placed him on the ground.
Medley was still reportedly trying to get his hands underneath him, so deputies deployed the stun gun, this time connecting to Medley’s back. Medley hit his head on a metal cabinet during the incident, court documents stated.
Once the suspect was placed in handcuffs, deputies went into the home, where they observed “a broken light bulb and pieces of the ceiling on the floor,” as well as “two bullet holes in the kitchen.”
One of the bullet holes was fired into the ceiling, directly under the bedroom the adult child was in during the dispute. The other bullet hole was in the floor.
According to the affidavit, Medley’s wife told police they were arguing about his drinking when he got his gun and fired off two rounds. She told police he never pointed the gun in her direction.
Medley reportedly said he remembered firing off two shots. He also repeatedly told deputies they were trespassing and should not be allowed on his property, court documents alleged.
Medley was charged with criminal recklessness, intimidation, resisting law enforcement, and unlawful carrying of a handgun.
