CLEARWATER, FL– Police are investigating an incident where a man pointed a rifle at his neighbor and his neighbor’s daughter during an argument over parking.
The incident occurred last week at a home on Boylan Avenue.
Jeremy Lee told authorities that he was outside with his daughter cutting the grass when his neighbor began yelling at him because his trailer was blocking his driveway. Lee says he immediately stopped cutting the grass and moved his vehicle up so that the ramp to his trailer was no longer partially blocking the driveway.
“I immediately moved,” Lee said. “I stopped what I was doing and I moved up, and like I said, just wasn’t good enough for him and I apologized to him.
Lee says he and his neighbor David Berry, began arguing about the situation after Berry claimed that he was still on his property.
Berry then grabbed his rifle and began pointing it at Lee and his daughter.
Police were eventually called and Berry told them that he only pulled out his weapon because Lee threatened his life.
Authorities say they are looking into the situation:
“We are actively investigating this incident and will be presenting the case to the Office of the State Attorney,” police chief Dan Slaughter said. “The bottom line is a dispute over parking should never have escalated to something like this. If you have a problem with someone partially blocking the driveway, you call the police. You don’t grab a gun like some vigilante.”
While no charges have been filed, the Clearwater Police Department says they will be seeking review from the Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney’s Office on possible charges for aggravated assault with a firearm.
Lee told reporters that he does not think that is enough and believes Berry should not have access to a firearm.
“I don’t think he ought to have the right to bear arms,” Lee said. “I mean, I can think of a lot of reasons why you would pull a gun out on somebody than that.”
The family plans to speak at city council about gun laws later in the month.