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WEST JORDAN — A man was arrested over the weekend after police say he claimed his dog caused his rifle to accidentally fire, grazing a woman in the apartment below him.
D On Leonard Begay, 20, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of illegal discharge of a firearm, drug possession, possession of a gun by a restricted person, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Just after 3:30 p.m. Sunday, West Jordan police responded to a report of a shooting at an apartment complex, 3283 W. Jordan Line Parkway. A man called 911 to report his wife was "struck in the arm by a bullet that entered her apartment through her bedroom ceiling," according to a police booking affidavit. Police say the woman was luckily only grazed by the round and her injury was minor.
Officers went to the apartment above the victim's and, as they were knocking on the door, police spotted Begay walking down the hallway and detained him, the affidavit states.
"The suspect initially stated that he did not know why the officers were there and that he did not shoot a gun in his apartment. Later the suspect made an excited utterance and stated he had recently been shooting and was removing his gun from the top rack when his dog jumped on him. The suspect described that his hand slipped, and he fired the gun," according to the affidavit.
Begay was taken to the West Jordan Police Department for further questioning. He stated "his rife was sitting in his bedroom, in front of the TV, and underneath some bed sheets. The suspect explained his dog jumped up on him and knocked the table with the sheets, causing the gun to fall, the barrel side down, and the gun went off," the affidavit states.
Detectives searched Begay's apartment and recovered a .223-caliber rifle and marijuana, according to the affidavit, which adds that federal charges may be screened against Begay.
