Benjamin Cook
A 56-year-old Birchwood man was arrested Friday on charges of shooting at a family that had gone sledding in their neighborhood.
Deputies were dispatched to the 6300 block of Stoney River Drive for the report an individual firing at a family playing out in the snow.
The Sheriff's Officie said preliminary information from the scene reveals the parents took their four children down the street to go sledding down a hill in their neighborhood. While sledding around 11:30 a.m., the family heard several gunshots come from the direction of a house down the hill near the 10400 block of Birchwood Pike. The mother reported seeing snow fly up from the ground a couple of feet from where her one-year-old son was located.
The parents immediately looked towards the direction of the shots and yelled at a man to stop shooting. The man claimed they were on his property, however, the family responded they were not. The parents then gathered their children and belongings, returned to their residence, and called authorities.
Deputies responded to the residence located near the 10400 block of Birchwood Pike and spoke to the resident, Benjamin Cook. Deputies were also able to obtain pictures from a neighbor that showed Cook with matching clothing walking through the woods carrying a black rifle slung across his back. Based on the evidence, Cook was arrested and charged with six counts of aggravated assault.
A search warrant was obtained and executed at the Cook residence. Several rifles were found inside the home.
The investigation further revealed the family was not on Cook’s property when the incident occurred, the Sheriff's Office said.
Additional charges could be pending the outcome of the investigation.