A Colorado town councilman shot a 17-year-old boy in the face this week after his girlfriend reported the boy and his friend trespassing on her property.
The two boys were actually scouting locations for homecoming photographs and stopped at the Jefferson County property to ask for permission, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said.
The Teens Knocked on the Homeowner's Door to Ask for Permission but There was No Response, They were Shot at Minutes Later
The boys told deputies they had parked at the gate Tuesday afternoon hopped the fence, and walked up to knock on the door, but the homeowner didn't answer. They returned to their car and were writing a note for the homeowner when a man drove up alongside them in a pickup truck, got out, and fired a round through their car windshield, striking the 17-year-old.
Deputies arrived on the scene to find the second juvenile applying pressure to the wounded boy's face, which was "bleeding heavily." The suspect, identified as 38-year-old Brent Metz, remained on the scene, and deputies found his weapon inside his truck.
Metz's Girlfriend Had Called 911, Metz Claiming the Teens were Trespassing
Deputies said the homeowner, Metz's girlfriend, had called 911 to report the juveniles trespassing and then called Metz, who immediately drove over to the the property and opened fire. Metz, a town councilman in Mountain View, was charged with assault, two counts of menacing, illegal discharge of a firearm, and reckless endangerment.
An affidavit filed in the case says that the boys were students at Dakota Ridge High School in Littleton and had been driving around looking for picturesque spots for the homecoming photographs, according to The Colorado Sun. When they saw Metz's girlfriend's property, with a lake and a dock, they decided to ask if they could return on homecoming night for photographs.
'Oh S**t My Gun Went Off'
When no one answered the door, they walked back to their Audi S4, only to be accosted by Metz. The friend saw Metz pull out his gun and point it at them and ducked. Then he heard the shot and the shattering of the windshield and Metz exclaiming, "Oh s**t my gun went off."
The boy jumped out of the car and ran to the driver's side, where his wounded friend sat, and took off his t-shirt to stop the bleeding. He said Metz tried to help but he pushed him away, asking why he shot his friend.
It's not clear if Metz's girlfriend was at the home at the time. She told deputies she saw the boys on her home security system and called 911 and Metz. When deputies arrived, the affidavit says, Metz refused to even acknowledge that he had shot the boy and asked for a lawyer. He did tell the deputies where to find the gun.
The boy was taken to the hospital with serious injuries and was still hospitalized Wednesday night, KCNC reported.
