A man out in front of his own house with a pellet gun atttempting to shoot squirrels raised suspicions late this morning in the Village of Elba. Several of his neighbors called the dispatch center to report that a man armed with a rifle was acting suspiciously.
Sheriff's deputies went to the house on Main Street, across from the St. Padre Pio Catholic Church (which is located at 65 S. Main St.).
Accordingly to Sheriff's Sgt. Ron Meides, "Once he saw us, he didn't deviate. He stood by the tree with the rifle. We attempted to shut traffic down and approached, and took him into custody and learned he was just squirrel hunting because some squirrels were destroying his home, and he did have one squirrel there, and luckily it was only a pellet rifle."
Meides said no laws were broken; he noted that technically the pellet rifle is not a firearm. The man was allowed to shoot the squirrels because they were damaging his house.
He was released from custody. The road was reopened.
