Crime and Public Safety |

Elyria 61-year-old accused of firing gun in his home

An Elyria man was arrested on weapons and domestic violence charges after authorities said he fired a gun in the basement of his home and smashed a television set, according to an Elyria police report.

The 61-year-old man was arrested and charged with discharging firearms, using weapons while intoxicated and domestic violence.

He admitted to police he’d been drinking heavily leading up to the incident.

At 9:36 a.m., Jan. 17, police were called to a home in the 900 block of Livermore Avenue to investigate a report of weapons and domestic violence.

A 75-year-old man, who lived with the arrested male, told police the incident began at 8 p.m., Jan. 16, when the 61-year-old, who allegedly had been drinking whiskey and beer since the early morning hours, became angry when he noticed a family picture had been removed from a wall to make way for a Christmas decoration.

Upset, the 61-year-old went in the basement, and the 75-year-old told police he heard shots.

At 10:30 p.m., the 61-year-old again became angered when his roommate could not find the remote for the TV.

The 61-year-old then repeatedly punched a flat-screen TV.

The 75-year-old man left the house.

The next morning police were called to the home and located two spent casings in the basement and two loaded handguns in the bedroom of the 61-year-old.

The 61-year-old told police “he used to be an alcoholic, and that he had begun drinking whiskey again, which causes him to make bad decisions,” according to the report.