WL man charged after allegedly threatening with a crossbow

A West Lafayette man has been charged with four felonies after allegedly threatening to shoot people with a crossbow.

Officers responded to a complaint early Friday morning of a man making threats with a crossbow at a residence on Fleming Drive, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Officers responded to a residence on Fleming Drive Friday morning where 28-year-old Aaron Carpenter allegedly became physical after getting into an argument with his brother-in-law, the affidavit says.

The victim reportedly told police Carpenter punched him in the face so he went to the garage and called a friend to come over.

Carpenter came in and yelled at them to leave, the affidavit says, and then allegedly grabbed a crossbow and attempted to shoot the arrow at the two. The shooting reportedly failed because the bow was loaded improperly.

The two victims said they were “in fear for their lives” and ran away from the garage with Carpenter’s wife before she hid in a nearby vehicle.

Officers spoke with Carpenter’s wife who reportedly verified the story and said she saw the crossbow in Carpenter’s hands. She said she “felt like he was going to shoot her” and when Carpenter raised the crossbow, she ran out of the garage in fear of what he would do.

Carpenter was arrested at his residence and officers found a crossbow with two arrows with broadheads beside it. He was charged Friday with two felony counts of battery by means of a deadly weapon and two felony counts of intimidation.

As of Friday afternoon, Carpenter is listed as an inmate on the Tippecanoe County jail registry.