Hamilton man charged with carelessly discharging firearm in a neighbour dispute

Hamilton police say they arrested an 81-year-old man after he fired a shotgun to scare off a dog and a stray round of birdshot ended up hitting his neighbour.

Hamilton police say they responded to neighbour trouble at a rural property in the area of Highway 6 and Butter road east shortly after 6 p.m. Wednesday.

They say a neighbour’s dog had come onto the 81-year-old man’s property and attacked his dog. The man grabbed a gun and fired it to ward off the dog. A stray round of birdshot hit the neighbour in the torso. The injury was minor and the neighbour did not require medical attention.

Police say they found a shotgun, rifle, pellet gun and ammunition inside the man’s home.

The 81-year-old has been charged with careless discharge and unlawful possession of a firearm.