BEDFORD – A Bedford man was arrested after Lawrence County Central Dispatch received two calls reporting a confrontation between two neighbors.
The first caller reported a male in the 80 block of Ryan Lane had discharged multiple rounds in the direction of their property. One of the rounds struck a vehicle trailer.
Another person reported his “friend” was shooting a tree on their property, and a neighbor started the confrontation. This caller refused to identify who he was and hung up. Police soon learned that the caller was 32-year-old Matthew Yocom.
When Lawrence County Police Department Deputies Bailey Duprey, Clint Callahan, and Travis Atchison arrived, they found the two males involved had separated. Yocom was inside the home and yelled he was “Expressing his constitutional rights” and discharged a firearm out the window of the second-story house. The homeowner would not let police enter or search the home. He told police he didn’t want to put his dogs up to allow them in the home.
Another neighbor reported she heard numerous gunshots and heard two men arguing. One of the men drove off, and the other man started shooting again.
The caller told police while Yocom was shooting, one of the bullets hit his trailer. He told police this has been an ongoing problem with Yocom shooting across the property. He said he could hear the bullets passing in the air. He then went to the property line to tell Yocom to stop shooting because kids were playing in the backyard and that if he wanted to shoot, all he had to do was ask. He also offered Yocom an area in the back corner of the property near the woodline where Yocom could fire his weapon. He said that is when Yocom began screaming, and he left the property. As he left, Yocom started rapidly firing again. When they inspected the trailer, they found a hole in the tire and an indentation in the wheel well directly behind the tire with a hole in it. Police said the tire and wheel well were shot with a .22 round.
Police went to Yocom’s home to speak with him. The man who answered the door said Yocom had left but was unsure. He denied police permission to enter the house. Officers said they would get a search warrant. He then said he wanted to go inside and put his dog up. He was told to wait until they secured the search warrant to put the dog up. When asked what kind of dog he had, he changed the story and said he needed to put his cats up so they wouldn’t get out. He finally allowed officers to enter the home. The male then yelled for Yocom to speak to officers. Yocom descended the stairs and spoke in a “very rapid and erratic manner.” He told police he went upstairs to calm down. He said he has a ‘constitutional right to protect himself.” Police said Yocom continued to express his constitutional rights for approximately four minutes while officers attempted to interject.
When asked if he had fired shots from the window on the second story, Yocom said he had. He was firing down toward a tree for target practice. He said he shoots at squirrels around the trees. When told about the kids playing outside, he replied, “it was his right to have a gun, to shoot guns, and to bear arms, and that if (the caller) wanted to stand in the way of his bullets that was his own problem”. Yocom then continued onto a tirade, stating that he was “almost a marine” and “that he wanted to die and leave his father with insurance money”. Yocom confirmed he was shooting a .22 rifle with a magazine that held up to ten rounds. He said the rifle was in the bedroom.
Yocom was then showed the damage to the tire of the trailer and the dent in the wheel well. Yocom then stated if the neighbor “if the (caller) ever crossed the property line he would shoot him dead”.
Police told Yocom he was under arrest for criminal recklessness with firearm. Yocom then started to walk away from officer and he was told to stop. Yocom then stated, “Just give me my space, dude. Can’t
you just give me my space?” Officers then attempted to handcuff Yocom and he fled. Officer chased him down and were able to take Yocom to the ground, her resisted and attempted to push back. Officer finally got Yocom placed in handcuffs and he was transported to jail charges of two counts of criminal recklessness with a firearm, intimidation with a firearm, resisting arrest with a vehicle.
Police seized the firearm and the shell casings.
