A 5th Street man took aim at an appliance during a fight with his girlfriend. That started a chain of events that led to the SWAT team showing up at his house.
Let’s look at how one Portsmouth resident’s dangerously bad temper put lives at risk.
Shattered Window
On May 21, around two in the afternoon, police got a call from a Campbell Avenue woman. She said someone had fired a bullet through her front window.
At first, she thought it was a rock. However, when she took a closer look, she realized it was a bullet. She immediately called the police.
When Portsmouth Police Officers arrived on the scene, they took photographs and impounded the evidence.
The Investigation
While investigating the incident, an officer also noticed a hole in the siding of the house next door. The owner of the home allowed Officer Nickell and Detective Timberlake to investigate.
They took photos but were unable to get the bullet out of the siding. However, Officer Nickell remembered that there was a fellow who lived on 5th Street who’s known to discharge weapons in and near his residence.
If you’re familiar with the area, you know that Campbell Avenue and 5th Street intersect, so the homes are close by. Investigators headed around the corner to the 5th Street address.
Investigators discovered an exit hole at the 5th Street address that matched up with the trajectory of the bullet to the Campbell Street Home. That’s when it got crazy.
The SWAT Team
The Detective Bureau took over the investigation. They called in the Portsmouth SWAT Team to secure the perimeter.
All of that probably looked a lot scarier to residents of the area than it actually was. The show of force was a precaution since officers had no idea what was happening inside the house.
They were able to make contact with resident William Mayfield, 47, and his live-in girlfriend without incident.
Officers advised them of their rights. The two told different stories.
What Really Happened
Mr. Mayfield denied that he’d fired a firearm at all that day.
His girlfriend said that he’d become angry and accused her of cheating. She said he then took a revolver and fired two shots at the refrigerator. Police don’t say why he targeted the innocent appliance.
She told officers that the revolver was in the tool room on the first floor. Officers obtained a search warrant and found the .38 caliber weapon on the workbench.
A search of the home revealed multiple bullet holes in the refrigerator as well as the wall and ceiling.
The Arrest
Mr. Mayfield was taken in by the Portsmouth Police Department for a video interview. While he admitted firing his weapon the night before, he denied discharging it that afternoon. He also admitted that he often fires his gun inside the house.
He was arrested for discharging a firearm into a habitation and taken to the Scioto County Jail.
The refrigerator’s condition is unknown at this time.