HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — Thousands of people across Tennessee spent Friday enjoying the snow, but for one family in the southeastern side of the state, their wintry fun was cut short when a man allegedly shot at them.
According to the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched to the 6300 block of Stoney River Drive on Friday, Jan. 10 for a report of an individual shooting at a family playing in the snow.
Authorities said the parents took their four children to go sledding down a hill in their neighborhood, but while they were sledding, they heard several gunshots coming from a house down the hill near the 10400 block of Birchwood Pike around 11:30 a.m. The mother reportedly saw snow fly up from the ground a few feet away from her 1-year-old son.
Officials said the parents immediately looked in the direction of the shots and yelled at a man to stop shooting. The man allegedly claimed they were on his property, but the family told him they weren’t. After that, the parents gathered their kids and their belongings, returned to their home, and called law enforcement.
Deputies went to the home near the 10400 block of Birchwood Pike and spoke to the resident, identified by the sheriff’s office as Benjamin Cook. Authorities said they also obtained pictures from a neighbor showing Cook wearing matching clothing, walking through the woods, and carrying a black rifle slung across his back.
Based on the evidence, Cook was arrested and charged with six counts of aggravated assault, according to officials.
Law enforcement also obtained and executed a search warrant at Cook’s house, where they reportedly found several rifles.
The sheriff’s office announced on Saturday, Jan. 11 that additional charges could be pending the outcome of the investigation, which revealed the family was not on Cook’s property when the incident occurred.
