A Leesburg man was arrested for assault after allegedly firing a gun during a property dispute with a neighbor.
A resident of South Putney Court in Leesburg was in his backyard when he got into an argument with his neighbor, 74-year-old Clifford Barbarick Tomassian, at 2:10 p.m. Monday, according to an arrest report from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Their feud over vegetation along the fenceline escalated when the resident bent down and heard a loud gunshot. He turned to see Tomassian standing at the fence holding a firearm. Fearing for his life, he immediately ran inside his home, the report said.
Security camera footage from the resident’s place captured audio that sounded like a gunshot and showed how quickly he retreated toward his house. But the camera’s position did not record Tomassian or the firearm, the report said.
Additionally, a witness heard the two neighbors arguing, followed by a loud gunshot. He described it as louder than the usual shooting he hears from Tomassian’s property, the report said.
Tomassian was subsequently detained. He admitted to arguing with his fellow resident, but he denied possessing or firing a gun. He also stated he owned multiple .22 caliber firearms, the report said.
A search of his backyard yielded a recently discharged .22 caliber shell casing. There was also a small .22 caliber handgun inside the residence that matched the given description, the report said.
Tomassian was arrested on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, discharging a firearm in a residential area and improper exhibition of a firearm. He was booked at the Lake County Jail with bond set at $12,500.