Police Say Shooting Victim Provoked Attack

An Athol, Idaho, man shot in the chest during a dispute over an airplane hangar could face criminal charges for provoking the incident, sheriff’s officials said Monday.

Ronald R. Fleming, 86, told Kootenai County sheriff’s detectives he shot Roger S. Dunham, 49, in the chest with a .25-caliber pistol because his neighbor was beating him with his cane, according to a deputy’s report.

Detectives expect to forward the results of their investigation to the prosecutor’s office later this week, sheriff’s Capt. Ben Wolfinger said. Neither man has been arrested.

The shooting occurred in a hangar where Dunham rents space for a workshop from Fleming. Dunham reportedly confronted Fleming and a friend, Drexel Mathews, when they entered the hangar to change the locks on the hangar’s living area.

During the argument, Dunham swiped Fleming’s cane, poked him in the chest with it and then began beating him on the upper body and head with it, according to the report.

Fleming told deputies he fired a warning shot in Dunham’s direction but did not hit him. Dunham continued beating Fleming, who then shot him in the chest, according to the report. , DataTimes