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A Baker man is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill following an incident last night involving a juvenile in the Baker area. Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a report of shots fired near Skeeter Lane around 8:30 p.m. Monday.
The investigation revealed a juvenile was near the corner of his family’s property building a fort and using a flashlight on his phone.
A nearby neighbor, identified as 54-year old James Knight, said he believed the individual was an adult and ordered him to leave, then fired a round from a 20-gauge shotgun in the person’s direction in an attempt to scare him away.
The juvenile yelled out in fear. Deputies say Knight continued to fire additional rounds towards him, even after acknowledging the juvenile was not on his property line. He told deputies he had recognized the teen’s voice as a juvenile. He also stated he was holding the gun at a 45 degree angle.
No injuries were reported.
Deputies say Knight’s actions created a well-founded fear in the victim, showed he had the ability to carry out the threat, and would cause a reasonable person to fear imminent harm.
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