Culpeper PD: Mississippi man accidentally shoots bullet through hotel room wall | Latest News
Viars CULPEPER PD STAR-EXPONENT STAFF report A Mississippi man faces gun charges after Culpeper Police…
Viars
A Mississippi man faces gun charges after Culpeper Police say he accidentally fired his gun in a local hotel room and the bullet went through the wall and into an adjoining room.
Officers were on patrol around 9:33 p.m. on Sunday, March 21 at a hotel in the 700 block of Madison Road when a hotel employee approached them about the suspicious circumstances, according to a news release Tuesday morning from the Culpeper PD.
According to the employee, a hotel guest reported hearing a loud noise then found a bullet embedded in an interior wall of their room. No one was injured.
Culpeper Police detectives responded to the scene to collect evidence and interview witnesses. As a result of the investigation, Joseph Allen Viars, 47, of Ocean Springs, was charged with felony discharging a firearm into an occupied dwelling and misdemeanor reckless handling of a firearm.
A magistrate released Viars on an unsecure bond. The man is in Culpeper for work.
Based on the investigation, it was determined Viars was allegedly drinking alcohol inside of his hotel room while removing the ammunition from his firearm. Police say he accidentally discharged the firearm, shooting one round into the wall of his hotel room.
Viars reported the incident to hotel staff and was on scene when officers arrived. He was taken into custody without incident. The involved firearm was located and secured. There is no evidence of any ongoing threat to the community, the release stated.
