Impressive his heart hasn’t exploded, that is… -OIRH
By Jonathan McFadden — jmcfadden@heraldonline.com
ROCK HILL — A 68-year-old Rock Hill man is charged with attempted murder after deputies say he put a gun to his neighbor’s head and forced the man to his house after a dispute involving drugs and a stolen gun.
Thomas Gene Autry, of 433 McShae Drive in Rock Hill, is held at the York County Detention Center on a $102,000 bond. He is also charged with kidnapping and pointing a firearm at a person.
York County Sheriff’s Office deputies and Rock Hill police officers responded to the area after a 35-year-old woman said she heard shots fired nearby. When they arrived, police found Autry trying to drive away toward the intersection of McShae and Brownstone drives, according to a sheriff’s report.
Autry told police that he instructed a man he knew only as “E” to buy drugs for him “to make him feel better,” the report states. When the man returned with crack, Autry alleged that the 38-year-old man stole a gun from him.
Autry said he pulled a gun on the man and demanded that the man relinquish his other gun. The two began to struggle, Autry said, and the gun went off.
Police found a small bullet hole in one of the walls of Autry’s house. They noticed that the house was filthy and littered with trash and empty beer cans. It was also packed with an AK-47, SKS rifle, a 12- gauge shotgun and a .22 caliber revolver– all in the pantry of Autry’s kitchen, the report states.
Meanwhile, deputies learned that the victim known as “E” had gone to the Rock Hill Police Department and told police a completely different story. Officials detained both Autry and the other man while a witness told police her 15-year-old son saw Autry walk onto the man’s front porch with a gun in his hand. When the victim opened the door, Autry put the gun to his head and began yelling at him.
Drugs were exchanged. Then, 10 minutes later, Autry was back at the man’s door and put a gun to his head, the report states.
Autry forced the out of his house and to Autry’s home, where Autry began threatening and accusing him of stealing one of his guns, police say. Autry placed the gun against the man’s chest and pushed him with it. When Autry put the gun to the victim’s head, he grabbed it and the two began to struggle.
That’s when the gun went off, the report states.
The victim ran out of the house and went to the police. He denied stealing Autry’s gun. Deputies arrested Autry and took possession of all his firearms.
It is unclear whether Autry or the victim will face drug-related charges, deputies say.
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