Deputies of the Logan County Sheriff’s Office report a Belle Center man was arrested Monday morning on a felonious assault charge after a shooting incident at his residence, where the defendant allegedly discharged a handgun prior to and after law enforcement’s arrival on the scene.
Austin T. Miller, 25, of 208 Walnut St., Belle Center, was taken into custody on the second-degree felony, with no injuries reported to the defendant, the two victims at the home or law enforcement. He was lodged in the Logan County Jail about 10:25 a.m.
About 5:45 a.m., deputies responded to Miller’s address on a report of the defendant having a gun and shooting inside the home. The caller, December Miller-Combs, reported that Miller was her son and that he was not letting her leave the home.
Along with deputies, troopers of the Ohio State Highway Patrol and deputies of the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the scene, along with EMS.
The first Logan County deputy on the scene observed that the defendant was outside on a front porch at the residence and then went back inside the home. The deputy could then hear shots being fired inside the home.
Shortly thereafter, Miller-Combs reportedly was able to flee the home and took cover outside with the deputy behind a patrol car. The second victim, Chandler Varian of Bellefontaine, who had spent the night at the home, also was able to flee the house at that time as well and took cover with the deputy.
A second Logan County deputy arrived on the scene and took up position behind his patrol car in a church parking lot to the west of the residence. That deputy related hearing additional gunfire from the rear of the residence and hearing rounds skipping across the asphalt parking lot of the church and hitting a wheelchair ramp.
Hardin County deputies and troopers also arrived and set up position to the north across the street from the residence.
Varian was able to make phone contact with the defendant and handed the phone to deputies. Miller initially told deputies he “wasn’t going down without a fight,” but deputies said he gradually calmed down over the phone. He was instructed to come outside with his hands in the air.
Deputies saw the door open and a black object was thrown outside. Miller told deputies he had thrown the firearm outside and now was stepping outside. He was placed under arrest without further incident.
The residence was cleared and deputies seized a 9mm Taurus handgun, noting that there was one round in the chamber and an empty magazine next to the handgun.
Inside the home, deputies observed live rounds on the staircase and bathroom vanity and a box of live rounds on the banister. A bullet hole was observed inside a bathroom and shell casing was found on the bathroom floor, along with shell casings in the roof area. Deputies also observed the location where a round struck a wheelchair ramp at the church, about 30 yards from deputies’ position.
The case has been forwarded to the Logan County Prosecutor’s Office for review and additional charges, and investigation continues.