A longtime St. Louis firefighter facing a felony weapons charge for firing his gun into the ground during a recent dispute is being defended by his neighbors.
Firefighter Christopher Dandridge is s charged with unlawful use of a weapon after he fired the gun as a group of teens ran at him, Fox2 reported.
He was placed on leave with pay after the Oct. 28 incident.
Andre Davis, a neighbor who witnessed the incident, said a group of teenagers were loitering in their complex, where they’ve had to deal with a rash of car break-ins and thefts. Dandridge only fired his gun into the ground because they started running toward him.
Davis and his mother, Brenda, said their neighbor, who always looks out for everyone, was protecting himself. They're hoping he doesn't get punished for it.
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