Neelyville man charges on assault and weapon offenses after opening fire on teen

A Neelyville man has been charged with assault and weapon offenses after he opened fire on a teenager on Sunday. Officials with the Butler County Sheriff’s Department report that 63-year-old James Young was charged with 1st degree assault, endangering the welfare of a child, and unlawful use of a weapon. These charges stem from an investigation made by the department, which found that Young had shot at a 15-year-old who was retrieving animal traps from his family’s property. While disarming the traps, the teen heard a gunshot and could hear a bullet pass by his head. He then ran to safety, and proceeded to contact authorities. During an interview following the incident, Young admitted to shooting at the teen with a .22 caliber rifle, stating that one of the animal traps caught and hurt his dog. Young is currently being held at the Butler County Jail on these offenses, with a $100,000 cash or surety bond.