Neighbors' feud leads to shooting in Bluefield
Jan. 8—BLUEFIELD — A property dispute between two neighbors led to a shooting Thursday night in Bluefield.
"One individual was shot several times," Detective Lt. Kenny Adams, of the Bluefield Police Department, said. "He was sent to a Charleston hospital and is in stable condition."
Adams said the shooting occurred around 7:20 p.m. in a yard between Third and Fourth Streets.
The men involved in the incident — the shooter and the individual who was shot — were both armed, Adams said.
The shooting was a result of an ongoing disagreement between the two men over who owned property between their two residences, Adams said.
Due to the snowstorm Thursday evening, Adams said one man could not get to his regular parking spot on Fourth Street, and so he parked on Third Street and started walking across the vacant property to his home.
"He was technically walking across property that neither man owned," Adams said. "This led to the argument and the shooting."
Adams said the wives of both men were also on the scene when the shooting occurred.
"They were disputing property ownership, and that's what led to the dispute," Adams said.
Adams said the man who was shot has been identified as Kenneth Hurt. No age was available.
The man who shot Hurt turned himself in to authorities, with the weapon, immediately after the incident, Adams said.
No charges have been filed.
Adams said the case remains under investigation. Once it is complete, it will be turned over to the prosecuting attorney's office who will make the decision whether or not to present it to the grand jury.
"Neighbor disputes are a constant battle," Adams said. "They can escalate."
He recommended those involved in a neighbor dispute "bring it to the courthouse or contact police officers to mediate."
Thursday night's snowstorm also impacted response to the scene. Adams said some emergency vehicles were getting stuck in the snow as they attempted to make it to the scene of the shooting.
— Contact Samantha Perry at sperry@bdtonline.com.
— Contact Samantha Perry at sperry@bdtonline.com.
