Atwater Mayor illegally fires gun at Castle airport

ATWATER, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Atwater City Mayor, Jim Price, was cited on Thursday afternoon for illegally firing his gun at Castle Airport.

Authorities say the city official fired a .22 caliber rifle while in the flight line of the airport.

James Allen, a witness, says he was just a few yards away. He was reading a book in his car when he says he heard the gunfire.

"All of a sudden, I heard a pop and it startled me. A snap went over my head and I heard a ricochet sound behind me in those trees over there," Allen said.

Allen says he quickly drove away and called the police.

Merced County Sheriff, Vern Warnke, says Price claims he was firing squirrels. The mayor is also the co-owner of Gemini Flight Support, which fuels planes at the airport. He declined to comment on the incident on Friday.

Price's gun was confiscated and he was ordered to surrender his concealed carry permit.

Warnke says the case will be sent to the Merced County District Attorney's Office.

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