A dispute over a game of pool led to shots fired, a SWAT team response, and the arrest of a La Pine man.
It all started at Shandy’s, a bowling alley on Highway 97 in La Pine, shortly after 5:30 p.m. Friday.
“We were betting five bucks a game,” said Richard Simonian, “Preceded to beat this guy in pool and he got upset, threw his pool cue at me and then broke a barstool over a table and said I ain’t paying you and I have a pistol in my pocket’
Simonian described the incident to Central Oregon Daily News on Saturday morning standing in the parking lot where the shots were fired.
“He left the building he started popping off rounds and he said where is that big guy, I’m going to kill him,” added Simonian who ran who ran for cover.
“At that point I ran to the back of the bowling alley, behind the pin sets and hid and got on my phone and called 911, and my mother because I was scared for my life,’ recounted Simonian.
The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office responded to the incident, which was initially reported as an active shooter situation according to Sergeant Jayson Janes.
“They had the whole 97 shut down, they had everything locked down, they did a great job, oh my God amazing,” said Simonian.
Deputes quickly determined there was no active shooter, and identified the suspect as 34 year-old Anthony Lee Bauman of La Pine, who had left the scene.
Deputies located Bauman’s vehicle at his residence in the 52000 block of Highway 97 and waited for the SWAT team to arrive.
Negotiators were able to get two people out of the residence before taking the suspect into custody without incident at 9 p.m.
Bauman was taken to Deschutes County Jail, charged with Felon in Possession of Firearm, Menacing, Theft I (stolen firearm), Reckless Endangering, Disorderly Conduct II, Tampering with Evidence, and a felony arrest warrant out of Texas according to Sgt. Jaynes.
“Yeah, I’m still shaken about it,” said Simonian.
When asked about the wager he laughed, “I got five dollars worth of entertainment though.”
