Teen accused of shooting two men

July 15, 2005
A 17-year-old is in custody on two counts of attempted murder after a dispute erupted into gunfire which left two men hospitalized late Wednesday night, police said.
Officers had already been called to the area at least once prior to the shooting as a result of the disturbance, Lebanon Police Chief Scott Bowen said Thursday.
"We had officers out there at least once prior to this incident because of a dispute," he said.
The shooting occurred outside the teenager's residence Wednesday at 729 Cole Ave., said Bowen, who noted the two victims were apparently visiting the neighborhood.
He said the two victims left the area after police were initially called but apparently later returned, when the teen "produced a gun and shot the two individuals."
The victims were identified as Charles Ridler, 25, and 17-year-old Steven Sneed. Both are in stable condition in area hospitals, though Sneed was airlifted to a Nashville medical facility and is expected to undergo surgery, Bowen said.
"Apparently his wound was close to an artery," said Bowen, who explained both victims were shot in the leg.
Bowen said police are unsure of the nature of the dispute which led to the shooting.
"Right now all we know for certain is that some kind of dispute started," he said. "Our officers were called out there at least once, and at some point it broke back out and the suspect fired at the victims."
He said officers found the suspect "hiding behind the house" and recovered a .25-caliber semi-automatic pistol believed used in the shooting.
The police chief indicated the teenage suspect has admitted to investigators he wounded the two.
"He has given a statement to our detective division implicating himself," Bowen said.
The suspect was charged in juvenile court petitions with two counts of criminal attempt to commit second-degree murder, Bowen said.
He was jailed in a Rutherford County juvenile facility after being charged following the shooting, which was reported after 10 p.m. Wednesday.
The suspect was expected to be taken before a juvenile court judge for a preliminary court appearance within the next few days, Bowen said.
Senior Staff Writer Brooks Franklin can be reached at 444-3952 ext. 14 or by e-mail at brooks.franklin@lebanondemocrat.com.