By GEORGIA WESTGARTH
BLIND Bight locals have been left terrified after shotgun pellets rained down on their roofs during a local farmer’s fit of rage.
At issue was a long-standing neighbourhood dispute involving the welfare of up to 30 dogs.
A Blind Bight man, believed to be aged in his thirties, shot at property facades in Wild Duck Way after discovering police, RSPCA and a Casey council by-laws officer searched his family’s farm on Friday 15 April.
An onlooker has described the hour-long incident as “highly stressful”.
“Someone could have died, a young lady with a baby is traumatised.
“He has absolutely terrorised everyone, some residents have said they saw four helicopters circling the home and he was shooting at trees and onto roofs of houses,” they said.
The resident – who wishes to remain anonymous – said the male farmer, who lived with his parents, “went berserk with a shotgun”.
“He was yelling out foul language and threatening everyone.”
Narre Warren Acting Sergeant, Anthony Sanders was called to the tense situation around 6pm.
“We were there for hours,” Sgt Sanders said.
“I spoke with the man’s father who clarified that people had been on his property without consent or knowledge, we had one helicopter circling above to keep observations.”
Sgt Sanders said reports had come through that there was a “mad man with a gun, and shotgun pellets were raining down on roofs and garages.”
Police cordoned off nearby streets and arrested the man at the scene, who assisted police.
The man has since been released, pending further investigations.
The local eyewitness said police, council and the RSPCA cut locks to gain entry to the rural property.
“They looked to have confiscated about 15 of the 40 dogs, which seem to be pitbulls,” they said.
“The dogs are kept in poor state, on very short chains in kennels on the ground, recently he moved them among the trees at the far end of the property near the sewage pond.”
It’s believed noise and constant barking, coming from the Blind Bight farm, is an ongoing source of angst for residents in adjacent estates.
