Shannon Shook

A dispute over a property line in the Willwood area reportedly escalated into an armed confrontation between neighbors last week, resulting in an arrest and a felony charge.

Shannon L. Shook, 57, is alleged to have pointed a pellet gun at his neighbors and threatened to shoot them during the Dec. 3 incident, which took place on Lane 14 southwest of Powell. Shook faces a felony count of aggravated assault. While free on bail, he’s been ordered to have no more contact with his neighbors and to relinquish any firearms and weapons.

At a Friday hearing in Park County Circuit Court, Shook’s defense attorney, Brigita Krisjansons, said her client “is very understanding of how serious this is” and indicated the no contact order would handle any concerns.

“They’re neighbors; we can’t change any of that right now,” Krisjansons said. “But no one needs to be talking to one another, making any gestures towards anyone else [and] avoiding each other the best they can.”

“I think that’s all we can do, actually, legally and properly at this moment,” she said.

The neighboring couple also addressed the court, indicating that they were satisfied with his release if Shook doesn’t contact them or have weapons.

The altercation took place around 9 p.m. on Dec. 3. The neighbors told the Park County Sheriff’s Office that they received a notification from their surveillance system that someone was on their property, and saw Shook near their fence. They provided video footage that allegedly shows Shook in a red skiing suit, firing a shot with his pellet rifle. 

As the neighbor’s wife began to drive down the couple’s driveway, Shook allegedly started yelling to get off his property. According to the couple, when the woman stepped out of her vehicle, Shook “stated multiple times that he was going to shoot her and then started point[ing] a rifle towards her, telling her to get back into the car,” Park County Sheriff’s Cpl. Tyler Morean recounted in an affidavit. 

Shook also allegedly pointed the pellet gun at the man, after he shined a flashlight on Shook.

When the deputy asked Shook for his version of the events, and to explain why he had the rifle, Shook explained that “he was patrolling his fence line because of the civil dispute and the aggressive dogs his neighbors own,” Morean wrote.

Shook also said “that he just wants all of his neighbors to be neighborly to everyone and doesn’t understand why everyone is always arguing,” the affidavit says.

While Shook was speaking with the deputy, the neighbor walked over and both men began yelling, Morean wrote. That prompted Morean to have the neighbor and his wife go to their vehicle.

Shook was arrested at the property that night. He wasn’t seen by Circuit Court Judge Joey Darrah until Friday, but the county attorney’s office and Krisjansons worked with the court to have Shook released on a $5,000 surety bond on Dec. 5. 

The pending aggravated assault charge alleges that Shook “did threaten to use a drawn deadly weapon.” At some point during his arrest, Shook allegedly offered “something to the effect that even though this is a pellet gun that it still has the possibility of killing someone,” the affidavit says.

A preliminary hearing was tentatively set for next week, but Krisjansons said she’ll ask for it to be reset for a later date.