A Warren city councilman held a bloody trespasser at gunpoint outside his home late Saturday night until Warren and Howland police arrived.
Scott Boling, 32, of Warren, was arrested on charges of misdemeanor assault and criminal damaging and was being held in the Trumbull County Jail.
Bob Dean, D-at large, said he was getting ready to go to a party Saturday night when he noticed someone near the shed in his back yard at 4110 Sunnybrook Drive S.E. at 11:43 p.m.
Thinking it might be connected to the rash of shed break-ins in the city, Dean said he grabbed his gun, for which he has a conceal carry permit, ''and told him in graphic language to get on the ground.
''He laid down spread eagle, which told me two things one, he'd done it before, and two, the communication between me and him was pretty good.''
Dean said he had to hold the gun on the man for several minutes until Warren and Howland police officers arrived. He is retired from the Air Force, where he was trained as a marksman, but Dean said this was the first time he pointed a weapon at someone.
''I have a greater appreciation for what police officers go through,'' Dean said. ''I didn't know whether he was alone, I didn't know whether he had a weapon. I had to trust my instincts to do the right thing. When he reached under his shirt (at one point), I had no seconds to determine whether he's going to come out with something that could shorten my lifespan. And we have police officers who go through that every day.''
Dean said the man was covered in blood when he saw him in his backyard, but he didn't know where or how he'd been injured.
Howland police officers told Dean they had been looking for Boling. And even though Dean's house is in the city limits, Howland police arrested Boling and filed the charges.
Howland Police did not return calls seeking comment.
Tribune Chronicle reporter Christopher Bobby contributed to this story.