Police: Man shoots at squirrel, hits neighbor’s house instead

A man shooting at a squirrel sent a bullet through three walls in a neighbor’s home, according to Amherst police.

A report from Amherst police Detective Sgt. Michael Murphy states:

A homeowner reported Sept. 6 someone fired a weapon into the residence.

Officers found pieces of plastic on the floor from a light switch in the living room. And the switch had a hole in it.

Police found the bullet went through an outside wall of the house, traveled through two more walls inside the house and ended up in a kitchen wall.

No one was home at the time of the incident.

Based on the trajectory, police determined the bullet traveled from the back yard of a Meadowview Lane house.

Through a search warrant, police located two possible suspected firearms and a video surveillance system.

The suspect, Zbigniew Stanley Puza, 71, allegedly admitted shooting at squirrels with a .22-caliber rifle.

Police charged Puza with misdemeanor criminal damaging and discharging firearms.

Investigators indicate shooting guns in city limits is against the law unless the location is a gun range or the shooting is in the defense of life.

People should contact local authorities with questions about laws.