In what appears to be a reckless display of firearm use, two 18-year-olds, Makyla Wesley and Juliun Laderach, face charges after their bullets struck a neighboring home in Powell, with one round ending up in a child's bedroom. The Knox County Sheriff's Office responded to reports of shots fired at approximately 6:30 p.m. on Sunday at a home on Blueberry Road, as detailed by WVLT News. The homeowner reported the incident after finding five bullet holes penetrating the residence, including one ominously ending in a child's laundry basket.
Authorities spoke to Wesley and Laderach, who were discovered outside. Both admitted to discharging a firearm in their backyard. A cinderblock they claimed to have used as a target was found, yet there was no safe backstop in place. The sheer proximity, 50 to 60 yards from the victim’s house, only serves to underscore the perilous nature of their actions. As reported by WVLT News, law enforcement detected the smell of alcohol on their breath, which further complicates the case against them.
During the subsequent investigation, deputies retrieved several 9mm casings from the woods where the two were shooting, as reported by WIVK. A pistol receiver was also found hidden in a shoe box under Laderach's back porch—a box he allegedly stashed upon learning that police were nearby, according to court records obtained by WATE. Both individuals have been taken into custody without incident.
Now facing serious charges due to the incident, Wesley has been charged with possession of a handgun while under the influence and reckless endangerment. Laderach faces charges of tampering with evidence and reckless endangerment. Strikingly, both are scheduled to appear in court to answer to these charges today, on July 16th, which WVLT News conveyed. The recklessness displayed by the pair rings as a chilling reminder of the potential consequences when firearms are mishandled.
