A 60-year-old man was left in critical condition after being shot multiple times inside a home on Cambridge Drive in Chattanooga, and police say the man now charged in the shooting admitted to pulling the trigger during an argument over household bills. John Billingsley, 59, faces charges of attempted second-degree murder and aggravated domestic assault in connection with the shooting.
Chattanooga Police Department officers responded to reports of a person shot in the 1700 block of Cambridge Drive, according to WDEF. Officers found the 60-year-old victim suffering from a gunshot wound, and Hamilton County EMS transported him to a hospital, where he was listed in critical condition, per a statement from the City of Chattanooga. Investigators interviewed Billingsley, who admitted to shooting the victim, and he was later booked into the Hamilton County Jail and Detention Center.
Dueling Accounts of What Sparked the Gunfire
According to an affidavit obtained by Local 3 News, Billingsley is accused of firing four shots at the victim after an argument about finances. Billingsley told police he shot the man after the victim allegedly threatened him with a knife when Billingsley told him to leave for not helping with the bills.
The victim gave a different version of events, telling police that it was Billingsley who told him to leave and threatened him with a silver-and-gold letter opener, the same outlet's report notes. Investigators searching the scene did not find the knife Billingsley described, though they did recover a pair of silver-and-gold scissors near Billingsley's nightstand, according to the same account.
Evidence Points to Victim's Version, Police Say
Police said the physical evidence from the scene broke down a specific way: two shots struck the ceiling, one struck the victim's leg, and one was fired next to the victim's head, per the same account. Investigators told the outlet that the bullet holes and shell casings recovered were more consistent with the victim's account of the confrontation than with Billingsley's.
Billingsley is scheduled to appear in court on Friday, October 23, the report states. The Chattanooga Police Department is asking anyone with information about the incident to call 423-698-2525.
As with any pending criminal case, the charges against Billingsley remain accusations. He is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt through due process of law.
