By Sharon Sahlfeld, The Beloit Call Editor
Bradley William Nitsch, Mayor and Fire Chief of Hunter, was arrested by the Mitchell County Sheriff’s department, after a shooting incident, late Tuesday night.
He was charged with Criminal Discharge of a Firearm with a level 8 person felony (23 months/$100,000), and later released on bond, Wednesday.
According to Hunter resident, Matt Schroeder, he called law enforcement after shots were fired towards him around midnight on Tuesday.
“I was checking on a house I own near his property, as he only lives a couple houses down from me,” said Schroeder. “I noticed his garage door was open when I passed by and when I was returning to my home, I heard a shot gun fire my way. Two pellets hit me in the back and others hit my truck and garage, but luckily I wasn’t hurt.”
Schroeder called the law enforcement who found gun pellets scattered in the drive way, on his tractor and the entire area where fire had taken place.
Schroeder said he wasn’t sure why he was shot at, except for him expressing his views the night before.
At Monday night’s city council meeting, the two had gotten into a heated argument about an issue on making citizens clean up overgrown areas and condemning places.
“I suggested that our code officer may want to take an oath of office, since they never have,” said Schroeder. “You can’t very well enforce issues to pursue legal action on, if it isn’t done in a legal matter.”
Although it was a heated argument, Schroeder thought it was fairly civil before the meeting ended with no confrontations.
According to the court documents by Mark J. Noah, Mitchell County Attorney, Nitsch was charged as follows:
Count One: That on or about August 4th, 2021, the above named Defendant, within Mitchell County in the State of Kansas, then and there being, did then and there contrary to the statutes of the State of Kansas unlawfully, feloniously, recklessly and without authorization discharge a firearm (Baikal Shotgun VIN 1207812B) at a dwelling (residence at 209 South Victor Street, Hunter, Kansas) in which there is no human being present within.
Crime: Criminal Discharge of a Firearm
Statute: K.S.A.21-6308(a)(2) and amendments thereto
Penalty: Level 8 Person Felony (23 months/$100,000)
When asked about the incident according to the Beloit Call, Nitsch said he had no comment.
