ROCK SPRINGS – An altercation between neighbors that allegedly escalated to involve a shotgun has resulted in felony charges being filed against a Rock Springs man.
Colton Charles Clapp, 34, made his initial appearance to two counts of aggravated assault Tuesday afternoon. His bond was set at $50,000 cash or surety.
According to court documents, the incident occurred Jan. 28 on 3rd Street. The Rock Springs Police Department was dispatched to an address where an altercation had occurred. The reporting party said the situation escalated and a man had a gun. RSPD Officer Cody Morgan arrived and spoke with a witness living across from the home he was dispatched to. As he spoke with the witness, Officer Nicole Baker noticed movement in the other home and saw a man, later identified as Clapp, with a long barrel firearm. The officers instructed Clapp to leave the house with his hands empty, which he complied with. He would not leave porch, which resulted in officers handcuffing and detaining Clapp.
RSPD Cpl. Reyn Belliston spoke with Clapp after reading his Miranda rights. Court documents state Clapp told Belliston he was upset with life in general and when his neighbor confronted him about his dog being out, he became more upset. Clapp said he got into an argument with the neighbors on his porch. Court documents claim Clapp told Belliston he had a shotgun in his hands and said he later pointed it above his neighbors’ heads. Clapp allegedly said the firearm was always loaded in his house, and allegedly admitted to Belliston that he had made a mistake and put the gun away in his home.
Officer spoke with two other neighbors who said they heard loud banging coming from Clapp’s house and walked to the residence to tell him to be quiet. They said they ended up in a verbal altercation with Clapp that ended up near his fence. They claimed Clapp put one hand around one of the neighbors’ throats and pushed them away from him, which resulted in the other neighbor shoving Clapp towards his door. They said Clapp then went into his house and they walked away from the home.
The two said they were in the middle of the street when they heard Clapp walk out of his home and alleged he “racked a round into a gun” they said was potentially a long barrel firearm, allegedly threatening to kill them and yelling at them to give him his dog. Clapp then allegedly pointed the gun at them, resulting in the two speed walking back to their home.
