Man arrested for attempted murder in squirrel feeding incident

I lived in Gunbarrel, Colorado for about six years when I was a kid. True to its name, people like guns in Gunbarrel. I was once shot by fellow who objected to my trespassing on his property (my friends and I were exploring the caves). Fortunately he was far enough away that it only stung. We probably went back the next day.

Here's a story about a Gunbarrel gentleman who got into a fight with his neighbor over squirrel-feeding and shot him in the buttocks with his pistol. Jon Marc Barbour, 59, was arrested for second-degree attempted murder and first-degree assault.

Neighbors told investigators that Barbour and his wife like to feed shelled peanuts to the local squirrels. But neighbors have objected to this, saying they're worried about local children with nut allergies and diseases the squirrels might be carrying.

Barbour said he and his wife put fliers on mailboxes in the area explaining why he fed the squirrels, but Browning took them down.

Barbour and Browning got into an argument over the fliers Thursday while Browning was walking his dog, with each man accusing the other of being "white trash," according to the affidavit.

Barbour told deputies that Browning then hit him in the head, and that he shot Browning while the two were on the ground struggling.

But Browning told investigators that he was walking away from Barbour, and was about 10 feet away, when he was shot.