Simpsonville Man Arrested For Firing Into Neighbor's Apartment

A Simpsonville man is facing a weapons charge after he fired his handgun into a neighbor's apartment below him, a Simpsonville Police report said.

A woman at an apartment on Davenport Road said she was with her daughter inside their residence when they heard a loud bang in their dining room. When they ran in, they discovered a large hole in the ceiling and the spent round on the floor, the report said.

When police arrived, they were unable to locate the suspect, identified as Michael Patrick Howell, 24, in the apartment above. After the property manager finally was able to locate the man, he told police he was cleaning his 9mm handgun and accidentally fired the weapon when he was putting it away, the report said.

The man claimed that after the gun fired, he went outside to see if his neighbors below came outside. When they didn't, "he thought it was OK to leave so Howell left for work," the report stated. "When asked, Howell stated that he did not even think to call the police or even personally check on [his neighbors] until after he had already gotten to work."

Howell said repeatedly "he was sorry and that it was unintentional," the report stated.

Simpsonville Police seized the weapon and ammunition and charged Howell with discharging a firearm within city limits. He was arrested and later released on a $1,500 bond, the report said.