FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) — A 24-year-old man was arrested for allegedly hitting a family member in the face with a pistol and nearly ripping the victim’s ear off with a bite.
Ethan Hetherington was arrested on Tuesday (Jan. 29) and is facing charges of residential burglary, domestic battery, aggravated assault on a family or household member and the unlawful discharge of a firearm, according to a preliminary report.
On Tuesday at approximately 6:42 a.m., officers responded to a disturbance at a Fayetteville home. A man told police Ethan arrived at his residence at 6 a.m. demanding $20 for transportation to Ozark Guidance to seek help.
He provided Ethan with $10 through the front door. The man says Ethan then became irate with him when he would not give him the full $20 and pushed his way into his home.
The victim retrieved a revolver from under his pillow and told Ethan he needed to leave his home.
A struggle over the revolver started, causing the firearm to discharge.
Ethan gained control over the revolver and began striking the victim in the face with the grip of the gun, a report states.
Both the victim and the suspect were on the floor when Ethan bit the man on his left ear. A piece of the victim’s ear was torn from the bite.
Ethan then stood up and pointed the revolver at the victim, firing the gun near the man’s head.
The victim told police he then fled to a neighbor’s residence yelling for help. His face and ear were bleeding from injuries caused by Ethan.
Ethan was located at the residence by officers and was arrested. He was transported to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
Ethan’s bond has been set at $25,000.
