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Man, 68, Accused Of Shooting At Son For Leaving Too Many Cigarette Butts In Yard

ANAHEIM (CBS) — A 68-year-old Anaheim man was arrested Monday on suspicion of shooting at his son for leaving too many cigarette butts in the backyard.

John Bennem was booked at the Anaheim jail on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and making criminal threats, Anaheim police Sgt. Rick Martinez said.

Bennem was angry that his 20-something son left the cigarettes in the backyard, so he led him at gunpoint to the yard to show him the butts about 7:30 a.m., Martinez alleged.

While the two were in the backyard in the 2700 block of West Savoy Place, Bennem allegedly fired the gun and narrowly missed his son.

Police said the son called police, and authorities closed down the cul-de-sac street and locked down nearby Maxwell Elementary School.

Officers made contact with Bennem at his house about 9 a.m., took him into custody without incident and seized the gun allegedly used in the shooting, Martinez said.

 (©2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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