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AK47 confiscated in Leighton shooting

By Josh Ault  bio|e-mail

LEIGHTON, AL (WAFF) - A Colbert County man has been arrested for firing a gun in downtown Leighton.  The gun and ammunition he used was very powerful.

The shooting happened at the intersection of First and Clearview Streets.  The accused gunman is 23-year-old Kadarius Lewis.

"Upon arrival we talked to the victim," said Leighton Police Officer Bobby Inman. "She advised that a prior boyfriend had fired a round from a AK47 type rifle."

In a signed confession, Lewis said he fired 3 shots above her head.  The gun he used was a Romanian AK47.

Even though the gun looks dangerous, it is not illegal.

The illegal part is firing it in public.  Another concern was the ammunition used.

"We also got 141 rounds of armor-piercing ammunition," said Inman. "That will defeat ballistic vests used by law enforcement agencies."

These type of bullets were banned from the country two years ago.  Leighton Police contacted ATF agents, who say the ammunition is still legal, but very dangerous.

These types of guns are not uncommon.

"They are pretty popular," said Chip Davis, owner of Guns-N-Such in downtown Florence. "There are quite a few around."

Davis says a lot of people buy these rifles for protection.

"It's a mid-range round," said Davis, "It's a popular military caliber.  It's the Soviet, Chinese, European counterpart to our 5.56 in the M16."

Now this gun owner is in trouble, and his gun now belongs to the Leighton Police Department.

Lewis was charged with domestic menacing, harassment, reckless endangerment, and firing a firearm in city limits.

The victim was not hurt in this shooting.  The charges against Lewis are only misdemeanors, and he has been releas4ed on a $4,000 bond.

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