East Texas man arrested after attempting to fire gun at child

OVERTON — Our news partners at KETK report an Overton man was arrested Saturday evening after allegedly attempting to shoot at children. According to Smith County arrest documents, officers responded to 23410 CR 3199 at around 7:12 p.m. after receiving a 911 call from children that a family member “had come into the home with a rifle and was acting aggressively.” The children identified the family member as Keith Lamar Mills, of Overton, who attempted to fire the gun but it malfunctioned. Authorities spoke with one of the children who said when they arrived home, the front door was unlocked and saw Mills yelling obscenities. Mills was reportedly about to hit a child when he “dropped his hand.” Mills smelled of alcohol and his demeanor had scared the children, records show. The document stated Mills left and went back to his shed where he lived on the property. Three of the children then went to the shed and began to play music when Mills reportedly came out of his room and started cussing at them to shut up. After the children walked out of the shed, they saw Mills walk out holding a brown rifle.

The children said as they were hiding behind a vehicle when they heard the clicking of the firearm but the gun had jammed as Mills pulled the trigger. Afterwards, Mills reportedly returned holding a pistol and sporadically waving his arms. That is when all three children reportedly ran away from the home in different directions.

The children “believed that [Mills] actions placed them in fear of serious bodily injury.” Since then, Mills has been arrested on four counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

Police took the rifle and a .22 caliber revolver, as evidence. However, Miller later claimed that the kids were being too loud and he was only holding a BB gun, the document said.