COLORADO–Derrill Rockwell, of Grand Junction, Co. , received a five year probation sentence after shooting a woman in the head because he mistook her hair for a bird.
According to a GJSentinel report the man confused the woman’s red Mohawk for a bird that allegedly had been harassing his cats.
So Rockwell,49, took his .22-caliber and shot at what he thought was a red bird, about 90 feet away, sitting at the top of a hill.
The GJSentinel report says Rockwell only shot once, but did not see the bird fly away. Rockwell realized he had shot a person, not a bird, after he heard the 23-year-old woman moaning in pain.
Allegedly Rockwell drove the woman to a hospital and she walked into the emergency room on her own accord, reported the GJSentinel. The paper tried to contact her but was unable to get a response.
Rockwell was sentenced to serve five years probation after pleading guilty to felony possession of a weapon by a prior offender.
The GJSentinel reported that after a 1995 conviction for attempted burglary, Rockwell had been prohibited from owning a firearm.
Read the full GJSentinel report.
