Lawyer: Guardsman was trying to commit suicide in armory
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) – A lawyer for a Tennessee National Guard recruiter charged in a shooting at an armory north of Memphis says his client brought a gun into the building to kill himself, not shoot his fellow Guard members.
The lawyer, Michael Stengel, delivered an opening statement Tuesday in the trial of Amos Patton, who has pleaded not guilty to charges that he tried to kill four of his superiors at the National Guard armory in Millington on Oct. 24, 2013.
Prosecutors say Patton pulled a gun from a fanny pack and began shooting after a disciplinary meeting in which he was told about an official recommendation to remove him from his job as a recruiter and reduce his rank.
Authorities say three guard members suffered minor injuries in the shooting.
