A Clay County man is facing several charges, including wanton endangerment and cruelty to animals, according to a criminal complaint.
Just after 9:22 p.m. Wednesday, officers responded to 828 Laurel Fork Road in Indore following reports of a hostage situation, the complaint states. Clay County 911 reported that a caller said Steven Register was inside the home, armed with a pistol and behaving erratically.
The caller also said Register claimed he was seeing “demons” and had entered a bedroom with two children. As officers headed to the scene, dispatchers informed them that a shot had been fired inside the home, according to the criminal complaint.
The complaint states the projectile reportedly passed through an interior door from the room where Register and the children were, exiting into the kitchen where the complainant was located.
Officers said the complainant was eventually able to negotiate the release of herself and the children.
According to the criminal complaint, as they ran toward a neighbor’s home about 50 yards away, they heard a second shot, followed by the sound of a dog whimpering. When officers arrived at the scene, they said they found Register pacing inside the residence. Officers announced their presence and ordered Register to come out of the home, and he complied.
Register said he believed something was trying to kill his family and admitted that he fired the gun once inside the residence and once outside. He also said the second shot accidentally struck and killed his dog.
Officers arrested Register and charged him with three counts of wanton endangerment, one count of child neglect creating a risk of death or injury, and one count of cruelty to animals. Authorities took him to Central Regional Jail, where he awaits arraignment.