Published: May 16, 2007 06:28 pm      

Floyd County shooter says he acted in self-defense

The man accused of shooting a fellow worker Monday evening at a local horse-training facility says he acted in self-defense.

Charles Wolcott, 51, was upgraded Tuesday evening from critical to serious-but-stable condition after being shot in the stomach by 56-year-old Richard Velas.

Floyd County Prosecutor Keith Henderson said Velas has not been arrested or charged with a crime, and Floyd County Sheriff Darrell Mills said it’s possible the shooting was provoked when Wolcott allegedly attacked Velas with a hammer.

While tending to horses at the training facility Tuesday afternoon, Velas said he fired the shots in self-defense, but declined to provide any more details about the argument between the two. He said he was “worried” about Wolcott, but that he didn’t consider him to be a friend.

“I just always left him alone,” Velas said.

As of Tuesday morning, Floyd County police said they had been unable to speak with Wolcott because of his injuries.

Police say the shooting occurred about 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Glenwood Training Center along Ind. 111 near the Clark-Floyd county line. Velas was reportedly living at a residence on the property while Wolcott — whose permanent address is Bennettsville Road in Borden — was temporarily living with his girlfriend in a home adjacent to the facility.

Velas allegedly fired two shots at Wolcott from a rare .36 caliber black-powder six-shot revolver, a gun Mills said police “weren’t really used to dealing with.”

A friend of Velas’ — who declined to give his name but was caring for two of his own horses at Glenwood Tuesday afternoon — said Velas “felt really bad” about the shooting and described him as a “passive man who avoided confrontation.”