Man Charged with Shooting at MU Student Inside Frat House
Man Charged with Shooting at MU Student Inside Frat House Save Email Print
Posted: 11:23 AM Dec 1, 2008
 Last Updated: 7:37 PM Dec 1, 2008
 Reporter: Phil Weber; Dave Benton
Email Address: dave.benton@wsaz.com
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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- The man charged with shooting at a Marshall student during an incident at a fraternity house early Monday morning appeared in court.

59-year-old John Curtis Dawson of Dunbar was arraigned Monday morning in Cabell County Magistrate Court.

The incident happened shortly after midnight at the Pi Kappa Alpha house in the 14-hundred block of 5th Avenue.

22-year-old Zach Davis says he was injured while trying to wrestle the 22-caliber pistol away from Dawson.

The police report says Dawson forced his way into the fraternity house and brandished a weapon. One shot was fired at Davis and several other students in the house then held Dawson down until police arrived.

Davis was treated for his injury at the scene. He was not shot.

Dawson is charged with attempted murder, burglary, and brandishing a weapon.

During the court hearing, the magistrate asked Dawson why his hand was bandaged; he answered saying he had accidentally shot himself in the hand last week.

Dawson pleaded not guilty. His preliminary hearing is set for December 11. He remains in the Western Regional Jail.

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Posted by: Glad I Didnt get shot on Dec 3, 2008 at 04:15 PM
This is rediculous I'm sick of you idiots who wernt there making stuff up. The interview that was on the news was the next day so saying Zac had chugged a few back is irrelivant. Keep your mouthes shut.
Posted by: Steve on Dec 3, 2008 at 08:00 AM
John Dawson WAS a Pike! He lived in the Pike House in 1969-70. I am a Pike and know this for sure. I lived there at the time. I am not trying to take up for the gun thing. That was dumb. My opinion as one who knew him is that he was in town, had too much to drink, and thought he would re-live his college days. When he was a Pike it was not unusual for alumni to stay at the House. Once again, the gun thing was dumb.
Posted by: doesn't make sense on Dec 2, 2008 at 07:47 PM
This is one of the weirdest stories I've ever heard. What kind of nut was that man? You can't blame the gun. The gun didn't walk in there. He walked in there carrying it. He probably isn't even suppose to have a gun. Sounds like he's mentally unstable. I hope he gets help. Oh yeah, and that boy from the frat looked like he had chugged a few back too.
Posted by: Glad I Didnt get shot on Dec 2, 2008 at 10:14 AM
To sue, there was no party or music i was there and the man lives in Dunbar dont make assumptions. and to Julia, hes not a Pike we already checked the roster and he didnt know anything about PKA so how would he be a Pike.
Posted by: mo on Dec 2, 2008 at 07:59 AM
So which one of you guys messed with his daughter to make him do this ?
Posted by: dee on Dec 2, 2008 at 06:54 AM
who cares if he was or wasn't an alumni. The current occupants didnt feel he needed to be there. Most likely he had the gun on him from the first time he tried to get in there. Obviously there's a psychiatric issue here and its a miracle nobody was seriously hurt or killed.
Posted by: PIKE 1989 on Dec 2, 2008 at 06:32 AM
PHI PHI K A PIKE FOR LIFE....GOOD JOB BROTHERS!!!
Posted by: Julia on Dec 1, 2008 at 08:44 PM
59 and asking for help from his frat brothers. Not much brotherly love here! Must not be the same old Pikes as it used to be
Posted by: Allen on Dec 1, 2008 at 07:50 PM
Lets do a shot at the Pike house.Beer chaser anyone?
Posted by: Mike on Dec 1, 2008 at 07:17 PM
A little overreaction here. No one was injured, the guy was just having a good time.
Posted by: Sue on Dec 1, 2008 at 05:04 PM
I am thinking maybe he lives next door and there was a loud party at the PIKE house and he sort of flipped instead of doing what should be done.
Posted by: Anonymous on Dec 1, 2008 at 04:58 PM
brandon, that made me laugh
Posted by: Pike on Dec 1, 2008 at 02:57 PM
I actually live at the Pike house, this guy was havig a bad night i guess. The guy came into the house claiming he was alumni, but was unable to answer any of our questions to verify he was an alumni, so he was asked to leave. He left the house but returned 15 minutes later and pulled the gun on a bunch of our guys. Guess he didnt expect a house full of us to put up a fight....
Posted by: Ziggy on Dec 1, 2008 at 01:25 PM
GUNS GUNS GUNS WE WANT MORE GUNS!!! WAY TO GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! POOR OLD MAN MUSTA THOUGHT HE WAS IN THE WOODS SHOOTIN' AT BAMBI. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PEOPLE GET HIGH ON LORTABS.
Posted by: MrObvious on Dec 1, 2008 at 01:19 PM
Motive? I mean, this story is severely lacking on details. Other than being a nutjob, what was this mans problem?
Posted by: Brandon on Dec 1, 2008 at 12:53 PM
You're my boy, Blue!!
Posted by: Debbie on Dec 1, 2008 at 12:21 PM
this guy is apparently very unstable and needs to be kept behind bars. Wonder how he shot himself in the hand last week, and why would someone take on that many young men in their prime? Crazy.
Posted by: Anonymous on Dec 1, 2008 at 11:43 AM
59 years old and in a Frat?? Gezz! I guess it is good for the eldery to be in college.
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