Man Charged with Shooting at MU Student Inside Frat House
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Updated: 7:37 PM Dec 1, 2008
Man Charged with Shooting at MU Student Inside Frat House
The man charged with shooting at a Marshall student during an incident at a fraternity house early Monday morning appeared in court.
Posted: 11:23 AM 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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Latest Comments

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.
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