By Jeff Shultz

Publisher

One man is in custody after a domestic dispute Monday night turned violent, resulting in one victim being shot.

According to a PV Police report, officers were notified at around 8:30 Monday night by Pauls Valley General Hospital that 27-year old James Garrison of Pauls Valley had walked into the E.R. with a gunshot wound to his abdomen.

Officers responded to the hospital where they learned Garrison had been involved in a domestic altercation, which led to the shooting incident.

The incident had taken place at 1313 Hillcrest Dr. in Pauls Valley and the alleged shooter was named as 28-year old Richard Griffin, also of Pauls Valley.

Garrison was later flown to Presbyterian Hospital in Oklahoma City for surgery to remove the bullet.

Officers went to the residence on Hillcrest Dr. in an attempt to make contact with Griffin but were unsuccessful. While on the scene, officers learned that Griffin had arrived at the Pauls Valley Police Department on his own.

According to the police report, Garrison told the investigating officers that he and his girl friend, Jamie Baxter, had been staying at Griffin’s residence for a week.

Garrison said he and Griffin had gotten into an argument and Griffin had ordered Garrison out of the house.

As Garrison was gathering his belongings, Griffin allegedly pointed a rifle at Garrison and said he was going to shoot him if he didn’t hurry up.

According to Garrison, he then told Griffin to go ahead and shoot him and that’s when Griffin shot Garrison in the stomach.

According to the police report, the incident turned extremely violent before the shooting.

When the investigating officers interviewed Baxter, she said that Garrison had told her to fix him some food.

Baxter said she went to the kitchen and Griffin asked for some coffee. She then served Griffin his coffee first and, according to Baxter’s statement, Garrison became angry with her.

He told her to get his clothes out of the dryer and she stated she had gone to the back room of the house where the dryer was located.

At that point Garrison allegedly grabbed her hair and began striking her in the head with his clenched fist.

Garrison then allegedly dragged Baxter into the dryer and started kicking her in the head.

According to the police report, Baxter said Garrison grabbed her throat and began strangling her to the point she almost blacked out.

He then started to strike her again with his fist and kicking her in the head.

At that point, according to Baxter, Griffin intervened.

Baxter said she got up and started to walk to the front door with Garrison following her and continuing to strike her with his fist while yelling at Griffin.

As they arrived at the front door, Garrison, according to the police report, shoved Baxter out the door.

Griffin produced the rifle at some time during the ongoing altercation and shot Garrison in the stomach.

Griffin was later charged with shooting with intent to kill and was taken into custody and booked into the Garvin County Jail.

According to PV Police Chief Mitch McGill, the incident is still under investigation and domestic abuse charges could be filed against Garrison for the his actions that led up to the shooting.