News

Convicted arsonist charged with firing shots in city

By Bill Moss, Published: October 14, 2014

A convicted arsonist and habitual offender was charged with shooting a weapon in the city and possessing a firearm as a felon last week.

Hendersonville police investigated a report of shots fired on Kensington Road in Druid Hills on Friday afternoon at 4:30. The shooter fled and police were unable to find him in the area. Just before dark, a keen-eyed officer on patrol, Cory Payne, spotted the suspect outside the library. The police had ascertained the man's identity by then, said Capt. Bruce Simonds.
Charged was Christopher M. Murray, a 32-year-old local man with a string of convictions. He served two years in prison for torching the old Stepping Stone real estate office on Fifth Avenue in December 2008. He got out on July 30. Murray also has been convicted for having a gun as a felon, larceny, possessing stolen goods, drug possession and assault.
The report came in Friday of shots fired into a dwelling. Turned out the shooter shot into the air and then fled, Simonds said. The firearm was a 9-mm handgun.