Photo: scene of shooting
NOVATO — An 85-year-old retired firefighter is in custody for allegedly shooting his caretaker on the morning of March 11. The victim survived the shooting which occurred at 873 Atherton Avenue.
In fact, it was the victim who phoned the police. At 8:20 a.m., she called 911 to report that she had been shot. She was shot outside the home, situated behind a thicket of trees and bushes adjacent to Highway 101.
Before Marin County Sheriff’s deputies arrived on the scene, a witness drove the woman to a fire station. From there, she was transported by medics to a local hospital to receive additional medical treatment.
Despite her ordeal, the victim maintained a calm demeanor. Before being driven away from the scene, she even took the gun away from the suspect. She made sure to discard it out of his reach.
Sheriff’s deputies, Novato police and California Highway Patrol officers all responded to the crime scene. The surrounding area was cordoned off.
The suspect may have attempted to take the victim’s vehicle. However, he was still on the premises when law enforcement arrived.
Without further ado sheriff’s deputies arrested John Farrell at 8:46 a.m. The old man was processed into Marin County Jail. He remains in custody in lieu of $500,000 bond.
Farrell was booked on open charges for attempted murder. If convicted, his new permanent caretaker may be a prison warden.
