(SEMMES, Ala.) - A City of Semmes employee who was arrested early Tuesday morning for shooting at unarmed teenagers could face disciplinary action by his employer.39-year-old Mark Shane Raiford was arrested and charged with shooting into an occupied vehicle. Mobile County Sheriff's officials said Raiford "unloaded" more than five rounds from a pistol at five Mary Montgomery High School students for "rolling" his yard with toilet paper. Authorities said the teens were driving away when Raiford discharged his firearm, hitting the vehicle.
Authorities said Raiford followed the teens to an Exxon service station on Howell's Ferry and Snow Roads, where he held them at gunpoint with a different pistol until deputies arrived.
City of Semmes Mayor Judy Hale said Raiford, the city's public works superintendent, took a a few days of leave following the incident.
"I was shocked and kind of (in) disbelief," Hale said. "Everything I know about Shane he's a nice guy, he's a hard worker."
Hale said it is the first real conflict her city has dealt with since its incorporation. She said it's not clear whether Raiford will face disciplinary action.
"I really don't know right now," Hale said. "We'll probably seek advisement of our attorney before we make that decision right now."
Mobile County Sheriff's spokesperson Lori Myles said they would not release whether or not Raiford had a permit for the pistol he brought to the gas station, but said it would be revoked for acting recklessly.
A witness to the incident at the gas station, who did not want to be identified, said Raiford held as many as 20 kids at gunpoint early Tuesday morning. Authorities would only confirm that the five teens involved in the rolling of Raiford's home were involved.
"A lot of the kids were crying, a lot of the kids they were extremely scared," the witness said. "They were laid out on the ground. The feet were out spread apart, the hands were out spread apart and he had a gun just waiving it at them."
The man said Raiford should face more charges for putting the teens' lives at risk.
"I'm a father of a daughter in high school," the man said. "If something like that was happening to my children, and the police officers didn't call me I would be extremely upset."
Raiford was not available for comment Wednesday. Raiford's wife is a science teacher at Mary Montgomery High School, the same school the five teens attend. The Mobile County School System refused to comment on the incident.
