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Police: Decatur man brandishes rifle defending tree

Decaturish updates

Police: Decatur man brandishes rifle defending tree

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A Decatur man caused tree removal workers to the fear for their lives Tuesday morning, Oct. 15, according to Decatur police.

Barry Huffman, 67, was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct after workers called police complaining the Decatur resident verbally assaulted for hours while they tried to remove a tree from the 200 block of Melrose Avenue. The tree was ultimately removed.

Workers arrived to remove the tree at 9 a.m. and were engaged by Huffman soon after, they told police. Huffman eventually said “I’m going to put an end to this,” went into his nearby home and came out with a rifle, according to the victims. One worker said he through Huffman would kill him.

Huffman told police he did get angry and get his rifle after arguing with workers, but said he never left his own property with the weapon and didn’t point it at anyone.

This incident comes after a controversial moratorium on tree removals and residential tear downs was proposed Oct. 14. Read more on the moratorium here.