A barrel full of ammunition

Kenneth Wayne Riggins

The sounds of what could best be described as gun shots awakened Chalfant residents on the morning of Oct. 20. At approximately 6:50 a.m., Mono County Sheriff’s Department dispatch received a call regarding possible shots fired on Valley Road in Chalfant.

Mono County Sheriff’s deputies, along with California Highway Patrol, were dispatched to a residence on Valley Road in Chalfant with the report of a man yelling followed by the sound of multiple gun shots. When deputies arrived on scene, they observed a fire in a burn barrel actively burning in the back yard.

Deputies made contact with Kenneth Wayne Riggins, 37, of Chalfant. Riggins had placed live ammunition into an actively burning barrel causing the ammunition to be set off. The ammunition was continually discharging while deputies were on scene causing a public safety issue. The rounds in the barrel were the “possible shots fired” that were heard. Mono County Code Enforcement, along with the Mono County Building Department, was called to the residence. The residence has been red tagged.

Upon further investigation into this incident, it was determined that Riggins was under the influence of a controlled substance. He was taken into custody and transported to the Mono County Jail in Bridgeport. This incident is still under investigation with the Mono County Sheriff’s Department and the Mono County Building Department. –MCSD