Brea Man, 18, Is Arrested After Shot Hits Neighbor

A Brea man was arrested for firing up to eight shots from a .22-caliber rifle toward nearby homes Saturday and allegedly hitting a neighbor in the leg, investigators said.

Christopher Thompkins, 18, was charged with assault with a deadly weapon, according to Brea police.

Thompkins was firing the rifle in his backyard at 19591 Buena Vista St. about 2 p.m. when George Candler, a neighbor who lives up the hill from Thompkins, was wounded in the leg, police said.

Candler, who was gardening at the time, was taken to a nearby hospital where he was reported to be in good condition.

After he was shot, Candler alerted police who surrounded Thompkins’ house and called him on the telephone, asking him to surrender. Police said Thompkins came out of the house with his hands raised and was taken into custody.