Timothy Glade Holdaway, 53, was arrested for investigation of two counts of assault, a class B misdemeanor, after two children were hit by BB gun pellets at the Trail Side KOA Journey campground in Garden City. The incident occurred on Saturday, July 18, around 5:20 p.m., according to a police affidavit.
An officer with the Rich County Sheriff's Office responded to reports of a man shooting BB gun pellets at two boys. The responding officer noted that both boys showed signs of being struck by the pellets.
Witnesses described the suspect as an older male with gray hair, a gray shirt, a hat, and facial hair. Investigators determined that Holdaway lived in the area from which the shots were fired, specifically near the employee housing west of the campground. While a campground representative confirmed Holdaway was not an employee or connected to the campground, police noted he matched the physical description provided by witnesses.
One witness positively identified Holdaway as the person who fired the BB gun, noting the shooter had facial hair at the time of the incident. Although Holdaway denied involvement and claimed he did not own a BB gun, a neighbor told police that Holdaway owned a BB gun and used it to shoot at squirrels and trash cans.
Liliana Padilla-Perez, a Salt Lake resident and mother of the two boys, said the family is devastated by the unprovoked attack. She stated that the incident took an unexpected and disturbing turn during what was meant to be a family tradition at Bear Lake.
According to Padilla-Perez, one boy was shot in the ear, which resulted in swelling, redness, and bleeding, while the other son had a BB gun bullet mark on his chest. She expressed fear for her children and other families, stating that the shooter began firing without saying anything.
The investigation into the incident remains active and ongoing.
