Report of shot fired leads Stanislaus sheriff’s deputies to river rafter ruckus
Initial reports of a shot fired led Stanislaus County sheriff’s deputies to a fight involving about 15 rafters along the Stanislaus River in the Knights Ferry area on Saturday afternoon.
The incident was reported about 4 p.m. near one of the recreation areas along the river, Sheriff’s Office spokesman Sgt. Luke Schwartz said Sunday morning.
“We had a large law enforcement response, given one was reportedly armed with a gun,” he said in a text message to The Bee. That report was inaccurate and none of the people involved in the fight had a firearm, Schwartz said. “The gunshot that was heard was a rancher/property owner firing a warning shot to get the people off his property.”
The fight went from the river to the land, up to Orange Blossom Road, according to Schwartz and a Modesto Fire Department incident summary.
“One person was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon because he allegedly hit someone with a boat oar,” Schwartz said. “Another person was arrested for outstanding warrants.”
Two people suffered minor injuries, the Fire Department report said.
