CLEARWATER, Fla. — A Clearwater man who was firing a gun erratically in his neighborhood on New Year's Day grazed an officer's arm and was arrested for aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, according to police.

"Luckily, it's a graze wound," said Clearwater Police Chief Dan Slaughter. "It appears he's going to be fine."

The incident began shortly after 7 p.m. when neighbors said they saw James Wassman, 60, firing a gun from his backyard and called 911. A neighbor's Ring doorbell captured audio of 10 shots fired rapidly in the 1100 block of Ridge Avenue.

"Ten consecutive shots went off, and I thought since it was New Year's that they were firecrackers," said neighbor Allison Ortiz, 16. "I went outside to where my parents were and I was like 'what was that?' And they were on the phone with police."

Wassman barricaded himself inside the home when officers arrived at the scene and stated "you will have to kill me," according to an arrest affidavit.  Police said Wassman fired the gun from a window which had a laser attached. 

The officer who was grazed said he saw the laser pointed in his direction and warned colleagues to take cover. Ortiz said she and her family were on the ground in the kitchen during the hour long standoff. 

"It was scary," she said. "I didn't know if we were safe or not." 

Police said Wassman finally surrendered after they deployed gas into his home. The defendant has also been charged with discharging a firearm on residential property. 

Chief Slaughter said the mental health unit had contact with Wassman in February 2021.

"I believe there is some kind of brain injury this person might have," he said. "A mental issue that he may've been necessarily just developing now and being early diagnosed." 

Slaughter said a young K9 officer was injured in the shooting but his name has not yet been released.