In Carson: Indoor fireworks set off early-morning confusion

A Carson City man who wanted to impress his girlfriend with fireworks inside his home early Thursday morning was almost shot by a deputy when the man waved a knife, according to arrest records.

Randy Raymond, 30, of Carson City, was booked into the Carson City Jail on suspicion of felony assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer, drawing a deadly weapon in a threatening manner, misdemeanor possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

According to the report, two phone calls were made to 911 at 4:41 a.m. that someone was firing a gun inside a home at 4139 Emerson Drive.

While officers were staging outside the home, a woman exited with her hand wrapped and police approached her and asked her what was going on. The woman denied knowing anything, and walked with officers up to the front door of the house.

"The door was opened by Randy Raymond. As the door came open I saw blood on the door directly behind Randy. I began to announce, 'sheriff's office' and told Randy to step back from the door," Deputy Geoff Rivera wrote in his report.

Rivera said Raymond immediately slammed the door shut and was attempting to lock it.

"Because the nature of this call was several gunshots, and (there was) the presence of blood as the door opened, I was greatly concerned an injured person was inside the residence," Rivera wrote.

Rivera said he forced the door open and was confronted by Raymond holding a marijuana pipe in one hand and a knife in the other.

"It was unmistakable," the officer said. "When Randy extended the knife I was afraid Randy was going to try to kill me. I slid my index finger onto the trigger and began to pull the trigger to the rear while simultaneously yelling 'drop the knife!'"

The report states Raymond dropped the knife and was arrested without further incident.

"Had Randy not dropped the knife at the exact moment he did, I would have been forced to shoot him," Rivera wrote.

Raymond's girlfriend told officers the sounds the neighbors heard were not gunshots but fireworks.

"(She) admitted (that) Randy, in a 'romantic moment,' ignited the fireworks in her honor ... and said, 'These are for you baby,'" according to the report.

Sgt. Brian Humphrey said what appeared to have been blood on the door was more likely marker.

"But at first glance that's what it looked like," he said.