Clayton man, 79, arrested in shooting of neighbor

A 79-year-old man is in the Clayton County jail, charged with shooting his neighbor after taking a comment the wrong way as they watched football together Sunday evening.

Luther Jenkins Jr., 51, said Monday he’s “fine” after being shot in the right chest by his neighbor of almost 10 years, Jessie Rufus Harris.

Jenkins said he frequently had Sunday breakfast with the retired trucker and capped off the weekend by watching a game at Harris’s house while tossing back a few beers.

The two men were watching the Atlanta Falcons play the Minnesota Vikings Sunday about 7:30 p.m. when Harris said Jenkins made a joking comment and didn’t like the response he got.

“I joked back with him and he all of a sudden pulled out a gun and shot me,” Jenkins said. “He just snapped.”

Clayton police Lt. Rebecca Brown said the 79-year-old fled the scene but was arrested early Monday morning and charged with aggravated assault. He is being held without bond pending his first appearance hearing in Magistrate Court.

Jenkins was treated at Grady Memorial Hospital for the injury caused by the .32-caliber handgun and was released Monday about 5:30 a.m. He said he will not be at Harris’s court appearance.

“No, I don’t want to see him,” Jenkins said. “I don’t know what I will do if he gets out of jail. He lives right across the street from me.”

Jenkins, a 28-year worker for DeKalb County Sanitation Department, said he can’t return to work but is thankful to be alive.

“This is a good Christmas present,” he said. “I am lucky to be alive.”