Officer Arrested for Firing Gun Off Duty

A officer who's been with the department for more than 20 years was arrested Monday .

According to a police report, Lt. Scott Denniss, 46, had been distraught and fired a 9 mm handgun into the ground outside his home in the 200 block of Weber Avenue. He was off duty at that time, just before 7 p.m. Jan. 29.

When police arrived, he fired two more shots into the ground, according to the police report. The report listed Denniss' wife and a responding officer as victims.

responded and took Denniss to Aultman Hospital for medical evaluation. He was hospitalized until Monday.

Denniss is charged with felonious assault, a first-degree felony; domestic violence, a first-degree misdemeanor; and discharging firearms, a fourth-degree misdemeanor.

He's on administrative leave pending the investigation, according to a news release from the police department.

Denniss has been with the North Canton Police Department since he joined as an auxiliary officer in 1989. He joined the department full time in 1991 and was promoted to lieutenant in March 2000.

Jail officials said Denniss' bond is set at $110,000.