Apr 4, 2016 2 min read

CARMICHAELS – A Cumberland Township man is charged with attempted homicide after township police said he shot at his son during a fight with his family Sunday morning.

Police said Richard M. Dousa fired one shot at his son, John, when the two men confronted each other during an argument outside a relative’s home at 409 W. George St. in the township shortly after 11 a.m.

The bullet went between John Dousa’s legs, witnesses told police. He was not injured.

Richard Dousa, 54, of 875 S. Eighty Eight Road, Carmichaels, left the scene in an SUV and was arrested by police minutes later outside his residence.

Police said the incident began when Dousa’s wife, Sue Ellen, texted their daughter, Amanda, informing her the couple was fighting and she wanted to leave their South Eighty Eight Road home. As Sue Ellen and Amanda left the home, Richard Dousa allegedly told his wife he was going to “hunt her down and shoot her,” according to court documents.

Sue Ellen told investigators Richard Dousa also pointed the gun at her earlier in the day, court documents indicate.

The mother and daughter went to the West George Street residence to “warn her family about the incident” when Richard Dousa arrived with a revolver, police said. John Dousa confronted his father at the door, police said, and Richard Dousa responded by trying to punch his son before firing one shot.

Police found a .44-caliber powder pistol revolver in Richard Dousa’s SUV when they arrested him, court documents indicate.

Police said Dousa admitted to being involved in the domestic dispute and firing at his son because he “tried to stop him from entering the home to locate his wife.”

“He stated he wanted his son away from him,” Cumberland Township police Officer Margaret Vorum-Leonard wrote in the court documents.

In addition to attempted homicide, Richard Dousa faces addition charges of aggravated assault, illegal possession of a firearm, carrying a firearm without a license, terroristic threats, simple assault, reckless endangerment and harassment.

District Judge arraigned Dousa, who is being held at the Greene County jail on $300,000 bond. His preliminary hearing before Watson is tentatively scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Thursday.

Waynesburg police assisted Cumberland Township police at the scene.