A Louisville man accused of opening fire at a homeowners association meeting, killing one and critically wounding another, was ordered held on a $1 million bond Saturday at an initial court hearing where a prosecutor called him "the epitome of danger to the community."
A not guilty plea was entered on behalf of 55-year-old Mahmoud Yousef Hindi to charges of murder, assault and wanton endangerment in the Thursday evening shooting at a church.
Dressed in a blue jail outfit, Hindi showed no emotion and did not speak as he stood before a judge.
Afterward, defense attorney Todd Lewis called the case a "horrendous tragedy" and said the Hindi family's thoughts were with the victims' families. Lewis asked for patience in unraveling the case.
"We look forward to our day in court," he told reporters. "There's always another side to things."
What specifically sparked the attack wasn't clear.
Police say Hindi, a doctor educated in Jordan, had a history of disputes with the homeowners group revolving around a fence that the association said didn't meet its height or design requirements in the upscale neighborhood of Spring Creek.
The association's attorney says the organization brought the zoning violation charges to the city. Hindi wrote several letters to the attorney, expressing anger and contempt for the attorney.
AP
This photo provided by Louisville Metro Corrections shows Mahmoud Hindi. Police say a man shot and killed one person and critically injured another at a homeowners association meeting at an eastern Louisville church. Louisville police spokeswoman Alicia Smiley says the suspect was in custody after being subdued by a retired Louisville police officer who was attending the Thursday, Sept. 6, 2012 meeting. Hindi, 55, is charged with murder, first-degree assault and seven counts of wanton endangerment, according to Louisville Metro Corrections, where he has been jailed. He will be arraigned on the charges Saturday morning. (AP Photo/Louisville Metro Corrections)
Close In one letter that ranted about several neighbors, Hindi cited the Quran, the theory of creationism, the idea that America has gone to Communism, threatens to form his own homeowners association and accused neighbors of stealing his "no trespassing signs" in the dispute over the fence.
"You would not believe some of the crap he wrote in these letters," said Mark Wagner, a former president of the homeowners association. "It was rambling stuff."
Wagner, who used to live near Hindi, said his predecessor as association president resigned from the post and abruptly moved from the neighborhood after having property-line disputes with Hindi.
"They were so scared of him that they moved," Wagner said in a phone interview. "They dumped their house. They sold it to the first person who looked at their house ... to get away from this guy."
Police say Hindi was at the homeowners meeting for a short time before he started shooting. Some of the several people in attendance detained him until police arrived. Police did not immediately release other details such as what sort of weapon was used.
Slain was 73-year-old David Merritt, the one-time association president, who was shot once in the head and died at the scene, according to a deputy coroner.
The wounded man, whose name was not immediately released, was in critical condition Saturday at University of Louisville Hospital.
Barbara Pass, who lives down the street from Hindi, said people were intimidated by him.
"He threatened people, he would say things like, 'You know I've got a gun and I just might use it.'"
Two of Hindi's brothers and one of his sons watched the brief arraignment via closed-circuit television in another room. They declined comment as they left the local jail where the hearing was held.
"The family is in a state of shock and disbelief as to what has happened," said Khalid Kahloon, another attorney representing Hindi. "This is a ... peace-loving, law-abiding family enjoying their American dream, and then it's shattered by this unfortunate and very tragic incident."
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