Uncle Killed Over Kidnapped Fighting Rooster

It has all the trappings of a Tennessee noir: an uncle allegedly dead by his nephew's hand, a gunfight, a mobile home, and a kidnapped fighting rooster tied to a chair. The Knoxville News Sentinel reports police were called to the scene of a deadly shooting early yesterday shortly after 52-year-old Timothy Johnson showed up at his 28-year-old nephew Larry Johnson's mobile home to accuse him of stealing his prized rooster.

Larry reportedly claims his uncle pulled a gun on him, so he tried to grab it and was shot in the chest. Police say Larry pulled his own gun in retaliation and launched—in the words of the News Sentinel—a "hail of gunfire" at his uncle. WATE6 reports Timothy was found dead in the driveway, and Larry was airlifted to the hospital for treatment. Officers located the fighting rooster tied to a chair in Larry's mobile home, surprisingly unharmed. (More weird crimes stories.)