ELSMERE — A Kenton County animal control officer found himself staring down the barrel of a shotgun Thursday, but a veteran police officer was able to defuse the situation and take the gun away from a 13-year-old boy.

        Col. Ron Washington, chief Kenton County deputy sheriff, said Deputies Dave Brinkman and Jim Tucker went to a house at in the 100 block of Merlin Place in Elsmere to serve an eviction notice and what is known as a “set-out” — a process in which someone's property is removed from the house, usually as the result of nonpayment of rent or mortgage.

        “There were two dogs in the house, and animal control officer Clarence Creekmore accompanied the deputies in case the dogs had to be physically removed from the premises,” Col. Washington said.

        The only person inside the house was the boy, who pointed the shotgun at Mr. Creekmore when he entered the residence.

        “Quick thinking by Deputy Tucker made the difference,” Col. Washington said. “He was able to talk to the boy and convince him to put down the weapon. It turned out the shotgun was not loaded.”

        Soon after, the boy's mother, identified by police as Kristi Lumberg, arrived at the house, and the teen was turned over to her. No charges were filed.

        Deputy Tucker was for many years a police officer and detective sergeant with the Covington Police Department, where he organized a street crime detection unit and was known to make arrests while riding an old bicycle in street clothes.

        “We're still looking into the situation, to determine whether we want to file menacing charges against the boy,” Col. Washington said.

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