(WJET/WFXP) – An anecdotal story meant to sympathize with grieving citizens has spiraled into a bit of controversy for one council member.

At an Erie City Council Meeting on Wednesday, July 16, President Mel Witherspoon told a shocking story about a shooting he was involved in when he was a teenager to a large group of protestors speaking out about the death of Marchello Woodard.


Erie City Co. president claims to have shot man in the head

Now, reporters at JET 24 received the newspaper article written over 60 years ago regarding the incident.

Nebraska newspaper Scottsbluff Star-Herald published an article on the front page of their August 29, 1962, issue titled “College Youth Suffers Shot Wound in Dormitory Hotel.”

In the article, a 17-year-old Mel Witherspoon is involved in a shooting with another teenager at a hotel.

While Witherspoon simply said he shot a man in the head, the article goes into much more detail, stating, “The bullet entered the face at the left cheekbone, crossed behind the nose passage, and lodged behind the right cheekbone. It was thought that it did not strike any area of the brain, and the youth was able to talk to both doctors and investigating officers.”

Much like Witherspoon’s recount at Wednesday’s meeting, the article also mentioned his singular night in jail, this time with added details about the incident, such as how two young children found the gun outside of the hotel following the incident, along with where the gun was purchased.

The biggest difference between the two tales is how exactly the shooting transpired.

At Wednesday night’s meeting, Witherspoon spoke as if the shooting was intentional.

“I said, ‘You know, Nick, I can blow your head off.’ He said, ‘Go ahead.’ And I did. I shot him in the head point-blank. This close,” said Witherspoon.


Community demands answers for Marchello Woodard at Erie City Council meeting

The article, however, claims that the incident was an accident.

“Sheriff Steve Warrick, before midnight, obtained a witnessed statement from Deligianis saying there was no trouble between the youths and they had simply been ‘playing with the guns’ when the one discharged,” the article states.

Following Wednesday night’s meeting, Witherspoon has declined to make a comment.

Those interested in reading the full article, provided by the Star-Herald, can do so below.