On Tuesday afternoon October 12, a short time after 3:30 p.m., Bell County sheriff’s deputies Frank Foster, K-9 Adam Southern, and Pineville police responded to a call of a man beating his wife at a residence on Jones Avenue in Pineville. Before units arrived at the residence, Bell County Dispatch advised that shots had been fired on the scene.

Once at the address, it was discovered that 37-year-old Joseph M. Emert of Pineville, had fired two rounds in the direction of his mother-in-law and his own son who were in a truck attempting to leave the residence. There were also eight other children and their caretaker in the vicinity of the incident at a neighboring home.

Emert was found by Deputy Foster sitting in a truck on the scene and taken into custody. Bell County Dispatch then advised that Emert was a convicted felon.

Emert’s wife gave consent to search the home and a .38 Smith & Wesson pistol was found along with a loaded .22 caliber rifle. A further search of the truck revealed a pipe used for smoking methamphetamine and a Tic Tac container that held four Ambien pills. He was also found in possession of a wooden box containing suspected Marijuana.

Joseph Emert was lodged in the Bell County Detention Center charged with assault – 4th degree (domestic violence), (12) twelve counts of wanton endangerment, (2) two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of controlled substance – 1st degree, 1st offense (Methamphetamine), buying/possessing drug paraphernalia, possession of Marijuana, and possession of controlled substance – 3rd degree, 1st offense (drug unspecified).