(WHDH) — A man who was arrested for opening fire out of a hotel window told police that he was trying to shoot aliens in the parking lot, authorities said.
Officers responding to report of shots fired at a hotel on Keeneland Drive in Richmond, Kentucky, around 3:30 a.m. on Sept. 11 immediately identified the location of the gunman and ushered guests to safety, according to the Richmond Police Department.
An emergency response unit that was called to the scene later made contact with the shooter, 55-year-old Samuel Riddell, and learned that a woman who was sharing the room with him had secured herself in the bathroom.
When Riddell was taken into custody, police say he told detectives that he “observed aliens in the parking lot and was shooting at them.”
Riddell, a convicted felon, was found to be in possession of two handguns and rifle.
He is facing charges including four counts of wanton endangerment of a police officer, criminal mischief, and illegal possession of a firearm.
There were no reported injuries but several vehicles in the parking lot and adjacent hotel room were struck by the gunfire.
An investigation remains ongoing.
(Copyright (c) 2026 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)