HUNTINGTON BEACH : 2 Held After Gunfire; Bobcat’s Skin Found

Two men in business suits who were firing shots as they drove through a neighborhood were arrested for that and for having a bullet scarred bobcat skin in the car, police said Wednesday.

Officers stopped the car about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday after a resident reported seeing men in suits driving a black Dodge Intrepid along Stewart Street and firing shots at a house.

Lt. Dan Johnson said police found a .22-caliber hunting pistol under the front seat, a replacement barrel for the pistol, four boxes of ammunition and a bobcat skin with what appeared to be two bullet holes. It is illegal to possess a bobcat skin in California.

Arrested were Philip Hicken, 31, of Trabuco Canyon and James Wynne, 32, of Long Beach.

“The men said they had been shooting at birds, not at the resident’s house,” Johnson said.

“Basically this was a case of guys being knuckleheads,” he said.

Johnson said he didn’t know where the men had gotten the skin.

They were held on suspicion of carrying a concealed weapon, firing a gun in the city and having a bobcat skin.

All the charges are misdemeanors, and both men were released after they were given tickets and 30 days to appear in court, Johnson said.