3 shot to death at July 4 party; neighbor held

An off-duty firefighter apparently angry about a neighbor’s noisy Fourth of July party was arrested after three people were shot to death early Thursday, police said.

Terrance Hough Jr., 35, was being held in connection with the shootings, which also injured two other people, said Lt. Thomas Stacho, a police spokesman.

No charges had been filed Thursday because police were still gathering evidence and interviewing witnesses, Stacho said.

Police have received a number of complaints in recent years about loud parties, fireworks and drag racing connected to the house where the shooting occurred, Stacho said. Some complaint calls came from Hough’s address, but no one called police about the party Wednesday night.

The victims were identified as Jacob Feichtner, 24, who lived at the house where the party was taking place; Katherine M. Rosby, 26, of Lakewood; and Bruce R. Anderson, 30, of Parma.

Feichtner’s brother, John, said he and friends inside the house heard pops that didn’t sound like fireworks. Another friend then came inside with a bloody arm, John Feichtner said.

Stacho said a man was shot in the elbow and a woman was wounded in the hand.

A police officer who lives nearby and knows Hough by name heard the shooting and held Hough at gunpoint until other officers arrived, Stacho said. He said a handgun believed to have been used in the shootings was among a dozen guns found at Hough’s home.

The area of neat ranch homes overlooking the industrial Cuyahoga River valley is popular among firefighters and police officers, who are required to live in the city.

Hough has been a firefighter since 1995. He has had no discipline problems on the job, Stacho said.