BATON ROUGE - A mechanic was arrested for allegedly shooting one of his customers and two of his kenneled dogs, The Advocate reports.  

Arrest documents say Clifton Edwards, 54, was working at Edwards Auto Repair Shop on Scenic Highway when a customer came in to pick up their vehicle Oct. 10. 

The customer told police he got into a fight with Edwards because the vehicle wasn't fixed and tools had been stolen from it. 

Edwards allegedly grabbed a shotgun and fired two rounds into the air before pointing the gun at the victim, shooting his right middle finger. Shrapnel from the blast injured two dogs that were in kennels behind the victim. 

The report says one dog was shot in the leg and the other hit in the abdomen. 

Edwards said that he took the man's tools due to an unpaid debt, and he shot at the man because he thought that he was armed. Edwards said he didn't mean to hit his dogs. 

He was arrested for two counts of cruelty to animals, and one count each of aggravated battery, illegal use of a weapon and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. 

Records say he was convicted of aggravated battery and attempted simple burglary in 2024.