Missouri woman charged after neighbour shot during fence dispute
Paula Kohensky, 60, was charged with first-degree assault after allegedly firing a shot at her neighbour during a dispute over a shared fence in St Charles County, Missouri. The case highlights how a disagreement over a property boundary escalated into a reported shooting, though the accounts of what happened differ.
The neighbour told police he was kneeling while cutting a misplaced fence post when he heard a “3, 2, 1” countdown and then a gunshot. Kohensky said she was startled by a loud metallic sound and sparks, and described the shot as accidental; police also reviewed footage showing the gun pointed at a lower angle. A judge ordered her to have no contact with the neighbour, surrender weapons and stay at least 500 feet away; her bail was set at $500,000. Court filings do not say whether the neighbour was injured.
- A Missouri fence dispute led to a first-degree assault charge.
- The neighbour reported hearing a countdown before a gunshot.
- Kohensky said the shot was accidental; accounts differ.
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Property boundaries and fences can cause disputes when neighbours disagree about where a boundary lies or who is responsible for a fence. Such disagreements may involve local property records or court proceedings, and can become personal when work is carried out on shared or disputed land.
St Charles County is in Missouri, a state in the central United States. Paula Kohensky and her neighbour are the people involved in this case, which centres on their accounts of a fence being altered and a gun being fired; those accounts differ. First-degree assault is a serious criminal charge, and the court process will determine how the evidence is assessed.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The neighbour’s account, if accurate, supports the charge: a countdown followed by a shot could suggest deliberate intimidation or an intentional use of force during a boundary dispute. The seriousness of firing a gun near someone may justify strict bail conditions and distance requirements while the case is heard.
The case against
Kohensky’s account is that a sudden metallic noise and sparks startled her, and that the shot was accidental; footage showing the gun at a lower angle may be consistent with that explanation. A charge is an allegation, not proof, so a fair assessment should wait for the evidence and allow her account to be tested in court.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Missouri woman gave chilling ‘3, 2, 1’ countdown before firing at kneeling neighbor in bitter fence feud, cops say”.