When a group of teenagers sets out to investigate a local haunted hotspot they expect several things – a strange sound, unexplainable lights, and maybe even a glimpse of the unknown. But when the group arrived at Shipley Hollow in Chattanooga Tennessee, they didn’t expect to be fearing for their lives.
With so many stories of ghost hunters meeting strange and unusual tragedies in the news lately, it seems an unusually dangerous time to be involved in the paranormal. This story comes on the heels of several others where ghost hunters have been put into a position of danger, often resulting from a lack of research and a disregard of trespassing laws. The incident began when on September 4th, eight amateur ghost hunters decided to investigate Shipley cemetery after reading about it online. Shipley Hollow is known for its local legend of pitty pat bridge, which is rumored to have been the location of a woman’s death when a black cat scared her horse into trampling her and her four children. As the teens began to leave they noticed that their vehicles were being blocked by a local teacher Stacy Swallows, at their school.
He was holding an AR-15 assault rifle.
The teacher yelled at the teenagers as they tried to make their escape, telling them to sit still as he phoned the police. When the police arrived, the teacher was still holding his rifle on the eight. Swallows was arrested and charged with nine counts of wrongful imprisonment. The AR-15 was confiscated, and statements were taken by the students. While Swallows was likely brandishing the weapon merely to frighten the teens, it could have been a lot worse. Luckily, no one was hurt in the incident. Swallows was incensed by damage to the property and the desecration of graves, but clearly overstepped his legal bounds when he held the eight at gunpoint. Even if it was in an attempt to enforce the law.
A similar incident happened in October of 2009 when a Michigan man threatened teens trespassing on a cemetery near his home. He fired multiple shots from a shotgun and damaged one of the trespasser’s vehicles before vanishing. The last official word was that he was never tracked down after the incident.
With ghost hunting reaching the pinnacle of popularity, it’s only a matter of time before some people endanger themselves needlessly when plenty of legal ghost hunting opportunities abound. Remember to get permission before visiting anywhere, and above all else as always use a hefty dose of caution. Furthermore, it’s good to get a signed contract or pass declaring you have a right to be on the property to investigate. You’d be surprised how willing some individuals are to give these out in some cases. That way, if someone shows up you have proof you’re allowed to be there.