Former Chandler Vice Mayor Lowell Huggins arrested in gunshot incident, police say
By Thomas Hawthorne The Arizona Republic-12 News Breaking News Team Wed Jul 24, 2013 1:30 PM
Lowell Huggins, a former vice mayor of Chandler, was arrested Tuesday after being accused of disorderly conduct, according to a court document.
According to Huggins’ wife, the 70-year-old said he attempted to shoot himself after he and his wife argued about financial issues, the document states.
Huggins and his wife had been arguing when he told her to call 911 before walking into their backyard, police said. When his wife was on the phone with an operator, she heard a gunshot from the backyard. Moments later Huggins returned to the home and told her he had tried to shoot himself in the chin.
Officers responding to the call persuaded Lowell to leave the home, but he refused to be handcuffed and was subsequently forced into handcuffs, police said. A small handgun was found in his front pocket, police said.
It is unknown whether Huggins injured himself.
Huggins, who left his final term in office in January 2009, went down in municipal history as the only person to serve three terms as vice mayor. He served on the council from 1988 to 1996 and was re-elected in 2000 and 2004.
A resident of the city since 1956 and a Chandler High School graduate, he is a former Chandler police officer and worked as a barber since 1960.