Staff reports
(Oct. 15, 2026) Berlin authorities filed charges against a town resident last week for discharging a firearm five times in municipal limits.
On Oct. 9, around 9:35 p.m., the Berlin Police Department (BPD) received multiple calls at headquarters and to 911 about gun shots being heard.
While responding to the call on Burley Street, an officer said in the statement of charges he heard a “loud bang that was consistent with the sound of a gunshot,” not fireworks.
A resident directed police to a residence on Main Street where Edward H. Hammond III, 57, of Berlin, was approached by police.
The town has an ordinance prohibiting shooting any firearm within the municipality. Hammond admitted to it, saying, “I just fired a gun in the air,” while extending his wrists asking to be arrested multiple times, according to the police report. He told police, “I would never do anything that is unsafe,” the police report stated.
Hammond told police he fired a 12-gauge shotgun with “bird training shots” three times in the air. He admitted to firing a .22 caliber firearm two times and was aware it was against town law. The odor of alcohol was detected on Hammond.
Authorities received three calls from residents on Burley Street about the fired shots. Police measured the residences to be 265 feet, 160 feet and 465 feet from Hammond’s shooting location. Route 113 was also noted to be about one quarter mile away from where Hammond fired his weapons.
One hour after the shots fired call, Berlin police returned to Hammond’s residence for a noise violation of loud music from his yard. Police noted the resident’s intoxication level was higher at this point than before.
Police informed Hammond his music was in violation of the town’s noise law of 50 feet. The police report noted, “Hammond was intentionally causing this disturbance as what appeared to be a retaliation attempt upon his neighbors for calling the police on him the first time.”
Hammond refused to turn the music down until police could confirm he was in violation of the 50-foot noise limit. An officer measured and reported the music could be heard from more than 200 feet.
Hammond is charged with reckless endangerment, discharge of a firearm in town limits and two counts of disturbing the peace.
Hammond is well-known in Berlin for posting the “Make Berlin Uncool Again” signs along his property on Main Street. He is also the creator of a parody website in support of an imaginary individual running for town mayor in favor of how the town of Berlin used to be.