Jeffrey Francis Cullen, a Vietnam war veteran, was sentenced to five months in prison and was put on five years of intensive probation after a Mohave County Judge found him guilty of aggravated assault against firefighters. The incident dates back to August last year when a fire crew went to Cullen's home to extinguish an alleged tree fire reported by him but instead found a cat stuck on the tree and Cullen demanding to rescue it.

According to police reports, Cullen, 59, told firefighters he had wanted a cat rescued from his tree and knew they would only respond to a fire call.

But when, the battalion chief instructed Cullen to inform animal control or just bide the time till the cat to get hungry and came down on its own, Cullen apparently got angered and went back into the house, got a small black revolver and came outside shooting.

The firefighters and a 12-year-old boy who had gone to look at the fire truck fled for their lives.

Cullen was facing four counts of aggravated assault and one count of disorderly conduct involving weapons, but under a plea deal the latter charge was dismissed, according to The Kingman Daily Miner reports.

Judge Robert R. Moon said that although Cullen's offense was grave, he decided for a lighter sentence after accounting for his age, his military service and minimal criminal history.

Cullen admitted his fault and decided to "stay off of alcohol," a reason he cited for his behavior.