Joshua F. Sandlin, 29, is scheduled to appear in court Oct. 23 for a criminal setting in connection with an Oct. 8 incident in which the Gainesville man allegedly physically assaulted a woman, tossed a gun to his 3-year-old and 6-year-old children and told them to “shoot daddy,” and finally, discharged a gun toward his head, acting as if he had shot himself in the presence of the woman and children.

A complaint was filed charging Sandlin with third-degree domestic assault, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child in the first-degree and unlawful use of a weapon - exhibiting. Sandlin was originally held in jail on no bond. He was arraigned Oct. 9. According to court records, Sandlin was released from custody with the conditions that he be monitored by Court Probationary Services. Other special conditions are that he is to have no firearms and no contact with the alleged victim or her children, and he must undergo an anger management program or psychological counseling.

Sandlin filed an application for a public defender, but online records show that his application was denied due to income and assets available to him.

Ozark County Deputy Kyle Hannaford was dispatched to the Sandlin residence at 8 a.m. Oct. 8 after a domestic disturbance and discharge of a weapon were reported, according to the probable cause statement in the case. The woman, described as a household member and having children in common with Sandlin, told the officer that during the course of an argument, Sandlin pushed her to the ground and struck her in the head with his fists several times in front of their 3-year-old and 6-year-old children. The woman said she tried to leave the home, telling Sandlin as she walked out the door that she was going to contact authorities, and he pulled her back in the house by her hair and struck her in the head again, knocking her glasses from her face, the statement says. Sandlin reportedly walked away long enough for the woman to retrieve the children, and she left the residence and walked into the yard.

Sandlin reportedly followed the woman and children out into the yard with a gun in his hands, and told the woman he was going to kill himself. The woman said she started to walk away, and Sandlin tossed the gun at the children and asked them to “pick it up and shoot daddy.” The woman continued to walk away, and Sandlin reportedly picked the firearm up again and fired a shot, acting as if he’d shot himself. The woman said she went next door and called the sheriff’s department.

Hannaford wrote in his report that a spent .45-caliber ACP shell casing was found, and a projectile entry point was found in the ceiling near the doorway of the residence.

The felony complaint indicates that Sandlin is charged as a prior offender because he pleaded guilty to assault Feb. 8, 2012, in Ozark County court.