Ryan O'Neal's warning shot

Ryan O'Neal claims he only fired his gun as a warning during a fight with his son Griffin.The 65-year-old Oscar winner was arrested at his Malibu home in the early hours of Saturday morning (03.02.07) for assault with a deadly weapon and negligent discharge of a firearm after an altercation with Griffin, 42.Ryan has now revealed he only got his gun after his son started wildly swinging a fireplace poker. The 'Love Story' actor was grazed in the attack but Griffin's pregnant 22-year-old girlfriend was hit in the head.Ryan said: "I ducked and he hit his girlfriend. She's seven months pregnant. I got nervous at that point and fled to my room and got my gun. Griffin came up the stairs so I just fired it into the banister. He fled."Ryan was released on $50,000 bail after being questioned by police.The fracas occurred after Ryan returned home from Farrah Fawcett's 60th birthday party. The pair dated between 1980 and 1997 and have a 21-year-old son Redmond.The 'Charlie's Angels' actress, who was supported throughout her ordeal by Ryan, was recently given the all-clear from anal cancer.

Griffin has previous convictions for reckless behaviour under the influence of alcohol. His father allegedly knocked out two of his teeth during a row in 1983, but was not charged over the incident.