Man arrested after reported rifle threat in Wellington

A man was arrested after witnesses reported he retrieved a rifle and threatened to shoot people during an argument that began at a Wellington park, the Larimer County Sheriff's Office said.

Dispatch received multiple 9-1-1 calls just before 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 11, about a neighborhood argument involving a gun. Responding deputies learned the argument began during an interaction between a driver and children riding e-motos at a neighborhood park in Wellington, the Sheriff's Office said. The driver made threatening statements, the Sheriff's Office said, then drove away and later returned on foot. The argument continued, then the man returned home as the other people involved followed him.

Deputies learned Hunter used racial slurs during the interaction, the Sheriff's Office said. Deputies contacted John Alexander Hunter at his home. Hunter was uncooperative and made threatening statements while other children were present, but deputies de-escalated the situation and safely took him into custody, the office said. Deputies interviewed witnesses and Hunter before arresting him on the listed charges, the office said.

Hunter was arrested on three counts of Bias Motivated Crimes, listed as a class 1 misdemeanor, and three counts of Child Abuse, listed as a class 2 misdemeanor. The charges also included Prohibited Use of a Weapon, a class 1 misdemeanor. The Larimer County Court issued Hunter a $7,500 cash bond, the Sheriff's Office said. The office said the charges are accusations and Hunter is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.

“Fortunately, no one got physically hurt,” Sheriff John Feyen said.