Police: Gunman threatens kids at city park for rock throwing

TACOMA, Wash. — Authorities say a man in a tent at a city park threatened to shoot a group of children taunting him in western Washington state.

The Tacoma News-Tribune reports that the 35-year-old Tacoma man was arrested on assault and unlawful gun possession charges after the incident at Oak Tree Park Saturday afternoon.

Tacoma police spokeswoman Loretta Cool said the five children between the ages of 11 to 16 angered the gunman after apparently teasing him and throwing rocks at him and his tent.

The man responded by chasing the children away and pointed a gun at them.

The children later returned with an adult to get their bicycles back from the park but were threatened again by the gunman.

All safely fled the scene and the gunman was arrested without incident.