EXETER, N.H. (WHDH) - A New Hampshire man is being held behind bars after police say he pulled out a loaded gun and threatened patrons and staffers at a pub in Exeter last week.
Ricky A. Gagne, 49, of East Kingston, was arraigned Tuesday in Rockingham Superior Court on charges including four counts of criminal threatening with a deadly weapon, according to the Exeter Police Department.
Officers responding to a report of a man who allegedly made a threat with a firearm at Shooter’s Pub on the evening of Jan. 14 learned Gagne had chambered a round into a pistol and pointed it at four individuals, police said.
Witnesses told officers that Gagne entered the business just before closing and said that he was looking for his credit card, according to police. When laughter broke out among people sitting at the bar, Gagne allegedly walked out of the pub, retrieved a black pistol, loaded it, and pointed at people inside.
Police say a busboy then pushed Gagne to the ground, knocked his gun away, and held him down until officers arrived at the scene.
“I think his instincts just took over and he felt he was protecting people he cared about,” said owner Robert Ficara.
He wasn’t the only quick-thinking person working that night.
“Someone else on my staff picked the gun up off the ground and actually put it in the lock-in refrigerator,” said Ficara.
A judge ordered Gagne held on preventive detention pending an evaluation.
“This was a very dangerous and frightening situation for those who were inside the establishment at the time. We’re extremely thankful that no one was hurt during the incident,” Exeter Police Chief Stephan Poulin said in a statement.
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