Man who allegedly displayed handgun near Cape Girardeau business charged

A 45-year-old Cape Girardeau man was charged Friday with a felony after he allegedly pointed a handgun at someone outside a business Thursday.

Richard T. Bangert, 2573 Magnolia Ave., was charged with a single count of unlawful use of a weapon. His bond was set at $10,000.

Bangert was arrested at his home after witnesses to the incident described his black sport utility vehicle and gave the license plate number to police.

Richard Bangert

Along with arresting Bangert, Cape Girardeau police found a 9 mm black handgun in his vehicle, said Cpl. Adam Glueck, spokesman for the department. Bangert gave officers consent to search his garage and a gun safe. Police seized eight long guns -- four shotguns and four rifles -- and a large quantity of ammunition, Glueck said.

The incident began at the Orscheln Farm and Home store at 338 S. Christine St., where witnesses reported seeing Bangert pointing his pistol at someone outside the business.

Police took Bangert into custody at 9:39 a.m. Friday as he was leaving his home, Glueck said.

According to a probable-cause statement by Cape Girardeau police officer James Zeidler, another customer at the store said Bangert stared him down as he was leaving the store and getting into his car. Bangert then pointed a black handgun at the man from his own vehicle, the statement reads. The man was unsure why Bangert was pointing the gun at him.

Bangert left the parking lot when another customer pulled up, the statement reads. Another customer in the parking lot witnessed the incident. When shown a picture of Bangert, the two men identified him as the man brandishing the gun.

No one was injured during the incident at the business.

Police have not uncovered any information about Bangert that would make him ineligible to own firearms, Glueck said. The guns in the safe were taken into police possession as a precaution, he said.

According to the probable-cause statement, Bangert told officers he was a former DEA agent. Zeidler also wrote "that there have been similar incidents with Bangert," who yelled racial slurs at his neighbors and threatened to kill them Sept. 15, 2003.

rkeller@semissourian.com

388-3642

msanders@semissourian.com

388-3652

Pertinent addresses:

338 S. Christine St., Cape Girardeau, MO

2573 Magnolia Ave., Cape Girardeau, MO