The chief of the Boone Police Department thanks his officers for “preventing a possible mass shooting” in Downtown Boone.
Around 12:30 a.m. Tuesday, someone called 911 to report a man was pointing a gun outside Boone Saloon on West King Street. It is directly across from the Appalachian State University campus.
When officers arrived, they found a man wearing a tactical vest and carrying a shotgun, police said.
The police were able to arrest him.
Through an investigation, police discovered that the suspect, 59-year-old Peter Modiene Gabaree of Lenoir, had been inside Boone Saloon earlier and had been asked to come out. The bar owner said he only had one drink.
Once he got outside, police believe Gabaree went to his car to put on the vest. They said he also took a shotgun, a pistol and ammunition for both weapons.
The chief told Channel 9’s Dave Faherty that Gabaree had 268 rounds of ammunition.
People passing by at the time were the ones who called 911, investigators said.
«I would like to commend our officers for their quick actions and preventing a potential mass shooting here in Boone,» said Boone Police Chief Andy Le Beau. “This was obviously a dangerous situation. We thank the citizen who saw this suspicious activity and called us. Our officers interrupted a man who had put on a bulletproof vest and was loading weapons into his car. “I thank Sergeant Scott Mackler and his patrol shift for his bravery in confronting and apprehending this armed individual to safeguard our community.”
Gabaree was charged with going armed to terrorize the public (common law) and misdemeanor resisting officers. He was held on $10,000 bail and is expected to appear in court on December 20.
