Man Accused of Threatening Mankato Basketball Players With Gun

Two people were playing basketball in the courtyard of a Mankato residential complex on Oct. 31 when a 21-year-old Ham Lake man walked up holding a dark handgun and said he was going to shoot somebody, according to the complaint.

One of the players told an officer the man brandished the handgun in their direction. He said they just stood there, scared and not knowing whether the man would shoot. The complaint says the courtyard is in a school zone.

Several people had called police about their friend, Gerek Harold Halvorson, reporting that he was extremely intoxicated and threatening to shoot people. One said Halvorson was shouting that he was going to shoot someone that night and had pulled the gun from his waistband. Another said he cocked it and talked about getting his AR rifle. A third said Halvorson pointed the gun toward his feet, upset over money he owed Halvorson.

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Officers found Halvorson near Timberwolf Drive with a dark green or black handgun in his rear waistband and arrested him. They found a 9mm Beretta magazine loaded with 11 hollow-point rounds in his pants pocket and another 9mm round in his bag. A breath test showed an alcohol concentration of 0.22, according to the complaint. Halvorson admitted he brought the 9mm Beretta with him.

Halvorson is charged in Blue Earth County District Court in a complaint filed Nov. 2. Second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon is a felony that carries up to seven years in prison or a $14,000 fine or both. Threats of violence is a felony with up to five years or a $10,000 fine or both. Intentionally pointing a gun is a gross misdemeanor with up to 364 days or a $3,000 fine or both. Carrying a pistol with an alcohol concentration of 0.10 or more is a misdemeanor with up to 90 days or a $1,000 fine or both.