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COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS — A man who reportedly didn't want ash on his pool cover was arrested after police say he pointed a loaded revolver at a group lighting fireworks.
William Thomas Gore, 79, was arrested Monday night and booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of aggravated assault and disorderly conduct.
A group was lighting fireworks in a church parking lot near 1700 East and Ft. Union Blvd., said Cottonwood Heights Police Sgt. Mark Askerlund. Gore's house is adjacent to the church property. He came out to talk to the group.
"For whatever reason he didn't like the fireworks and said he'd take matters into his own hands." Sgt. Mark Askerlund
"He said he had concerns his pool cover would get ash on it," Askerlund said.
The group agreed to move to the other side of the parking lot where they continued to light fireworks.
But Gore came out again and this time carried a gun, according to Isaac Bott, who was with the group.
"(Gore) had a revolver that he pulled out and pointed at me. And he stated, 'If you don't quit shooting those off, I'm going to begin my own shooting,'" Bott said.
Bott said Gore was shaking as he nervously waved the handgun pointing it at him and his mother in-law. There were ten kids all under the age of 12 watching the altercation happen.
A woman who was with the group then approached Gore.
"He put (the gun) in the lady's chest and threatened to kill her," Askerlund said.
Gore also told the group his gun was "police issued," according to jail documents.
Bott said that he calmly talked Gore down and convinced him to go back into the house, after which his wife called police.
"He initially said it was an Airsoft gun. It was not. It was actually a loaded revolver," Askerlund said.
Gore did not appear to be intoxicated or impaired, he said. And he never called police to complain about fireworks.
"For whatever reason he didn't like the fireworks and said he'd take matters into his own hands," Askerlund said.
"(It was an) absolutely terrifying experience, I would never want anyone else to have to go through something like that," said Bott.
Story written by Pat Reavey with contributions from [Mike Anderson](<mailto: manderson@ksl.com>)
