Kearney Man Arrested After Allegedly Pointing a Firearm at Minors

(Mid-Nebraska Scanner) - A Kearney man has been arrested and charged with two felonies after allegedly pointing a handgun at a vehicle occupied by four juveniles.

Hunter Banzhaf. Photo via Buffalo County Corrections.

According to an arrest affidavit obtained by Mid-Nebraska Scanner, 22-year-old Hunter Banzhaf has been charged with Terroristic Threats (a Class IIIA Felony), and Use of a Firearm to Commit a Felony (a Class IC Felony).

At approximately 9:20 PM on Tuesday, July 13th, Kearney Police were notified of a disturbance between people in multiple vehicles near the O'Reilly Auto Parts parking lot. The reporting party advised that they were involved in a disturbance in which two water bottles were thrown at them, and that they were being followed by the person who had thrown the bottles.

While an officer was speaking on the phone with the victim, he heard another person in the vehicle say "he has a gun". After locating both of the vehicles involved, officers separately interviewed all four people in the victim vehicle; all four said they observed Banzhaf brandish a handgun and point it at their car, telling them to pull over.

A Glock 48 9mm pistol was located in Banzhaf's possession.

If convicted, Banzhaf faces a maximum of fifty-three years imprisonment.