A St. Louis couple who waved guns at protesters outside their home last month were charged Monday by Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner for felony unlawful use of a weapon.
According to The Associated Press, Gardner said that the McCloskey's actions risked creating a violent situation during an otherwise nonviolent protest.
Patricia and Mark McCloskey face a single felony count each of unlawful use of a weapon. A widely viewed video shows Mark waving a rifle at protesters and Patricia waving a handgun.
Gardner said that the charges were made after thorough investigation of the incident. A charge for unlawful use of a weapon is a class E felony, which can carry a sentence of up to four years in prison and a fine of $10,000.
“It is illegal to wave weapons in a threatening manner at those participating in nonviolent protest, and while we are fortunate this situation did not escalate into deadly force, this type of conduct is unacceptable in St. Louis," Gardner said in a statement.
Gardner also said in the statement that she encourages the McCloskey's to participate in a diversion program that would prevent jail time if fully completed.
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