Dominic James Ernst

A Butler police officer came face to face Saturday night with a man carrying a deer rifle at an apartment in the 700 block of South Main Street where police were called for a domestic dispute.

The armed suspect stood his ground even after repeatedly being told to put down the gun.

“It was pretty tense there for a while,” admitted Patrolman Anthony Fatta, who had his service pistol drawn.

But 18-year-old Dominic J. Ernst eventually dropped the rifle and was arrested. The rifle, it turned out, was not loaded.

Ernst, who faces felony and other charges, is in the Butler County Prison on $50,000 bail.

Police were called to the apartment about 10 p.m. for a report of a loud domestic problem.

Investigators believe Ernst and several other people, including his girlfriend, were drinking when an argument erupted.

The defendant and his girlfriend began to quarrel, when another man stepped in between them. Ernst allegedly punched the other man.

Officers got there about the same time that Ernst’s mother, who also lives there, arrived home.

They all went into the apartment building where Ernst’s mother opened her second-floor apartment door for police. She went into the living room, and Ernst emerged from a bedroom, holding a .30-06 hunting rifle.

The other people at the apartment had since left.

Fatta was in the doorway and next to him, just outside, were two other officers, Lt. James Hollobaugh and Patrolman David Villotti, who also had their guns drawn.

Ernst was holding the rifle in both arms but did not point the barrel at the officers. He stepped toward Fatta, police said.

Fatta twice ordered Ernst: “Drop the gun.” He refused. The third time he was told, he complied.

The officers took him to the floor and placed him in handcuffs.

District Judge Wayne Seibel later arraigned Ernst on three counts of aggravated assault on a police officer, which is a felony, and misdemeanor charges of terroristic threats, reckless endangerment, simple assault and underage drinking.