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Group tells police that man fired gun near them

Used Bond-style gun as warning

A 21-year-old West Sunbury man allegedly pulled a James Bond-style gun out on a group of people and fired at the ground near the group, threatening to shoot them if they didn't leave him alone, according to police.

Butler State Police were called around 3:45 a.m. Sunday to 102 Mahood Road, where they met a group of people who said they saw Hunter J. Romito on the side of North Road in Franklin Township. The group allegedly told police that they stopped to check on Romito, who responded to their inquiries by telling them he “was going to kick their (expletive).” The group left and saw Romito exiting his truck and falling to the ground.

The group told police that they saw Romito again about 40 minutes later parked in the Unionville Volunteer Fire Department in Center Township. They stopped again to check on Romito. One member of the group said they recognized him because they had attended the same school.

The group said that Romito became confrontational again and he allegedly threatened to shoot them if they didn't get away from him. They alleged that Romito followed this up by pulling a gun from his car and shooting it in the ground in the group's direction. Police said they recovered a .380 bullet casing in the fire department's parking lot. Police said they also saw a gouge in the asphalt consistent with where the group said Romito fired his gun.

Soon after the report, police tracked Romito to his residence and allegedly found a .380 Walther PPK-S in Romito's truck. The Walther PPK-S was made famous as James Bond's pistol of choice in several films about the fictional British agent.

Police said the gun was empty of bullets with the slide locked to the rear.

District Judge Lewis Stoughton arraigned Romito Sunday on four counts of terroristic threats, four counts of recklessly endangering another person and four counts of simple assault. All of the charges are misdemeanors. He is being held in the Butler County Prison on a $15,000 bond and does not appear to have a lawyer, according to court documents.

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