Charges: Elk River man threatened neighbors, criticized their sexuality

An Elk River man has been charged after reportedly pointing a gun at his neighbors and criticizing their sexuality.

Mark Bennett Stinson, 48, faces one count of second-degree assault and one count of threats of violence.

According to a criminal complaint, police were called to a home on 191st Avenue Northwest in Elk River on Sunday afternoon on a harassment complaint.

A woman told police that she and her kids were cleaning up leaves in the front yard when Stinson started yelling at her, criticizing her sexuality and using profanity. The woman said Stinson appeared to be intoxicated and that it was an unprovoked confrontation.

Police tried to contact Stinson but he wouldn’t come outside. Inside Stinson’s open garage, police found a pile of ammunition that appeared to be dumped on the ground.

An officer then drove a block away and parked out of sight of the home. Around half an hour later, officers heard another woman yelling to get inside the home because, “He’s got a gun,” court documents state.

The second woman said Stinson came outside with his dog and she confronted him from her own yard about why he was acting the way he was. Stinson was holding a long gun and raised it.

The woman initially said he pointed it at her but then said she didn’t see him point it at anyone specifically but scattered when he raised the gun. Stinson turned away and went toward his garage and the woman yelled for her kids to get inside, court documents state.

A search warrant was executed on Stinson’s home and officers found several guns, including an AR-style rifle without a serial number, according to court documents. Police also found “a significant amount of ammunition.”

Early Monday morning, police found Stinson walking outside and arrested him, noting that he smelled of alcohol.

A detective tried to take a statement from Stinson but he declined to speak.