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Waldorf resident Harold Andrew Howard, 53, was arrested on Sunday afternoon after directing a diatribe at two people inside a White Plains business before allegedly threatening them with the shotgun.
Shortly after 4 p.m. on Oct. 20, an officer parked in his patrol car in the parking lot of the business was approached by a man who ran up stating that another shopper just pointed a shotgun at them, according to a spokesperson from the Charles County Sheriff's Office.
The officer launched an investigation and quickly located Howard, identified as the suspect, who had a shotgun in his vehicle.
Investigators say that the victim and Howard got into an argument inside the business, during which the latter allegedly used a racial slur to refer to the former and another shopper before the altercation spilled into the parking lot.
As the victims were loading their car, Howard allegedly continued to use racial slurs and took out a shotgun, which he held in the air before pointing it in the direction of the pair, one of whom took off on foot to get the officer's help.
Howard was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree assault and committing a race/religious crime against a person or group
He's being held at the Charles County Detention Center without bond.
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