Officers prevented ‘potential mass shooting’ in downtown Boone, chief says

BOONE, N.C. — The chief of the Boone Police Department is thanking his officers for “preventing a potential mass shooting” after a man was found with a handgun, a shotgun, and 268 rounds of ammunition.

Around 12:30 a.m. Tuesday, someone called 911 to report that a man was flashing a gun outside of Boone Saloon on West King Street. It’s right across from the campus of Appalachian State University.

Officers arrived in under two minutes and found a man who was holding a loaded Ruger P94 pistol, police said.

Police were able to take him into custody.

Through an investigation, police discovered the suspect, 59-year-old Peter Modiene Gabaree of Lenoir, had been inside Boone Saloon earlier and had been asked to leave. The bar owner, Skip Sinanian, said he only had one drink.

Once he got outside, police believe Gabaree went to his car to put on a tactical vest. They said he also grabbed a shotgun, the handgun, and ammo for both guns.

The chief told Channel 9′s Dave Faherty that Gabaree had 268 rounds of ammunition.

Sinanian said two students spotted Gabaree near his pickup truck, where he told them he couldn’t find his wallet.

“He asked the boys to ask our door guy if the wallet was in there,” Sinanian said. “So those boys came over and said ‘hey that guy’s looking for his wallet and, by the way, he has a gun.’”

That worker called 911.

Police said Gabaree followed their orders and put down the loaded pistol when they approached him, but he did resist arrest, forcing them to take him to the ground.

“I would like to commend our officers for their quick actions and preventing a potential mass shooting here in Boone,” Boone Police Chief Andy Le Beau said in a statement Tuesday. “This was obviously a dangerous situation. We are grateful to the citizen who saw this suspicious activity and called us. Our officers interrupted a man who had put on a ballistic vest and was loading weapons in his car. I am thankful to Sergeant Scott Mackler and his patrol shift for their courage in confronting and taking into custody this armed individual to safeguard our community.”

A student who lives across the street from the Boone Saloon said students enjoy going there. She’s thankful for the quick response from officers, and that someone called 911.

“It could have been me or my friends there that night,” Morgan Allison said. “It’s just a horrifying thought to think that if someone didn’t call 9-1-1 that something tragic could have really happened.”

Gabaree was initially charged with going armed to the terror of the public (common law) and misdemeanor resisting officers. He was given a $10,000 bond and police said they have seized all of his weapons.

On Thursday, police said Gabaree had additionally been charged with two felony counts of possession of a firearm by a felon. He was given a $50,000 secured bond.

Police said Gabaree has a felony conviction in Connecticut from 1992.

Gabaree is expected to appear in court on Dec. 20.

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