Man pointed gun at woman outside Beaver Stadium, police say

A Benner Township resident was arrested after an alleged incident involving a firearm near Beaver Stadium.

According to Penn State police, an officer on foot patrol responded at about 5:35 p.m. Saturday to parking lot 12 outside the stadium for a reported domestic altercation. The officer met with a woman, who advised she and Austin A. Swanger, 23, were at the Penn State football game earlier that day.

The woman said she saw a text come through on Swanger’s cellphone from an unknown number, police said. After reportedly confronting him about the message, they left the game.

They walked to Swanger’s vehicle in lot 12, police said, where he reportedly retrieved a .357-caliber handgun after getting in the truck. He allegedly pointed the gun at the woman, telling her to “get in the (expletive) truck.”

The woman refused and walked from the area to contact police, the affidavit said. Swanger reportedly drove to her location, made a verbal threat toward the family’s animals and left the area.

Troopers responded to Swanger’s address and took him into custody, police said. A handgun was also seized from the center console of his vehicle.

Swanger consented to an interview, police said, and allegedly acknowledged having a verbal altercation with the woman. He also reportedly admitted to possessing a handgun and pointing it in the female’s “vicinity” while telling her to get int the truck.

He was arraigned Sunday before District Judge Allen Sinclair, according to court documents, and charged with misdemeanor counts of terroristic threats, simple assault, reckless endangerment and disorderly conduct. Straight monetary bail was set at $50,000 and he was taken to the Centre County Correctional Facility.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 11.

This story was originally published October 2, 2017 at 2:50 PM with the headline "Man pointed gun at woman outside Beaver Stadium, police say."