Man charged with ethnic intimidation after allegedly pointing gun at 2 men, using racial slur at Pittsburgh-area bar

LATROBE, Pa. (KDKA) -- A man is facing ethnic intimidation charges after police said he put a gun to another man's head and used a racial slur at a bar in Latrobe.

Police said they got a call around 10:30 p.m. Saturday about a man who said he'd been at a bar when someone put a gun to his head and forced him out. He told police he was at Hotel Loyal on Ligonier Street trying to pay his check when someone drew a pistol and put it to the back of his head, telling him and another bar patron to get out while using a racial slur. 

When police went to the bar to investigate, the criminal complaint said Charles Noel of Derry said he had a gun in his pocket. An officer asked him if he had anything to do with the incident, and police said Noel responded, "Yes I did." 

Police said Noel agreed to speak to them. The criminal complaint said he was asked if the victim did anything to threaten anyone, and he said the victim was being obnoxious and wouldn't go away. 

He admitted to pulling his firearm and said "I probably pointed it towards him, yes." 

Investigators reviewed camera footage from inside the bar and saw Noel come from a room behind the victim, rack the slide on his gun, place it to the back of his head and push him away. The victim exited the bar while Noel kept pointing his gun at the victim and the other patron as they tried to retreat, police said. 

Noel is charged with ethnic intimidation, aggravated assault and terroristic threats with the intent to terrorize another.