(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — The owner of a store in Des Plaines is facing criminal charges, after police say he threatened customers with a replica gun.
Des Plaines police say 33-year-old Daniel Nardo is the owner of Up, a store on Elmhurst Road that police call a cannabis dispensary, though its web site claims the store sells industrial-grade hemp rather than stronger marijuana.
Investigators say a customer told police that Nardo became upset when another customer started laughing during a phone conservation on Thursday.
Police say the customers claimed Nardo pulled out a replica shotgun that they thought was real and acted as if he was about to fire it.
Police blocked off the area around the store for several hours until Nardo came out.
Nardo told WBBM he only pulled out the gun, because he believed the man on the phone was talking to someone about robbing the store.
Police say Nardo is charged with aggravated assault and disorderly conduct.
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