Arnold man accused of illegally firing gun in New Kensington

An Arnold man is facing charges after New Kensington police say he fired a gun near a child.

New Kensington police charged Gabriel Garfield Golding, 27, of Leishman Avenue on Thursday with recklessly endangering another person and discharging a firearm.

In a criminal complaint against Golding, police said the incident happened shortly before 8:30 p.m. July 9 in the 800 block of Freeport Road.

As officers were responding to a report of shots fired, police said the caller identified the shooter as Golding and that he fled the area in an SUV.

According to the complaint, a woman told officers that Golding arrived at her home in an SUV, got out and threatened to kill everyone there. She said he then pulled a small black pistol from his waistband, fired one shot into the air and got back in the vehicle.

Police said an officer recovered one spent 9mm shell casing on Freeport Road.

Golding’s sister told police the incident started at his wedding in the 1300 block of Victoria Avenue, where they got into an altercation. She said he chased her to Freeport Road.

While officers were at Freeport Road, the complaint says Golding called Westmoreland County 911 to report the incident, asked to speak with police and said he was at Victoria Avenue.

New Kensington officers found Golding standing on the street with his hands in the air. According to the complaint, Golding said, “It’s on my right hip, it’s on my right hip.”

An officer seized a Ruger 9mm semiautomatic pistol and a holster from Golding.

Police said several people told an officer that Golding had been jumped by three men on Freeport Road and pulled his gun out to protect himself.

According to the complaint, police learned that a man pulled a handgun on Golding before Golding fired his gun. That man is not identified in the complaint.

Golding did not have an attorney listed in court records. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Sept. 8.