OTTUMWA – An Ottumwa man is behind bars for an incident last week in which he allegedly entered a store, brandished a firearm, and threatened to shoot up the store.

According to court documents, 38-year-old Nathaniel Triplett of Ottumwa was observed entering a store on the 900 block of East Main Street on video surveillance at around 4:45pm on February 20. The footage showed Triplett with a firearm tucked in his pants, and once inside the store, Triplett was allegedly involved in a confrontation with an employee of the store in which he pointed the gun at the employee and threatened to shoot the store up. The employee was able to contact police, and authorities say that Triplett left the store at that point.

Law enforcement eventually found a bag that contained the gun that Triplett allegedly brandished in the store. The serial number on the gun was observed to have been filed off, indicating that it had been stolen.

Triplett was arrested and transported to the Wapello County Jail, and he now faces numerous charges, including:

• Trafficking in Stolen Weapon Used in Crime (class C felony)
• Dominion/Control of a Firearm by a Felon (class D felony)
• Going Armed with Intent (class D felony)
• Assault while Participating in a Felony (class D felony)
• Assault while Displaying a Dangerous Weapon (aggravated misdemeanor)
• 1st Degree Harassment (aggravated misdemeanor)