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Granite City, MO (KMOV) — A Missouri man was arrested after allegedly pointing a loaded gun at a stranger outside a Metro East abortion clinic.
“It was nasty looking to me I can tell you that,” recalled John Ryan who volunteers his time for the Defenders of the Unborn.
Ryan said the stranger pointed a gun at him early Saturday morning outside the Hope Clinic for Women in Granite City.
“I was offering alternatives to folks that came there to see if I could talk them out of abortions,” said Ryan who is an anti-abortion activist. “I saw a car circle a couple of times and I saw this young man look at me when he went by each time,” he added.
Ryan said the man who police later identified as 27-year-old Kevin Brooks from Springfield, Missouri, eventually parked.
Ryan said he approached Brooks’ vehicle. Ryan said he was holding onesies and a business card.
“He never said a word. He had a smirk on his face, he just lifted, I saw the barrel of the gun out the window. He pointed it right at me and just looked at me,” said Ryan.
Ryan said he quickly backed away and called 911.
Granite City Police said they found Brookes with a rifle in his car. Bystanders identified him to police. Brooks was arrested and charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.
Ryan said the incident rattled him but isn’t deterring him from sharing his message.
He said he stayed at the Hope Clinic Saturday after the incident.
“Not turned away at all, it certainly is unnerving,” said Ryan. “I’ve been threatened before (this is the) first time I had a loaded gun pointed at me. I know what I do, I know the kids I’ve been able to save and that’s the least I can do is show up,” Ryan added.
Granite City Police said Brooks was still in the Madison County Jail as of Tuesday night. He is being held on $30,000 bond.
No one was injured and no shots were fired during the incident according to police.
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