No charges in reported gun threat

COEUR d’ALENE — A man who reportedly bumped two protesters with his car during Wednesday’s pro-Trump rally along U.S. 95 and allegedly threatened to shoot another with a handgun has not been charged in connection to the incident, but still could be.

Coeur d’Alene Police Capt. Dave Hagar said Monday the Kootenai County Prosecutor’s Office declined to file charges after initially reviewing the case. He said there were many conflicting reports on what happened about 12:30 p.m. near Haycraft Avenue.

However, he said since then, more information has surfaced, including a video. Hagar said police will continue to investigate.

“We’re doing some more digging,” he said in a phone interview with The Press.

Hagar said police plan to submit additional information for the prosector’s office to review. Kootenai County Prosecutor Barry McHugh could not be reached for comment.

Bill Divine was participating in the rally and chased the car on foot after he said it hit protesters and left them shaken and banged up but otherwise OK. He maintained Monday the driver at one point stopped, got out of his car, crouched near the driver’s door, and twice threatened to shoot Divine, as well as threatening to beat him up.

The Coeur d’Alene police report on the incident listed six witnesses, six victims and one complainant. Under offenses, it lists “assault with a firearm.” It also lists leaving the scene of an injury accident and aggravated assault under criminal code charges.

Divine, who was not armed, said he was disappointed that prosecutors have so far declined to file charges against the man.

He provided a video of the incident obtained from a business in the area that shows a man standing outside the driver’s side door of the gray passenger car, pointing a handgun across the top of it, and telling others to “move that truck” that was blocking his exit.

“We’ll move the truck, but you don’t need to brandish a firearm,” a man responds.

Divine, of Pinehurst, is seen shouting that he is making a citizen’s arrest and yelling at the man to “drop the gun.” Others are also screaming for the man to drop the weapon. He calmly declined and drove away a minute later after the truck was moved.

Divine said he was “totally outraged” that someone could threaten to shoot him twice with a gun and may not faces charges. He said he told the man he was unarmed.

“My rights have been violated,” he said.

He said he’s been worried the man might come looking for him.

“All I was doing was waving my flag and saying, ‘Yay, Trump,’” Divine said.