Man charged with assault at fairgrounds

COEUR d’ALENE — A man who allegedly threatened people with a gun at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds is facing felony charges.

Daniel H. Cathcart, 19, is charged with two counts of aggravated assault. Prosecutors also filed a deadly weapon enhancement.

Kootenai County Sheriff’s deputies responded around 11:45 p.m. Saturday to reports of possible gunshots at the fairgrounds.

A woman told police she was attending an event where she met Cathcart. The two got into a physical altercation, she said, and were both kicked out of the event.

While walking to the vehicle where her friends were waiting for her, a group of men allegedly began to chase her.

The woman said she got into the vehicle, but one of the men grabbed the door and prevented her from closing it.

She said she saw Cathcart approaching with a rifle in his hand before she managed to close the door.

The woman and her friends told police they believed they heard two gunshots as they drove away.

Witnesses at the scene told police they saw a group of men chase the woman to her vehicle. They also reportedly identified Cathcart as carrying a rifle.

One man said he approached Cathcart, who pointed the rifle at him. The man then called 911.

When questioned by police, Cathcart said he had heard that the woman had “jumped” someone at the event. He said he grabbed his gun to protect other people, according to court documents.

He also acknowledged being confronted by the other man, though he said he kept the muzzle of his rifle pointed down.

A search of Cathcart’s vehicle reportedly yielded a rifle and multiple boxes of ammunition.

Police arrested Cathcart at the scene on charges of aggravated assault.

First District Judge Robert Caldwell ordered Monday that Cathcart be held on $20,000 bail.